Zechariah 9:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; | Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double. | Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedGod has just said that, by the blood of his covenant, he has set Zion's prisoners free from a waterless pit (9:11). Now he calls these captives, whose hope rests on him, to turn back to the stronghold. That very day he declares that he will render double to them. Zechariah 9:11Zechariah 9:12
Commonly taken out of context
How it’s often usedQuoted as a general promise that any believer will get 'double' blessing or wealth back for every trouble, or used as a slogan for staying optimistic.
In contextIn the text, God speaks to the captives of Zion whom he has freed by his covenant (9:11). The promise is tied to his rescue of his people and his fight for them (9:13-16). It is a promise of double return after loss, as when the LORD turned Job's captivity and gave him twice as much (Job 42:10). Zechariah 9:11Zechariah 9:13Zechariah 9:16Job 42:10
SpeakingThe LORD speaks through the prophet Zechariah. The chapter opens as 'the burden of the word of the LORD.' Zechariah 9:1Zechariah overview
ToThe 'daughter of Zion' and her prisoners, the people of Judah and Jerusalem whom God has freed by the blood of his covenant. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:11Zechariah overview
Also involvedJudah and Ephraim, whom God will use as his bow and sword against the sons of Greece, and whom he will save as his flock. Zechariah 9:13Zechariah 9:16
This is a call and a promise. The call is 'Turn you to the strong hold.' The promise is 'I will render double unto thee.' The verse does not name the stronghold, but Nahum 1:7 says 'The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble,' and in this chapter God says he will encamp about his house (9:8). Zechariah 9:12Zechariah 9:8Nahum 1:7
The promise is addressed to Zion and Jerusalem in the land of Judah, where the returned exiles lived. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah overview
The eventsThe setting is the time after the return from exile in Babylon. The passage looks ahead to Zion's coming king and to God fighting for his people against Greece. Zechariah overviewZechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:13
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the book; its dated messages run from about 520 BC to 518 BC. Scholarly: most agree chapters 1-8 come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC, but chapters 9-14 carry no dates. Many scholars assign them to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote the whole book. Zechariah overview
HereGod calls his freed captives to return to safety and gives them ground for hope. He promises them a double return and his own defence in battle. Zechariah 9:12Zechariah 9:14Zechariah 9:15
In the whole of ScriptureThis fits the book's main call: 'turn ye unto me... and I will turn unto you' (1:3). Tyre trusted in a stronghold she built herself and was cast out (9:3-4), while God's people are told to turn to the stronghold. Isaiah 61:7 makes a like promise: 'For your shame ye shall have double.' Zechariah overviewZechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4Isaiah 61:7
For readersOther Scripture also shows hope resting on the LORD's faithful mercy (Lamentations 3:21-22). Hebrews 6:18 speaks of those 'who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' Lamentations 3:21Lamentations 3:22Hebrews 6:18
- turnשׁוּב
The word means to return or come back. Among its senses is turning back to God in repentance. The same verb appears later in the verse as 'render' or 'restore' (H7725H), so the people return, and God restores. Strong's H7725GStrong's H7725H
- prisonersאָסִיר
The word means prisoner, captive, or bondman. It points back to the prisoners God has just brought out of the pit (9:11). Strong's H0615Zechariah 9:11
- hopeתִּקְוָה
The word means hope, expectation, a ground of hope, or the thing hoped for. These captives have something to hope for, like Jeremiah 31:17: 'there is hope in thine end.' Strong's H8615BJeremiah 31:17
- doubleמִשְׁנֶה
The word means double, copy, or second. Here it is a double portion, matching Isaiah 61:7: 'in their land they shall possess the double.' Strong's H4932HIsaiah 61:7
Takeaway
God calls the people he has freed to come back to the stronghold. He declares he will render double to them. Their hope rests on his covenant, and the LORD himself is a strong hold in the day of trouble. Zechariah 9:11Zechariah 9:12Nahum 1:7
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| return | שׁ֚וּבוּ | SHU-vu | H7725G | to return: returnשׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) … |
| to [the] stronghold | לְבִצָּר֔וֹן | le-vi-tza-RON | H1225 | strongholdבִּצָּרוֹן (bits.tsa.ron) stronghold |
| O prisoners of | אֲסִירֵ֖י | 'a-si-REI | H0615 | prisonerאָסִיר (a.sir) prisoner, captive, bondman |
| the hope | הַתִּקְוָ֑ה | ha-tik-VAH | H8615B | hopeתִּקְוָה (tiq.vah) 1) hope, expectation 1a) hope 1b) ground of hope 1c) things hoped for, outcome |
| also | גַּם־ | gam- | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike |
| this day | הַיּ֕וֹם | hai-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 |
| [I am] declaring | מַגִּ֥יד | ma-GID | H5046 | to tellנָגַד (na.gad) 1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known 1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare 1a1) to tell, announce, report 1a2) to declare, make known, expound 1a3) to inform of 1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim 1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess 1a5a) messenger (participle) 1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported |
| double | מִשְׁנֶ֖ה | mish-NEH | H4932H | secondמִשְׁנֶה (mish.neh) 1) double, copy, second, repetition 1a) double 1b) copy (of law) 1c) second (in order) 1c1) second rank 1c2) second in age 1d) second quarter or district |
| I will restore | אָשִׁ֥יב | 'a-SHIV | H7725H | to return: returnשׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.