Zechariah 8:5
Zechariah 8:5 in Multiple Translations
And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
And the open spaces of the town will be full of boys and girls playing in its open spaces.
The streets will be full of boys and girls playing happily.
And the streetes of the citie shalbe full of boyes and girles, playing in the streetes thereof.
And broad places of the city are full of boys and girls, Playing in its broad places.
The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls, playing in the streets thereof.
And the city streets with be full of boys and girls playing.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Zechariah 8:5
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Zechariah 8:5 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וּ/רְחֹב֤וֹת
הָ/עִיר֙
יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ
יְלָדִ֖ים
וִֽ/ילָד֑וֹת
מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים
בִּ/רְחֹֽבֹתֶֽי/הָ
וּ/רְחֹב֤וֹת
rᵉchôb
H7339
street/plaza
Conj | N-fp
הָ/עִיר֙
ʻîyr
H5892
excitement
Art | N-fs
יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ
mâlêʼ
H4390
to fill
V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp
יְלָדִ֖ים
yeled
H3206
youth
N-mp
וִֽ/ילָד֑וֹת
yaldâh
H3207
maiden
Conj | N-fp
מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים
sâchaq
H7832
to laugh
V-Piel
בִּ/רְחֹֽבֹתֶֽי/הָ
rᵉchôb
H7339
street/plaza
Prep | N-fp | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Zechariah 8:5
וּ/רְחֹב֤וֹת
rᵉchôb
H7339
"street/plaza"
Conj | N-fp
A street or plaza, referring to a public area or open space, like a marketplace or a thoroughfare. This word is used to describe urban settings and community gathering places, often in stories about city life and trade. It appears in books like Nehemiah and Jeremiah.
Definition: broad or open place or plaza
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: broad place (way), street. See also H1050 (בֵּית רְחוֹב). See also: Genesis 19:2; Proverbs 7:12; Psalms 55:12.
הָ/עִיר֙
ʻîyr
H5892
"excitement"
Art | N-fs
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Definition: 1) excitement, anguish 1a) of terror
Usage: Occurs in 936 OT verses. KJV: Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town. See also: Genesis 4:17; Deuteronomy 3:6; Joshua 14:12.
יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ
mâlêʼ
H4390
"to fill"
V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Definition: 1) to fill, be full 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be full 1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle) 1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended 1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied 1b2) to be accomplished, be ended 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to fill 1c2) to satisfy 1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete 1c4) to confirm 1d) (Pual) to be filled 1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)
Usage: Occurs in 242 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, confirm, [phrase] consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, [idiom] draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, [phrase] have wholly. See also: Genesis 1:22; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Psalms 10:7.
יְלָדִ֖ים
yeled
H3206
"youth"
N-mp
This Hebrew word refers to a young person, like a child or teenager, such as the youth who helped David in 1 Samuel 20:1. It can also mean offspring or descendants, like the children of Israel in Exodus 12:37.
Definition: 1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth 1a) child, son, boy 1b) child, children 1c) descendants 1d) youth 1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one). See also: Genesis 4:23; 1 Kings 12:10; Isaiah 2:6.
וִֽ/ילָד֑וֹת
yaldâh
H3207
"maiden"
Conj | N-fp
In the original Hebrew, this word means a young, unmarried woman, like a teenage girl, such as the maidens who danced in Psalm 68:25. It can also be translated as damsel or girl.
Definition: girl, damsel, marriageable girl
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: damsel, girl. See also: Genesis 34:4; Joel 4:3; Zechariah 8:5.
מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים
sâchaq
H7832
"to laugh"
V-Piel
This Hebrew word means to laugh, often in contempt or derision, as seen in Genesis 21:9 when Ishmael mocks Isaac. It can also mean to play or make sport, like in Psalm 104:26 where God plays with the whale. In the Bible, it appears over 50 times, including in the book of Job.
