Zechariah
Zechariah 9
Chapter IX · Vol. III, pp. 1493–1495
1 Amidst the judgments of the neighbouring nations God will defend his church. 9 Zion is exhorted to rejoice for the coming of Christ, and his peaceable kingdom. 12 God's promises of victory and defence.
1 The burdena of the word of the LORD bin the land of Hadrach,1 and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: cwhen the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.
B.C. cir. 510.
b Am.1.3-8; 3.12. Is.17.1-3. Je.49.23-27.
1 The construction shows that this is not a mere geographical name; for then the land of Hadrach must include Damascus, with Tyre and Zidon. Neither can I think it is the name of a king. It seems rather a symbolical name given by the prophet to that country which is now known as Northern Syria, and intended to denote at once courage when forced to fight, and tenderness as a conqueror.—P.
c Is.17.7,8. 2 Ch.20.12. Ps.34.5.
2 And dHamath also shall border thereby; eTyrus, and Zidon, though it be gvery wise.2
e Is.xxiii. Eze.xxvi.-xxviii. Joel 3.4-8. Am.1.9-11.
g Eze.28.3-5, &c.
2 'And also on Hamath, which bordereth thereby; on Tyre and on Zidon, though she be very wise.'—Newcome.
3 And Tyrus did build herself ha strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
4 Behold,i the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.
5 Ashkelonk shall see it, and fear; lGaza also shall see it, and be nvery sorrowful; and Ekron, for her expectation, shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 And oa bastard3 shall dwell in Ashdod; and pI will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
3 A bastard here signifies merely a foreigner.—C.
p Mi.7.10. Job 40.11,12. Pr.29.23.
7 And qI will take away his blood4 out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but rhe that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God; and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
8 And sI will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth; and tno oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now uhave I seen with mine eyes.
9 Rejoicev greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee; xhe is just, and having salvation, lowly, and yriding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
10 And zI will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle-bow shall be cut off: and ahe shall speak peace unto the heathen; and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.5
z Ho.1.7; 2.18. Hag.2.22. Mi.4.10,11. 2 Co.10.4,5.
a Ps.72.3,8-11. Is.9.6; 11.6-10; 57.18,19. Ps.22.27-30. Ep.2.13-22.
A.M. cir. 3494. B.C. cir. 510.
5 See note * below.
* This prophecy holds out the prospect of a yet glorious future. It shows one fact in prophetic exposition which ought never to be overlooked by the critic, namely, that the fulfilment of this and every other prophecy is progressive; it extends over a long period; sometimes, as here, commencing soon after the words were uttered and reaching away down to the very end of time. In ver.8-10 we have three distinct prophecies closely connected with each other: (1) The punishment of heathen nations is foretold, especially those that had oppressed God's people. (2) The advent of King Messiah to Jerusalem. And (3) the increase of his kingdom until it covers the whole earth.—P.
11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant6 Ib have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
12 Turnc you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare that I will render ddouble unto thee;7
c Is.49.9,10. Je.50.4,5. Is.45.22. He.6.18. Jn.6.37; 10.28.
7 I will render double—give a double portion, as to a first-born son, De.21.15-17.—C.
13 When eI have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against gthy sons, O Greece, and hmade thee as the sword of a mighty man.
e ch.1.21. Da.11.32,34. ch.10.3-7; 12.2-8.
g Da.8.24,25; 11.28-33. ch.10.5,13; 14.6.
h Ps.114.1; 18.32,34,35. 1 Co.15.10. 2 Co.12.9. Is.41.15,16. Ep.6.10.
14 And ithe LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
15 The LORD of hosts shall jdefend them; and they kshall devour, and subdue with sling-stones;8 and they lshall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they nshall be filled like bowls, and as the ocorners of the altar.
j Ps.46.1-5,11. De.23.26-29.
k Mi.4.13. Is.41.15,16. Re.19.17,18. ch.10.5.
