The Meaning of Zechariah 1:17 Explained

Zechariah 1:17

KJV: Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

YLT: Again call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Again do my cities overflow from good, And Jehovah hath again comforted Zion, And He hath fixed again on Jerusalem.'

Darby: Cry further, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

ASV: Cry yet again, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Cry  yet, saying,  Thus saith  the LORD  of hosts;  My cities  through prosperity  shall yet be spread abroad;  and the LORD  shall yet comfort  Zion,  and shall yet choose  Jerusalem. 

What does Zechariah 1:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God promised that His cities, the cities of Judah ( Zechariah 1:12), would again overflow with the benefits of prosperity. He would again comfort Zion and choose to bless Jerusalem (cf. 1 Kings 8:44; 1 Kings 8:48; 2 Chronicles 6:6; 2 Chronicles 6:34; 2 Chronicles 6:38).
"The distinctive features of comfort for Israel in this first vision are: (1) the presence of the Angel of Jehovah in the midst of degraded and depressed Israel; (2) His loving and yearning intercession for them; (3) the promises of future blessings. We may say, then, that the import of the vision is this: although Israel is not yet in her promised position, God is mindful of her, providing the means of His judgment on the persecuting nations, and reserving glory and prosperity for Israel in the benevolent and beneficent reign of the Messiah.
"The series of visions carry us through God"s dealings with Israel from the time of their chastisement by God under the Gentile powers until they are restored to their land with their rebuilt city and temple under their Messiah King. The first vision gives the general theme of the whole series; the others add the details.... When the world was busy with its own affairs, God"s eyes and the heart of the Messiah were upon the lowly estate of Israel and upon the temple in Jerusalem." [1]

Context Summary

Zechariah 1:1-17 - A Vision Of Pardon And Restoration
Zechariah does not slur over the sins of the past, but lays stress on the divine forgiveness. His only fear is lest God should call in vain, and the people refuse as their fathers did. Notice the repetition of God's title, Lord of Hosts, five times in the first six verses. The enemy's armies were vast, but the protecting hosts, vaster. A glimpse of these hosts is given in the following vision. A green valley, filled with myrtles, the emblem of humility, where the prophet may have been wont to meditate, seemed alive with mysterious figures, who had been patrolling the earth, and announced that it was peace, for these were the days of Cyrus' illustrious reign. Notice the frequent reference to his celestial friend, Zechariah 1:9; Zechariah 1:14; Zechariah 1:19; Zechariah 4:1; Zechariah 4:4-5; Zechariah 5:5; Zechariah 5:10; Zechariah 6:4. The future was bright with promise, Zechariah 1:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 1

1  Zechariah exhorts to repentance
7  The vision of the horses
12  At the prayer of the angel comfortable promises are made to Jerusalem
18  The vision of the four horns and the four carpenters

What do the individual words in Zechariah 1:17 mean?

Again proclaim saying thus says Yahweh of hosts again shall spread out My cities through prosperity and will comfort again - Zion and will choose Jerusalem -
ע֣וֹד ׀ קְרָ֣א לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת ע֛וֹד תְּפוּצֶ֥ינָה עָרַ֖י מִטּ֑וֹב וְנִחַ֨ם עוֹד֙ אֶת־ צִיּ֔וֹן וּבָחַ֥ר בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם ס

ע֣וֹד ׀  Again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
קְרָ֣א  proclaim 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּ֤ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַר֙  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
ע֛וֹד  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
תְּפוּצֶ֥ינָה  shall  spread  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
עָרַ֖י  My  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
מִטּ֑וֹב  through  prosperity 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וְנִחַ֨ם  and  will  comfort 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
עוֹד֙  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צִיּ֔וֹן  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
וּבָחַ֥ר  and  will  choose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation