Zechariah 1:21

1:21 I asked, “What are these going to do?” He answered, “These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. 1  But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah’s enemies 2  and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people.” 3 

Zechariah 14:2

14:2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem 4  to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away. 5 

Zechariah 14:10

14:10 All the land will change and become like the Arabah 6  from Geba to Rimmon, 7  south of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be raised up and will stay in its own place from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate 8  and on to the Corner Gate, 9  and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. 10 

1 tn Heb “so that no man lifts up his head.”

2 tn Heb “terrify them”; the referent (Judah’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

3 tn Heb “to scatter it.” The word “people” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

4 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

5 tn Heb “not be cut off from the city” (so NRSV); NAB “not be removed.”

6 tn Or “like a plain” (similar KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT); or “like a steppe”; cf. CEV “flatlands.” The Hebrew term עֲרָבָה (’aravah) refers to an arid plain or steppe, but can be used specifically as the name of the rift valley running from the Sea of Galilee via the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.

7 sn The expression from Geba to Rimmon is a way of indicating the extent of all Judah from north (2 Kgs 23:8) to south (Job 15:32; 19:7). Since Geba (Heb. גֶּבַע) means “hill” and Rimmon resembles the word for height (Heb. רָמָה, ramah), this could be a play on words suggesting that all the high country will be made low, like the great Arabah valley.

8 tn Or “old gate” (NLT); or “former gate” (NRSV).

9 sn From the Benjamin Gate…on to the Corner Gate marks the northern wall of the city of Jerusalem from east to west.

10 sn From the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses indicates the extent of Jerusalem from north to south.