For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, Ver. 1. _For behold, in those days, and in that time_] In his _diebus illis ipsis, et in hoc tempore ipso,_ in those very selfsame days and in that selfsame time, _sc._ in the time of the Me... [ Continue Reading ]
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and [for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Ver. 2. _I will also gather all nations_] That are adverse to my Church... [ Continue Reading ]
And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. Ver. 3. _And they have cast lots for my people_] Impiously and imperiously domineering over them as those rude soldiers that cast the dice upon our Saviour's coat, at his pass... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly [and] speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; Ver. 4. _Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, &c._] Or, what are ye to m... [ Continue Reading ]
Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: Ver. 5. _Because ye have taken my silver, &c._] Sacrilege is a second sin they here stand charged with. Ye have taken, that is, taken away (by which observation, ye shall easily reconcile the... [ Continue Reading ]
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. Ver. 6. _The children also of Judah, and the children of Jerusalem_] "The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold," Lamentations 4:2, with whom you were a... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: Ver. 7. _Behold, I will raise them out of the place, &c._] Seem it never so improbable or impossible, I will do it, saith God, and you shall see it. Behold, I will fetch home my... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken [it]. Ver. 8. _And I will sell your sons and your daughters_] And so the scene shall be soon altered, and a strange vicissitude... [ Continue Reading ]
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Ver. 9. _Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles_] _Oratio tota est figurata,_ saith Pareus: All this following discourse is figurative; _Hortatio sarcasmon habens,_ saith Merce... [ Continue Reading ]
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I [am] strong. Ver. 10. _Beat your ploughshares into swords_] Come with the best preparation you can make, that ye may seem (as they say of a travelling Turk) to be so many walking armouries. _ Let the weak say,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD._ Ver. 11. _Assemble yourselves, and come all ye heathen_] Come and fetch your bane, whereof by your forwardness to come uncalled ye may seem to be ambitiou... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Ver. 12. _Let the heathen be awakened_] Here begins God's answer to the prophet's prayer. The heathen, though at ease, Zechariah 1:11, and fast asleep, must be aroused an... [ Continue Reading ]
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness [is] great. Ver. 13. _Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe._] It even hangs for mowing, as we say: the enemies are ready ripe for ruin; down with them, therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision. Ver. 14. _Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision_] Or concision, as Jerome and Tremellius, or of threshing, as Piscator, in reference to Jehoshaphat, who once threshed the Moabit... [ Continue Reading ]
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. Ver. 15. _The sun and the moon shall be darkened_] he sets this note, "Signs which shall go before the last judgment," Mat 24:29 Luke 21:25. _See Trapp on "_ Joe 2:13 _"_ The prophets, by such forms of speech, use t... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. Ver. 16. _The Lord also shall roar out of Zion_] Out of his Church he shall terrify his ene... [ Continue Reading ]
_So shall ye know that I [am] the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more._ Ver. 17. _So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God_] You shall experiment that which, during your deep afflictions, ye made... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Ver. 18. _The mountains shal... [ Continue Reading ]
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence [against] the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. Ver. 19. _Egypt shall be a desolation_] By Egypt and Edom are meant all Christ's adversaries, whether they be professed open e... [ Continue Reading ]
But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. Ver. 20. _But Judah shall dwell for ever_] _Perpetuitas Ecclesiae declaratur,_ saith Mercer, the perpetuity of the Church is declared and assured. The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church. Christ is with his to the e... [ Continue Reading ]
For I will cleanse their blood [that] I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion. Ver. 21. _For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed_] _i.e._ I will clear their consciences from dead works, from the stain and sting of all sin, that they may not question their right to these p... [ Continue Reading ]