Bible Commentaries
Clarke's Commentary
Verse 1
CHAPTER IX
Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine, were conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Alexander. Some apply the beginning of this chapter (1-7) to the one event, and some to the other.
The close of the seventh verse relates to the number of Philistines that should become proselytes to Judaism; (see Joseph. Antiq. xiv. 15, 4;) and the eighth, to the watchful providence of God over his temple in those troublesome times.
From this the prophet passes on to that most eminent instance of God's goodness to his Church and people, the sending of the Messiah, with an account of the peaceable tendency and great extent of his kingdom, 9, 10.
God then declares that he has ratified his covenant with his people, delivered them from their captivity, and restored them to favour, 11, 12.
In consequence of this, victory over their enemies is promised them in large and lofty terms, with every other kind of prosperity, 13-17.
Judas Maccabeus gained several advantages over the troops of Antiochus, who was of Grecian or Macedonian descent. But without excluding these events, it must be allowed that the terms of this prophecy are much too strong to be confined to them; their ultimate fulfilment must therefore be referred to Gospel times.
NOTES ON CHAP. IX
Verse Zechariah 9:1. The burden of the word of the Lord — The oracle contained in the word which Jehovah now speaks.
This is a prophecy against Syria, the Philistines, Tyre, and Sidon, which were to be subdued by Alexander the Great. After this the prophet speaks gloriously concerning the coming of Christ, and redemption by him.
The land of Hadrach — The valley of Damascus, or a place near to Damascus. Alexander the Great gained possession of Damascus, and took all its treasures; but it was without blood; the city was betrayed to him.
Damascus shall be the rest thereof — The principal part of this calamity shall fall on this city. God's anger rests on those whom he punishes, Eze 5:13; Eze 16:42; Eze 24:13. And his rod, or his arm, rests upon his enemies, Psalms 125:3; Isaiah 30:23. See Newcome.
When the eye of man — Newcome translates thus:
"For the eye of Jehovah is over man,
And over all the tribes of Israel."
This is an easy sense, and is followed by the versions.
Verse 2
Verse Zechariah 9:2. And Hamath also shall border thereby — Hamath on the river Orontes; and Tyre and Sidon, notwithstanding their political wisdom, address, and cunning, shall have a part in the punishment.
These prophecies are more suitable to the days of Jeremiah than to those of Zechariah; for there is no evidence - although Alexander did take Damascus, but without bloodshed - that it was destroyed from the times of Zechariah to the advent of our Lord. And as Tyre and Sidon were lately destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, it is not likely that they could soon undergo another devastation.
Verse 3
Verse Zechariah 9:3. And Tyrus did build herself — The rock on which Tyre was built was strongly fortified; and that she had abundance of riches has been already seen, Ezekiel 28:1, &c.
Verse 4
Verse Zechariah 9:4. Will smite her power in the sea — See Ezekiel 26:17. Though Alexander did take Tyre, Sidon, Gaza, c. yet it seems that the prediction relative to their destruction was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar. See Amos 1:6-8; Zephaniah 2:4; Zephaniah 2:7.
Verse 5
Verse Zechariah 9:5. Ashkelon shall see it, and fear —
Her expectation shalt be ashamed — The expectation of being succoured by Tyre.
Verse 6
Verse Zechariah 9:6. A bastard shall dwell in Ashdod — This character would suit Alexander very well, who most certainly was a bastard; for his mother Olympia said that Jupiter Ammon entered her apartment in the shape of a dragon, and begat Alexander! Could her husband Philip believe this? The word signifies a stranger.
Verse 7
Verse Zechariah 9:7. I will take away his blood out of his mouth — The Philistines, when incorporated with the Israelites, shall abstain from blood, and every thing that is abominable.
And Ekron as a Jebusite. — As an inhabitant of Jerusalem. Many of the Philistines became proselytes to Judiasm; and particularly the cities of Gaza, and Ashdod. See Joseph. Antiq. lib. xlii., c. 15, s. 4.
