Zechariah 2:10
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
Original Language Analysis
רָנִּ֥י
Sing
H7442
רָנִּ֥י
Sing
Strong's:
H7442
Word #:
1 of 11
properly, to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e., to shout (usually for joy)
וְשִׂמְחִ֖י
and rejoice
H8055
וְשִׂמְחִ֖י
and rejoice
Strong's:
H8055
Word #:
2 of 11
probably to brighten up, i.e., (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome
בַּת
O daughter
H1323
בַּת
O daughter
Strong's:
H1323
Word #:
3 of 11
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
צִיּ֑וֹן
of Zion
H6726
צִיּ֑וֹן
of Zion
Strong's:
H6726
Word #:
4 of 11
tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of jerusalem
כִּ֧י
H3588
כִּ֧י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
5 of 11
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֥י
and I will dwell
H7931
וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֥י
and I will dwell
Strong's:
H7931
Word #:
8 of 11
to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
Zechariah 8:3Thus 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.Matthew 28:20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.Ezekiel 37:27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.Leviticus 26:12And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.Zephaniah 3:17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.Revelation 21:3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.Isaiah 66:14And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.Isaiah 12:6Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
Historical Context
The returned exiles had laid the temple foundation but the structure would be modest compared to Solomon's glory (Ezra 3:12; Haggai 2:3). Yet Zechariah promises something greater than architectural splendor—God Himself dwelling among His people. The 'already/not yet' tension: God's presence returned to the Second Temple, yet the full dwelling awaits Messiah's coming.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God's presence evoke singing and rejoicing rather than fear (compare Exodus 20:18-21)?
- How did Jesus 'tabernacle' among us, and how does this fulfill Zechariah's prophecy?
- Where do you most tangibly sense God 'dwelling in your midst' today?
Analysis & Commentary
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD—From judgment (v. 9) to jubilation. The imperatives ronnī (רָנִּי, 'sing out') and simchī (שִׂמְחִי, 'rejoice') call for exuberant worship in response to Yahweh's promised presence. Bat-Tziyyon (בַּת־צִיּוֹן, 'Daughter of Zion') personifies Jerusalem and the covenant community.
The stunning promise I come, and I will dwell uses the participle bā' (בָּא, 'coming') emphasizing imminent arrival, and shākantī (שָׁכַנְתִּי, 'I will dwell/tabernacle'), the verb related to Shekinah—God's manifest presence that filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). This prophecy leaps beyond the modest Second Temple to the incarnation when 'the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us' (John 1:14, same root idea), and ultimately to the New Jerusalem: 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men' (Revelation 21:3).