The Meaning of Zechariah 14:16 Explained

Zechariah 14:16

KJV: And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, Every one who hath been left of all the nations, Who are coming in against Jerusalem, They have also gone up from year to year, To bow themselves to the King, Jehovah of Hosts, And to celebrate the feast of the booths.

Darby: And it shall come to pass, that all that are left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to celebrate the feast of tabernacles.

ASV: And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left  of all the nations  which came  against Jerusalem  shall even go up  from  year  to year  to worship  the King,  the LORD  of hosts,  and to keep  the feast  of tabernacles. 

What does Zechariah 14:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The remaining former enemies of Israel who would not die would bow to the sovereignty of Yahweh (cf. Zechariah 8:20-23; Isaiah 2:2-4; Isaiah 45:21-24; Isaiah 60:4-14; Ezekiel 40-48; Philippians 2:10). They would be expected to make annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem to worship the one King, Almighty Yahweh (cf. Psalm 24:10; Isaiah 6:5; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 19:16), and to celebrate the feast of Booths. The feast of Booths (or Tabernacles, Ingathering) commemorated the Lord"s provision of agricultural bounty and the Israelites" redemption from Egyptian slavery. Strangers were welcome to participate in it in Israel"s past history. It also anticipated entrance into the Promised Land and kingdom blessings ( Leviticus 23:34-43).
The Apostle Peter evidently concluded that the messianic kingdom had begun when he saw Jesus transfigured ( Luke 9:33). He suggested that the disciples make three booths for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. This indicates that the Jews in Jesus" day associated the feast of Booths with the beginning of Messiah"s kingdom, the same connection that Zechariah made here.
The feast of Booths was the last of the three most important feasts on Israel"s calendar, so it would be an appropriate one for these Gentiles to celebrate in Jerusalem yearly. This feast was a time of grateful rejoicing ( Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 16:14-15; Nehemiah 8:17). This may not be the only feast these people will celebrate, but it was the only one Zechariah mentioned, perhaps because it was so climactic. [1]
"There are many views as to why choice was made of the Feast of Tabernacles, but the most probable is that, speaking of the joys of the ingathering, it will celebrate the gathering of the nations to the Lord and especially His tabernacling among them [2]." [3]
The feast of Tabernacles is the only one of Israel"s major feasts that will be unfulfilled until it is celebrated at this time. [4]

Context Summary

Zechariah 14:1-21 - "at Evening Time It Shall Be Light"
We can hardly doubt that in Zechariah 14:1-21, Zechariah is anticipating the same events as Ezekiel describes in Ezekiel 38:1-23; Ezekiel 39:1-29 of his remarkable book. At first the attack of the enemies of God's people will be entirely successful, then Jesus will appear to them and for them. There will be a literal fulfillment of Acts 1:11 and Isaiah 25:9-10. It was when his brethren were in their greatest straits that Joseph made himself known to them, and when the Jews are in dire extremity, they will hear Him say, "I am Jesus your Brother." See Genesis 45:1-15. Finally the long stormy days of Israel's history will be over forever, and "at evening time it shall be light." It is clear that Paul's vision in Romans 11:1-36 is to be gloriously realized [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 14

1  The destroyers of Jerusalem destroyed
3  The coming of Christ, and the graces of his kingdom
12  The plague of Jerusalem's enemies
16  The remnant shall turn to the Lord;
20  and their spoils shall be holy

What do the individual words in Zechariah 14:16 mean?

And it shall come to pass [that] everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem and shall go up from year to year to worship the King Yahweh of hosts and to keep - Feast of the Tabernacles
וְהָיָ֗ה כָּל־ הַנּוֹתָר֙ מִכָּל־ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם הַבָּאִ֖ים עַל־ יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְעָל֞וּ מִדֵּ֧י שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֗ה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺת֙ לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְלָחֹ֖ג אֶת־ חַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת

וְהָיָ֗ה  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כָּל־  [that]  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַנּוֹתָר֙  who  is  left 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
מִכָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הַבָּאִ֖ים  which  came 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: 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.
יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: 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.
וְעָל֞וּ  and  shall  go  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
שָׁנָ֣ה  year 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
בְשָׁנָ֗ה  to  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺת֙  to  worship 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙  the  King 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
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.
וְלָחֹ֖ג  and  to  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: חָגַג  
Sense: to hold a feast, hold a festival, make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast, celebrate, dance, stagger.
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.
חַ֥ג  Feast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַג  
Sense: festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast.
הַסֻּכּֽוֹת  of  the  Tabernacles 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.