And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

ZECHARIAH 1:11KJV
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Zechariah 1:11 (KJV)

What does Zechariah 1:11 mean?

Zechariah 1:11 describes messengers reporting to the angel of the LORD that they have traveled throughout the earth and found it peaceful and at rest. The verse shows a moment where these heavenly figures give an account of the world’s condition, emphasizing a sense of calm and stability.

In this scene, the angel of the LORD stands among myrtle trees, and other angels or messengers speak to him. The context is a vision given to Zechariah, where God’s messengers have surveyed the earth after a period of turmoil. Their report of quietness sets up the following verses, where God responds to the situation of Jerusalem and the nations.

The Hebrew behind Zechariah 1:11

  • "angel" (מַלְאָךְ, mal’akh): This word means "messenger" and can refer to either human or divine messengers. Here, it points to a heavenly being acting as God’s representative.
  • "still" (יָשַׁב, yashav): This word often means "to sit" or "to dwell," but here it conveys the idea of the earth being settled or undisturbed.
  • "rest" (שָׁקַט, shaqat): This word means "to be quiet" or "at rest," emphasizing not just a lack of war, but a deeper sense of calm and inactivity.

Why Zechariah 1:11 matters

  • Zechariah 1:11 highlights that, although the world is at peace, Jerusalem is still suffering, which becomes a key concern in the following verses.
  • The verse sets up a contrast between the calm among the nations and the unrest of God’s people, prompting God’s response and promises.
  • Understanding the report of peace helps explain why the prophet and the angel are troubled, showing that not all is as it should be from God’s perspective.

Where else these words appear

“trees” Hebrew H1918 · used in 6 verses

  • Nehemiah 8:15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
  • Isaiah 41:19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:
  • Zechariah 1:8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

“rest” Hebrew H8252 · used in 41 verses

  • Joshua 11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
  • 2 Chronicles 14:6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.
  • Isaiah 18:4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.