Zechariah 12:7

The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. THE LORD ALSO SHALL SAVE THE TENTS OF JUDAH. Judah is to be 'first saved' because of her meek acknowledgment of dependence on Jerusalem, subordinate to Yahweh's aid. THE TENTS OF JUDAH - shifting and insecure, as contrasted with the solid fortifications of Jerusalem. But God chooses the weak to confound the mighty, that all human glorying may be set aside....

The Prophet teaches us again, — that there is no need of helps when God stretches forth his hand to preserve his people; for he is alone abundantly sufficient. And the design of the verse is to show, that the Jews were to learn to acquiesce in God alone, though they might find themselves destitute of every earthly assistance; for when God purposes to save, he needs no help, as we have said; nor does he borrow any, as he by himself is fully sufficient. But by the word, _Tabernacles_, the Prophet means, as I think, sheds, such as afforded but partial protection. It is indeed true that tents are called סחות, _sachut_, in Hebrew; but the same is often meant by the אעלים, _aelim_, tents, which afforded a temporary accommodation; for they were not strongly built, as it is evident from many passages. I allow that all houses without any difference are sometimes called tabernacles,...

1-8 Here is a Divine prediction, which will be a heavy burden to all the enemies of the church. But it is for Israel; for their comfort and benefit. It is promised that God will make foolish the counsels, and weaken the courage of the enemies of the church. The exact meaning is not clear; but God often begins by calling the poor and despised; and in that day even the feeblest will resemble David, and be as eminent in courage and every thing good. Desirable indeed is it that the examples and labours of Christians should render them as fire among wood, as a torch in a sheaf, to kindle the flame of Divine love, to spread religion on the right hand and on the left....

Verse Zechariah 12:7. _THE LORD ALSO SHALL SAVE THE TENTS OF JUDAH FIRST_] This, I suppose, refers to the same thing. The Gospel of Christ shall go from the _least_ to the _greatest_. _Eminent men_ are not the _first_ that are called; the _poor_ have the Gospel preached to them. And this is done in the wise providence of God, that the "glory of the house of David," c., that secular influence may appear to have no hand in the matter and that God does not send his Gospel to a _great man_, because he is _such_....

THE LORD ALSO SHALL SAVE THE TENTS OF JUDAH FIRST - Still it is, ‘the Lord shall save.’ We have, on the one side, the ‘siege,’ the gathering of all the peoples of the earth ‘against Jerusalem, the horse and his rider.’ On the other, no human strength; not, as before, in the prophecy of the Maccabees, the bow, the arrow, and the sword, though in the hand of God Zechariah 9:13. It is thrice, ‘I will make’ Zechariah 9:2,; ‘I will smite’ (Zechariah 9:4 bis); and now, ‘The Lord shall save.’ By ‘the tents,’ he probably indicates their defenselessness. God would ‘save’ them first; that ‘the glory of the house of David - ‘be not great against’ or ‘over Judah,’ may not overshadow it; but all may b

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-14:21 B. THE SECOND BURDEN. ZECHARIAH 12:1 § 1. The prophet proceeds to announce Israel's conflict with heathen powers. _Hostile nations gather together against Jerusalem, but shall themselves be overthrown; for the people and their leaders, trusting in the Lord, overcome all opposition._ ZECHARIAH 12:1 THE BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD FOR (_concerning_) ISRAEL. This is the title of the second oracle, corresponding to that at the head of Zechariah 9:1. Though the literal Israel has been rejected, a

THE LORD ALSO SHALL SAVE THE TENTS OF JUDAH FIRST,.... That is, the Jews, who will be in other parts of the land encamped in tents, to defend themselves against their enemies; these will be saved out of the hands of them, before the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be saved; and in such a manner, that it will evidently appear that their salvation is of the Lord: and his end in so doing will be, THAT THE GLORY OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID, AND THE GLORY OF THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, DO NOT MAGNIFY [THEMSELVES] AGAINST JUDAH; lest the chief of the family of David, and the principal inhabitants of Jerusalem, should glory over their brethren in other parts of Judea; and say it was owing to them that they were saved and delivered out of the hands of their enemies....

12:1. _The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heaven, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him._ Note how this chapter begins: «The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel,» not against Israel. The gospel is always, to the true preacher of it, the burden of the Lord, but, to those who receive it, it is a burden of blessing, a load of mercy. To those who reject it, it will become a burdensome stone, crushing them to their eternal ruin. God grant, in his infinite mercy, that none of us may belong to the last class! Zechariah 12:2. _Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem._ This is a promise of God's abounding mercy to his chosen people Is

II. THE SECOND BURDEN OF ZECHARIAH (12-14) CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Jerusalem's conflict and victory (Zechariah 12:1) _ 2. The vision of the pierced One and its results (Zechariah 12:10) Zechariah 12:1. The second burden begins with this chapter. It is wholly unfulfilled with the exception of the prophecy at the end of chapter 13 concerning the Shepherd who was smitten. The great future events recorded in these closing Chapter s of Zechariah are the following: The victory of Jerusalem, the overthrow of the hostile nations from the west (the nations which constitute the revived Roman Empire), the outpouring of the Spirit upon the remnant, the appearing and the vision of the Pierced O

FIRST. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "as at the first"....