Definition: 1) to laugh, play, mock 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to laugh (usually in contempt or derision) 1a2) to sport, play 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make sport 1b2) to jest 1b3) to play (including instrumental music, singing, dancing) 1c) (Hiphil) to laugh mockingly
Usage: Occurs in 36 OT verses. KJV: deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport. See also: Judges 16:25; Psalms 2:4; Psalms 37:13.
בִּ/רְחֹֽבֹתֶֽי/הָ
rᵉchôb
H7339
"street/plaza"
Prep | N-fp | Suff
A street or plaza, referring to a public area or open space, like a marketplace or a thoroughfare. This word is used to describe urban settings and community gathering places, often in stories about city life and trade. It appears in books like Nehemiah and Jeremiah.
Definition: broad or open place or plaza
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: broad place (way), street. See also H1050 (בֵּית רְחוֹב). See also: Genesis 19:2; Proverbs 7:12; Psalms 55:12.
Study Notes — Zechariah 8:5
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Zechariah 8:5 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 8:5
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Zechariah 8:5
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
- Trapp's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
- Ellicott's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
- Cambridge Bible on Zechariah 8:5
- Whedon's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
- Sermons on Zechariah 8:5
Context — The Restoration of Jerusalem
3This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”
4This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.
5And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”
6This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “If this is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be impossible in My eyes?” declares the LORD of Hosts. 7This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 31:13 | Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow. |
| 2 | Matthew 11:16–17 | To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ |
| 3 | Jeremiah 30:19–20 | Thanksgiving will proceed from them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not be decreased; I will honor them, and they will not be belittled. Their children will be as in days of old, and their congregation will be established before Me; and I will punish all their oppressors. |
| 4 | Psalms 128:3–4 | Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table. In this way indeed shall blessing come to the man who fears the LORD. |
| 5 | Psalms 144:12–15 | Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth, our daughters like corner pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our storehouses will be full, supplying all manner of produce; our flocks will bring forth thousands, tens of thousands in our fields. Our oxen will bear great loads. There will be no breach in the walls, no going into captivity, and no cry of lament in our streets. Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD. |
| 6 | Lamentations 2:19 | Arise, cry out in the night from the first watch of the night. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who are fainting from hunger on the corner of every street. |
| 7 | Jeremiah 31:27 | “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and of beast. |
| 8 | Zechariah 2:4 | and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it. |
| 9 | Jeremiah 33:11 | the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD. |
Zechariah 8:5 Summary
Zechariah 8:5 is a beautiful picture of a future time when God's people will live in peace and joy, where children can play safely in the streets. This verse reminds us that God is a God of hope and restoration, who desires for us to live in harmony with Him and with each other, as seen in Jeremiah 29:11 and Matthew 5:9. It's a promise that God will bring about a time of prosperity and growth, where families can thrive and communities can flourish, much like the promises in Psalm 37:3-7 and Isaiah 65:17-25. By trusting in God's promises, we can live with hope and expectation for the future, knowing that He is always working for our good.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the image of boys and girls playing in the streets signify in Zechariah 8:5?
This image signifies a time of peace, joy, and restoration, as seen in Zechariah 8:4 where old men and women are at rest, and is reminiscent of the peace described in Isaiah 11:6-9 and Jeremiah 31:13.
How does this verse relate to the overall message of Zechariah 8?
Zechariah 8:5 is part of a larger message of hope and restoration for Jerusalem, emphasizing God's promise to dwell among His people, as stated in Zechariah 8:3 and Zechariah 2:10-12.
What is the significance of the streets being filled with children in this context?
The streets being filled with children indicates a future time of prosperity and growth, where the city is thriving and families are able to raise their children in peace, much like the promise in Deuteronomy 28:4 and Psalm 128:3-4.
How does this verse apply to our lives today?
Zechariah 8:5 reminds us that God is a God of hope and restoration, and that He desires for us to live in peace and joy, as seen in John 10:10 and Romans 15:13, and to trust in His promises for our lives and our communities.
