1 sn The eschatological day of the Lord described here (and through v. 8) is considered by many interpreters to refer to the period known as the great tribulation, a seven year time of great suffering by God's (Jewish) people culminating in the establishing of the millennial reign of the Lord (vv. 9-21). For other OT and NT references to this aspect of the day of the Lord see Amos 9:8-15; Joel 1:15–2:11; Isa 1:24-31; 2:2-4; 4:2-6; 26:16–27:6; 33:13-24; 59:1–60:22; 65:13-25; Jer 30:7-11; 32:36-44; Ezek 20:33-44; Dan 11:40; 12:1; Matt 24:21, 29; 25:31-46; Rev 19:11-16.

2tn Heb "your plunder." Cf. NCV "the wealth you have taken."

3map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

4tn Heb "not be cut off from the city" (so NRSV); NAB "not be removed."

5sn The statement the Lord will go to battle introduces the conflict known elsewhere as the "battle of Armageddon," a battle in which the Lord delivers his people and establishes his millennial reign (cf. Joel 3:12, 15-16; Ezek 38–39; Rev 16:12-21; 19:19-21).

6tn Heb "as he fights on a day of battle" (similar NASB, NIV, NRSV).

7sn This seismic activity provides a means of escape from Jerusalem so that the Messiah (the Lord), whose feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, may destroy the wicked nations in the Kidron Valley (the v. of Jehoshaphat, or of "judgment of the Lord") without harming the inhabitants of the city.

8tc For the MT reading נַסְתֶּם (nastem, "you will escape") the LXX presupposes נִסְתַּם (nistam, "will be stopped up"; this reading is followed by NAB). This appears to derive from a perceived need to eliminate the unexpected "you" as subject. This not only is unnecessary to Hebrew discourse (see "you" in the next clause), but it contradicts the statement in the previous verse that the mountain will be split open, not stopped up.

9sn Azal is a place otherwise unknown.

10sn The earthquake in the days of King Uzziah, also mentioned in Amos 1:1, is apparently the one attested to at Hazor in 760 b.c.

11tn Heb "the splendid will congeal." This difficult phrase (MT יְקָרוֹת יְקִפָּאוֹן, y˙qarot y˙qippa'on) is not clarified by the LXX which presupposes וְקָרוּת וְקִפָּאוֹן (v˙qarut v˙qippa'on, "and cold and ice," a reading followed by NAB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV). Besides the fact that cold and ice do not necessarily follow the absence of light, the idea here is that day will be night and night day. The heavenly sources of light "freeze up" as it were, and refuse to shine.

12sn In the evening there will be light. The normal pattern is that light breaks through in the morning (Gen 1:3) but in the day of the Lord in judgment it would do so in the evening. In a sense the universe will be "de-created" in order to be "recreated."

13sn Living waters will flow out from Jerusalem. Ezekiel sees this same phenomenon in conjunction with the inauguration of the messianic age (Ezek 47; cf. Rev 22:1-5; also John 7:38).

14sn The eastern sea is a reference to the Dead Sea (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

15sn The western sea is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

16sn The expression the Lord will be seen as one with a single name is an unmistakable reference to the so-called Shema, the crystallized statement of faith in the Lord as the covenant God of Israel (cf. Deut 6:4-5). Zechariah, however, universalizes the extent of the Lord's dominion – he will be "king over all the earth."

17tn Or "like a plain" (similar KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT); or "like a steppe"; cf. CEV "flatlands." The Hebrew term עֲרָבָה ('aravah) refers to an arid plain or steppe, but can be used specifically as the name of the rift valley running from the Sea of Galilee via the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.

18sn The expression from Geba to Rimmon is a way of indicating the extent of all Judah from north (2 Kgs 23:8) to south (Job 15:32; 19:7). Since Geba (Heb. גֶּבַע) means "hill" and Rimmon resembles the word for height (Heb. רָמָה, ramah), this could be a play on words suggesting that all the high country will be made low, like the great Arabah valley.

19tn Or "old gate" (NLT); or "former gate" (NRSV).

20sn From the Benjamin Gate…on to the Corner Gate marks the northern wall of the city of Jerusalem from east to west.

21sn From the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses indicates the extent of Jerusalem from north to south.

22tn The Hebrew phrase בִּירוּשָׁלָם (birushalam) with the verb נִלְחַם (nilkham, "make war") would ordinarily suggest that Judah is fighting against Jerusalem (so NAB, CEV). While this could happen accidentally, the context here favors the idea that Judah is fighting alongside Jerusalem against a common enemy. The preposition בְּ (b˙), then, should be construed as locative ("at"; cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

23tn The term translated "gathered up" could also be rendered "collected" (so NIV, NCV, NRSV, although this might suggest a form of taxation) or "confiscated" (which might imply seizure of property against someone's will). The imagery in the context, however, suggests the aftermath of a great battle, where the spoils are being picked up by the victors (cf. NLT "captured").

24sn Having imposed his sovereignty over the earth following the Battle of Armageddon, the Lord will receive homage and tribute from all who survive from all the nations. The Feast of Tabernacles was especially associated with covenant institution and renewal so it will be appropriate for all people to acknowledge that they are vassals to the Lord at that time (cf. Deut 31:9-13; Neh 8:12-18; 9:1-38).

25sn The reference to any…who refuse to go up to Jerusalem makes clear the fact that the nations are by no means "converted" to the Lord but are under his compulsory domination.

26tn Heb "house" (also in the following verse).

27sn In the glory of the messianic age there will be no differences between the sacred (the bowls before the altar) and the profane (the cooking pots in the Lord's temple) – all will be dedicated to his use.

28tn Or "merchant"; "trader" (because Canaanites, especially Phoenicians, were merchants and traders; cf. BDB 489 s.v. I and II כְּנַעֲנִי). English versions have rendered the term as "Canaanite" (KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV), "trader" (RSV, NEB), "traders" (NRSV, NLT), or "merchant" (NAB), although frequently a note is given explaining the other option. Cf. also John 2:16.

sn This is not to preclude the Canaanite (or anyone else) from worship; the point is that in the messianic age all such ethnic and religious distinctions will be erased and all people will be eligible to worship the Lord.