Zechariah 8:9
in Zechariah 8This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
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This verse in Zechariah 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(Verse 9) Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing through the mouth of the prophets the decrees that were made when the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid for the rebuilding of the temple. For there are seventy years for the Lord of hosts, the Almighty, and in like manner the rest were translated.
This site's exposition
Let your hands be strong, you who now hear
on Zechariah 8:9-10
“Let your hands be strong”, the LORD says to those who now hear “the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid”. Barnes dates the days of verse 10 to the years between the foundation laid under Cyrus and the building resumed under Darius.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): " Let your hands be strong, that are busy at work for God, you that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, and are not disobedient to them as your fathers were, in the former days, to the words of those prophets that were sent to them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
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.
By the mouth of the prophets - The day or time of the foundation was about two years before, as this discourse of the prophet was in the fourth year of Darius. After this God raised up prophets among them.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Let your hands be strong - The fulfillment of God’s former promises are the earnest of the future; His former providences, of those to come. Having then those great promises for the time to come, they were to be earnest in whatever meantime God gave them to do.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַר֮ | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָאוֹת֒ | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה | techezaknah | let them be strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| יְדֵיכֶ֔ם | yedeikhem | hands your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הַשֹּֽׁמְעִים֙ | hashomeim | O those [who] hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בַּיָּמִ֣ים | baiyamim | in the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַדְּבָרִ֣ים | hadevarim | the words | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָאֵ֑לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| מִפִּי֙ | mipi | from [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים | haneviim | the prophets | H5030 → | 314 times |
| אֲ֠שֶׁר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּי֞וֹם | beyom | on [the] day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יֻסַּ֨ד | yusad | [when] it was founded | H3245 → | 43 times |
| בֵּית־ | beit- | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יְהוָ֧ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָא֛וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| הַהֵיכָ֖ל | haheikhal | the temple | H1964 → | 80 times |
| לְהִבָּנֽוֹת׃ | lehibanot | to be rebuilt | H1129 → | 376 times |
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַר֮he says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָאוֹת֒of hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָהlet them be strong
techezaknahH2388 →291 times
יְדֵיכֶ֔םhands your
yedeikhemH3027 →1618 times
הַשֹּֽׁמְעִים֙O those [who] hear
hashomeimH8085 →1159 times
בַּיָּמִ֣יםin the days
baiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
הַדְּבָרִ֣יםthe words
hadevarimH1697 →1440 times
הָאֵ֑לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
מִפִּי֙from [the] mouth of
mipiH6310 →498 times
הַנְּבִיאִ֔יםthe prophets
haneviimH5030 →314 times
אֲ֠שֶׁרwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּי֞וֹםon [the] day
beyomH3117 →2304 times
יֻסַּ֨ד[when] it was founded
yusadH3245 →43 times
בֵּית־[the] house of
beit-H1004 →2046 times
יְהוָ֧הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָא֛וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
הַהֵיכָ֖לthe temple
haheikhalH1964 →80 times
לְהִבָּנֽוֹת׃to be rebuilt
lehibanotH1129 →376 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
Ephesians 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- Philippians 4:13
Through
2 Timothy 2:1You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of…
- 2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
- Ephesians 6:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Zechariah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.