Zechariah 14:20
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. | On that day, HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the house of the LORD will be like the sprinkling bowls before the altar. | In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLY UNTO JEHOVAH; and the pots in Jehovah’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedZechariah 14 describes the day of the LORD, when the LORD fights for Jerusalem and becomes king over all the earth. This verse and the next close the book: even horse bells will carry the words once engraved on the high priest's gold plate, and ordinary pots will be like the altar's bowls. Everything in Jerusalem and Judah will be set apart to the LORD. Zechariah 14:1Zechariah 14:3Zechariah 14:9Zechariah 14:20Zechariah 14:21Exodus 39:30
SpeakingThe prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah, delivers the LORD's message. Zechariah overview
ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon and were living around Jerusalem. Zechariah overview
Also involvedJerusalem and Judah, and the survivors from the nations who come up yearly to worship the King and keep the feast of tabernacles. Zechariah 14:16Zechariah 14:21
The words HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD were engraved on the gold plate of the high priest's crown. Here they appear on horse bells. The pots in the temple will be like the bowls before the altar, and every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy, fit for those who offer sacrifice to boil their meat in. The line between holy and common is removed because everything belongs to the LORD. Zechariah 14:20Zechariah 14:21Exodus 39:30Leviticus 8:9
The setting is Jerusalem and Judah, and especially the LORD's house, the temple, with its altar. Zechariah 14:20Zechariah 14:21Zechariah overview
The eventsThe verse speaks of "that day," the coming day of the LORD in this chapter, when he is king over all the earth. The text gives no date for it. Zechariah 14:1Zechariah 14:9Zechariah 14:20
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book; his dated messages run from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: most agree chapters 1-8 come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC, but many assign the undated chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers, while others hold Zechariah wrote them all. Zechariah overview
HereThe verse shows what it means for the LORD to be king over all the earth. His holiness will reach even everyday things such as horse gear and cooking pots. Zechariah 14:9Zechariah 14:20Zechariah 14:21Zechariah overview
In the whole of ScriptureThe words engraved on the high priest's golden plate now mark common things. Isaiah uses the same phrase of Tyre's goods becoming "holiness to the LORD." The book's hope that God will dwell among his people ends with all of life set apart to him. Exodus 39:30Leviticus 8:9Isaiah 23:18Zechariah overview
For readersThe New Testament calls believers the holy temple of God and a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices. That fits this verse's picture: holiness is not kept for one place or person, but belongs to everything given to God. 1 Corinthians 3:161 Corinthians 3:171 Peter 2:5
Christians read this differently
The cited Scriptures do not say how this picture will be fulfilled. Some read it as a literal future time when the LORD reigns from Jerusalem and the nations keep the feast of tabernacles there (14:9, 14:16). Others read it as a picture fulfilled in God's people, who are now called his holy temple and priesthood (1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Peter 2:5). Zechariah 14:9Zechariah 14:161 Corinthians 3:161 Peter 2:5
- holinessקֹ֫דֶשׁ
The word means apartness or set-apartness, and it can describe God, places and things. Writing it on horse bells marks even these as set apart to the LORD, like the high priest's gold plate. Strong's H6944GExodus 39:30
- bellsמְצִלָּה
The word simply means bell, here hung on horses, a word the lexicon also uses for chariot horses. Ordinary animal gear will carry the same words once engraved on the high priest's gold plate. Strong's H4698Strong's H5483MZechariah 14:20Exodus 39:30
- potsסִיר
The word covers both household pots and temple pots. Verse 21 widens it to every pot in Jerusalem and Judah, so common kitchen ware becomes holy. Strong's H5518AZechariah 14:21
- bowlsמִזְרָק
These are bowls or basins for tossing a liquid, here the ones before the altar. The pots in the LORD's house will be like these altar vessels. Strong's H4219Zechariah 14:20
Takeaway
When the LORD is king over all, nothing stays merely common: horse bells and cooking pots alike bear HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD. God's holiness is meant to fill all of life, not one sacred corner of it. Zechariah 14:9Zechariah 14:20Zechariah 14:21Exodus 39:30
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
Behind this verse
- The high priest's mitre
- The high priest wore a mitre with a gold plate engraved "HOLINESS TO THE LORD." Zechariah sees a clean mitre set on Joshua's head, and later the same words on the bells of the horses. Exodus 28:36-38Zechariah 3:5Zechariah 14:20
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| on the day | בַּיּ֣וֹם | bai-YOM | H3117G | dayיוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow |
| the that | הַה֗וּא | ha-HU' | H1931 | he/she/itהוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article) |
| it will be | יִֽהְיֶה֙ | yih-YEH | 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) … |
| on | עַל־ | 'al- | H5921A | uponעַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) … |
| [the] bells of | מְצִלּ֣וֹת | me-tzi-LOT | H4698 | bellמְצִלָּה (me.tsil.lah) bell |
| the horse[s] | הַסּ֔וּס | ha-SUS | H5483M | horseסוּס (sus) 1) horse 1a) chariot horses |
| holiness | קֹ֖דֶשׁ | KO-desh | H6944G | holinessקֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) 1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness 1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness 1a1) of God 1a2) of places 1a3) of things 1b) set-apartness, separateness |
| to Yahweh | לַֽיהוָ֑ה | la-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) |
| and it will be | וְהָיָ֤ה | ve-ha-YAH | 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) … |
| the pots | הַסִּירוֹת֙ | ha-si-rOt | H5518A | potסִיר (sir) 1) pot 1a) pot (household utensil) 1b) pot (of temple) |
| in [the] house of | בְּבֵ֣ית | be-VEIT | H1004Q | No entry |
| Yahweh | יְהוָ֔ה | 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] like the bowls | כַּמִּזְרָקִ֖ים | ka-miz-ra-KIM | H4219 | bowlמִזְרָק (miz.raq) 1) bowl, basin 1a) bowl (for wine) 1b) basin (vessel for throwing or tossing a liquid) |
| to before | לִפְנֵ֥י | lif-NEI | H6440G | face: beforeפָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of |
| the altar | הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | ha-miz-BE-ach | H4196 | sacrificeדְּבַח (de.vach) sacrifice Aramaic of miz.be.ach (מִזְבֵּחַ "altar" H4196) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.