耶和华的日子

14 看啊,耶和华的日子快到了,那时你那里的财物必被抢掠、瓜分。 因为我必招聚万国去攻打耶路撒冷。那时,城必失守,房屋必被洗劫,妇女必被玷污。半城的人必被掳去,剩下的人必留在城中,不会被铲除。 那时,耶和华必出来与列国争战,像从前争战的日子一样。 到那天,祂的脚必踏在耶路撒冷东面的橄榄山上,这山必从东至西分成两半,一半向北移,一半向南移,中间形成极大的山谷。 你们要从我的这山谷逃跑,因为山谷必延伸到亚萨。你们必像犹大王乌西雅年间的人躲避大地震一样逃跑。我的上帝耶和华必带着所有的圣者降临。 到那天,将没有光、严寒和冰霜。 那将是奇特的日子,没有昼夜之分,晚上仍然有光,只有上帝知道那日何时来临。

到那天,必有活水从耶路撒冷涌出,一半流向死海,一半流向地中海,冬夏不变。 耶和华必做普世的王。到那天,必唯祂独尊,唯祂的名独尊。 10 从迦巴直到耶路撒冷南边的临门,整个地区都要变为平原。从便雅悯门到旧门,再到角门,从哈楠业楼到王的榨酒池——耶路撒冷必仍然矗立在原处。 11 城内必有人居住,不再遭毁灭的咒诅。耶路撒冷必安享太平。

12 耶和华必降瘟疫给攻打耶路撒冷的列邦,使他们活着的时候皮肉已经腐烂,眼睛在眼眶中腐烂,舌头在口中腐烂。 13 到那天,耶和华必使他们慌乱不堪,彼此揪住,互相殴打。 14 犹大也必在耶路撒冷争战,四围列国的财物——大量的金银和衣服必被收聚起来。 15 同样的瘟疫也必降在马匹、骡子、骆驼、驴和营中的其他牲畜身上。

16 前来攻打耶路撒冷的列国中的幸存者,必每年上来敬拜大君王——万军之耶和华,并且守住棚节。 17 地上万族中若有人不上耶路撒冷敬拜大君王——万军之耶和华,他们必没有雨水。 18 埃及人若不上来敬拜,也必没有雨水,耶和华必使他们和不上来守住棚节的列国一样遭受瘟疫。 19 这将是埃及和不上来守住棚节的列国所得的惩罚。 20 到那天,马铃上也必刻上“献给耶和华”的字样。耶和华殿内的锅必像祭坛前的碗一样圣洁。 21 耶路撒冷和犹大的锅都是万军之耶和华的圣物,来献祭的人都可以用这些锅煮祭肉。到那天,万军之耶和华的殿中必再也没有商人。

耶和华的日子

14 看哪!耶和华的日子快到,人要在你中间分取你的掠物。 因为我必招聚列国与耶路撒冷作战,城必被占领,房屋被抢掠,妇女被强奸。城中的居民必有半数被掳去,剩下的人民必不会从这城里被剪除。

那时,耶和华要出去,与那些国家作战,像他以前在战争的日子作战一样。 到那日,他的脚必站在对着耶路撒冷,在东面的橄榄山上;这橄榄山必从中间裂开,由东至西成为极大的山谷。山的一半向北挪移,一半向南挪移。 你们要经由我的山谷逃跑,因为山谷必伸展到亚萨;你们要逃跑,好象在犹大王乌西雅年间逃避大地震一样。耶和华我的 神必来临,所有的圣者都与他(“与他”《马索拉文本》作“与你”)同来。

到那日,必没有光、寒冷和严霜。 那将是独特的一天,只有耶和华知道;那天不再分白昼和黑夜,因为在晚上仍有光明。

到那日,必有活水从耶路撒冷流出来;一半流往东海,另一半流往西海;冬天夏天都是这样。

普世的王

耶和华必作全地的王;到那日,人人都承认耶和华是独一无二的,他的名也是独一无二的。

10 全地,从迦巴直到耶路撒冷南方的临门,都要变成平原;但耶路撒冷仍必屹然耸立,从便雅悯门到第一门的地方,到角门,又从哈楠业楼到王的榨酒池,都在原处。 11 城中必有人居住,必不再有毁灭的咒诅,耶路撒冷的人必安然居住。

