Zechariah 10

Zechariah · Chapter 10

Zechariah 10:11

1Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.2For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.3Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.4Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.5And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.6And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.7And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.8I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.9And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.10I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.11And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
11And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.They will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.And he will pass through the sea of affliction, and will smite the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall dry up; and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

In Zechariah 10 the LORD promises to gather his scattered people from far countries, including Egypt and Assyria, and bring them home. This verse pictures that return as a new crossing of the sea, like the Exodus. The powers that held them, Assyria and Egypt, will lose their pride and their rule. Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:9Zechariah 10:10Zechariah 10:11Exodus 14:21

SpeakingThe LORD speaks through the prophet Zechariah. The chapter ends "saith the LORD." Zechariah 10:12Zechariah overview

ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview

Also involvedThe scattered house of Judah and house of Joseph (Ephraim), who are to be brought home. Also Assyria and Egypt, whose pride and rule are to end. Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:7Zechariah 10:10Zechariah 10:11

The one who passes through the sea goes with distress, strikes the waves, and dries up the deep places of the Nile, as the LORD once dried the sea for Israel. Then Assyria's pride is brought low and Egypt's sceptre, its mark of ruling power, is taken away. Other prophets also foretold the fall of Assyria and the end of Egypt's rule. Zechariah 10:11Exodus 14:21Isaiah 51:10Zephaniah 2:13Ezekiel 30:13Strong's H2975GStrong's H7626G

The prophecy was given in Jerusalem. The verse names the sea, the Nile river, Egypt and Assyria, the lands the people are gathered from. They are brought to Gilead and Lebanon. Zechariah overviewZechariah 10:10Zechariah 10:11Strong's H2975GEgyptAssyriaNile

Mediterranean SeaASSYRIAEGYPTNileJerusalemBabylon 1TyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe verse looks ahead to a future gathering of God's people from the lands where they had been scattered. The text does not give a date for it. Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:9Zechariah 10:10

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: most agree chapters 1-8 date from 520-518 BC, but chapters 9-14 are undated, and many assign them to a later writer. Others hold Zechariah wrote it all. Zechariah overview

HereTo assure the returned people that God would finish gathering his scattered flock. No power, however proud, could keep them from coming home. Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:11Zechariah 10:12

In the whole of ScriptureGod's first rescue at the Red Sea becomes the pattern for his later rescues. Isaiah asks whether it was not the LORD who made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over. He also promises, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee." Exodus 14:21Isaiah 51:10Isaiah 43:2

For readersThe God who parted the sea still keeps his promises to his people. The proudest powers fall before him. His people are made strong in him and walk in his name. Zechariah 10:11Zechariah 10:12Isaiah 43:2

  • riverיְאֹר
    Hebrew · ye.or · H2975G

    This word names the Nile. The river dried up here is Egypt's river, which ties this line to the fall of Egypt later in the verse. Strong's H2975GZechariah 10:11

  • afflictionצָרָה
    Hebrew · tsa.rah · H6869B

    The word means straits, distress or trouble. The crossing comes through hard straits, yet God brings his people through them. Strong's H6869BZechariah 10:11Isaiah 43:2

  • sceptreשֵׁ֫בֶט
    Hebrew · she.vet · H7626G

    The word means rod or staff, and also a sceptre as a mark of authority. Egypt losing its sceptre means its ruling power ends, as Ezekiel says: "there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt." Strong's H7626GEzekiel 30:13

  • prideגָּאוֹן
    Hebrew · ga.on · H1347

    The word can mean majesty or excellence, but also pride and arrogance in a bad sense. Here Assyria's exalted greatness is brought down. Strong's H1347Strong's H3381Zephaniah 2:13

Takeaway

Zechariah 10:11 promises a new Exodus. God will bring his scattered people home through every barrier, and the proud powers that held them will fall. Zechariah 10:10Zechariah 10:11Exodus 14:21Isaiah 51:10

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

The world around the text

About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.

Who ruled
  • King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC

    Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription

  • Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC

    A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8

  • High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC

    Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2

  • Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC

    The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13

What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
  1. 539 BC
    WarBabylon falls to Cyrus

    Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder

  2. 538 BC
    God's peopleThe first return

    Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65

  3. c. 536 BC
    God's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops

    The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24

  4. 525 BC
    WarPersia conquers Egypt

    Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16

  5. 522-521 BC
    WarDarius crushes the revolts

    When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11

  6. 520 BC
    God's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build

    In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1

  7. c. 520-519 BC
    RulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree

    Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12

  8. 515 BC
    BuildingThe second temple is finished

    The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9

  9. 490-479 BC
    WarPersia's wars with Greece

    Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13

  10. 445 BC
    BuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls

    Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15

  11. 332 BC
    WarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza

    Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he will passוְעָבַ֨רve-'a-VARH5674A
to pass

עָבַר (a.var) 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over 1a2) to pass beyond 1a3) to pass through, traverse 1a3a) passers-through (participle) 1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant) 1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by 1a4a) passer-by (participle) 1a4b) to be past, be over 1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance 1a6) to pass away 1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory) 1a6b) to vanish …

in the seaבַּיָּ֜םbai-YAMH3220G
sea

יָם (yam) : sea 1) sea 1a) Mediterranean Sea 1b) Red Sea 1c) Dead Sea 1d) Sea of Galilee 1e) sea (general) 1f) mighty river (Nile) 1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court) 1h) seaward, west, westward

troubleצָרָ֗הtza-RAHH6869B
distress

צָרָה (tsa.rah) straits, distress, trouble

and he will strikeוְהִכָּ֤הve-hi-KAHH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

in the seaבַיָּם֙vai-YAMH3220G
sea

יָם (yam) : sea 1) sea 1a) Mediterranean Sea 1b) Red Sea 1c) Dead Sea 1d) Sea of Galilee 1e) sea (general) 1f) mighty river (Nile) 1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court) 1h) seaward, west, westward

wavesגַּלִּ֔יםga-LIMH1530H
heap

גַּל (gal) : heap/pile 1) heap, spring, wave, billow 1a) heap (of stones) 1a1) over dead body 1a2) alone 1a3) used in ratifying a covenant 1b) waves (fig. of chastisement of Jehovah) 1c) spring Also means: gal (גַּל ": wave" H1530H)

and they will dry upוְהֹבִ֕ישׁוּve-ho-VI-shuH3001
to wither

יָבֵשׁ (ya.vesh) 1) to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be dry, be dried up, be without moisture 1a2) to be dried up 1b) (Piel) to make dry, dry up 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to dry up, make dry 1c1a) to dry up (water) 1c1b) to make dry, wither 1c1c) to exhibit dryness

allכֹּ֖לkolH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] depths ofמְצוּל֣וֹתme-tzu-LOTH4688
depth

מְצוֹלָה (me.tso.lah) depth, the deep, the deep sea

[the] Riverיְאֹ֑רye-'ORH2975G
Nile

יְאֹר (ye.or) This name means river, stream, canal Also named: shi.chor (שִׁיחוֹר "Nile" H7883H)

and it will be brought downוְהוּרַד֙ve-hu-RADH3381
to go down

יָרַד (ya.rad) 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down

[the] pride ofגְּא֣וֹןge-'onH1347
pride

גָּאוֹן (ga.on) 1) exaltation, majesty, pride 1a) majesty, exaltation, excellence 1a1) of nations 1a2) of God 1a3) of the Jordan 1b) pride, arrogance (bad sense)

Assyriaאַשּׁ֔וּר'a-SHURH0804G
Assyria

אַשּׁוּר (ash.shur) § Asshur or Assyria = "a step" the nation, Assyria the land, Assyria or Asshur

and [the] scepter ofוְשֵׁ֥בֶטve-SHE-vetH7626G
tribe: staff

שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) : staff 1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe 1a) rod, staff 1b) shaft (of spear, dart) 1c) club (of shepherd's implement) 1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority) 1e) clan, tribe

Egyptמִצְרַ֖יִםmitz-RA-yimH4714G
Egypt

מָצוֹר (ma.tsor) "Matsor", a name for Egypt Another spelling of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) This name means siege, entrenchment

it will departיָסֽוּר׃ya-SURH5493H
to turn aside: remove

סוּר (sur) : remove 1) to turn aside, depart 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto 1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid 1a3) to be removed 1a4) to come to an end 1b) (Polel) to turn aside 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose 1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish 1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.