INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 8 This chapter contains promises of various blessings to the people of the Jews; and exhortations to each of the duties incumbent on them; and is concluded with a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles. The cause of all the blessings promised is the love of God to them, s... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN THE WORD OF THE LORD OF HOSTS CAME [TO ME] SAYING. The phrase, "to me", is wanting in the Hebrew text; and is the only place it is wanting in, as the Masora observes; though undoubtedly it is to be understood; and therefore is rightly supplied, as it is by the Targum, "with me". Mention being... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... This prophecy, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, respects time to come; the days of the Messiah, in the war of Gog and Magog, when they shall come up against Jerusalem, and the Lord shall pour out his great wrath upon them; and it seems right to interpret it, not... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, I AM RETURNED TO ZION,.... The temple being now building, and almost finished, and the worship of God restored in it. The Targum renders it, "I will return to Zion"; and it may refer to the time of Christ's incarnation, when the Redeemer came to Zion, Isaiah 59:20 or to the time... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... These words are used at every consolatory promise given, as Kimchi observes, for the confirmation of it: THERE SHALL YET OLD MEN AND OLD WOMEN DWELL IN THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM; signifying that the inhabitants should be very healthful; no sweeping disease or calami... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE STREETS OF THE CITY SHALL BE FULL OF BOYS AND GIRLS,.... Denoting a large increase of inhabitants, in a literal sense; and may spiritually signify the large numbers of converts, of new born babes, who are regenerated by the grace and Spirit of God, and are accounted of by the Lord for a gene... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... This is repeated for the same end as before; Zechariah 8:4: IF IT BE MARVELLOUS IN THE EYES OF THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE IN THESE DAYS; either in the then present days and time; and the sense is, if it should seem wonderful, incredible, and scarcely possible to th... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, BEHOLD,.... As being something wonderful, of great importance, and deserving attention: I WILL SAVE MY PEOPLE FROM THE EAST COUNTRY, AND FROM THE WEST COUNTRY; this can not be understood of bringing those Jews that remained in Babylon, and other places, to their own la... [ Continue Reading ]
AND L WILL BRING THEM,.... To Zion, into the church of God, the Gospel fold, where Christ has engaged to bring his other sheep, that there may be one fold for Jew and Gentile, Jeremiah 3:14 John 10:16: AND THEY SHALL DWELL IN THE MIDST OF JERUSALEM: the Gospel church; and be no more foreigners and... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, LET YOUR HANDS BE STRONG,.... In going on with the building of the temple, which was typical of the church of God, since so many great and good things were promised by the Lord, Haggai 2:4: YE THAT HEAR IN THESE DAYS; such as Zerubbabel the ruler, Joshua the high pries... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR BEFORE THESE DAYS,.... That the temple began to be built: THERE WAS NO HIRE FOR MEN, NOR ANY HIRE FOR BEASTS; that turned to any account; the wages earned by the one, and with the other, were as if they were put into a bag with holes, did not prosper with them, or do them any service, Haggai 1:... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW I [WILL] NOT [BE] UNTO THE RESIDUE OF THIS PEOPLE,.... The remnant brought out of captivity, settled in the land, and now rebuilding the temple: AS IN THE FORMER DAYS, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS; when they neglected the house of the Lord, caring only for their own cieled houses, Haggai 1:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE SEED [SHALL BE] PROSPEROUS,.... Being cast into the earth, it shall spring up again, and produce a large increase; whereas before, though they sowed much, it came to little, Haggai 1:6: THE VINE SHALL GIVE HER FRUIT; be loaded with clusters, and produce large quantities of wine; whereas bef... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, [THAT] AS YE WERE A CURSE AMONG THE HEATHEN,.... Reproached, vilified, and called accursed by them; see Jeremiah 24:9 as true Christians, and real believers in Christ, are by the men of this world, 1 Corinthians 4:12: O HOUSE OF JUDAH, AND HOUSE OF ISRAEL; both being carr... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... In order to assure them of the truth of what he promised, he observes the fulfilment of what he had threatened, he being as true and faithful in the one as in the other: AS I THOUGHT TO PUNISH YOU: determined to do it, by suffering them to be carried captive:... [ Continue Reading ]
SO AGAIN,.... Or "so I am returned" n, as in Zechariah 8:3: HAVE I THOUGHT IN THESE DAYS TO DO WELL UNTO JERUSALEM, AND TO THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; by bestowing the above mentioned blessings on them; and as Jehovah has thought, so it comes to pass, and as he has purposed, so it stands; whatever he deter... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE [ARE] THE THINGS THAT YE SHALL DO,.... Which were duties incumbent on them, and which it became them to perform, under a sense of the favours bestowed on them, to show their gratitude to God, and that they might glorify him: SPEAK YE EVERY MAN THE TRUTH TO HIS NEIGHBOUR; not using deceit, pre... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET NONE OF YOU IMAGINE EVIL IN YOUR HEARTS AGAINST HIS NEIGHBOUR,.... Zechariah 7:10 hatred without a cause was a governing vice under the second temple, and Jarchi says was the cause of the destruction of it; see John 15:25: AND LOVE NO FALSE OATH; whereby the character and property of a fell... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WORD OF THE LORD OF HOSTS CAME UNTO ME, SAYING. The word of prophecy, as the Targum paraphrases it: here begins a new prophecy, respecting the abrogation of Jewish fasts, and the calling of the Gentiles.... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... What follows is a full answer to the question in Zechariah 7:3: THE FAST OF THE FOURTH [MONTH]; the month Tammuz, which answers to June: this fast was kept on the ninth day of the month, on account of the city of Jerusalem being broken up on that day o, as it is sa... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, [IT SHALL] YET [COME TO PASS],.... This is another thing that shall certainly be accomplished: THAT THERE SHALL COME PEOPLE, AND THE INHABITANTS OF MANY CITIES; in the Gentile world; they shall come and hear the word, believe in Christ, and join together in a Gospel ch... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE INHABITANTS OF ONE [CITY] SHALL GO TO ANOTHER,.... Which shows their concern for the spiritual welfare of each other, their zeal for the honour and glory of God, and their readiness to attend divine worship: SAYING, LET US GO SPEEDILY TO PRAY BEFORE THE LORD; for pardoning, justifying, and... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, MANY PEOPLE, AND STRONG NATIONS,.... Or, "mighty kingdoms", as the Targum renders it; even such have embraced the Gospel, and professed the Christian religion; of which there has been abundant proof since the downfall of Paganism under Constantine: SHALL COME TO SEEK THE LORD OF HOSTS IN JERUS... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... For the further confirmation and illustration of this prophecy: IN THOSE DAYS [IT SHALL COME TO PASS]; this shall be done in the times of the preaching of the Gospel by Christ and his apostles: THAT TEN MEN SHALL TAKE HOLD OUT OF ALL LANGUAGES OF THE NATIONS, EVEN... [ Continue Reading ]