敌国的审判与刑罚

12 这是耶和华用来击打那些与耶路撒冷争战的万族的灾疫:他们双脚仍然站地的时候,他们的肌肉必腐烂,他们的眼球必在眼眶里腐烂,他们的舌头必在口腔中腐烂。 13 到那日,耶和华必使他们大大慌乱,他们各人互相抓住对方的手,并举起手来互相攻击。 14 犹大也必在耶路撒冷争战;四围列国的财物都必被收聚起来,有极多的金子、银子和衣服。 15 照样,像这类的灾疫也必临到马匹、骡子、骆驼、驴和在营中的一切牲畜身上。

万民前来敬拜 神

16 所有前来攻击耶路撒冷的列国中剩下的人,必年年上来敬拜大君王万军之耶和华,并且守住棚节。 17 地上的万族中,凡是不上耶路撒冷敬拜大君王万军之耶和华的,就必没有雨降给他们。 18 埃及族若不上来参加,就必没有雨降给他们,这就是耶和华用来击打那些不上来守住棚节的列国的灾祸。 19 这就是埃及的刑罚,也是所有不上来守住棚节的列国的惩罚。

20 到那日,马的铃铛上必有“归耶和华为圣”这句话;耶和华殿里的锅必好象祭坛前献祭用的碗一样。 21 耶路撒冷和犹大所有的锅都必归万军之耶和华为圣;献祭的,都必来取这些锅,用来煮祭肉。到那日,在万军之耶和华的殿中,必不再有商人(“商人”原文作“迦南人”)。

耶和華的日子

14 看哪!耶和華的日子快到,人要在你中間分取你的掠物。 因為我必招聚列國與耶路撒冷作戰,城必被佔領,房屋被搶掠,婦女被強姦。城中的居民必有半數被擄去,剩下的人民必不會從這城裡被剪除。

那時,耶和華要出去,與那些國家作戰,像他以前在戰爭的日子作戰一樣。 到那日,他的腳必站在對著耶路撒冷,在東面的橄欖山上;這橄欖山必從中間裂開,由東至西成為極大的山谷。山的一半向北挪移,一半向南挪移。 你們要經由我的山谷逃跑,因為山谷必伸展到亞薩;你們要逃跑,好像在猶大王烏西雅年間逃避大地震一樣。耶和華我的 神必來臨,所有的聖者都與他(“與他”《馬索拉文本》作“與你”)同來。

到那日,必沒有光、寒冷和嚴霜。 那將是獨特的一天,只有耶和華知道;那天不再分白晝和黑夜,因為在晚上仍有光明。

到那日,必有活水從耶路撒冷流出來;一半流往東海,另一半流往西海;冬天夏天都是這樣。

普世的王

耶和華必作全地的王;到那日,人人都承認耶和華是獨一無二的,他的名也是獨一無二的。

10 全地,從迦巴直到耶路撒冷南方的臨門,都要變成平原;但耶路撒冷仍必屹然聳立,從便雅憫門到第一門的地方,到角門,又從哈楠業樓到王的榨酒池,都在原處。 11 城中必有人居住,必不再有毀滅的咒詛,耶路撒冷的人必安然居住。

敵國的審判與刑罰

12 這是耶和華用來擊打那些與耶路撒冷爭戰的萬族的災疫:他們雙腳仍然站地的時候,他們的肌肉必腐爛,他們的眼球必在眼眶裡腐爛,他們的舌頭必在口腔中腐爛。 13 到那日,耶和華必使他們大大慌亂,他們各人互相抓住對方的手,並舉起手來互相攻擊。 14 猶大也必在耶路撒冷爭戰;四圍列國的財物都必被收聚起來,有極多的金子、銀子和衣服。 15 照樣,像這類的災疫也必臨到馬匹、騾子、駱駝、驢和在營中的一切牲畜身上。

