And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

ZECHARIAH 13:9KJV
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Zechariah 13:9 (KJV)

What does Zechariah 13:9 mean?

Zechariah 13:9 describes how God will bring a third of the people through a time of testing, purifying them like silver and gold are purified by fire, so that they will truly belong to Him and call on His name, and He will acknowledge them as His people. The verse pictures a refining process where those who remain faithful are drawn into a close relationship with God.

In this verse, the prophet Zechariah records God speaking to the people of Israel about a future time of hardship and purification. The imagery of refining silver and gold shows that the process will be difficult but purposeful, removing impurities so that what remains is genuine and valuable. The outcome is a renewed relationship: the people call on God, and God responds by claiming them as His own.

The Hebrew behind Zechariah 13:9

  • The word "refine" (צָרַף, tsaraf) means to purify by melting, as with metals. This highlights that the process God describes is meant to remove what is impure, not to destroy.
  • The word "try" (בָּחַן, bachan) means to test or examine, especially to prove the quality of something. In this context, it emphasizes that the people's faithfulness will be proven genuine through testing.
  • The word "call" (קָרָא, qara) means to call out or cry for help. The verse shows that after being refined, the people will actively seek God, and He will answer.
  • The word "people" (עַם, am) refers to a group with a shared identity. God’s declaration, "It is my people," signals acceptance and restored relationship.

Why Zechariah 13:9 matters

  • Zechariah 13:9 clarifies that the hardships described are not meant for destruction but for purification and restoration, correcting the idea that suffering is always a sign of rejection.
  • The verse emphasizes the mutual relationship between God and His people: God claims them, and they respond in faith, which is a central theme in Zechariah’s message.
  • Understanding the refining imagery helps readers see that the passage is about transformation and belonging, not just punishment or judgment.

Where else these words appear

“try” Hebrew H974 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
  • Psalms 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
  • Jeremiah 6:27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

“refine” Hebrew H6884 · used in 29 verses

  • Judges 7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
  • Psalms 66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
  • Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

“part” Hebrew H7992 · used in 94 verses

  • Genesis 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
  • Judges 20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
  • 1 Chronicles 24:23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.