Zechariah 8:3
in Zechariah 8This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.
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This verse in Zechariah 8
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThus saith the Lord, I am returned to Zion,.... The temple being now building, and almost finished, and the worship of God restored in it.
This site's exposition
Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me
on Zechariah 8:1-3
The chapter answers chapter 7's question about fasting with ten fresh oracles, and it opens on jealousy, the Lord's own word for his zeal for Zion, doubled for emphasis as jealousy and fury. Keil reads the doubling as covenant language, the same word used of a husband's zeal for a wife rather than mere anger, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. The Lord's own return to dwell in Jerusalem's midst gives the city new names, a city of truth and a holy mountain, in place of the desolation just described in chapter 7.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Chapter 8, Verses 1 onwards) And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy, and with a great indignation am I jealous for her. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I am returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The faithful city has become a harlot ( Isa. i. 21 ), but shall now become a faithful city again, faithful to the God of Israel and to the worship of him only." This was fulfilled; for the Jews after the captivity, though there was much amiss among them, were never guilty of idolatry.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Shall be called a city of truth - Her citizens shall love the truth and speak it, shall worship me in truth of heart, as well as in the true manner prescribed to them.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I am returned - Dionysius: “Without change in Myself, I am turned to that people from the effect of justice to the sweetness of mercy, “and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem,” in the temple and the people, indwelling the hearts of the good by charity and grace. Christ also, Very God and Very Man, visibly conversed and was seen in Zion.” Osorius: “When He says, ‘I am turned,’ He shows that she was turned too.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
My decree to that effect is gone forth. Jerusalem . . . city of truth--that is, faithful to her God, who is the God of truth (Isa 1:21, 26; Never yet fully fulfilled, therefore still to be so. the mountain of the Lord-- (Isa 2:2, 3). holy mountain-- (Jer 31:23).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I am returned unto Zion - I have restored her from her captivity. I will dwell among them. The temple shall be rebuilt, and so shall Jerusalem; and instead of being false, unholy, and profligate, it shall be the city of truth. and my holy mountain. Truth shall dwell in it.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֚ה | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| שַׁ֚בְתִּי | shavti | I have returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| צִיּ֔וֹן | tziyon | Zion | H6726 → | 154 times |
| וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י | veshakhanti | and I will dwell | H7931 → | 129 times |
| בְּת֣וֹךְ | betokh | in [the] midst of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וְנִקְרְאָ֤ה | venikreah | and it will be called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| עִ֣יר־ | ʾir- | [the] city of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת | haemet | <the> faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
| וְהַר־ | vehar- | and [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָא֖וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| הַ֥ר | har | [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ ס | hakodesh | <the> holiness | H6944 → | 469 times |
כֹּ֚הthus
kohH3541 →577 times
אָמַ֣רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
שַׁ֚בְתִּיI have returned
shavtiH7725 →1056 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
צִיּ֔וֹןZion
tziyonH6726 →154 times
וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖יand I will dwell
veshakhantiH7931 →129 times
בְּת֣וֹךְin [the] midst of
betokhH8432 →418 times
יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
וְנִקְרְאָ֤הand it will be called
venikreahH7121 →733 times
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙Jerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
עִ֣יר־[the] city of
ʾir-H5892 →1090 times
הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת<the> faithfulness
haemetH571 →127 times
וְהַר־and [the] mountain of
vehar-H2022 →546 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָא֖וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
הַ֥ר[the] mountain of
harH2022 →546 times
הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ ס<the> holiness
hakodeshH6944 →469 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
John 1:14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:9
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- 1 Timothy 3:16
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world,…
- Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Isaiah 40:5
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
- 1 John 4:9
Through
John 14:23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
it leads to
- John 14:21
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
- John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
- John 14:21
Through
Revelation 21:3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 37:27
My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.
- Ezekiel 37:27
About Zechariah

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceJerusalemZionThe eastern ridge David took from the Jebusites and made his stronghold, the name the Psalms and the prophets give the city the LO…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; 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.
