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Zechariah 14:3

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Zechariah 14:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
Zechariah 14:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Zechariah 14

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Behold, a day of Jehovah cometh, when thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the mount of Olives shall be cleft in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5And ye shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and Jehovah my God shall come, and all the holy ones with thee.
6And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light; the bright ones shall withdraw themselves:
← Zechariah 14:2Zechariah 14:4 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Then shall the Lord go forth, etc.] Out of his place in heaven, either in person, or by the display of his power; that is, the Lord Jesus Christ; whose name is called the Word of God, and is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, described as a mighty warrior, (<661911>Revelation 19:11), etc.: and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle: the Targum adds, “at the Red Sea”; when the Lord fought for, Israel against the Egyptians, (<021425>Exodus 14:25) and afterwards against the Canaanites, when they entered the land of Canaan under Joshua: thus Christ shall judge, and make war in righteousness, and overcome those that shall make war with him; and with the sharp sword…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Then--In Jerusalem's extremity. as . . . in . . . day of battle--as when Jehovah fought for Israel against the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Exo 14:14; Exo 15:3). As He then made a way through the divided sea, so will He now divide in two "the Mount of Olives" (Zac 14:4).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The Lord shall go forth and shall fight - Jerome: “Is to be taken like that in Habakkuk, ‘Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, for salvation with Thine Anointed” Habakkuk 3:13, and in Micah, ‘For behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place, and will come down and will tread upon the high places of the earth, and the mountains shall be molten under Him, and the valleys shall be cleft” Micah 1:3-4; and Isaiah also, “The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man; He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war; He shall cry; He shall prevail over His enemies” Isaiah 42:13. “God is said to ‘go forth,’ when by some wondrous deed He declares His Presence - His Deity is, as it were, laid…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Then - After he hath sufficiently punished the Jews. As when he fought - As in those days when he fought for his people. Zechariah 14:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“14:3 fought in times past: An example would be the exodus from Egypt (Exod 14–15; see Isa 42:13).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Zac 2:8, Zac 2:9, Zac 10:4, Zac 10:5, Zac 12:2-6, Zac 12:9; Isa 63:1-6, Isa 66:15, Isa 66:16; Dan 2:34, Dan 2:35, Dan 2:44, Dan 2:45; Joe 3:2, Joe 3:9-17; Zep 3:19; Hag 2:21, Hag 2:22; Rev 6:4-17, Rev 8:7-13 as: Exo 15:1-6; Jos 10:42; Ch2 20:15 Zechariah 14:4”
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Related study paths

Read Zechariah 14 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification