The Meaning of Zechariah 10:1 Explained

Zechariah 10:1

KJV: Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

YLT: They asked of Jehovah rain in a time of latter rain, Jehovah is making lightnings, And rain in showers He doth give to them. To each -- the herb in the field.

Darby: Ask of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain; Jehovah will make lightnings, and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

ASV: Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain, even of Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Ask  ye of the LORD  rain  in the time  of the latter rain;  [so] the LORD  shall make  bright clouds,  and give  them showers  of rain,  to every one  grass  in the field. 

What does Zechariah 10:1 Mean?

Study Notes

later rain
Cf. Hosea 6:3 ; Joel 2:23-32 ; Zechariah 12:10 . There is both a physical and spiritual meaning: Rain as of old will be restored to Palestine, but, also, there will be a mighty effusion of the Spirit upon restored Israel.

Verse Meaning

The Lord urged His people, in the day of blessing just described, to ask Him to send rain when they needed it in the spring, when they sowed their seed. He promised to send it, and it would cause their crops and other vegetation to grow (cf. Zechariah 9:11; Deuteronomy 11:13-14). Asking Him is only reasonable since He is the One who creates storm clouds. The Canaanites gave credit to Baal for sending rain and producing fertility, but Yahweh was the true rainmaker (cf. Jeremiah 14:22; Amos 5:8). Since rain is often a symbol of many types of blessing in the Old Testament, spiritual as well as physical blessing is probably in view here (cf. Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 55:10-12; Hosea 6:3; Joel 2:21-32). Many good commentators included this verse with Zechariah 9:11-17 because of the continuation of thought. However all of chapter10 continues the thought of the previous pericope.

Context Summary

Zechariah 10:1-12 - A Lowly Deliverer Brings Peace
Jesus must be King first, then Savior. He is lowly; His steed is not the richly caparisoned warhorse, but the humble ass; He needs no weapon to overthrow His foes, because as Priest He speaks peace. The peasantry had taken shelter in the rock hewn mountain cisterns; but they might cherish hope, because they had been redeemed by the blood of the covenant, and God would see to it that that redemption was made effective. Before the advent of the King, the prison-doors would open, and at His word the imprisoned should go forth. How great are His goodness and beauty!
In Zechariah 10:1-12 we have a reference to the successful stand made by Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren against Antiochus. They were to tread them down as the mire of the streets; Joseph and Judah would be reunited and after their far-spread sowing over the world, the scattered tribes would ultimately return as bees to the call of the bee-farmer. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 10

1  God is to be sought unto, and not idols
3  As he visited his flock for sin, so he will save and restore them

What do the individual words in Zechariah 10:1 mean?

Ask Yahweh for rain in the time of the latter rain Yahweh will make flashing clouds and rain showers of He will give them for everyone Grass in the field
שַׁאֲל֨וּ מֵיְהוָ֤ה מָטָר֙ בְּעֵ֣ת מַלְק֔וֹשׁ יְהוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֣ה חֲזִיזִ֑ים וּמְטַר־ גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ יִתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם לְאִ֖ישׁ עֵ֥שֶׂב בַּשָּׂדֶֽה

שַׁאֲל֨וּ  Ask 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
מֵיְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מָטָר֙  for  rain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
בְּעֵ֣ת  in  the  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
מַלְק֔וֹשׁ  of  the  latter  rain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַלְקֹושׁ  
Sense: latter rain, spring rain.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֹשֶׂ֣ה  will  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חֲזִיזִ֑ים  flashing  clouds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֲזִיז  
Sense: thunderbolt, lightning flash, lightning, storm, cloud.
וּמְטַר־  and  rain 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙  showers 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּשֶׁם  
Sense: rain, shower.
יִתֵּ֣ן  of  He  will  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְאִ֖ישׁ  for  everyone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עֵ֥שֶׂב  Grass 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשֶׂב  
Sense: herb, herbage, grass, green plants.
בַּשָּׂדֶֽה  in  the  field 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.