Zechariah 14:16

Authorized King James Version

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And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Original Language Analysis

וְהָיָ֗ה H1961
וְהָיָ֗ה
Strong's: H1961
Word #: 1 of 20
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
כָּל H3605
כָּל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 2 of 20
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַנּוֹתָר֙ And it shall come to pass that every one that is left H3498
הַנּוֹתָר֙ And it shall come to pass that every one that is left
Strong's: H3498
Word #: 3 of 20
to jut over or exceed; by implication, to excel; (intransitively) to remain or be left; causatively to leave, cause to abound, preserve
מִכָּל H3605
מִכָּל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 4 of 20
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם of all the nations H1471
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם of all the nations
Strong's: H1471
Word #: 5 of 20
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
הַבָּאִ֖ים which came H935
הַבָּאִ֖ים which came
Strong's: H935
Word #: 6 of 20
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
עַל H5921
עַל
Strong's: H5921
Word #: 7 of 20
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם against Jerusalem H3389
יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם against Jerusalem
Strong's: H3389
Word #: 8 of 20
jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine
וְעָל֞וּ shall even go up H5927
וְעָל֞וּ shall even go up
Strong's: H5927
Word #: 9 of 20
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
מִדֵּ֧י from H1767
מִדֵּ֧י from
Strong's: H1767
Word #: 10 of 20
enough (as noun or adverb), used chiefly with preposition in phrases
בְשָׁנָ֗ה to year H8141
בְשָׁנָ֗ה to year
Strong's: H8141
Word #: 11 of 20
a year (as a revolution of time)
בְשָׁנָ֗ה to year H8141
בְשָׁנָ֗ה to year
Strong's: H8141
Word #: 12 of 20
a year (as a revolution of time)
לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹת֙ to worship H7812
לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹת֙ to worship
Strong's: H7812
Word #: 13 of 20
to depress, i.e., prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or god)
לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ the King H4428
לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ the King
Strong's: H4428
Word #: 14 of 20
a king
יְהוָ֣ה the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֣ה the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 15 of 20
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
צְבָא֔וֹת of hosts H6635
צְבָא֔וֹת of hosts
Strong's: H6635
Word #: 16 of 20
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci
וְלָחֹ֖ג and to keep H2287
וְלָחֹ֖ג and to keep
Strong's: H2287
Word #: 17 of 20
properly, to move in a circle, i.e., (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication, to be giddy
אֶת H853
אֶת
Strong's: H853
Word #: 18 of 20
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
חַ֥ג the feast H2282
חַ֥ג the feast
Strong's: H2282
Word #: 19 of 20
a festival, or a victim therefor
הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ of tabernacles H5521
הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ of tabernacles
Strong's: H5521
Word #: 20 of 20
a hut or lair

Cross References

Isaiah 66:23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.Revelation 19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.Joel 2:32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.Revelation 11:13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.Isaiah 6:5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.Acts 15:17That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.Jeremiah 51:57And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.Jeremiah 46:18As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.Jeremiah 48:15Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.Romans 11:5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Analysis & Commentary

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem—survivors from enemy armies, spared from the plague (verses 12-15). Shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles (וְעָלוּ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺת לְמֶלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת וְלָחֹג אֶת־חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת)—annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for chag ha-sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles/Booths), one of three mandatory pilgrimage festivals (Leviticus 23:33-43).

Why Tabernacles? It celebrates harvest thanksgiving and commemorates wilderness wandering—appropriate for Gentiles newly entering covenant relationship, acknowledging dependence on God's provision. It also has eschatological significance: pointing to Messiah 'tabernacling' with humanity (John 1:14, Revelation 21:3). Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1-2 prophesy similar Gentile pilgrimage: "Many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD." This is millennial kingdom worship where all nations acknowledge Yahweh as King, worshiping at Jerusalem.

Historical Context

Millennial kingdom theology: Christ reigns from Jerusalem for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6) with representatives from all nations coming annually to worship. This demonstrates that God's ultimate purpose includes Gentile salvation and incorporation into Israel's worship—fulfilling Abraham's promise that through his seed all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

Questions for Reflection