For there shall be a sowing of peace: For introduces the second reason for the command to “be strong” in verse 9. It may be helpful to repeat this command here in order to make this link clear. There is no equivalent in the Hebrew to the words there shall be, and from ancient times translators have had to decide what they think the phrase a sowing of peace means. Revised Standard Version in supplying there shall be is following an example at least as old as the Latin Vulgate. This makes a clause that is grammatically complete, but does nothing to explain the meaning. The Septuagint translated with a verb in the first person instead of the noun a sowing, which suggests that its translators may have been using a Hebrew text with one more consonant than the text which we now have. This possibility is accepted by several modern translations. Jerusalem Bible, for example, renders “I mean to spread peace everywhere” (compare Moffatt, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1. Edition, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Some scholars prefer to accept the consonants of the traditional Hebrew text, but to divide the words differently, and supply different vowels. This view can claim some ancient support from the Syriac and the Targum, and the text would then be translated literally as “her sowing [shall be] peace,” with “her” referring to the remnant. New English Bible accepts this option but translates it freely as “they shall sow in safety” (similarly Revised English Bible). It is not clear whether Good News Translation with “They will plant [British edition ‘sow’] their crops in peace” also accepts this, or follows the traditional text. In any case, the difference in meaning is small, and it is certain that it is the returned exiles who do the sowing. Since this verse is to be regarded as parallel with verse 10 rather than as closely linked with the pronoun “I” in verse 11, we recommend that translators should not use a first person verb as Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1. Edition have done, but rather follow the example of New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, or Good News Translation. In many languages peace will be better translated as “safety” (New English Bible/ Revised English Bible); for example, “Instead, they will plant crops in safety.”
The vine shall yield its fruit refers to grapes for making wine. Together with grain and olive oil, wine was one of the principal agricultural crops of Israel. Compare the comments on Hag 1.11. Translators could say, for example, “the vines will bear many grapes.”
The ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew: These two statements go together and complement each other. This may be a reference back to Hag 1.10, where the prophet speaks of the opposite situation. Since the growth of the crops on the earth is dependent on the supply of sufficient moisture from the heavens (that is, from the sky), it may be helpful in some languages to put the two statements in the reverse order, since this is more logical (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1. Edition). Good News Translation translates dew as “rain.” On this question, see the comments on Hag 1.10, where we recommended that translators use the word dew if this seems to be natural style. An alternative translation model for these two clauses may then be “dew will fall from the sky and the earth will produce many crops.” However, in languages where dew is expressed by something like “water that clings,” it will be better to talk about “rain” falling.
I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things: The remnant of this people means the returned exiles, as in verse 11. The word translated possess has a sense of permanent possession. Moffatt tries to bring this out by saying, “blessings that I will make lasting for those left of my people.” Another way to say this is “I will cause you that have survived to enjoy all these things regularly.” Translators should not follow the example of Contemporary English Version and omit this sentence.
An alternative model for this verse is:
• Be strong, because now people will plant crops in safety. The vines will bear many grapes, dew [or, rain] will fall from the sky, and the earth will produce good crops. I will cause those who have survived to enjoy all these things regularly.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .