Zechariah 10:8
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. | I will whistle for them to gather, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they once were. | I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they shall increase as they have increased. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedIn Zechariah 10 the LORD promises to care for his scattered flock, strengthening Judah and saving the house of Joseph. In this verse he says he will whistle a signal to call them, gather them home because he has redeemed them, and make them as many as they once were. Zechariah 10:3Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:10
SpeakingThe LORD speaks in the first person through the prophet Zechariah. The chapter closes with "saith the LORD." Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:12Zechariah overview
ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon heard the message. Zechariah overview
Also involvedThe promise concerns the scattered people of God: the house of Judah and the house of Joseph, also called Ephraim. Many of them were still living in far countries such as Egypt and Assyria. Zechariah 10:6Zechariah 10:7Zechariah 10:9Zechariah 10:10
God promises to give a signal to call his people, to gather them, and to make them grow in number again. He gives the reason: he has redeemed (ransomed) them. The verses that follow describe bringing them back from Egypt and Assyria until there is not room enough for them. Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:10Strong's H8319Strong's H6299Strong's H3588A
The message was given in Jerusalem, among the returned exiles. It speaks of people scattered in far countries, Egypt and Assyria, who will be brought into the land of Gilead and Lebanon. Zechariah overviewZechariah 10:9Zechariah 10:10
The eventsThe verse looks ahead to a future gathering of the scattered people. The text does not give a date for it. Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:9Zechariah 10:10
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book. His dated messages fall about 520-518 BC. Scholarly: many scholars assign the undated chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them all. Zechariah overview
HereThe chapter pictures God's people as a flock that wandered because there was no shepherd, and says the LORD has visited his flock. This verse assures the returned exiles that God has not forgotten his scattered people and will call and gather them home. Zechariah 10:2Zechariah 10:3Zechariah 10:6Zechariah overview
In the whole of ScriptureOther prophets give the same promise. Jeremiah says "He that scattered Israel will gather him... as a shepherd doth his flock" and "the LORD hath redeemed Jacob" (Jeremiah 31:10-11). Ezekiel and Hosea foretell that Israel will be multiplied again. Jeremiah 31:10Jeremiah 31:11Ezekiel 36:10Ezekiel 36:11Hosea 1:10
For readersGod's call to gather his people rests on what he has already done: "for I have redeemed them." The return depends on his redeeming work, not on their strength. Zechariah 10:8Strong's H3588AStrong's H6299
- hissשָׁרַק
The word means to hiss or whistle as a signal. Isaiah uses it for the LORD summoning nations from far off and calling the fly of Egypt and the bee of Assyria, so here it pictures God giving a call that his scattered people will answer. Strong's H8319Isaiah 5:26Isaiah 7:18
- redeemedפָּדָה
The word means to ransom, redeem, rescue or deliver. Jeremiah 31:11 uses the same idea of the LORD ransoming Jacob from one stronger than he. Strong's H6299Jeremiah 31:11
- increaseרָבָה
The word means to become many or numerous, to multiply. It links this verse to promises that Israel will be multiplied, as in Ezekiel 36:10-11 and Hosea 1:10. Strong's H7235AEzekiel 36:10Ezekiel 36:11Hosea 1:10
Takeaway
Like a shepherd gathering his flock, God promises to call his scattered people home and make them many again. He does this because he has already redeemed them. Zechariah 10:8Zechariah 10:3Jeremiah 31:10Jeremiah 31:11
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I will whistle | אֶשְׁרְקָ֥ה | 'esh-re-KAH | H8319 | to whistleשָׁרַק (sha.raq) 1) to hiss, whistle, pipe 1a) (Qal) to hiss (as a signal) |
| and I will gather them | וַאֲקַבְּצֵ֖ם | va-'a-ka-be-TZEM | H6908 | to gatherקָבַץ (qa.vats) 1) to gather, assemble 1a) (Qal) to gather, collect, assemble 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to assemble, gather 1b2) to be gathered 1c) (Piel) to gather, gather together, take away 1d) (Pual) to be gathered together 1e) (Hithpael) to gather together, be gathered together |
| for | כִּ֣י | 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 |
| I have redeemed them | פְדִיתִ֑ים | fe-di-TIM | H6299 | to ransomפָּדָה (pa.dah) 1) to ransom, redeem, rescue, deliver 1a) (Qal) to ransom 1b) (Niphal) to be ransomed 1c) (Hiphil) to allow one to be ransomed 1d) (Hophal) redeemed |
| and they will multiply | וְרָב֖וּ | ve-ra-VU | H7235A | to multiplyרָבָה (ra.vah) 1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things) 1a2) to be or grow great 1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make much, make many, have many 1c1a) to multiply, increase 1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly 1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly 1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236) |
| as | כְּמ֥וֹ | ke-MO | H3644G | likeכְּמוֹ (ke.mo) adv 1) like, as, the like of which conj 2) when, according as, as it were |
| they multiplied | רָבֽוּ׃ | ra-VU | H7235A | to multiplyרָבָה (ra.vah) 1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things) 1a2) to be or grow great 1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make much, make many, have many 1c1a) to multiply, increase 1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly 1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly 1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.