Bible Strands
Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Zechariah addresses Judah with a declaration about a future day known only to the LORD, situated between a description of unprecedented light and the LORD’s universal kingship.
The words — חַיִּים (chai.Yim) translates literally as "living," and יֵצְא֤וּ (ye.tze.'U) means "they will go out." The phrasing specifies waters that are continuously active rather than static.
The thread — The text states that water flows from Jerusalem toward both seas year-round, a physical pattern the text in Revelation 22:1 applies to a river from God’s throne, the text in John 7:38 applies to streams flowing from a believer, and the text in John 4:14 applies to an internal spring that prevents thirst.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to acknowledge that divine provision operates without seasonal interruption and must be received in submission to the LORD’s sole reign.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
Cross-references
- Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
- John 7:38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
- John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- John 4:10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
- Revelation 7:16 ‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’
- Joel 3:18 And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of the LORD to water the Valley of Acacias.
- Isaiah 49:10 They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
- Isaiah 41:17 The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Ezekiel 47:1 Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.
- Joel 2:20 The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.