Zechariah 14:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Instead of our translation "you shall run away," the Greek and various interpreters have rendered it as "shall be filled"; furthermore, instead of our understanding that "the valley of the mountains shall extend to the nearest place," the Greek accurately employs "Asahel," while Aquila maintained the Hebrew term asel, and Theodotion translated it as asil. Simmachus uniquely translated near, and we have chosen to follow his interpretation.

Let us now rephrase the text to elucidate its meaning. When the Mount of Olives is cleaved with a significant chasm, with one side facing the East and the other the West, another chasm will suddenly burst forth at the top, opening toward the North and South, forming a rocky quadrilateral. Thus, the chasm will be divided into four sides: East, West, North, and South. You will run to the valley situated between the temple and Zion; these two mountains, the temple and Zion, are referred to as the mountains of God due to the known valley of the Mount of Olives, which is encircled by hills, deepening toward the mountain that is deemed holy. The earthquake during Hosea's reign, as mentioned in Scripture, occurred when Hosea, also known as Azariah, attempted to assume a priestly role that was not rightfully his, resulting in him being struck with leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). This earthquake is referenced also at the beginning of Amos's prophecy: "The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, concerning what he saw concerning Jerusalem in the days of Hosea, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake" (Am. 1:1). Following the demise of this sinful king, whose actions caused turmoil across the land, the prophet Isaiah received a profound vision (Is. 1).

Now, let us delve into the spiritual significance of this passage. After the Mount of Olives is split into two halves toward the East and West, symbolizing the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews, another division will occur between the North and the South. The North will align with the West, and the South with the East; on the left side will stand the circumcised, while the right will represent the Christian faithful. The Church proclaims, "North, arise, and South, come" (Song 4:16), so that with the departure of the harsh, cold wind from the North, the warm breeze from the South will arrive; seeking it, the Bride asks, "Where do you graze, where do you rest?" (Song of Songs 1:6). Habakkuk expresses this cryptically: "God will come from Theman," where Hebrew indicates "God from the South" (Abb. 3:3), revealing clear light, as the Psalmist conveys: "Thou that shinest wondrously from the mountains of eternity" (Ps. 70:5).

As nations globally experience division, with some moving toward the East and South, and others toward the West and North, each saint will flee to the valley of God's mountains, previously discussed—the mountains of the temple and Zion, which symbolize the two Covenants. The divide that once existed between these mountains will extend to Azael, which signifies the house of God, adjacent to Paradise, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the holy mountain where the temple resides. Just as in the era of King Hosea the leper when a powerful earthquake shook the hearts of men, driving them into fear and scattering their ranks, so too will the division of nations, followed by a unifying faith, bring tranquility between the two mountains. The Old and New Testaments will harmonize with one another. The phrase "to Azael," meaning "to the nearest place," underscores that while the two Testaments—Law and Gospel—are connected, they remain distinct; we have set aside much from the Old Testament while embracing grace from the New. When all these occur, it will be said, "The Lord my God will come, and all the saints with Him." Alternatively, if we choose to follow other translations—"shall be filled up"—we might express this: The coming of the Lord Savior at the division of the two nations will heal the chasm that once separated the two peoples, allowing them to ascend together along a unified path.

The mountain, I believe, symbolizes the host of adversaries, divided to besiege Jerusalem—some taking position on the eastern side and others on the western, with some covering the northern approach and others the southern. It is also likely that the mountain itself experienced this fragmentation when God displayed His wrath upon them; for even as the Lord was crucified, darkness enveloped the entirety of creation, and the quaking earth swiftly transformed into a tomb for them, and the mountains lowered their peaks upon them. Thus, the Prophet indicates that when these mountains crumble, the pathways in the wilderness will be made level, as happened during the great earthquake in the time of Hosea. If such upheaval occurred due to someone who had committed a lesser offense against the priesthood, it is fitting that those guilty of greater evils should endure even more severe calamities; for in witnessing how creation trembled before their defiance of the cross, they failed to embrace the opportunity for repentance. Therefore, the Prophet, despite addressing the moments of punishment, shifts his focus to events that transpired during the day of iniquity. For he states: