And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. This verse announces the great reversal at the heart of God's restoration promise. The phrase "as ye were a curse among the heathen" (ka'asher heyitem qelalah ba-goyim, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֱיִיתֶם קְלָלָה בַּגּוֹיִם) recalls Israel's exile shame when their name became proverbial for disaster—other nations said "May you become like Judah" as a curse (Jeremiah 24:9, 29:18). To be a qelalah (קְלָלָה, curse) meant embodying covenant judgment, becoming an object lesson in divine wrath.
The emphatic reversal comes with "so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing" (ken oshia etkhem viheyitem berakhah, כֵּן אוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם בְּרָכָה). The verb yasha (יָשַׁע, "save") means to rescue, deliver, give victory—God actively intervenes to transform curse into berakhah (בְּרָכָה, blessing). This fulfills the Abrahamic promise that through Abraham's seed all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3, 22:18). From curse-object to blessing-source represents total covenant restoration.
The double command "fear not, but let your hands be strong" (al-tira'u techezaqnah yedeikhem, אַל־תִּירָאוּ תֶּחֱזַקְנָה יְדֵיכֶם) provides immediate application. "Fear not" addresses paralyzing anxiety about their vulnerable position; "let your hands be strong" calls for vigorous work on temple rebuilding and covenant faithfulness. Strong hands characterize those who trust God's promises and act on them (Haggai 2:4, Nehemiah 6:9).
Historical Context
This prophecy came circa 520 BC during the second year of Darius, as the returned exiles struggled to rebuild the temple. The exile had left deep psychological scars—they had been scattered, mocked, enslaved, their cities destroyed, their temple burned. The phrase "house of Judah, and house of Israel" significantly addresses both southern and northern kingdoms, looking forward to reunification under Messiah (Ezekiel 37:15-28).
The memory of being a curse among nations was fresh. Lamentations describes how Jerusalem became "as a menstruous woman" among nations (Lamentations 1:17), how enemies wagged their heads and hissed (Lamentations 2:15-16). Edomites and others had mocked Judah's fall (Psalm 137:7, Obadiah 10-14). To promise transformation from curse to blessing would have seemed impossible by human standards.
Yet this promise finds fulfillment in multiple stages: the return itself, the completed temple (516 BC), the Christ-event where blessing flows to all nations through the Jewish Messiah (Galatians 3:13-14), and ultimately the eschatological restoration when Israel recognizes their Messiah (Romans 11:26). The New Testament shows Christ bearing the curse to make us the blessing (Galatians 3:13), and the church becoming God's vehicle for blessing the nations (1 Peter 2:9).
Questions for Reflection
How does Israel's transformation from curse to blessing demonstrate God's power to reverse the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness?
In what ways has Christ borne the curse so that believers might become a blessing to the nations?
When facing seemingly impossible circumstances, how can God's promise of reversal strengthen your hands for kingdom work?
How should the church today function as a blessing among the nations, fulfilling the Abrahamic promise?
What areas of your life need to hear God's 'fear not' and 'let your hands be strong' command?
Analysis & Commentary
And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. This verse announces the great reversal at the heart of God's restoration promise. The phrase "as ye were a curse among the heathen" (ka'asher heyitem qelalah ba-goyim, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֱיִיתֶם קְלָלָה בַּגּוֹיִם) recalls Israel's exile shame when their name became proverbial for disaster—other nations said "May you become like Judah" as a curse (Jeremiah 24:9, 29:18). To be a qelalah (קְלָלָה, curse) meant embodying covenant judgment, becoming an object lesson in divine wrath.
The emphatic reversal comes with "so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing" (ken oshia etkhem viheyitem berakhah, כֵּן אוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם בְּרָכָה). The verb yasha (יָשַׁע, "save") means to rescue, deliver, give victory—God actively intervenes to transform curse into berakhah (בְּרָכָה, blessing). This fulfills the Abrahamic promise that through Abraham's seed all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3, 22:18). From curse-object to blessing-source represents total covenant restoration.
The double command "fear not, but let your hands be strong" (al-tira'u techezaqnah yedeikhem, אַל־תִּירָאוּ תֶּחֱזַקְנָה יְדֵיכֶם) provides immediate application. "Fear not" addresses paralyzing anxiety about their vulnerable position; "let your hands be strong" calls for vigorous work on temple rebuilding and covenant faithfulness. Strong hands characterize those who trust God's promises and act on them (Haggai 2:4, Nehemiah 6:9).