Zechariah 2 · Verse 6

Zechariah 2:6

Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.
Zechariah 2:6, King James Version

Zechariah 2:6 in other translations

BSB“Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD.
WEBCome! Come! Flee from the land of the north,’ says the LORD; ‘for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the sky,’ says the LORD.
ASVHo, ho, flee from the land of the north, saith Jehovah; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, saith Jehovah.
YLTHo, ho, and flee from the land of the north, An affirmation of Jehovah, For, as the four winds of the heavens, I have spread you abroad, An affirmation of Jehovah.
DARBYHo, ho! flee from the land of the north, saith Jehovah; for I have scattered you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, saith Jehovah.
BBEHo, ho! go in flight from the land of the north, says the Lord: for I have sent you far and wide to the four winds of heaven, says the Lord.
WebsterHo, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.

What does Zechariah 2:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. flee from the land of the north--that is, from Babylon: a type of the various Gentile lands, from which the Jews are to be recalled hereafter; hence "the four winds of heaven" are specified, implying that they are to return from all quarters (De 28:64; Jr 16:15; Eze 17:21). The reason why they should flee from Babylon is: (1) because of the blessings promised to God's people in their own land; (2) because of the evils about to fall on their foe (Zec 2:7-9). Babylon was soon to fall before Darius, and its inhabitants to endure fearful calamities (Is 48:20; Jr 50:8; 51:6, 45). Many of the Jews in Zechariah's time had not yet returned to Judea. Their tardiness was owing to (1) unbelief; (2) their land had long lain waste, and was surrounded with bitter foes; (3) they regarded suspiciously the liberty of return given by Cyrus and Darius, as if these monarchs designed suddenly to crush them; (4) their long stay in Babylon had obliterated the remembrance of their own land; (5) the wealth and security there contrasted with Judea, where their temple and city were in ruins. All this betrayed foul ingratitude and disregard of God's extraordinary favor, which is infinitely to be preferred to all the wealth of the world [Calvin and Pembellus]. for I have spread you abroad--The reasoning is: I who scattered you from your land to all quarters, can also gather you again to it.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Flee from the land of the north - From Chaldee, Persia, and Babylon, where several of the Jews still remained. See Zac 2:7.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 2:6-9
If God will build Jerusalem for the people and their comfort, they must inhabit it for him and his glory. The promises and privileges with which God's people are blessed, should engage us to join them, whatever it costs us. When Zion is enlarged to make room for all God's Israel, it is the greatest madness for any of them to stay in Babylon. The captivity of a sinful state is by no means to be continued in, though a man may be easy in worldly matters. Escape for thy life, look not behind thee. Christ has proclaimed that deliverance to the captives, which he has himself wrought out, and it concerns every one to resolve that sin shall not have dominion over him. Those who would be found among God's children, must save themselves from this world, see Ac 2:40. What Christ will do for his church, shall be an evident proof of God's care and affection. He that touches you, touches the apple of his eye. This is a strong expression of God's love to his church. He takes what is done against her as done against the tenderest part of the eye, to which the least touch is a great offence. Christ is sent to be the Protector of his church.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Zechariah 2:6 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.

ה֣וֹיHoalas!H1945
ה֗וֹיHoalas!H1945
וְנֻ֛סוּve.Nu.su<and> fleeH5127
מֵאֶ֥רֶץme.'E.retzfrom [the] land ofH776
צָפ֖וֹןtza.Fon[the] northH6828
נְאֻם\־ne.'um-[the] utterance ofH5002
יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3068
כִּ֠יkithatH3588
כְּאַרְבַּ֞עke.'ar.Ba'like [the] fourH702
רוּח֧וֹתru.Chot[the] winds ofH7307
הַשָּׁמַ֛יִםha.sha.Ma.yimthe heavensH8064
פֵּרַ֥שְׂתִּיpe.Ras.tiI have scatteredH6566
אֶתְכֶ֖ם'et.Khem<obj.> youH853
נְאֻם\־ne.'um-[the] utterance ofH5002
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

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

Cross references for Zechariah 2:6

  • Isaiah 48:20

    Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

  • Ezekiel 17:21

    And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it.

  • Ezekiel 11:16

    Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.

  • Revelation 18:4

    And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

  • Deuteronomy 28:64

    And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

  • Genesis 19:17

    And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

  • Isaiah 52:11-12

    Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

  • Amos 9:9

    For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

  • Jeremiah 31:8

    Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

  • Jeremiah 31:10

    Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

  • Jeremiah 51:45

    My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:16-17

    And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ho.
Ru 4:1; Isa 55:1
and flee.
7; Ge 19:17; Isa 48:20; 52:11,12; Jer 1:14; 3:18; 31:8; 50:8; 51:6
Jer 51:45,50; 2Co 6:16,17; Re 18:4
spread.
De 28:64; Jer 15:4; 31:10; Eze 5:12; 11:16; 12:14,15; 17:21; Am 9:9

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

Context

  • Zechariah 2:5

    For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

  • Zechariah 2:6

    Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.

  • Zechariah 2:7

    Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

Read all of Zechariah 2

Zechariah 2:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Eh, eh, huid de la tierra del aquilón, dice Jehová, pues por los cuatro vientos de los cielos os esparcí, dice Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je dis: Où vas-tu? Et il me dit: Je vais pour mesurer Jérusalem, pour voir quelle est sa largeur et quelle est sa longueur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Hui! Hui! fliehet aus dem Lande des Nordens! spricht Jehova; denn nach den vier Winden des Himmels breite ich euch aus spricht Jehova.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		O, o, fugite de terra aquilonis, dicit Dominus, quoniam in quatuor ventos cæli dispersi vos, dicit Dominus.