Zechariah 8

Zechariah · Chapter 8

Zechariah 8:10

1Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,2Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.3Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.4Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.5And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.6Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;8And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.9Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.10For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.11But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.12For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.13And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.14For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:15So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.16These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:17And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.18And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,19Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.20Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:21And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.22Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.23Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
10For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor.For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in, because of the adversary: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

The LORD reminds the returned exiles how hard life was before the temple foundation was laid: work earned nothing, travel was unsafe, and people turned on each other. He says he himself set them against one another. The next verses promise the opposite now: seed, fruit, dew, and blessing. Zechariah 8:9Zechariah 8:10Zechariah 8:11Zechariah 8:12

SpeakingThe LORD of hosts, speaking through the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah 8:1Zechariah 8:9Zechariah overview

ToThe people of Judah back from exile in Babylon, who were hearing the prophets in the days the temple was being rebuilt. Zechariah 8:9Zechariah overview

The verse looks back on the 'former days' before the rebuilding. There was no pay for man or beast, no safety going out or coming in because of the enemy, and the LORD set everyone against his neighbour. Haggai describes the same years: wages put 'into a bag with holes' and drought 'upon men, and upon cattle.' Zechariah 8:10Zechariah 8:11Haggai 1:6Haggai 1:11Strong's H6862C

Jerusalem and Judah, among the people who had returned from exile. Zechariah overviewZechariah 8:3

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe hard times came while work on the temple had stopped, before its foundation was laid. Haggai marks the turn from 'the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid.' Zechariah overviewZechariah 8:9Haggai 2:18Haggai 2:16

WrittenTraditional: written by Zechariah, with this section (chapters 7-8) dated to Darius's fourth year, about 518 BC. Scholarly: most scholars also place chapters 1-8 with Zechariah in 520-518 BC. Zechariah overview

HereThe verse gives the reason ('For') behind the call 'Let your hands be strong.' The past hardship is contrasted with the blessing God now promises, so the people would take heart and keep building. Zechariah 8:9Zechariah 8:10Zechariah 8:11Zechariah 8:13Zechariah overview

In the whole of ScriptureScripture shows the LORD ruling over both trouble and good: 'shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?' He can set people against each other, as he said of Egypt. Here he turns from punishing to doing good to Jerusalem. Amos 3:6Isaiah 19:2Zechariah 8:14Zechariah 8:15

For readersGod's people are told to remember the hard years before the temple foundation was laid, and to trust his promise that things will not be as in the former days. The chapter ties that new start to how they live: speak truth to your neighbour and plot no evil against him. That is the reverse of the strife in this verse. Zechariah 8:9Zechariah 8:10Zechariah 8:11Zechariah 8:15Zechariah 8:16Zechariah 8:17

  • hireשָׂכָר
    Hebrew · sa.khar · H7939

    The word means hire, wages or pay. The verse is about work that brought no return, the same picture as Haggai's 'he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.' Strong's H7939Haggai 1:6

  • Hebrew · tsar · H6862C

    The Hebrew word here means adversary, foe or enemy. So the lack of peace for those going out and coming in was due to hostile people, not only to hard circumstances. Strong's H6862CZechariah 8:10

  • peaceשָׁלוֹם
    Hebrew · sha.lom · H7965I

    Shalom covers safety, welfare and peace in human relationships as well as peace from war. Its absence here is answered by the chapter's call to 'love the truth and peace.' Strong's H7965IZechariah 8:16Zechariah 8:19

  • setשָׁלַח
    Hebrew · sha.lach · H7971G

    The verb means to send, send away or let loose. The LORD presents himself as the one who released the strife, as he says of Egypt, 'I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians.' Strong's H7971GIsaiah 19:2

Takeaway

This verse is a look back, not a promise. It recalls the barren, unsafe, divided years before the temple foundation was laid, so that God's people would believe his new word: 'I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days.' Zechariah 8:10Zechariah 8:11Haggai 2:18

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.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
forכִּ֗יKiH3588A
for

כִּי (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

to beforeלִפְנֵי֙lif-NEIH6440G
face: before

פָּנֶה (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 daysהַיָּמִ֣יםhai-ya-MIMH3117G
day

יוֹם (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 thoseהָהֵ֔םha-HEMH1992
they

אִנּוּן (in.nun) these, those, they Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992)

[the] wage[s] ofשְׂכַ֤רse-KHARH7939
wages

שָׂכָר (sa.khar) 1) hire, wages 1a) wages 1b) reward, pay 1c) fare, fee, passage-money

the personהָֽאָדָם֙ha-'a-DAMH0120G
man

אָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

notלֹ֣אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it happenedנִֽהְיָ֔הnih-YAHH1961
to be

הָיָה (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) …

and [the] wage[s] ofוּשְׂכַ֥רu-se-KHARH7939
wages

שָׂכָר (sa.khar) 1) hire, wages 1a) wages 1b) reward, pay 1c) fare, fee, passage-money

the animal[s]הַבְּהֵמָ֖הha-be-he-MAHH0929
animal

בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) 1) beast, cattle, animal 1a) beasts (coll of all animals) 1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals) 1c) wild beasts

[was] not itאֵינֶ֑נָּה'ei-NE-nahH0369
nothing

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of

and [belonged] to the [one who] went outוְלַיּוֹצֵ֨אve-lai-yo-TZE'H3318G
to come out: come

יָצָא (ya.tsa) : come/go_out/escape 1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart 1a2) to go forth (to a place) 1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something) 1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result) 1a5) to come out of 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out 1b2) to bring out of 1b3) to lead out 1b4) to deliver 1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

and to the [one who] cameוְלַבָּ֤אve-la-BA'H0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

notאֵין־'ein-H0369
nothing

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of

peaceשָׁלוֹם֙sha-lOmH7965I
peace

שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom) : peace 1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace 1a) completeness (in number) 1b) safety, soundness (in body) 1c) welfare, health, prosperity 1d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment 1e) peace, friendship 1e1) of human relationships 1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship 1f) peace (from war) 1g) peace (as adjective)

fromמִן־min-H4480A
from

מִן־ (min) prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that …

the opponentהַצָּ֔רha-TZARH6862C
enemy

צַר (tsar) adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor

so I may sendוַאֲשַׁלַּ֥חva-'a-sha-LACHH7971G
to send: depart

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send

everyכָּל־kol-H3605
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 personהָאָדָ֖םha-'a-DAMH0120G
man

אָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

eachאִ֥ישׁ'ishH0376I
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

on neighbor hisבְּרֵעֵֽהוּ׃be-re-'E-huH7453
neighbor

רֵעַ (re.a) 1) friend, companion, fellow, another person 1a) friend, intimate 1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense) 1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)

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