Zechariah 13 · Verse 2

Zechariah 13:2

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
Zechariah 13:2, King James Version

Zechariah 13:2 in other translations

BSBAnd on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.
WEBIt will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Armies, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they will be remembered no more. I will also cause the prophets and the spirit of impurity to pass out of the land.
ASVAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
YLTAnd it hath come to pass, in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, I cut off the names of the idols from the land, And they are not remembered any more, And also the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness I cause to pass away from the land.
DARBYAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
BBEAnd it will come about on that day, says the Lord of armies, that I will have the names of the images cut off out of the land, and there will be no more memory of them: and I will send all the prophets and the unclean spirit away from the land.
WebsterAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

What does Zechariah 13:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. Consequences of pardon; not indolence, but the extirpation of sin. names of ... idols--Their very names were not to be mentioned; thus the Jews, instead of Mephibaal, said Mephibosheth (Bosheth meaning a contemptible thing) (Ex 23:13; De 12:3; Psa 16:4). out of the land--Judea's two great sins, idolatry and false prophecy, have long since ceased. But these are types of all sin (for example, covetousness, Ep 5:5, a besetting sin of the Jews now). Idolatry, combined with the "spirit" of "Satan," is again to be incarnated in "the man of sin," who is to arise in Judea (2Th 2:3-12), and is to be "consumed with the Spirit of the Lord's mouth." Compare as to Antichrist's papal precursor, "seducing spirits ... doctrines of devils," &c., 1Ti 4:1-3; 2Pe 2:1. the unclean spirit--Hebrew, spirit of uncleanness (compare Re 16:13); opposed to "the Spirit of holiness" (Ro 1:4), "spirit of error" (1Jo 4:6). One assuming to be divinely inspired, but in league with Satan.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 I will cut off the names of the idols - There shall not only be no idolatry, but the very names of the idols shall be forgotten, or be held in such abhorrence that no person shall mention them. This prophecy seems to be ancient, and to have been delivered while idolatry had prevalence in Israel and Judah. I will cause the prophets - All false teachers. And the unclean spirit - That which leads to impurity, the spirit of divination; the lust of the flesh, and of the eye, and the pride of life. Satan shall have neither a being in, nor power over, the hearts of sincere believers in Christ.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 13:1-6

In the time mentioned at the close of the foregoing chapter, a fountain would be opened to the rulers and people of the Jews, in which to wash away their sins. Even the atoning blood of Christ, united with his sanctifying grace. It has hitherto been closed to the unbelieving nation of Israel; but when the Spirit of grace shall humble and soften their hearts, he will open it to them also. This fountain opened is the…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 13:1-6 →

Zechariah 13:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהָיָה֩ve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
בַיּ֨וֹםvai.Yomon the dayH3117
הַה֜וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
נְאֻ֣ם\׀ne.'Um[the] utterance ofH5002
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָא֗וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635
אַכְרִ֞ית'akh.RitI will cut offH3772
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שְׁמ֤וֹתshe.Mot[the] names ofH8034
הָֽעֲצַבִּים֙ha.'a.tza.Bimthe idolsH6091
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִזָּכְר֖וּyi.za.khe.Ruthey will be rememberedH2142
ע֑וֹדodagainH5750
וְגַ֧םve.Gamand alsoH1571
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַנְּבִיאִ֛יםha.ne.vi.'Imthe prophetsH5030
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
ר֥וּחַRu.ach[the] spirit ofH7307
הַטֻּמְאָ֖הha.tum.'Ah<the> uncleannessH2932
אַעֲבִ֥יר'a.'a.VirI will cause to pass awayH5674
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הָאָֽרֶץ\׃ha.'A.retzthe landH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 13:2

  • 1 Kings 22:22

    And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

  • Hosea 2:17

    For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

  • Jeremiah 23:14-15

    I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

  • Exodus 23:13

    And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

  • Ezekiel 36:25

    Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

  • Ezekiel 37:23

    Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

  • Ezekiel 30:13

    Thus saith the Lord God; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

    For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

  • 2 Peter 2:15-19

    Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. …

  • Ezekiel 14:9

    And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

  • Isaiah 2:18

    And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

  • Jeremiah 8:10-12

    Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I will cut.
Ex 22:13; De 12:3; Jos 23:7; Ps 16:4; Isa 2:18,20; Eze 30:13; 36:25
Eze 37:23; Ho 2:17; 14:8; Mic 5:12-14; Zep 1:3,4; 2:11
cause.
1Ki 22:22; Jer 8:10-12; 23:14,15; 29:23; Eze 13:12-16,23; 14:9
Mic 2:11; Mt 7:15; 2Co 11:13-15; 2Pe 2:1-3,15-19; 1Jo 4:1,2
Re 19:20
unclean.
Mt 12:43; Lu 11:20; Re 16:13,14; 18:2; 20:1-3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zechariah 13:1

    In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

  • Zechariah 13:2

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

  • Zechariah 13:3

    And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

Read all of Zechariah 13

Zechariah 13:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y será en aquel día, dice Jehová de los ejércitos, que talaré de la tierra los nombres de las imágenes, y nunca más vendrán en memoria: y también haré talar de la tierra los profetas, y espíritu de inmundicia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il arrivera, en ce jour-là, dit l’ Éternel des armées, que je retrancherai du pays les noms des idoles, et on ne s’en souviendra plus; et j’ôterai aussi du pays les prophètes et l’esprit impur.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und es wird geschehen an jenem Tage, spricht Jehova der Heerscharen, da werde ich die Namen der Götzen ausrotten aus dem Lande, und ihrer wird nicht mehr gedacht werden; und auch die Propheten und den Geist der Unreinheit werde ich aus dem Lande wegschaffen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et erit in die illa, dicit Dominus exercituum: disperdam nomina idolorum de terra, et non memorabuntur ultra: et pseudoprophetas, et spiritum immundum auferam de terra.