萬民前來敬拜 神

16 所有前來攻擊耶路撒冷的列國中剩下的人,必年年上來敬拜大君王萬軍之耶和華,並且守住棚節。 17 地上的萬族中,凡是不上耶路撒冷敬拜大君王萬軍之耶和華的,就必沒有雨降給他們。 18 埃及族若不上來參加,就必沒有雨降給他們,這就是耶和華用來擊打那些不上來守住棚節的列國的災禍。 19 這就是埃及的刑罰,也是所有不上來守住棚節的列國的懲罰。

20 到那日,馬的鈴鐺上必有“歸耶和華為聖”這句話;耶和華殿裡的鍋必好像祭壇前獻祭用的碗一樣。 21 耶路撒冷和猶大所有的鍋都必歸萬軍之耶和華為聖;獻祭的,都必來取這些鍋,用來煮祭肉。到那日,在萬軍之耶和華的殿中,必不再有商人(“商人”原文作“迦南人”)。

VIII: The Final Combat and the New Jerusalem[a]

Chapter 14

Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be taken, the houses plundered, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken away from the city.

Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, fighting as on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies to the east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west by an immense valley, so that half of the mountain will move north and the other half will move south. You will flee by the valley of the Lord’s mountain, for the valley between the hills will be blocked, and the new valley between them will reach as far as Azal. It will be filled in, as it was by the earthquake, in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all his holy ones with him.[b]

On that day there will be neither cold nor frost. And it will be one continuous day, known only to the Lord, and there will be no more day and night, for there will be light even during the evening. And when that day comes, living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half flowing toward the eastern sea[c] and half toward the western sea, and they will continue to flow in both summer and winter. The Lord will become king over the whole earth. When that day comes, he will be the only Lord, and his name will be the only name.

10 The entire land will be transformed into a plain, from Geba to Rimmon in the Negeb, but Jerusalem will remain exalted in its place and be filled with people, from the Gate of Benjamin to the site of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. 11 It will be inhabited, and never again will it be doomed to destruction. Jerusalem will abide in security.

12 This will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day men will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. Every man will seize his neighbor’s hand, and they will begin to beat each other. 14 Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up: gold, silver, and garments in great quantities. 15 In addition, a plague similar to this one will afflict the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all other animals in those camps.

16 The survivors of all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will come up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.[d] 17 If any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, no rain shall fall upon them. 18 And should any family of Egypt fail to come up and present themselves, then upon them will fall the plague that the Lord will inflict upon those nations that fail to go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 19 Such will be the punishment that befalls Egypt and any other nations that do not come up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.

20 On that day, the words, “Holy to the Lord,” will be inscribed upon the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the house of the Lord will be as holy as the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord of hosts, and all who come to offer sacrifice will take them and cook in them. And there will no longer be any traders in the house of the Lord of hosts.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 14:1 After the chosen people had passed through so many struggles, an editor pulled together details for a picture of a final battle. The account tests the imagination and brings the conflict between God and the forces of evil to an end with a victory of God. The style is that of the apocalypses, as seen in the discourse of Jesus on the ruins of Jerusalem and the end of the world (Mk 13; Lk 21; Mt 24). These details were perhaps imagined or gathered at the time of the Maccabean resistance in the second century B.C. At that time, Jerusalem had fallen into the hands of persecuting pagan rulers, and it was possible for the Jews to think that the end of time was at hand: the age of salvation would now begin and the outcome of the struggle would be different. The battle is followed by a great liturgy in which the Feast of Tabernacles acquires a basic importance, since this is the Feast of God as King (see the Books of the Maccabees).
    It is on this history-inspired development that the priests based their theology of Jerusalem as the center of a world in which everything is sacred. This grandiose vision of the future is close to that of John’s Apocalypse (Rev 21:3-4). The literary display in the depiction of the scene is overwhelming, but at bottom the passage is a proclamation of God in the face of all seemingly dominant forces; it expresses expectation of a salvation that can only be a gift.
  2. Zechariah 14:5 The earthquake must have been a very violent one if it made history and can serve as a parallel for the catastrophe in the Pentapolis. The historical books make no reference to this earthquake (see Am 1:1; 4:11).
  3. Zechariah 14:8 Eastern sea: the Dead Sea.
  4. Zechariah 14:16 The Feast of Tabernacles recalled the sojourn of Israel in the wilderness after the deliverance from Egypt (Lev 23:33-42).