Zechariah 8:5

5 And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.

Zechariah 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 8:5

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls,
&c.] Denoting a large increase of inhabitants, in a literal sense; and may spiritually signify the large numbers of converts, of new born babes, who are regenerated by the grace and Spirit of God, and are accounted of by the Lord for a generation: playing the streets thereof;
being in health and rigour, and in great security. The Targum renders it, "singing" or "praising in the spacious places thereof"; singing the praises of God in Gospel strains; saying their Hosannas to the Son of David; rejoicing in the great salvation by Christ, and magnifying the grace of God, and setting forth the glories of it in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; see ( Matthew 11:16 Matthew 11:17 ) ( Matthew 21:15 Matthew 21:16 ) . In Jerusalem, literally taken, there were various streets, besides the street of the temple, which led to it, ( Ezra 10:9 ) mention is made of others in Jewish writings, as of the upper street ^F11, and of the street of the butchers, and of the street of those that dealt in wool ^F12.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misn. Shekalim, c. 8. sect. 1.
F12 Misn. Erubin, c. 10. sect. 9.

Zechariah 8:5 In-Context

3 “And now the LORD says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.

4 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares.

5 And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.

6 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

7 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west.