Reflection Questions
- What does the image of children playing in the streets evoke in my heart, and how can I apply that sense of joy and peace to my own life?
- In what ways can I trust God's promise of restoration and peace in my own community, and what role can I play in bringing that about?
- How can I cultivate a sense of hope and expectation for the future, like the scene described in Zechariah 8:5, and what biblical promises can I stand on to support that hope?
- What are some ways that I can practically live out the values of peace, joy, and restoration in my daily life, and how can I share those values with others?
Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 8:5
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls,.... Denoting a large increase of inhabitants, in a literal sense; and may spiritually signify the large numbers of converts, of new born
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Zechariah 8:5
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
The streets; every street. Shall be full of boys and girls; have many young ones healthful, strong, brisk, and lively, the present joy and future hope of all; so will I fulfil the promise of multiplying your children. Playing in the streets: Jerusalem shall be in that peace, health, and plenty, that parents shall neither fear danger to their children abroad, nor need their labour at home. So shall that Psalms 128 be fulfilled to them.
Trapp's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
Zechariah 8:5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.Ver. 5. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls] Lads and lasses (as the Hebrew seems to sound), that mind little else but play as if, with leviathan, they had been made to sport, or as those people of Tombutum, in Africa, who are said to spend their whole time in singing and dancing. But this they could not do if the times were troublesome, and the soldier at his bloody play, according to that of Abner, 2 Samuel 2:14 "Let the young men now arise and play before us," that is, thrust their swords in their fellows’ sides, 2 Samuel 2:16.
Ellicott's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
(4-5) This promise may well be regarded as having been fulfilled to the letter in the days of Simon the Maccabee (1Ma 14:4-15), when “the ancient men sat in all the streets . . . and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel,” and “every man sat under his vine and his fig-tree, and there was none to fray them.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
Verse 5. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls] The progeny shall be numerous, healthy, and happy. Their innocent gambols and useful exercises shall be a means of health, and a proof of happiness. To be healthy, children must have exercise. But they cannot take exercise, except in the way of play and diversion: ergo, such playfulness cannot be sinful. Let them be kept from evil words, lying, swearing, and scurrility; and all the rest may be innocent.
Cambridge Bible on Zechariah 8:5
4, 5. We read, as a fulfilment of this prophecy, that in the days of Simon, in the times of the Maccabees, “the ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things” (1Ma 14:9); while our Lord alludes to the games of children in the market-place, as a familiar incident in His own days. Matthew 11:16-17.
Whedon's Commentary on Zechariah 8:5
4, 5. During the early postexilic period the inhabitants of Jerusalem were few in number (Nehemiah 11:1 ff.); in the new era this will change, for Jerusalem will again swarm with inhabitants (compare Zechariah 2:1 ff.).
Sermons on Zechariah 8:5
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Eyes to See (1 of 2) by Jackie Pullinger | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of seeing and having a clear vision from the beginning. They share personal experiences of witnessing the plight of the unborn |
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Revival - Part 1 by J.I. Packer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the impact of God's blessings on his people and the resulting evangelistic overflow. He emphasizes that when God blesses his people, the worl |
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An Inquiry After Truth and Righteousness, and After the People, &C. by Isaac Penington | Greek Word Studies for an aid_number 34478 preaches on the significance of mourning over sin, emphasizing the need for genuine confession, repentance, and sorrow. The preacher high |
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Some Comments on Netanyahu’s Election in Israel: A Prelude to Coming Disaster? by Art Katz | Art Katz discusses the implications of Benjamin Netanyahu's election in Israel, suggesting that it may not lead to any significant change in the nation's dire circumstances. He arg |
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A Judgement Is Coming by Vance Havner | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not just having access to the light of God's truth, but also actively engaging with it. He warns against the danger of bei |
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2017 - the Year When We Decide by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for the Church of Jesus Christ to return to its purpose and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit. He challenges believers to make |
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A Message for New York City by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the state of the current generation and their response to the word of God. He mentions the Billy Graham conferences in the 1950s, where man |