I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.

ZECHARIAH 10:8KJV
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Zechariah 10:8 (KJV)

What does Zechariah 10:8 mean?

Zechariah 10:8 describes God promising to call out to His people, gather them together, and restore them because He has redeemed them; as a result, they will multiply as they did before. The verse uses the image of God signaling for His people, bringing them back, and causing them to flourish again.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Zechariah to the people of Israel, who had experienced scattering and hardship. The setting is a message of hope after exile, where God assures the people that He will actively bring them back and restore their former strength and numbers. The verse emphasizes God’s initiative and care in redeeming and regathering His people.

The Hebrew behind Zechariah 10:8

  • hiss (שָׁרַק, sharaq): This word means to whistle or signal, often used for calling animals or people from a distance. Here, it paints a picture of God summoning His people with a clear, intentional call, showing His authority and personal involvement.
  • gather (קָבַץ, qavats): This word means to collect or assemble. In this context, it highlights God’s action in bringing scattered people together, not leaving them lost or alone.
  • redeemed (פָּדָה, padah): This word means to rescue or buy back, often used for freeing someone from bondage. It underscores that God’s gathering is possible because He has already acted to free His people.
  • increase/increased (רָבָה, ravah): This word means to become many or to multiply. The repetition in the verse stresses that God’s restoration will lead to real growth, just as they experienced in the past.

Why Zechariah 10:8 matters

  • Zechariah 10:8 clears up the idea that God’s people are left on their own after hardship; instead, it stresses God’s active role in calling and gathering them.
  • The verse connects to the wider theme in Zechariah of restoration and hope for those who have been scattered or exiled.
  • The use of words like "redeemed" and "increase" shows that God’s promise is not just about returning physically, but about a full renewal and blessing, echoing earlier times of growth.

Where else these words appear

“hiss” Hebrew H8319 · used in 12 verses

  • 1 Kings 9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
  • Isaiah 7:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
  • Lamentations 2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

“redeemed” Hebrew H6299 · used in 48 verses

  • Exodus 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
  • Deuteronomy 24:18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
  • Psalms 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

“gather” Hebrew H6908 · used in 121 verses

  • Genesis 41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
  • 2 Chronicles 32:4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
  • Jeremiah 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.