Zechariah 8:21

and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD of Hosts speaks through Zechariah to post-exilic Judah, describing a future era when scattered communities will actively seek divine presence.

The words — The Hebrew verb הָלְכ֡וּ (ha.le.Khu) means "they will go," paired with יֹשְׁבֵי֩ (yo.she.Vei) for "inhabitants," establishing the subject's movement. The phrase נֵלְכָ֤ה (ne.le.Khah) translates literally as "let us go," capturing the collective urgency of the pilgrims.

The thread — This movement to plead before the LORD recurs in Zechariah 7:2 and Hosea 6:3, where communities are depicted actively pursuing divine knowledge and presence.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that genuine worship requires intentional movement toward God rather than passive waiting. It calls readers to align their actions with the pursuit of divine authority.

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

וְֽהָלְכ֡וּve./ha.le.Khuand/ they will go יֹשְׁבֵי֩yo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of אַחַ֨ת'a.Chatone [city]אֶל־'el-to אַחַ֜ת'a.Chatone [city]לֵאמֹ֗רle./Mor<to>/ saying נֵלְכָ֤הne.le.Khahlet us go הָלוֹךְ֙ha.loKhsteadfastly <to go>לְחַלּוֹת֙le./cha.lOtto/ entreat אֶת־'et-<obj.>פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[the] face of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁu./le./va.Keshand/ to/ seek אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh צְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otof hosts אֵלְכָ֖ה'e.le.KhahI will go גַּם־gam-also אָֽנִי׃'A.niI

King James Version

And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also.

Cross-references

Zechariah 7:2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, along with their men, to plead before the LORD
Psalms 146:1 Hallelujah! Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Hosea 6:3 So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.
Psalms 103:22 Bless the LORD, all His works in all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Psalms 122:1 A song of ascents. Of David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”