The Meaning of Zechariah 2:9 Explained

Zechariah 2:9

KJV: For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.

YLT: For lo, I am waving my hand against them, And they have been a spoil to their servants. And ye have known that Jehovah of Hosts hath sent me.

Darby: For behold, I will shake my hand upon them, and they shall become a spoil to those that served them: and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me.

ASV: For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to those that served them; and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For, behold, I will shake  mine hand  upon them, and they shall be a spoil  to their servants:  and ye shall know  that the LORD  of hosts  hath sent  me. 

What does Zechariah 2:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Zechariah 2:1-13 - The Redemption Of Jerusalem
The work of Temple-building had ceased for fifteen years and the new resolve to arise and build might meet with a similar fate. But the four horns met with four carpenters. For Babylon the carpenter was Cyrus; for Persia, Alexander the Great; for Greece, the Roman; for Rome, the Gaul. No weapon that is formed to thwart God's purposes can prosper. The young man with the measuring line embodied the new spirit animating the returned exiles. But God was intending to give more prosperity and increase than could be contained in walls. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 2

1  God, in the care of Jerusalem, sends to measure it
6  The redemption of Zion
10  The promise of God's presence

What do the individual words in Zechariah 2:9 mean?

For surely I will shake - My hand against them and they shall become spoil for their servants then you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent Me -
כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֨י מֵנִ֤יף אֶת־ יָדִי֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְהָי֥וּ שָׁלָ֖ל לְעַבְדֵיהֶ֑ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁלָחָֽנִי ס

הִנְנִ֨י  surely 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
מֵנִ֤יף  I  will  shake 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הֲנָפָה 
Sense: to move to and fro, wave, besprinkle.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יָדִי֙  My  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְהָי֥וּ  and  they  shall  become 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שָׁלָ֖ל  spoil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
לְעַבְדֵיהֶ֑ם  for  their  servants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם  then  you  will  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֥ה  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.
שְׁלָחָֽנִי  has  sent  Me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation