Zechariah 8:20

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Zechariah 8:20-22. It shall yet come to pass, &c. — The design of this and the three following verses is evidently to show the high degree of estimation in which Jerusalem and the Jews would hereafter be held, by foreign nations, when those among them, who were piously disposed to worship Jehovah the true God, would come to worship him at Jerusalem, as a place of peculiar sanctity; and those who wanted protection would humbly sue to the Jews for it, convinced that the men of that nation were especial objects of divine favour. It must be observed, however, that though the prediction contained in these verses might, in the primary sense, refer to those times of the Jewish republic which should precede the coming of the Messiah, and to the proselytes, which should then be made to the Jewish religion; yet the expressions are such, that it can scarce be doubted that the times of the gospel are also and more especially intended, when many more, of various nations, should be brought to the knowledge of the true God, and engaged to worship him in an acceptable manner. There shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities — Great multitudes of different cities and nations. Saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord — The expressions allude to the Jews going up in companies to Jerusalem at the solemn feasts. I will go also — So every single person shall express his willingness to go along with them. Many people, &c., shall come to seek the Lord in Jerusalem — Understanding the words literally, we find the first-fruits of these mentioned Acts 2:10-12; but mystically Jerusalem means the church of Christ. To pray before the Lord — To perform all parts of gospel worship.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:18-23 When God comes towards us in ways of mercy, we must meet him with joy and thankfulness. Therefore be faithful and honest in all your dealings; and let it be a pleasure to you to be so, though thereby you come short of the gains others get dishonestly; and, as much as in you lies, live peaceably with all men. Let the truths of God rule in your heads, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Thus the ancient servants of God drew the notice of heathen neighbours, whose prejudices were softened. A great increase to the church shall be made. Hitherto the Jews had been prone to learn the idolatries of other nations: what more unlikely than that they should teach religion to their conquerors, and to all the principal nations of the earth! Yet this is expressly foretold, and it came to pass. Hitherto the prophecy has been wonderfully fulfilled, and no doubt future events will explain it further. It is good to be with those who have God with them; if we take God for our God, we must take his people for our people, and be willing to take our lot with them. But let not any one think that mere zeal, either for Jews or Gentiles, will stand in the place of personal religion. Let us be living epistles of Christ, known and read of all men, so that others may wish to go with us, and to have their portion with us in the realms of bliss.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It shall yet be that - The promises are those which God had already made by Isaiah (Isaiah 2:2 ff) and Micah (Micah 4:1 ff). Yet where was the show of their fulfillment? The Jews themselves, a handful: the temple unfinished; its completion depending, in human sight, upon the will of their pagan masters, the rival worship at Samaria standing and inviting to coalition. Appearances and experience were against it. God says virtually, that it was, in human sight, contrary to all expectations. But "weakness is aye Heaven's might." Despite of all, of the fewness of those who were returned, their downheartedness, broken condition, hopelessness, though all had hitherto failed, though, or rather because, all human energy and strength were gone, as God had said before, "The Lord shall yet (Zechariah 1:17; Zechariah 2:1-13 :16 (12 English)) choose Jerusalem," so now, It shall "yet" be "that."

Nations and many cities shall come - He describes vividly the eagerness and mutual impulse, with which not only many but mighty nations should throng to the Gospel, and every fresh conversion should win others also, until the great tide should sweep through the world.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20. (Isa 2:3; Mic 4:2).

Thus saith the Lord of hosts—a preface needed to assure the Jews, now disheartened by the perils surrounding them, and by the humble aspect of the temple. "Unlikely as what follows may seem to you, Jehovah of hosts, boundless in resources, saith it, therefore it shall be so." Just before Christ's coming, a feeling grew up among the heathen of the unsatisfactoriness of their systems of religion and philosophy; this disposed them favorably towards the religion of the Jew, so that proselytes embraced the worship of Jehovah from various parts of Asia; these again were predisposed to embrace Christianity when it was preached to them (Ac 2:9-12, 41). But the full accomplishment of the conversion of the Gentiles foretold here is reserved till "Jerusalem" (Zec 8:22) becomes the center of Christianized Jewry (Ro 11:12, 15).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Thus saith the Lord of hosts: this solemn attestation, that it is the Lord of hosts who will do that great thing next promised, calls both for our heeding and believing of it.

It shall yet come to pass; how low soever the state of my church doth appear, and really is, yet a time shall come when it shall be more considerable.

There shall come people; that is, multitudes of people, for they shall be inhabitants of many and great cities, which is added to explain what was more obscure in that one word,

people. The Gentiles shall be added to the church, and increase her greatly.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to pass,.... This is another thing that shall certainly be accomplished:

that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; in the Gentile world; they shall come and hear the word, believe in Christ, and join together in a Gospel church state; as they did at Antioch, Thessalonica, Corinth, and many other places: Ben Melech says this shall be in the days of the Messiah; and so it has been in the days of the true Messiah Jesus, and will be again in the latter day.

Geneva Study Bible

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come {l} people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

(l) He declares the great zeal that God would give the Gentiles to come to his Church, and to unite with the Jews in his true religion, which would be in the kingdom of Christ.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. people] Lit. peoples. Here probably the tribes of Israel (comp. Deuteronomy 33:3; Deuteronomy 33:19, where the word is used in that sense). In Zechariah 8:22, many peoples, refers to foreign nations, to whom the prophecy extends itself in that and the following verses.

20–23. The joyful change shall extend, in its influence, to the heathen nations of the world. Comp. Isaiah 2:2-3; Micah 4:1-2.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people; peoples. The sight of the prosperity of the Jews shall induce surrounding nations to join in the worship of Jehovah. The same truth is expressed in Psalm 126:1-3. Perowne thinks that vers. 20, 21 refer to the tribes of Israel; but it seems unnatural to suppose the prophet asserting that it will yet happen that Israelites will seek the Lord, when there is no reason to think that they had not done so in some fashion, or that they would need the previous deliberation mentioned in the next verse. Many cities. So the LXX. and Vulgate. Others translate, "great, or, populous cities;" but this is less suitable. Zechariah 8:20

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Zechariah 8:20. "Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet will nations come, and inhabitants of many cities. Zechariah 8:21. And the inhabitants of one (city) will go to another, and say, 'We will go, go away, to supplicate the face of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts.' 'I will also go.' Zechariah 8:22. And many peoples and strong nations will come, to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to supplicate the face of Jehovah." These verses do not announce a further or second glorification, which God has designed for His people, but simply indicate the nature and magnitude of the salvation appointed for Israel, through which its fast-days will be turned into days of joy. Hitherto Israel had kept days of mourning and fasting on account of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple; but in the future the Lord will so glorify His city and His house, that not only will Israel keep joyful feasts there, but many and strong heathen nations will go to the house of God, to seek and worship the God of hosts. עד is used with emphasis, so that it resembles a sentence: "It will still come to pass, that," etc. This is how אשׁר in Zechariah 8:21 and Zechariah 8:23 is to be taken, and not as the introduction to the saying preceded energetically by עד, for which Hitzig is wrong in referring to Micah 6:10. For the fact itself, compare Micah 4:1., Isaiah 2:2., Jeremiah 16:19. In Zechariah 8:21 the thought is individualized. The inhabitants of one city call upon those of another. נלכה הלוך, "we will go to supplicate," etc.; and the population of the other city responds to the summons by saying, "I also will go." חלּות את־פּני, as in Zechariah 7:2.