Zechariah 9:1-21

ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON Zechariah 9:1 The Return of the King. The reference to the surrounding nations in Zechariah 8:20 and Zechariah 9:1 links the book’s main parts (chs. Zechariah 1:1 and chs. Zechariah 9:1). In the book’s second half, two groups of oracles are introduced as the “oracle of the word of the LORD” (Zechariah 9:1; Zechariah 12:1). The twin themes of the purity of God’s people and the fidelity of their leaders—often termed “shepherds”—run throughout these oracles. The community and its leaders suffer opposition and difficulty. The “return of the king” (Zechariah 9:9) marks the triumph of God’s purposes and the restoration of God’s people. It also marks the salvation of people from many nations (Zechariah 14:9, Zechariah 14:16; compare Zechariah 8:20).