Zechariah 9:8
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. | But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of those who march to and fro, and never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I keep watch with My own eyes. | And I will encamp about my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedAfter announcing judgment on Israel's neighbors, from Damascus and Tyre to the Philistine cities (9:1-7), the LORD promises to camp around his own house as its guard. Armies marching past will no longer oppress his people, for God says he has now seen with his own eyes. The next verse turns to Zion's coming king (9:9). Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:4Zechariah 9:6Zechariah 9:8Zechariah 9:9
SpeakingThe LORD speaks in the first person ("I will encamp") through the prophet Zechariah, as part of "the burden of the word of the LORD." Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:8Zechariah overview
ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon and were rebuilding the temple. Zechariah overview
Also involvedGod's house and people ("them") are protected. The armies and oppressors who pass through the land are the ones held back. Zechariah 9:8Strong's H5065
God promises to stand guard over his house against anyone passing back and forth. No oppressor, no taskmaster or tribute collector, will march through them again. The reason given is that God has now seen with his own eyes. Zechariah 9:8Strong's H2583Strong's H4675Strong's H5065Strong's H7200G
The "house" is God's house in Jerusalem, where the returned exiles were rebuilding the temple. Around it lie the lands named in 9:1-7: Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath, Tyre, Sidon and the Philistine cities. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:5Zechariah 9:8Zechariah overview
The eventsThe verse is a promise about the future and gives no date. It comes right after the judgments on the nations around Israel (9:1-7). Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:7Zechariah 9:8
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: chapters 9-14 carry no dates, and many scholars assign them to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them. Zechariah overview
HereThe verse tells the returned people of Judah, who were rebuilding the temple, that God himself will camp around his house as its guard. Their safety rests on him, not on their own might. Zechariah 9:8Zechariah overview
In the whole of ScriptureThis protection prepares for the arrival of Zion's lowly king and his reign of peace (9:9-10). Other prophets give the same promise: "there shall no strangers pass through her any more" (Joel 3:17), "henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised" (Isaiah 52:1), and "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land" (Isaiah 60:18). Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:10Joel 3:17Isaiah 52:1Isaiah 60:18
For readersGod sees and acts on behalf of his people. Isaiah 54:14 promises the same: "thou shalt be far from oppression." The safety of God's people rests on his watchfulness, not on human might. Zechariah 9:8Isaiah 54:14Zechariah overview
- encampחָנָה
The word means to camp, and it can also mean to lay siege. Here it is God who pitches camp around his house, as a protector rather than an attacker. Strong's H2583Zechariah 9:8
- armyמִצָּבָה
This word can mean guard, watch or army, and in this verse it is glossed "a guard." That points to God camping as a guard over his house against those who come and go. Strong's H4675Zechariah 9:8
- oppressorנָגַשׂ
The word describes one who presses or drives others: a taskmaster, tyrant or collector of tribute. The promise is freedom from that kind of harsh rule. Strong's H5065Zechariah 9:8
- seenרָאָה
The verb means to see, perceive and consider. Joined with "with mine eyes," it shows God taking personal notice, and that is the ground given for his action. Strong's H7200GStrong's H5869AZechariah 9:8
Takeaway
God promises to guard his house himself, so that oppressors will no longer sweep through his people. He does this because he has now seen with his own eyes. Zechariah 9:8Joel 3:17Isaiah 54:14
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and I will encamp | וְחָנִ֨יתִי | ve-cha-NI-ti | H2583 | to campחָנָה (cha.nah) 1) to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to decline 1a2) to encamp |
| for house my | לְבֵיתִ֤י | le-vei-TI | H1004B | to lodgeבִּית (but) (P'al) to pass the night, lodge Aramaic of ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת ": home" H1004B) |
| a guard | מִצָּבָה֙ | mi-tza-VAH | H4675 | guardמִצָּבָה (mats.tsa.vah) guard, watch, army |
| from [one who] passes through | מֵעֹבֵ֣ר | me-'o-VER | H5674A | to passעָבַר (a.var) 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over 1a2) to pass beyond 1a3) to pass through, traverse 1a3a) passers-through (participle) 1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant) 1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by 1a4a) passer-by (participle) 1a4b) to be past, be over 1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance 1a6) to pass away 1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory) 1a6b) to vanish … |
| and from [one who] returns | וּמִשָּׁ֔ב | u-mi-SHAV | H7725O | 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) … |
| and not | וְלֹֽא־ | ve-lo'- | H3808 | notלֹא (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) |
| he will pass | יַעֲבֹ֧ר | ya-'a-VOR | H5674A | to passעָבַר (a.var) 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over 1a2) to pass beyond 1a3) to pass through, traverse 1a3a) passers-through (participle) 1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant) 1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by 1a4a) passer-by (participle) 1a4b) to be past, be over 1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance 1a6) to pass away 1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory) 1a6b) to vanish … |
| over them | עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם | 'a-lei-HEM | 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) … |
| again | ע֖וֹד | od | H5750 | stillעוֹד (od) subst 1) a going round, continuance adv 2) still, yet, again, besides 2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence) 2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition) 2c) again 2d) still, moreover, besides Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751) |
| an oppressor | נֹגֵ֑שׂ | no-GES | H5065 | to oppressנָגַשׂ (na.ga.s) 1) to press, drive, oppress, exact, exert demanding pressure 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to press, drive 1a2) to exact 1a3) driver, taskmaster, ruler, oppressor, tyrant, lord, exactor of tribute (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be hard pressed |
| 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 |
| now | עַתָּ֖ה | 'a-TAH | H6258 | nowעַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) 1) now 1a) now 1b) in phrases |
| I have seen | רָאִ֥יתִי | ra-'I-ti | H7200G | to see: seeרָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) … |
| with own eyes my | בְעֵינָֽי׃ ס | ve-'ei-NAI | H5869A | eyeעַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.