INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 9 This chapter treats of the conversion of the Gentiles, before spoken of in general, now particularly named; of the coming of Christ into the world, and the advantages of it to his church; of the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles, and of their protection, encouragem... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD,.... A prophecy, as in Proverbs 31:1 which is sometimes of things sorrowful and distressing, as the destruction of people, as in Isaiah 31:1 and sometimes of things joyful, as in Zechariah 13:1 and here it contains good news to the church of Christ, Zechariah 9:9,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAMATH ALSO SHALL BORDER THEREBY,.... By the land of Hadrach, or by Damascus; and that it was near Damascus is clear from Isaiah 10:9 it is called Hamath the great in Amos 6:2 and according to Jerom d, is the same with Antioch, which he says was so called by some; and the Targum of Jonathan ben... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TYRUS DID BUILD HERSELF A STRONG HOLD,.... Tyre was built upon a rock, and was a strong fortress itself, from whence it had its name; and, besides its natural defence, it had a wall one hundred and fifty feet high, and its breadth was answerable to its height e; but yet, as it could not defend i... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE LORD WILL CAST HER OUT,.... Or "inherit her" f, or "them", as the Septuagint render the words; when, being converted, she would become the Lord's inheritance and possession, and her riches should be devoted to his service: AND HE WILL SMITE HER POWER IN THE SEA; for Tyre was situated in... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHKELON SHALL SEE [IT], AND FEAR,.... That is, as Kimchi explains it, when Ashkelon shall see that Tyre humbles herself and submits, she shall humble herself and submit also: and the sense may be, that the inhabitants of Ashkelon, seeing that Tyre, with all her wisdom and strong reasoning, could no... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A BASTARD SHALL DWELL IN ASHDOD,.... Some p take "mamzer", the word for "bastard", to be the name of a people that should dwell in Ashdod; this is the same place with Azotus, Acts 8:40 and was also one of the five lordships of the Philistines, Joshua 13:3 some, by the "bastard" here, understand... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL TAKE AWAY HIS BLOOD OUT OF HIS MOUTH,.... The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read "their blood"; not the blood of the bastard, but of the Philistines. The Targum is, "I will destroy them that eat blood"; the meaning may be, that they shall no more thirst after blood, nor drink i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL ENCAMP ABOUT MY HOUSE, BECAUSE OF THE ARMY,.... Of profane and wicked men, persecutors and heretics, who rose up in great numbers in the first ages of Christianity against the church, the house of God, where he dwells, which consisted of persons called from among the Gentiles as before; i... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE GREATLY, O DAUGHTER OF ZION; SHOUT, O DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM,.... By whom are meant, not the inhabitants of Jerusalem in common; nor the children in it, that said Hosannas to the son of David; but the church of God, and true believers in Christ, who are called upon to "rejoice" and "shout": n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL CUT OFF THE CHARIOT FROM EPHRAIM,.... That is, the military one; signifying that wars shall cease, Psalms 46:9: AND THE HORSE FROM JERUSALEM; the warlike one; see Micah 5:10. Ephraim designs the ten tribes, and Jerusalem stands for the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; and the sense is,... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FOR THEE ALSO,.... These words are not spoken to Christ, for את, "thee", is of the feminine gender; but the congregation of Israel, as Kimchi observes; or the church of God: nor are they the words of Christ to her; he is the person before spoken of; but of God the Father, who, having given out pr... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN YE TO THE STRONG HOLD, YE PRISONERS OF HOPE,.... "That hope for redemption", as the Targum paraphrases it; not for redemption from the Babylonish captivity, at the end of seventy years, which was now over; but for redemption and salvation by Christ; for not the people of the Jews, who stayed in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I HAVE BENT JUDAH FOR ME,.... By whom are meant the apostles, who were Jews, and whose ministrations were made use of as a bow with arrows, to strike the hearts of men, and bring them into subjection to Christ: they were a bow of the Lord's bending and preparing, and which abode in strength, be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SHALL BE SEEN OVER THEM,.... His apostles and ministers: or, "shall appear to them" q; and be seen by them, as he was in the days of his flesh; they saw his person, his miracles, his sorrows, and sufferings; they saw him after his resurrection, and some have seen him since his ascension... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD OF HOSTS SHALL DEFEND THEM,.... Against all their enemies; against Satan, and his temptations, and all the opposition made by him; against the world, and all the rage and reproach of men; this was remarkably verified in the apostles, who were preserved by the Lord amidst a thousand snares a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD THEIR GOD SHALL SAVE THEM IN THAT DAY,.... In the times of the Gospel, and the dispensation of it; meaning either the apostles, before said to be protected and defended, Zechariah 9:15 or rather the persons converted, conquered, and subdued by them, who are not killed, but saved by the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HOW GREAT [IS] HIS GOODNESS?.... Not of the land of Judea, as Kimchi; nor of the doctrine of the law, as the Targum; nor of the people of the Jews; but of the Messiah: and designs not his essential nor his providential goodness; but his goodness as Mediator, which he has in his heart, and has sh... [ Continue Reading ]