8 Or, subdue the stones of the sling.
l Ps.78.65.
9 Or, shall fill both the bowls, &c., ch.14.20.
n Le.4.18,25.
Notes
Ver. 7. The Philistines shall be disabled from murdering and plundering the Jews; nay, shall be subdued by the Maccabees, and many of them turned to the Lord. 8. I will marvellously protect the Jews, while Greeks, Syro-Grecians, and Egypto-Grecians repeatedly march their armies through Canaan. 10. Wars and carnal confidences shall be extirpated; and by the preaching of the gospel among the Gentiles shall Christ's kingdom be extended, not only over all Canaan, but the whole world. 11. And as the Lord, according to his promise, brought you up out of Chaldea, where ye had neither hope nor happiness, so shall he, by the blood of Christ, the condition of the promise of grace, bring multitudes out of their state of heathenism, sinfulness, and misery. 12. Let not only those who remain in Chaldea hasten to Canaan, in hopes of redoubled blessings, sufficient to balance their past miseries; but let those who are in a state of heathenism and unregeneracy, in the faith of the gospel promises, hasten to Jesus Christ, the only Saviour and Refuge. 13-17. I will enable the Jews to withstand, subdue, and route their Syro-Grecian and Turkish enemies with great slaughter, and render themselves honoured and powerful; yea, by means of Jewish preachers, I will go forth conquering the nations, however learned or valiant, to Jesus Christ: and while the redeemed, and especially faithful ministers, are marvellously protected and honoured, persons of all ranks shall, with admiration of his glory and goodness, richly partake of his fulness.
Ver. 1. 'The prophecy 'or burden' of the word of Jehovah, on the land of Hadrach and Damascus shall it rest. For the eye of Jehovah is over man, and over all the tribes of Israel.' Newcome.
Ver. 7. But he that remaineth, &c. The Philistine remnant shall be converted to God; and one shall be admitted to citizenship and honoured as a 'ruler;' another shall be as a 'Jebusite,' an original inhabitant of Jerusalem, never expelled, but amalgamated with the people of God, Jos.15.63; Ju.1.21; 2 Sa.24.16-24. C.
Ver. 8. A prophecy still future—but the Lord is faithful, and all the oppression of Israel shall surely come to an end. When the Son shall make them free, they shall be free indeed, Jn.8.36. C.
Ver. 13. Sword of a mighty man. Seeing Christ comes to preach peace to the heathen, ver. 10, this conquest over Greece will be, not with the weapons that are carnal, but with 'the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.' C.
Ver. 15. Defend them. As he 'defended' Paul from the cruelty and conspiracy of the Jews, and made Cæsar a shield against his inveterate enemies, Ac.21.27-36; 23.14-27; 25.11.—They shall drink—at the 'wells of salvation,' Is.12.3; see Jn.4.14, and make a 'joyful' 'noise' to the Lord, Ps.66.1.—Note, The church of God has always been distinguished by singing in her worship. See as specimens of her holy 'noise,' Ex.15.1-21, and the book of Psalms throughout. See also Lu.2.13; Mar.14.26; Ja.5.13; Re.14.3. C.
Reflections.—Fearful destructions await the disturbers of God's church. Their punishment may be in part delayed, but is never forgotten. Yet what blessed grace appears in the conversion of those who accept Jesus Christ as Saviour! And it promises well when men are turned from idols to the living God. Though Christ's little flock be in the midst of devourers, his protection can render them safe. Infinite is his excellency, ability, and suitableness to save sinners, even the chief. No case on this side hell is too desperate for his almighty power and grace: and his answerableness to our sinfulness and misery ought to animate our speedy flight to him for deliverance. When he, as the Captain of salvation, prepares and arms his instruments, an easy and notable victory is secured for his followers; and the overthrow of sin contributes to their honour and comfort. And great is their joy in himself and his grace, while they plentifully share of his fulness.