Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

ZECHARIAH 14:1KJV
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Zechariah 14:1 (KJV)

What does Zechariah 14:1 mean?

Zechariah 14:1 announces that a significant day belonging to the LORD is coming, when the possessions of Jerusalem’s people will be taken and divided among others right in their own city. The verse signals a time of upheaval and judgment, with the city’s wealth no longer safe.

The prophet Zechariah is speaking to the people of Jerusalem, warning them about a future event when their city will be invaded and their goods plundered. This sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, which describes dramatic events involving both hardship and eventual restoration for Jerusalem.

The Hebrew behind Zechariah 14:1

  • "day" (יוֹם, yom): This word often means a specific time or event, and here it points to a decisive moment when God acts in history.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that the coming day is under God’s direct control and authority.
  • "spoil" (שָׁלָל, shalal): This word means goods or possessions taken by force, highlighting the severity of the coming event—Jerusalem’s own treasures will be seized.
  • "divided" (חָלַק, chalaq): This word means to distribute or apportion, and its use here stresses that the city’s wealth will be openly split up, not hidden or taken away secretly.
  • "midst" (קֶרֶב, qerev): This means the inner part or center, showing that the plundering will happen right in the heart of the city, not on its outskirts.

Why Zechariah 14:1 matters

  • Zechariah 14:1 clarifies that the coming "day of the LORD" is not only about hope or victory, but also about judgment and loss for Jerusalem before restoration comes.
  • The verse emphasizes that God is in control of these events, even when they involve suffering or defeat for His people.
  • Understanding this verse helps set the tone for the rest of Zechariah 14, which moves from warning to promises of future deliverance and renewal.

Where else these words appear

“spoil” Hebrew H7998 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 49:27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
  • 1 Samuel 30:19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
  • Proverbs 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

“divided” Hebrew H2505 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 14:15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
  • 1 Kings 18:6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
  • Proverbs 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;