The Meaning of Zechariah 8:22 Explained

Zechariah 8:22

KJV: Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

YLT: Yea, come in have many peoples, and mighty nations, To seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem, And to appease the face of Jehovah.

Darby: And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to supplicate Jehovah.

ASV: Yea, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yea, many  people  and strong  nations  shall come  to seek  the LORD  of hosts  in Jerusalem,  and to pray  before  the LORD. 

What does Zechariah 8:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Zechariah 8:18-23 - The Nations Will Seek The God Of Israel
In his final answer the prophet gives a delightful picture of the future, which was on the eve of complete realization. So entirely would the memory of the past be obliterated that fateful anniversaries would soon fade from their minds. Indeed they would discover that their dark days had been the source and origin of their glad ones. In all subsequent ages, even when persecuting the Jews, the foremost nations have taken hold of their skirts, appropriating their sacred writings, venerating their lawgivers, prophets, and saints; and believing in the noblest representative of their race.
The prophet passes his eye over the surrounding nations, showing that his people need fear no more, because their oppressors had been effectually silenced. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 8

1  The restoration of Jerusalem
9  They are encouraged to build the temple by God's favor to them
16  Good works are required of them
18  Joy and blessing are promised

What do the individual words in Zechariah 8:22 mean?

And Yes shall come peoples many and nations strong to seek - Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before Yahweh -
וּבָ֨אוּ עַמִּ֤ים רַבִּים֙ וְגוֹיִ֣ם עֲצוּמִ֔ים לְבַקֵּ֛שׁ אֶת־ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וּלְחַלּ֖וֹת פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה ס

וּבָ֨אוּ  And  Yes  shall  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עַמִּ֤ים  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
רַבִּים֙  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְגוֹיִ֣ם  and  nations 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
עֲצוּמִ֔ים  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָצוּם  
Sense: mighty, vast, numerous.
לְבַקֵּ֛שׁ  to  seek 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
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.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  in  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.
וּלְחַלּ֖וֹת  and  to  pray 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
פְּנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation