Zechariah 8:7

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} of hosts {H6635}; Behold, I will save {H3467} my people {H5971} from the east {H4217} country {H776}, and from the west {H3996}{H8121} country {H776};

ADONAI-Tzva'ot says, 'I will save my people from lands east and west;

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

Commentary

Context of Zechariah 8:7

Zechariah 8:7 is part of a larger section (chapters 7-8) that addresses questions from the returned Jewish exiles about fasting and provides divine assurances of future blessings and restoration. The book of Zechariah, written after the Babylonian exile, aimed to encourage the people in Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and to offer a vision of God's glorious future plans for Israel. This particular verse follows promises of God's renewed presence among His people and His intention to bring prosperity and peace, contrasting with the hardships they had endured.

Key Themes in Zechariah 8:7

  • Divine Promise and Sovereignty: The phrase "Thus saith the LORD of hosts" is a powerful prophetic formula, emphasizing the absolute authority and omnipotence of God. The title "LORD of hosts" (Hebrew: Yahweh Sabaoth) portrays God as the sovereign commander over all heavenly and earthly armies, ensuring the certainty and fulfillment of His declarations. His direct statement, "I will save my people," is a firm and unwavering commitment from a faithful God.
  • Comprehensive Restoration and Gathering: The promise to save His people "from the east country, and from the west country" signifies a complete and universal gathering of the dispersed Jewish people. While many exiles were in the east (Babylon, Persia), this prophecy extends beyond the immediate post-exilic context to encompass all future diasporas, promising a return from every direction. It highlights God's intention to bring His chosen people back to their land from wherever they have been scattered across the globe.
  • Covenant Faithfulness: This verse powerfully affirms God's enduring faithfulness to His covenant with Israel. Despite their past disobedience and subsequent dispersion, God remains true to His word, actively intervening to bring about their salvation and restoration. This divine commitment underscores that God's plans for His people will ultimately be realized.

Linguistic Insights

The title "LORD of hosts" (Hebrew: Yahweh Sabaoth) is significant here. Yahweh is God's personal covenant name, while Sabaoth means "armies" or "hosts." Combined, it presents God as the supreme commander of all forces, emphasizing His power and ability to accomplish His will, particularly the complex task of regathering a widely dispersed people.

Related Scriptures

The theme of God gathering His dispersed people from all directions is a recurring promise throughout biblical prophecy. For instance, Isaiah 11:11-12 also speaks of the Lord setting His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from various lands and corners of the earth. Similarly, Jeremiah 23:7-8 prophesies a future time when people will no longer primarily remember the exodus from Egypt, but the Lord who brought Israel from the north country and all countries where He had driven them. This promise is further elaborated in the very next verse, Zechariah 8:8, which states, "And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness," solidifying the promise of their return to the land and a renewed covenant relationship.

Practical Application and Significance

For believers today, Zechariah 8:7 serves as a profound testament to God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises. While the immediate context is Israel's physical restoration, the underlying principle applies to God's commitment to His people in all generations. It assures us that God is sovereign over all circumstances, capable of delivering His people from any form of spiritual or physical dispersion, and fulfilling His grand plan for salvation. This verse instills hope that God will complete His work of salvation and restoration, whether in bringing individuals to faith, healing brokenness, or ultimately bringing about His kingdom. It encourages us to trust in the mighty "LORD of hosts" who has the power to save and gather His own.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 43:5

    Fear not: for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

  • Isaiah 43:6

    I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

  • Isaiah 49:12

    Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

  • Isaiah 27:12

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

  • Isaiah 27:13

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

  • Jeremiah 31:8

    Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

  • Malachi 1:11

    For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name [shall be] great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
← Back