New Living Translation
Zechariah 13:9
9I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
Zechariah 13:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
- New International Version (NIV)This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)I will bring the one–third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
Context of Zechariah 13:9
7“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man who is my partner,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs. 8Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die,” says the Lord. “But one-third will be left in the land. I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
Read all of Zechariah 13Zechariah 13:9 word by word
וְהֵבֵאתִ֤י אֶת־הַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ וּצְרַפְתִּים֙ כִּצְרֹ֣ף אֶת־הַכֶּ֔סֶף וּבְחַנְתִּ֖ים כִּבְחֹ֣ן אֶת־הַזָּהָ֑ב ה֣וּא׀ יִקְרָ֣א בִשְׁמִ֗י וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֶעֱנֶ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ עַמִּ֣י ה֔וּא וְה֥וּא יֹאמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽי׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I will bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- the third partשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
- through the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- and will refineצָרַףtsâraph · to refineH6884
- them as silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- and will tryבָּחַןbâchan · to testH974
- them as goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- they shall callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- on my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- and I will hearעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- them: I will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Zechariah 13:9
- Psalms 66:10You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver.
- Isaiah 43:2When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
- 1 Corinthians 3:11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 4:12Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
- Job 23:10“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
- Proverbs 17:3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
- Isaiah 48:10I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.
- Malachi 3:2“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes.
- James 1:12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
- 1 Peter 1:6So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.
- Zechariah 10:6“I will strengthen Judah and save Israel; I will restore them because of my compassion. It will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries.
- Zechariah 12:10“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
- Psalms 34:15The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
- Psalms 50:15Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”
- Psalms 91:15When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
- Isaiah 58:9Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
Commentaries on Zechariah 13:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9I will bring the third part through the fire - The Christian Church shall endure a great fight of afflictions, by which they shall be refined - not consumed. They shall call on my name - In this way shall they offer all their prayers and supplications to God. I will say, It is my people - The Church that I have chosen in the place of the Jews who have filled up the measure of their iniquity. And they shall say, The Lord is my God - And thus communion…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9I will bring the third part through the fire - Such is always God‘s ways. “Thou hast proved us, O God; Thou hast tried us, like as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the snare, Thou laidest trouble upon our loins: we went through fire and water, and Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place” Psalm 66:9-11. “I have refined thee, but not with silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” Isaiah 48:10; and, “Through much tribulation we…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 Here is a prophecy of the sufferings of Christ. God the Father gave order to the sword of his justice to awake against his Son, when he freely made his soul an offering for sin. As God, he is called "my Fellow." Christ and the Father are one. He is the Shepherd who was to lay down his life for the sheep. If a Sacrifice, he must be slain, for without shedding of the life-blood there was no remission. This sword must awake against him, yet he had…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Fire is a metaphor for God's judgment (see Isaiah 66:15; Jeremiah 4:4; Ezekiel 36:5; Amos 5:6). God's fire can destroy the wicked or, as in this context, test and purify the righteous. Refine them … like gold: God acts as a divine metallurgist, using fire to remove impurities from metal (Isaiah 1:25; Malachi 3:2–3). They are my people … The LORD is our God: These declarations of loyalty by God and Israel restore their broken covenant relationship…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-98-9. Two-thirds of the Jewish nation were to perish in the Roman wars, and a third to survive. Probably from the context (Zec 14:2-9), which has never yet been fulfilled, the destruction of the two-thirds (literally, "the proportion of two," or "portion of two") and the saving of the remnant, the one-third, are still future, and to be fulfilled under Antichrist.Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 13:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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