The Meaning of Zechariah 8:3 Explained

Zechariah 8:3

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: I have turned back unto Zion, And I have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And Jerusalem hath been called 'The city of truth,' And the mountain of Jehovah of Hosts, 'The holy mountain.'

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  I am returned  unto Zion,  and will dwell  in the midst  of Jerusalem:  and Jerusalem  shall be called  a city  of truth;  and the mountain  of the LORD  of hosts  the holy  mountain. 

What does Zechariah 8:3 Mean?

Study Notes

holy mountain
Holiness, Sanctification, Summary: In the O.T. the words consecration, dedication, sanctification, and holiness are various renderings of one Hebrew word, are used of persons and of things, and have an identical meaning, i.e. set apart for God. Only when used of God himself (e.g. Leviticus 11:45 ), or of the holy angels (e.g. Daniel 4:13 ) is any inward; Leviticus 11:45 ; Daniel 4:13 moral quality necessarily implied. Doubtless a priest or other person set apart to the service of God, whose whole will and desire went with his setting apart, experienced progressively an inner detachment from evil; but that aspect is distinctively of the N.T., not of the O.T. Matthew 4:5 .

Verse Meaning

Yahweh announced that He would return to Zion and reside among His people in Jerusalem again (cf. Zechariah 1:16; Zechariah 2:10). When He did, people would call Jerusalem the City of Truth, and they would refer to the temple mount as the Holy Mountain (cf. Zechariah 14:20-21). Finally the recurring cycle of apostasy followed by punishment would end.
"Jerusalem did not acquire this character in the period after the captivity, in which, though not defiled by gross idolatry, as in the times before the captivity, it was polluted by other moral abominations no less than it had been before. Jerusalem becomes a faithful city for the first time through the Messiah, and it is through Him that the temple mountain first really becomes the holy mountain." [1]

Context Summary

Zechariah 8:1-17 - Truth And Love Must Prevail
In his third answer Zechariah dilates on the prosperity awaiting the chosen city. The Lord had returned, to dwell there, and the old men and women who were at the end of life should join with the happy boys and girls who were at the beginning in the enjoyment of the blessings of peace. Exiles also would return to people the former desolations. But with these delightful forecasts ensue reiterated appeals. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 8

1  The restoration of Jerusalem
9  They are encouraged to build the temple by God's favor to them
16  Good works are required of them
18  Joy and blessing are promised

What do the individual words in Zechariah 8:3 mean?

Thus says Yahweh I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem And shall be called Jerusalem the City of Truth and the Mountain of Yahweh of hosts Mountain the Holy -
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שַׁ֚בְתִּי אֶל־ צִיּ֔וֹן וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּת֣וֹךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְנִקְרְאָ֤ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עִ֣יר־ הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת וְהַר־ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת הַ֥ר הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ ס

כֹּ֚ה  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שַׁ֚בְתִּי  I  will  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
צִיּ֔וֹן  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י  and  dwell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
בְּת֣וֹךְ  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וְנִקְרְאָ֤ה  And  shall  be  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
עִ֣יר־  the  City 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת  of  Truth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
וְהַר־  and  the  Mountain 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
יְהוָ֥ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַ֥ר  Mountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ  the  Holy 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation