Zechariah 11:1

The History and Future of Judah’s Wicked Kings

11:1 Open your gates, Lebanon,

so that the fire may consume your cedars. ¹ 

Zechariah 13:1

The Refinement of Judah

13:1 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty ²  of David and the people of Jerusalem ³  to cleanse them from sin and impurity. ⁴ 

Zechariah 12:4

12:4 In that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses ⁵  of the nations ⁶  with blindness.

Zechariah 8:5

8:5 And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing. ⁷ 

Zechariah 5:8

5:8 He then said, “This woman represents wickedness,” and he pushed her down into the basket and placed the lead cover on top.

Zechariah 8:4

8:4 Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says, ‘Old men and women will once more live in the plazas of Jerusalem, each one leaning on a cane because of advanced age.

[11:1]  ¹ sn In this poetic section, plants and animals provide the imagery for rulers, especially evil ones (cf. respectively Isa 10:33-34; Ezek 31:8; Amos 2:9; Nah 2:12).

[13:1]  ² tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV), referring to dynastic descendants.

[13:1]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[13:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “for sin and for impurity.” The purpose implied here has been stated explicitly in the translation for clarity.

[12:4]  ³ tn Heb “every horse.”

[12:4]  ⁴ tn Or “peoples” (so NAB, NRSV).

[8:5]  ⁴ sn The references to longevity and to children living and playing in peace are eschatological in tone. Elsewhere the millennial kingdom is characterized in a similar manner (cf. Isa 65:20; Jer 31:12-13).