Verse 8
Verse Zechariah 9:8. I will encamp about mine house — This may apply to the conquests in Palestine by Alexander, who, coming with great wrath against Jerusalem, was met by Jaddua the high priest and his fellows in their sacred robes, who made intercession for the city and the temple; and, in consequence, Alexander spared both, which he had previously purposed to destroy. He showed the Jews also much favour, and remitted the tax every seventh year, because the law on that year forbade them to cultivate their ground. See this extraordinary account in Joseph. Antiq. lib. xi., c. 8, s. 5. Bishop Newcome translates: "I will encamp about my house with an army, so that none shall pass through or return."
Verse 9
Verse Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion — See this prophecy explained on Matthew 21:5.
Behold, thy King cometh — Not Zerubbabel, for he was never king; nor have they had a king, except Jesus the Christ, from the days of Zedekiah to the present time.
He is just — The righteous One, and the Fountain of righteousness.
Having salvation — He alone can save from sin, Satan, death, and hell.
Lowly — Without worldly pomp or splendour; for neither his kingdom, nor that of his followers, is of this world.
Riding upon an ass — God had commanded the kings of Israel not to multiply horses. The kings who broke this command were miserable themselves, and scourgers to their people. Jesus came to fulfil the law. Had he in his title of king rode upon a horse, it would have been a breach of a positive command of God; therefore, he rode upon an ass, and thus fulfilled the prophecy, and kept the precept unbroken. Hence it is immediately added-
Verse 10
Verse Zechariah 9:10. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem — No wars shall be employed to spread the kingdom of the Messiah; for it shall be founded and established, "not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts," Zechariah 4:6.
Verse 11
Verse Zechariah 9:11. As for thee also (Jerusalem) by the blood of thy covenant — The covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites in general, and ratified by the blood of many victims; until the time should come in which the Messiah should shed his blood, as typified by the ancient sacrifices.
I have sent forth thy prisoners — Those who were under the arrest of God's judgments; the human race, fast bound in sin and misery, and who by the pitifulness of his tender mercy were loosed, he dying in their stead.
Verse 12
Verse Zechariah 9:12. Turn you to the strong hold — Ye who feel your sins, and are shut up under a sense of your guilt, look up to him who was delivered for your offences, and rose again for your justification. Ye have hope; let that hope lead you to faith, and that faith to the blood of the covenant; and, through that blood, to GOD, the Father of all.
I will render double unto thee — Give thee an abundance of peace and salvation.
Verse 13
Verse Zechariah 9:13. When I have bent Judah — Judah is the bow, and Ephraim is the arrows; and these are to be shot against the Greeks. I am inclined, with Bp. Newcome, to consider that the language of this prophecy is too strong to point out the only trifling advantage which the Maccabees gained over Antiochus, who was of Macedonian descent; and it is probable that these prophecies remain to be fulfilled against the present possessors of Javan or Greece, Macedonia, and a part of Asia Minor.
Verse 14
Verse Zechariah 9:14. The Lord shall be seen over them — Shadowing and refreshing them, as the cloud did the camp in the wilderness.
His arrow shall go forth as the lightning — They shall be conquered in a way that will show that God fights for his followers.
The description here is very sublime; we have a good imitation of it in Nonnus: -
Και τοτε γαιαν ἁπασαν επεκλυσεν ὑετιος Ζευς,
Πυκνωσας νεφεεσσιν ὁλον πολον· ουρανιη γαρ
Βρονταιοις παταγοισι Διος μυκησατο σαλπιγξ.
NONN. DIONYS., lib. 6. ver. 229.
"When heaven's dread trumpet, sounding from on high,
Breaks forth in thunders through the darken'd sky;
The pregnant clouds to floods of rain give birth.
And stormy Jove o'erwhelms the solid earth."
J. B. B. C.
In these two verses there is a fine image, and an allusion to a particular fact, which have escaped the notice of every commentator. I must repeat the verses:
Zechariah 9:13: When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.
Zechariah 9:14: And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrows shall go forth like lightning.
The reader will consult what is said on Hosea 7:16, relative to the oriental bow, which resembles a [figure "C"] in its quiescent state, and must be recurved in order to be strung. Here, Judah is represented as the recurved bow; Ephraim, as an arrow placed on the string, and then discharged against the Javanites or Greeks with the momentum of lightning; the arrow kindling in its course through the air, and thus becoming the bolt of death to them against whom it was directed.
