Zechariah 9:11
As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The promise of freedom isn't just for "thee," Jerusalem, but is rooted in the "blood of my covenant." This highlights that the liberation of prisoners from that dry, hopeless pit is ultimately an act of God's faithfulness to the covenant He made, a faithfulness ultimately expressed through the Messiah's blood.
The prophet Zechariah turns from the glorious reign of a coming King to address Jerusalem directly, promising her additional blessings beyond the peace and dominion already described. This verse speaks of God’s deliverance of His people from captivity, referencing the covenant that binds them together. It’s a promise of release from deep distress, a “waterless pit” symbolizing hopelessness and confinement, underscoring God's faithfulness to His promises, especially in light of the covenant.
This verse promises freedom from a 'waterless pit,' but it's not just about escaping a bad situation. It points to something deeper.
Zechariah is speaking to Jerusalem, the covenant people of God. He's not just talking about a physical prison, but a state of being bound. The commentators highlight how this imagery extends beyond the immediate historical context of exile.
The 'blood of my covenant' is the key that unlocks the prison door. What does this blood signify?
This phrase is incredibly rich! It points to the foundational relationship between God and His people, established and sealed by a covenant.
Understand the original words
dam berit · Hebrew Noun phrase
The sacrificial life-blood shed to ratify a formal, binding agreement between God and His people, signifying atonement and reconciliation. In biblical theology, it points forward to the blood of Christ.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew term for a formal, solemn commitment or relationship established by God with humans, involving mutual obligations or divine promises, often sealed by sacrifice.
bor · Hebrew Noun
A place of deep distress, Sheol, or an underground cistern used as a dungeon; metaphorically representing a place of extreme hopelessness, death, or exile.
Zechariah speaks of deliverance from captivity, pointing to the return from Babylon after its fall. This hinges on God's faithfulness to the Sinaitic covenant, ratified by blood, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's atoning sacrifice that liberates all people from sin's 'prison'.
~1400 BC
Sinai Covenant Established
God establishes a formal covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, ratified with sacrifices and blood, promising protection and blessing in exchange for obedience. This foundational covenant becomes the basis for future promises of deliverance.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports a group of Judean exiles, including members of the royal family and skilled individuals, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of captivity for God's people.
587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport a large portion of the remaining population. This event plunges the covenant people into deep despair and a state of being metaphorically in a 'waterless pit'.
539 BC— this verse
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Persian conquers Babylon, and shortly after issues a decree allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
This passage describes the ratification of the Mosaic covenant with blood, directly connecting to Zechariah's mention of the 'blood of my covenant'.
Jeremiah 38:6This verse depicts Jeremiah being cast into a 'pit' or dungeon without water, illustrating the grim reality of the 'waterless pit' mentioned in Zechariah as a place of imprisonment and despair.
Hebrews 9:15This New Testament passage speaks of Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant, established through his own blood, thus providing a profound theological link to the 'blood of thy covenant' and its redemptive power.
Psalm 40:2This psalm describes God lifting the speaker out of a 'horrible pit' and setting his feet on a rock, mirroring the theme of deliverance from a deep, hopeless place through God's intervention, as in Zechariah.
Isaiah 51:14This verse speaks of the captive being released from death and starvation in the pit, echoing the imagery of the 'waterless pit' and highlighting the theme of ultimate rescue from dire circumstances.
jfbZechariah 9:11: "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water."
- As for thee also—that is, the daughter of Zion," or "Jerusalem" (Zec 9:9): the theocracy. The "thee also," in contradistinction to Messiah spoken of in Zec 9:10, implies that besides cutting off the battle-bow and extending Messiah's "dominion to the ends of the earth," God would also deliver for her her exiled people from their foreign captivity.by the blood…
barnesZechariah 9:11: "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water."
As for thee also - The prophet turns from the deliverance of the whole world to the former people, the sorrows which they should have in the way, and the protection which God would bestow upon them for the sake of Him, who, according to the flesh, was to be born of them. "Thou too;" he had spoken of the glories of the Church, such as her king, when He should come,…
The promise of freedom isn't just for "thee," Jerusalem, but is rooted in the "blood of my covenant." This highlights that the liberation of prisoners from that dry, hopeless pit is ultimately an act of God's faithfulness to the covenant He made, a faithfulness ultimately expressed through the Messiah's blood.
The prophet Zechariah turns from the glorious reign of a coming King to address Jerusalem directly, promising her additional blessings beyond the peace and dominion already described. This verse speaks of God’s deliverance of His people from captivity, referencing the covenant that binds them together. It’s a promise of release from deep distress, a “waterless pit” symbolizing hopelessness and confinement, underscoring God's faithfulness to His promises, especially in light of the covenant.
The prophet Zechariah turns from the glorious reign of a coming King to address Jerusalem directly, promising her additional blessings beyond the peace and dominion already described. This verse speaks of God’s deliverance of His people from captivity, referencing the covenant that binds them together. It’s a promise of release from deep distress, a “waterless pit” symbolizing hopelessness and confinement, underscoring God's faithfulness to His promises, especially in light of the covenant.
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c. 167-142 BC
Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt breaks out against Greek Seleucid rule, a period of intense persecution for the Jews. This struggle for religious and political freedom is seen by some as a later fulfillment of God's covenantal faithfulness.
"As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit." — The promise of freedom isn't just for "thee," Jerusalem, but is rooted in the "blood of my covenant." This highlights that the liberation of prisoners from that dry, hopeless pit is ultimately an a…
