Verse 6, though short, is very difficult to make sense of, and most versions have a footnote stating that the Hebrew is “uncertain” (Revised Standard Version) or “unclear” (Good News Translation). It is, in fact, both uncertain what the Hebrew text should be, and unclear how any of the possibilities relate to the context. The problems will be discussed as we come to them below.

On that day represents the longer Hebrew formula (“And it shall come to pass in that day” in King James Version, Revised Version), which indicates the beginning of a new paragraph (compare 12.3, 9; 13.2, 4; 14.8, 13).

There shall be neither cold nor frost: The Hebrew actually contains a further noun that is omitted in Revised Standard Version (also in Jerusalem Bible and New Revised Standard Version). The full form of the Hebrew is given in New Jerusalem Bible “there will be no light, but only cold and frost” (similarly New International Version). Other versions change the Hebrew word meaning “light.” New English Bible and Revised English Bible take the word to be one meaning “heat,” and say that there will be “neither heat nor cold nor frost.” New American Bible and Good News Translation understand a third word meaning “still, yet” and say that there will “no longer be cold or frost” (compare Meyers & Meyers). There is no support in the ancient versions either for omitting the word for “light” or for changing it, and translators should retain it, and say “there will be no light” (compare Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project).

It remains to decide how this statement may be related to the rest of the verse. This consists of two rare Hebrew words that make no real sense as they stand: something like “the bright ones will congeal.” Could this perhaps mean that the sun and moon, the normal sources of light, will cease to move through the sky? Even the Hebrew textual tradition offers an alternative form for the second word. All the ancient versions follow this alternative and almost all modern versions have essentially the same rendering as the Septuagint, using the words cold and frost like Revised Standard Version. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project try desperately to make sense of the Hebrew, but do not seem to succeed. Translators are advised to accept cold and frost as the best available possibility.

Even if these words are accepted, it is still hard to relate them to the earlier part of the verse. New Jerusalem Bible says, “there will be no light, but only cold and frost,” whereas New International Version says, “there will be no light, no cold or frost.” Since the absence of sunlight causes temperatures to drop, the New Jerusalem Bible rendering makes better sense and this Handbook tentatively recommends translators to follow it. Whatever they decide, they should also include a footnote saying that the translation is uncertain.

Some scholars have compared this verse with Isa 60.19, and interpret the Hebrew to refer to the absence of light, both of the sun and of the moon. This would make sense, but it is difficult to see that the words can really carry this meaning. For possible translation models, see the end of the notes on verses 6-7 below.

There shall be continuous day: The Hebrew says literally “it shall be one day” (King James Version, Revised Version). This can mean either “one day unbroken by any night” or “a very special day.” Revised Standard Version with continuous day follows the first possibility, as do many other English versions. New International Version with “a unique day” follows the second, as do New American Standard Bible, Beck, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Biblen: Det Gamle og Det Nye Testamente. For those who accept the first possibility, the last part of the verse will in effect make the same statement again, but in more detail. For those who accept the second, the last part of the verse will explain how the day is exceptional. Both options are valid and translators may choose either.

(It is known to the LORD): This remark is an aside, which is why Revised Standard Version prints it in parentheses, and why some other versions restructure to put it at the end of the verse (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Its intention is to indicate that the unbroken day will begin at a time or in a manner known only to the LORD, and many versions include the word “only” to make this clear. For instance, Good News Translation has “When this will happen is known only to the LORD” (similarly New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light: The alternating cycle of light and darkness will no longer prevail. Even at times when darkness would be expected, it will still be light. So Good News Translation expresses it “There will always be daylight, even at nighttime” (compare Rev 21.25; Rev 22.5). We should note here that the word day carries two slightly different meanings in this verse. In the present sentence, paired with night, it carries its ordinary meaning of approximately twelve hours when the sun is above the horizon, as in Gen 8.22. In the previous occurrence (continuous day), it cannot carry that same meaning, though this may not be obvious until the reader reaches the end of the sentence. The meaning there is more like that in Gen 1.1-13, which describes the first three “days” of the creation story before the sun and the moon appeared. In many languages, as in Hebrew and English, the same word can carry both meanings, but in some languages it may be advisable to use different terms. Bible en français courant for instance uses “epoch” in the first occurrence.

It remains now to discuss the relationship of verses 6 and 7. If translators take verse 6 in the same sense as New International Version (“no light, no cold or frost”), then the two verses together are saying essentially the same thing. This is that the whole created order as people know it is going to be radically changed when the LORD intervenes as described in verses 4-5. Instead of the intermittent light of the sun, there will be continuous light, presumably that of the LORD’s presence (compare Isa 60.19; Rev 22.5). This view is supported for instance by Chary and Baldwin.

If on the other hand translators take verse 6 in the same sense as New Jerusalem Bible (“no light, but only cold and frost”), then verses 6 and 7 are saying contrasting things. Verse 6 is emphasizing the negative (punishment) aspect of the LORD’s coming, and verse 7 the positive (blessing) aspect. This view is supported for instance by Lamarche, Delcor, Merrill, and Petersen. They point to the “Day of the LORD” containing an element of darkness in such passages as Isa 59.9; Jer 13.16; Joel 2.1-2; Amos 5.18; and Zeph 1.15. Since in the present context the coming of the LORD involves the punishment of his enemies, this Handbook inclines to favor the second view. Translators are of course free to make their own decision.

Translation models representing the different views of the relationship between verses 6 and 7 follow. The first takes the two verses as having a similar sense:

• 6 It will come about on that day that there will be no light, no cold, and no frost. 7 It will be a unique day [or, an era like no other], without the normal periods of day and night [or, of light and darkness]. Even in the evening, there will still be light. Only the LORD knows how [or, when] this will happen.

The second takes the two verses as having a contrasting sense:

• 6 It will happen on that day that there will be no light, but only cold and frost. 7 Yet it will be continuous day without any alternation of day and night [or, of light and darkness]. When people expect evening, it will still be light. When [or, How] this day [or, era] will come, only the LORD knows.

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 .