Zechariah 2:5
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. | For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’” | For I, saith Jehovah, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedIn a vision, Zechariah sees a man going to measure Jerusalem. An angel says the city will spread out like towns without walls because so many people and animals will live there. This verse gives the reason: the LORD himself will be her wall of fire around her and the glory inside her. Zechariah 2:1Zechariah 2:2Zechariah 2:3Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5
Commonly taken out of context
How it’s often usedOften spoken as a personal prayer or declaration that God will put a "wall of fire" around a person, home, or family to keep away harm.
In contextThe promise is made to Jerusalem, a city that would grow too large for walls. It is joined to God dwelling in her midst and to nations joining his people. It is about God's presence with his restored city and people, not a formula for private protection. Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5Zechariah 2:10Zechariah 2:11Zechariah 2:12
SpeakingThe LORD speaks ("saith the LORD"). His words come through an angel's message to Zechariah, who records the vision. Zechariah 2:3Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5Strong's H5002Zechariah overview
ToThe message is for "this young man" in the vision and, through Zechariah, for the people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah 2:4Zechariah overview
Also involvedJerusalem is the one promised protection and God's presence. The chapter also calls exiles still in Babylon to come home to her. Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5Zechariah 2:6Zechariah 2:7
God promises that a crowded, unwalled Jerusalem will not be defenseless. He will surround her like a ring of fire and live within her as her glory. The same chapter says he will "dwell in the midst of thee" and that many nations will join themselves to him. Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5Zechariah 2:10Zechariah 2:11Strong's H5439G
The vision concerns Jerusalem, the city the returned exiles were rebuilding. Zechariah gave his message there among the people who had returned. Zechariah 2:2JerusalemZechariah overview
The eventsThe vision is one of Zechariah's eight night visions. His dated messages run from the second year of Darius king of Persia, about 520 BC, to his fourth year, about 518 BC, while the temple was being rebuilt. Zechariah overview
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the book, with chapters 1-8 dated 520-518 BC. Scholarly: most agree chapters 1-8, including this verse, come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC, though many assign chapters 9-14 to later writers. Zechariah overview
HereThe returned exiles had faced opposition that stopped work on the temple. This promise told them Jerusalem's safety and glory would come from the LORD himself, not from walls. That fits the book's message: "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit" (4:6). Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5Zechariah overview
In the whole of ScriptureOther Scripture uses the same pictures. Isaiah 4:5 promises "a flaming fire by night" over Zion as "a defence." Isaiah 60:19 says "the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory." Revelation 21:23 shows a city lit by the glory of God. Isaiah 4:5Isaiah 60:19Revelation 21:23Zechariah 9:8
For readersThe verse shows that God's presence is his people's real defense and their glory. The Psalms say the same of him: "a shield for me; my glory" (Psalms 3:3), and "God is known in her palaces for a refuge" (Psalms 48:3). Zechariah 2:5Psalms 3:3Psalms 48:3
Christians read this differently
The text does not say when the promise is fulfilled. Some read it as fulfilled for the restored Jerusalem after the exile. Some see it fulfilled in God's people gathered from many nations (2:11). Others look for a future Jerusalem, often linking it to the city lit by God's glory in Revelation 21:23. Zechariah 2:11Zechariah 2:12Revelation 21:23Isaiah 60:19
- Iאֲנָא
The lexicon notes this pronoun is usually used for emphasis. The stress falls on the LORD himself as the city's wall. Strong's H0589Zechariah 2:5
- fireאֵשׁ
Among its senses, the lexicon lists supernatural fire that accompanies God's appearing. That fits Isaiah 4:5, where a flaming fire over Zion is her defence. Strong's H0784Isaiah 4:5
- gloryכָּבוֹד
The word means glory, honour, and splendour. The LORD himself is Jerusalem's glory, as in Isaiah 60:19, "thy God thy glory." Strong's H3519Isaiah 60:19
- midstתָּ֫וֶךְ
The word means midst or middle. It ties this verse to the promise in 2:10-11, "I will dwell in the midst of thee." Strong's H8432Zechariah 2:10Zechariah 2:11
Takeaway
Jerusalem would not need walls, because the LORD himself would guard her like fire and live in her as her glory. God's presence, not human defenses, is the safety and honor of his people. Zechariah 2:4Zechariah 2:5Psalms 3:3Isaiah 60:19
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.
Where
- Jerusalem settlementMapAbout this place
Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and I | וַאֲנִ֤י | va-'a-NI | H0589 | meאֲנָא (a.na) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis) Aramaic of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589) |
| I will be | אֶֽהְיֶה־ | 'eh-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) … |
| [the] utterance of | נְאֻם־ | ne-'um- | H5002 | utteranceנְאֻם (ne.um) 1) (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet) 1a) utterance, declaration, revelation (of prophet in ecstatic state) 1b) utterance, declaration (elsewhere always preceding divine name) |
| 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) |
| a wall of | ח֥וֹמַת | CHO-mat | H2346G | wallחוֹמָה (cho.mah) wall |
| fire | אֵ֖שׁ | 'esh | H0784 | fireאֵשׁ (esh) 1) fire 1a) fire, flames 1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany) 1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching) 1d) altar-fire 1e) God's anger (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785) |
| all around | סָבִ֑יב | sa-VIV | H5439G | aroundסָבִיב (sa.viv) : around/border subst 1) places round about, circuit, round about adv 2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about prep 3) in the circuit, from every side |
| and into glory | וּלְכָב֖וֹד | u-le-kha-VOD | H3519 | gloryכָּבוֹד (ka.vod) 1) glory, honour, glorious, abundance 1a) abundance, riches 1b) honour, splendour, glory 1c) honour, dignity 1d) honour, reputation 1e) honour, reverence, glory 1f) glory |
| I will become | אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה | 'eh-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) … |
| in [the] middle of it | בְתוֹכָֽהּ׃ פ | ve-to-KHAH | H8432 | midstתָּ֫וֶךְ (ta.vekh) 1) midst, middle 1a) midst, middle 1b) into, through (after verbs of motion) 1c) among (of a number of persons) 1d) between (of things arranged by twos) 1e) from among (as to take or separate etc) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.