Zechariah 9:17
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids. | How lovely they will be, and how beautiful! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine, the young women. | For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedZechariah 9 promises that the LORD will save his people "in that day as the flock of his people" and make them shine like jewels in a crown on his land. Verse 17 is the closing cry of wonder at how great that goodness and beauty are. It ends with a picture of plenty, where grain and new wine make the young men and young women flourish. Zechariah 9:16Zechariah 9:17
SpeakingThe passage is "the burden of the word of the LORD," and the LORD is spoken of in the third person in this verse. Traditional view: the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah, delivered it. Scholarly view: chapters 9-14 carry no dates, and many scholars assign them to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote the whole book. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:16Zechariah overview
ToThe "daughter of Zion" and "daughter of Jerusalem," the people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah overview
Also involvedThe young men and young women of the restored people, who will thrive on the land's harvest. Zechariah 9:17Strong's H0970Strong's H1330
The verse is a burst of praise. It marvels at how great the goodness and beauty are that follow the LORD's rescue of his people. It then describes abundant grain and new wine that make the youth of the land flourish. Zechariah 9:16Zechariah 9:17Strong's H5107
The promise concerns the LORD's own land, Judah and Jerusalem. The book's messages were given among the returned exiles in Jerusalem. Zechariah 9:16Zechariah overview
The eventsThe chapter places this rescue "in that day" (9:16). It follows the coming of Zion's king (9:9) and the LORD's defense of his people (9:14-15). The text does not give a calendar date. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:14Zechariah 9:15Zechariah 9:16
WrittenTraditional view: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520-518 BC. Scholarly view: chapters 9-14 carry no dates, and many scholars assign them to a later writer or writers; others hold that Zechariah wrote them all. Zechariah overview
HereThe verse rounds off the promise of salvation with joy. God's people will be rescued, and they will also enjoy the harvest of their land. Zechariah 9:16Zechariah 9:17
In the whole of ScriptureOther prophets give the same picture of the LORD's people eating their own grain and drinking their own wine, with no enemy taking it, and praising him for it (Isaiah 62:8-9). Scripture also marvels at the LORD's beauty and greatness (Isaiah 33:17; Exodus 15:11). Isaiah 62:8Isaiah 62:9Isaiah 33:17Exodus 15:11
For readersWhen the LORD saves his people, the result is both wonder and real, everyday blessing in the harvest. Like the gatherers in Isaiah 62:9, the fitting response is to enjoy it and praise the LORD. Zechariah 9:16Zechariah 9:17Isaiah 62:9
Christians read this differently
The Hebrew says "its" or "his" goodness and beauty, and no cited Scripture settles whose they are. Many read them as the LORD's own goodness and beauty, in line with "the king in his beauty" (Isaiah 33:17). Others read them as the goodness and beauty of the rescued people or land, just described as jewels in a crown (9:16). Strong's H2898Strong's H3308Zechariah 9:17Isaiah 33:17Zechariah 9:16
- make cheerfulנוּב
The lexicon glosses this word here as "it will cause to thrive." It defines the word as "to bear fruit" and "to make to flourish." The grain and wine make the young people flourish. Strong's H5107
- goodnessטוּב
This word covers good things, prosperity, beauty, joy, and the goodness of God. That range fits a verse that moves from praise straight to the good things of the harvest. Strong's H2898Zechariah 9:17
- new wineתִּירוֹשׁ
The word means fresh or newly pressed wine. It points to a just-gathered harvest, like the wine the gatherers drink in Isaiah 62:9. Strong's H8492Isaiah 62:9
Takeaway
Zechariah 9:17 is praise at the end of a promise of rescue. It marvels at how great the goodness and beauty are, and pictures the LORD's saved people flourishing in a land full of grain and new wine. Zechariah 9:16Zechariah 9:17Strong's H5107
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| for | כִּ֥י | 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 |
| how! | מַה־ | mah- | H4100 | whatמָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes) |
| [will be] goodness its | טּוּב֖וֹ | tu-VO | H2898 | goodnessטוּב (tuv) 1) goods, good things, goodness 1a) good things 1b) goods, property 1c) fairness, beauty, joy, prosperity, goodness (abstract) 1d) goodness (of taste, discernment) 1e) goodness (of God) (abstract) |
| and how! | וּמַה־ | u-mah- | H4100 | whatמָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes) |
| [will be] beauty its | יָפְי֑וֹ | ya-fe-YO | H3308 | beautyיֳפִי (yo.phi) beauty |
| grain | דָּגָן֙ | da-GAN | H1715 | grainדָּגָן (da.gan) wheat, cereal, grain, corn |
| young men | בַּֽחוּרִ֔ים | ba-chu-RIM | H0970 | youthבָּחוּר (ba.chur) youth, young man |
| and new wine | וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ | ve-ti-RO-osh | H8492 | new wineתִּירוֹשׁ (ti.rosh) wine, fresh or new wine, must, freshly pressed wine |
| it will cause to thrive | יְנוֹבֵ֥ב | ye-no-VEV | H5107 | to bear fruitנוּב (nuv) 1) to bear fruit 1a) (Qal) to bear fruit 1b) (Pilel) to make to flourish (fig.) |
| young women | בְּתֻלֽוֹת׃ | be-tu-LOT | H1330 | virginבְּתוּלָה (be.tu.lah) virgin |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.