Volat illud, et incandescit eundo,
Et quos non habuit, sub nubibus invenit ignes.
"It flies apace; and, heating, mounts on high,
Glows in its course, and burns along the sky."
Verse 15
Verse Zechariah 9:15. The Lord of hosts shall defend them — He alone is the sure trust of his Church.
Subdue with sling-stones — This was an ancient and powerful instrument in the hands of the Hebrews. Judges 20:16.
They shall drink — After the victory gained as above, thy people shall hold a feast, and drink and be filled with wine. There is no intimation here that they shall drink the blood of their enemies, as some barbarous nations were accustomed to do. When they have gained the victory, they shall banquet abundantly on the spoils taken from the enemy.
As the corners of the altar. — They shall pour out libations of wine at the foot of the altar, as the priests were accustomed to pour out the blood of the victims.
Verse 16
Verse Zechariah 9:16. Shall save them in that day — They are his flock, and he is their Shepherd; and, as his own, he shall save and defend them.
As the stones of a crown] אבני נזר מתנוססות abney nezer mithnosesoth, "crowned stones erecting themselves;" i.e., being set up by themselves, as monuments of some deliverance, they seem to be lifting themselves up; offering themselves to the attention of every passenger. It may however refer to stones anointed with oil; a sort of temporary altars set up to the Lord for a victory gained. The same word is used, Leviticus 21:12: "Because the crown, נזר nezer, of the anointing oil of his God is upon him." Perhaps most of those upright stones, standing in circles, which pass for druidical monuments, were erected to commemorate victories, or to grace the tomb of an illustrious chief. These verses may refer to some final victory over the enemies of God's people.
Verse 17
Verse Zechariah 9:17. How great is his goodness — In himself and towards them.
And how great is his beauty! — His comeliness, holiness, and purity, put in and upon them.
Corn shall make the young men cheerful — They shall be gladdened and strengthened by plenty of food; and they shall speak aloud of God's mercies in their harvest home.
And new wine the maids. — Who shall prepare the wine from an abundant vintage.
…………………………………..
KEITH HUNT'S COMMENTARY with the New Living Translation
THIS PROPHECY HAS MORE DETAIL FOR ITS FIRST OVERALL FULFILMENT
AS WE HAVE SEEN ABOVE FROM CLARKE. BUT IT ALSO HAS A LATTER DAY
FULFILMENT, WHICH IS THEN GREATER STILL.
NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
Zechariah 9
Judgment against Israel’s Enemies
1 This is the message from the lord against the land of Aram and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the tribes of Israel, are on the Lord.
[A KEY TO THIS PROPHECY BEING ALSO FOR THE END TIME— WHEN THE EYES OF HUMANITY AND ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL ARE ON THE LORD; A NEW TO COME AGE WHEN ALL HUMANITY IS LOOKING TO THE LORD GOD— Keith Hunt]
2 Doom is certain for Hamath,near Damascus,and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon,though they are so clever.
3 Tyre has built a strong fortressand has made silver and goldas plentiful as dust in the streets!
4 But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s possessionsand hurl its fortifications into the sea,and it will be burned to the ground.
5 The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre falland will be filled with fear.Gaza will shake with terror,as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed.Gaza’s king will be killed,and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6 Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod.I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
7 I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth.Then the surviving Philistines will worship our God and become like a clan in Judah.The Philistines of Ekron will join my people,as the ancient Jebusites once did.
8 I will guard my Temple and protect it from invading armies.I am watching closely to ensure that no more foreign oppressors overrun my people’s land.
[AT THE END TIME THERE WILL BE MUCH TRIBULATION IN PALESTINE AND THE WEST COAST. MANY THINGS ARE TO TAKE PLACE AS THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL 38 AND 39, THE INVASION OF THE HOLY LAND BY RUSSIA, CHINA AND OTHERS WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT THE PROSPERITY OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. THE NEW EZEKIEL TEMPLE IS BUILT AND GOD WILL PROTECT IT FROM INVADING ARMIES. THE HOLY LAND WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE FOREIGN OPPRESSORS OVERRUNNING THE LAND— Keith Hunt]
Zion’s Coming King
9 Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.
