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Understanding the Daughter of Zion

Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion! Shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you ... and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and ... to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 9:9-10

Who are the "Daughters of Zion" in the Scriptures? How is the phrase "bat tzion" - "daughters of Zion" ­used? To whom is the term applied?

God says the world is to have two responses to the daughters of Zion. Mankind will "weep for them," and we will also "rejoice with them." The term "daughters of Zion," as it is mentioned in Scripture, speaks of these wonderful relationships. There are 26 appearances of the phrase in the Hebrew Scriptures. In those twenty-six references, God identifies four specific uses of the term, "the daughters of Zion."

The first was a group of people we would call the "suburbanites" of biblical times. Only the wealthy actually lived inside the walls [of a city]. When the Hebrew term "banot" [daughters] is used, it generally meant the people who lived at the edge of the wall or beyond the wall of the cities of Israel.

A second use of the phrase "daughters of Zion" references Jerusalem and her temple, "the mount of the daughter of Zion" (Isaiah 16:1). Very often the Scriptures will say, "the house of the daughters of Zion," and later on in the passage it will say, "where they worshipped."

Thirdly, sometimes the term "daughters of Zion" is used to represent the Jewish people, as they are spread out around the world, outside of their land of promise. "The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, 0 daughter of Zion; He will no more carry you away into captivity." Lamentations 4:22
And fourth, sometimes "daughters of Zion" is a phrase for the people who become the comforters of God's people. Directives given to the daughter of Zion are to the "goyim", the Gentile nations who would comfort and love Zion from outside the commonwealth of Israel.

In Isaiah 62, God is specific about six things that we who love and are called to minister to the Daughter of Zion are to do in her behalf:

1. "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace." Verse one says that those who link themselves to this people will need to speak out on behalf of her. I must shout for her righteousness and her future.

2. Verse two says I must speak to her and urge her to righteousness, and when I see her righteousness, call her by her new name "which the mouth of the Lord shall name."

3. Verse three emphasizes that I must also understand her preciousness. "You shall be as a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem in the hand of your God."

We must be very careful how we talk about the daughter of Zion. God is saying Israel is precious to Him. When you speak to her, or about her, you touch the Father.

4. Verse four says we must "comfort her in her pain." The nations will come and say to you, "you who were forsaken are forsaken no more." May the Daughter of Zion be shown the affection of a young man toward his true love.
5. Verse six says, "I have set watchmen upon the walls of Jerusalem that shall never hold their peace day nor night. .. give Him no rest until He establish and makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth." We are to pray for them and comfort them until they are a praise in the earth.

6. Finally, we are to love the things that God loves (verses 11 and 12). If we want to touch the heart of God, we will care about the things He cares about. And our concern will spur us into action to fall before the Lord and pray for this people. Together, let us beg God for the day that He would bring peace to this city.
Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world, say to the daughter of Zion your salvation is coming ... and they shall call them the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord. And you shall be called 'Sought out, a City Not Forsaken. ' Isaiah 62:11,12

Excerpted from a seminar by Dr. Randall Smith at the Christian Embassy's 2001 Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem.

Dr. Smith is the International Director of Global Vision Outreach,Inc. a relief and discipleship training organization as well as the Director of the Great Commission Bible Institute. Dr. Smith lived and worked in Jerusalem for more than twelve years as founder of Christian Travel Study Programs and has taught thousands of Christians biblical truths while they traveled the land of Israel. He can be reached at: ctsp@sprynet.com or www.ctsp.co.i