Zechariah 13:8
6 If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest ?’ he will answer, ‘These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends.’
7 Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it.
9 This third I will bring through 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.’”
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it.
- KJV
- And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
- WEB
- It shall happen that in all the land,” says the LORD, “two parts in it will be cut off and die; but the third will be left in it.
- ASV
- And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
- DARBY
- And it shall come to pass in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off [and] die; but the third shall be left therein.
- BLB
- And it will come to pass, in all the land, a declaration of YHWH, a measure that two in it will be cut off [and] die, and the third will remain in it.
- ÅB
- Og i hele landet, sier Herren, skal to tredjedeler utryddes og omkomme, bare en tredjedel skal levnes der.
- OTB
- Og over hele landet,”
sier Herren,
“skal to tredjedeler bli avskåret og omkomme,
men en tredjedel skal bli igjen i det. - B1930
- Og i hele landet, sier Herren, skal to tredjedeler utryddes og omkomme, bare en tredjedel skal levnes der.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ezekiel 5:12
A third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine within you, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to every wind and unleash a sword behind them.
Read in contextRevelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.
Read in contextEzekiel 5:2–4
When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them.
Read in contextMalachi 4:1–3
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”
Read in contextRevelation 8:7–12
Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.
Read in context1 Thessalonians 2:15–16
who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
Read in contextLuke 23:28–30
But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Read in contextMatthew 24:21–22
For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.
Read in context