Zechariah 10:5
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | And 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. | They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame. | And they shall be as mighty men, treading down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Jehovah is with them; and the riders on horses shall be confounded. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedThe LORD promises that his shepherdless flock, the house of Judah, will become like mighty warriors who trample their enemies in battle. They win not by their own power but because the LORD is with them, and even the riders on horses are put to shame. Zechariah 10:2Zechariah 10:3Zechariah 10:5Zechariah 10:6
SpeakingThe LORD speaks through the prophet Zechariah. The chapter closes with "saith the LORD." Zechariah 10:12Zechariah overview
ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview
Also involvedThe house of Judah, along with the house of Joseph and Ephraim, whom God will strengthen and gather. Their enemies and the riders on horses are put to shame. Zechariah 10:3Zechariah 10:5Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:7
God's anger is kindled against the shepherds, and he visits his flock (10:3). He turns Judah from a troubled flock with no shepherd into his "goodly horse in the battle," warriors who fight and win because he is with them. Zechariah 10:2Zechariah 10:3Zechariah 10:5
The message went to Jerusalem and Judah. The chapter pictures God gathering his people from Egypt and Assyria into Gilead and Lebanon. Zechariah overviewZechariah 10:10
The eventsThe verse looks ahead to a coming victory and regathering of God's people. The chapter gives no date for when it will happen. Zechariah 10:5Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:10
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: chapters 9-14 carry no dates, and many assign them to a later writer or writers, while others hold Zechariah wrote them. Zechariah overview
HereThe verse shows that God's people will be strong because of the LORD's presence. The next verse says "I will strengthen the house of Judah," and the chapter ends "I will strengthen them in the LORD." Zechariah 10:5Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:12
In the whole of ScriptureZechariah teaches that God's work is done "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit" (4:6). Elsewhere in the book the LORD himself fights for his people and strikes the enemy's horses (12:4, 14:3), and Haggai 2:22 says the horses and their riders shall come down. Psalm 20:7 makes the same contrast: some trust in horses, "but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Zechariah overviewZechariah 12:4Zechariah 14:3Haggai 2:22Psalms 20:7
For readersThe strength here does not come from the people themselves. Weak people become mighty because the LORD is with them, as Zechariah 12:8 says the feeble shall be as David. Zechariah 10:5Zechariah 12:8
- mighty menגִּבּוֹר
The word means a strong, brave, mighty man. Zechariah uses the same picture for Ephraim (10:7) and for Zion as "the sword of a mighty man" (9:13). It shows a flock with no shepherd being made into fighters. Strong's H1368Zechariah 10:7Zechariah 9:13Zechariah 10:2
- withעִם
The word means "with," and the clause is joined by a word meaning "because." The reason for victory is that the LORD is with them, which matches "I will strengthen them in the LORD" (10:12). Strong's H5973AStrong's H3588AZechariah 10:12
- confoundedבּוֹשׁ
The word means to put to shame, be ashamed, disconcerted, or disappointed. The riders on horses are not only beaten but shamed, fitting Psalm 20:7, which sets trust in horses against the name of the LORD. Strong's H0954Zechariah 10:5Psalms 20:7
- tread downבּוּס
The word means to tread down or trample, and is used of warriors. Here the enemies are trodden in the mud of the streets. Strong's H0947Strong's H2916Zechariah 10:5
Takeaway
God turns his weak, scattered people into victors, and the reason is "because the LORD is with them." Trust rests in him, not in horses or human might. Zechariah 10:5Psalms 20:7Zechariah overview
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
- 539 BCWarBabylon 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
- 538 BCGod'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
- c. 536 BCGod'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
- 525 BCWarPersia 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
- 522-521 BCWarDarius 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
- 520 BCGod'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
- c. 520-519 BCRulersDarius 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
- 515 BCBuildingThe 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
- 490-479 BCWarPersia'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
- 445 BCBuildingNehemiah 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
- 332 BCWarAlexander 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.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and they will be | וְהָי֨וּ | ve-ha-YU | H1961 | to beהָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) … |
| like warriors | כְגִבֹּרִ֜ים | khe-gi-bo-RIM | H1368 | mighty manגִּבּוֹר (gib.bor) adj 1) strong, mighty n m 2) strong man, brave man, mighty man |
| treading down | בּוֹסִ֨ים | bo-SIM | H0947 | to trampleבּוּס (bus) 1) to tread down, reject, trample down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tread down, trample (of warriors) 1a2) of rejection (fig.) 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to tread down (in bad sense) 1b2) to desecrate 1c) (Hithpolel) 1c1) to tread 1c2) to kick out 1c2a) of infants' blind movements 1c2b) of Jerusalem (fig.) 1d) (Hophal) to be trodden down |
| in [the] mud of | בְּטִ֤יט | be-TIT | H2916 | mudטִיט (tit) 1) mud, clay, mire, damp dirt 1a) mud, mire 1b) clay (poetical) Aramaic equivalent: tin (טִין "common" H2917) |
| [the] streets | חוּצוֹת֙ | chu-tzOt | H2351 | outsideחוּץ (chuts) outside, outward, street, the outside |
| in the battle | בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה | ba-mil-cha-MAH | H4421 | battleמִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) battle, war |
| and they will fight | וְנִ֨לְחֲמ֔וּ | ve-NIL-cha-MU | H3898A | to fightלָחַם (la.cham) 1) to fight, do battle, make war 1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle 1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war |
| for | כִּ֥י | ki | H3588A | forכִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore |
| Yahweh | יְהוָ֖ה | YAH-weh | H3068G | Lordאֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G) |
| [will be] with them | עִמָּ֑ם | 'i-MAM | H5973A | withעִם (im) 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as |
| and they will put to shame | וְהֹבִ֖ישׁוּ | ve-ho-VI-shu | H0954 | be ashamedבּוֹשׁ (bush) 1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to feel shame 1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of) 1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame) 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to put to shame 1c2) to act shamefully 1c3) to be ashamed 1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another |
| riders of | רֹכְבֵ֥י | ro-khe-VEI | H7392 | to rideרָכַב (ra.khav) 1) to mount and ride, ride 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to mount, mount and sit or ride 1a2) to ride, be riding 1a3) rider (subst) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to ride, cause to (mount and) ride 1b2) to cause to draw (plough, etc) 1b3) to cause to ride upon (fig) |
| horses | סוּסִֽים׃ | su-SIM | H5483M | horseסוּס (sus) 1) horse 1a) chariot horses |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.