Zechariah 8:11
in Zechariah 8But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD of Hosts.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts.
KJV
But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts.
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This verse in Zechariah 8
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBut now I will not be unto the residue of this people,.... The remnant brought out of captivity, settled in the land, and now rebuilding the temple: as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts; when they neglected the house of the Lord, caring only for their own cieled houses, Hag 1:2.
This site's exposition
I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days
on Zechariah 8:11-13
The Lord turns the former days into a named contrast, promising instead a prosperous seed, fruitful vine, generous ground, and dew from heaven, so the remnant now possesses what the earlier years withheld. Verse 13 reverses the very language of the covenant curse, as you were a curse among the nations, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing, deliberately answering the older warnings with their opposite. Wesley reads the double command, fear not and let your hands be strong, as bracketing the whole promise, courage grounded in a stated reversal rather than in wishful hope.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 11, 12): But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. LXX: And now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Almighty Lord; but I will show peace.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
God will not proceed in his controversy with them; I will not be to them as in the former days. Note, It is with us well or ill according as God is to us; for every creature is that to us which he makes it to be.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And now - The words imply a contrast of God’s dealings, rather than a contrast of time. “I am not to the remnant of this people.” He had said, “I will be to them God;” so now He does not say that He will not do to them, “as in former days,” but “I am not to the remnant” of this people as heretofore. He would be, as tie was in Jesus, in a new relation to them.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The same prophets who promised prosperity at the foundation of the temple, now promised still greater blessings hereafter.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֗ה | veatah | and now | H6258 → | |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| כַיָּמִ֤ים | khaiyamim | like the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָרִֽאשֹׁנִים֙ | harishonim | <the> former | H7223 → | 182 times |
| אֲנִ֔י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית | lisherit | [will be] to [the] remnant of | H7611 → | 66 times |
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַזֶּ֑ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| נְאֻ֖ם | neum | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָאֽוֹת׃ | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
וְעַתָּ֗הand now
veatahH6258 →
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
כַיָּמִ֤יםlike the days
khaiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָרִֽאשֹׁנִים֙<the> former
harishonimH7223 →182 times
אֲנִ֔יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית[will be] to [the] remnant of
lisheritH7611 →66 times
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַזֶּ֑ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
נְאֻ֖ם[the] utterance of
neumH5002 →376 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָאֽוֹת׃of hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 12:1In that day you will say: “O LORD, I will praise You. Although You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away, and You have comforted me.
it leads to
- Psalms 30:5
For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 54:8
In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
- Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, You are my God! I will exalt You; I will praise Your name. For You have worked wonders—plans formed long ago—in perfect faithfulness.
- Psalms 30:5
Through
Haggai 2:19Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on, I will bless you.”
it leads to
- Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of…
- Habakkuk 3:17–18
Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold…
- Proverbs 3:9–10
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- Malachi 3:10
Through
Psalms 103:9He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever.
it leads to
- Isaiah 57:16
For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me, with the breath of those I have made.
- Isaiah 57:16
About Zechariah

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Zechariah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