[RIGHT OUT OF THE BLUE WE HAVE THE PROPHECY OF JESUS RIDING ON A DONKEY'S COLT! IN A PROPHECY FOR THE PAST AND FUTURE WE HAVE THE PROPHECY FOR JESUS' TIME, IN THE TIME OF JESUS' LIFE ON EARTH—SHOWS HOW INTERWOVEN PROPHECY CAN BE— Keith Hunt]
10 I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem.I will destroy all the weapons used in battle, and your king will bring peace to the nations.His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
[NO MORE WARS FOR ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM. ALL WEAPONS OF WAR DESTROYED. IT IS PEACE EVENTUALLY AS THE NEW AGE MOVES ON. THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM WILL GROW TILL IT FiLLS THE EARTH— Keith Hunt]
11 Because of the covenant I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon.
[GOD REMINDING ISRAEL HE WILL NOT FORGET THE COVENANT HE MADE WITH THEM. HE WILL FREE ISRAEL AND JUDAH FROM CAPTIVITY AND DEATH WHEN HE COMES. THIS WE HAVE SEEN GIVEN IN MANY OTHER OF THE PROPHETIC BOOKS. ISRAEL AND JUDAH ARE SCATTERED AND IN CAPTIVITY WHEN THE MESSIAH COMES TO FREE THEM, AND BRING THEM BACK TO THE HOLY LAND— Keith Hunt]
12 Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope!
I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
[ONCE MORE GOD PROMISES BLESSINGS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND SCATTERED; THEY WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO A LAND OF SAFETY— Keith Hunt]
13 Judah is my bow, and Israel is my arrow. Jerusalem is my sword, and like a warrior, I will brandish it against the Greeks.
[GOD SHOWING AGAIN AT THIS TIME THERE IS JUDAH AND ISRAEL, AND JERUSALEM. WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHER PROPHECIES, HOW ISRAEL AND JUDAH AND JERUSALEM WILL FIGHT AND PUNISH GENTILE NATIONS AT THE COMING OF CHRIST— Keith Hunt]
14 The Lord will appear above his people; his arrows will fly like lightning! The Sovereign Lord will sound the ram’s horn and attack like a whirlwind from the southern desert.
[WE HAVE SEEN IT IS THE MESSIAH WHO DELIVERS ISRAEL AND JUDAH OUT OF CAPTIVITY AND SCATTERING. THE RAM'S HORN, THE TRUMPET SOUNDS. THE 7TH TRUMPET OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION. HE WILL FIGHT TO DELIVER ALL TRIBES OF ISRAEL. HE WILL BE LIKE A WHIRLWIND FROM THE DESERT— Keith Hunt]
15 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will protect his people, and they will defeat their enemies by hurling great stones.They will shout in battle as though drunk with wine.They will be filled with blood like a bowl, drenched with blood like the corners of the altar.
[BY THIS TIME AFTER ALL THE DESTRUCTION ON EARTH UP TO THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, THERE WILL ONLY BE WHAT IS AROUND YOU TO FIGHT WITH. SO LITERALLY THE ISRAELITES WILL FIGHT WITH STONES. AS WE SAW IN ISAIAH 11, ISRAEL WILL DEFEAT AND PUNISH CERTAIN NATIONS, AS UNDER THEIR WARRIOR KING, THE MESSIAH, CHRIST JESUS]
16 On that day the Lord their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues his sheep.They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.
[ONCE MORE, GOD MENTIONS IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WHEN GOD COMES, HE RESCUES HIS PEOPLE, AS A SHEPHERD RESCUES HIS SHEEP. THEY WILL SPARKLE LIKE JEWELS IN A CROWN— Keith Hunt]
17 How wonderful and beautiful they will be! The young men will thrive on abundant grain, and the young women will flourish on new wine.
IT WILL BE A TIME OF GREAT FEASTING; THE START OF THE NEW AGE TO COME.
No comments:
Post a Comment