Zechariah 8:5

5 And the public squares of the city will be filled [with] boys and girls playing in its public squares.'

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 Thus says Yahweh: 'I have returned to Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be called the faithful city, and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts [will be called] the holy mountain.'

4 Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Old men and old women shall again sit in the public squares of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand {because of great age}.

5 And the public squares of the city will be filled [with] boys and girls playing in its public squares.'

6 Thus says Yahweh of hosts: '[Even] if it seems impossible {to the remnant} of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible {to me}?' {declares} Yahweh of hosts.

7 Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Look! I [am] going to save my people from the land of the east, and from the land of the west,