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Zechariah 9:8 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

8 And I will encamp H2583 about mine house H1004 because of the army, H4675 because of him that passeth by, H5674 and because of him that returneth: H7725 and no oppressor H5065 shall pass through H5674 them any more: for now have I seen H7200 with mine eyes. H5869

Cross Reference

Isaiah 54:14 STRONG

In righteousness H6666 shalt thou be established: H3559 thou shalt be far H7368 from oppression; H6233 for thou shalt not fear: H3372 and from terror; H4288 for it shall not come near H7126 thee.

Isaiah 52:1 STRONG

Awake, H5782 awake; H5782 put on H3847 thy strength, H5797 O Zion; H6726 put on H3847 thy beautiful H8597 garments, H899 O Jerusalem, H3389 the holy H6944 city: H5892 for henceforth there shall no more H3254 come H935 into thee the uncircumcised H6189 and the unclean. H2931

Isaiah 60:18 STRONG

Violence H2555 shall no more be heard H8085 in thy land, H776 wasting H7701 nor destruction H7667 within thy borders; H1366 but thou shalt call H7121 thy walls H2346 Salvation, H3444 and thy gates H8179 Praise. H8416

Ezekiel 28:24-25 STRONG

And there shall be no more a pricking H3992 brier H5544 unto the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 nor any grieving H3510 thorn H6975 of all that are round about H5439 them, that despised H7590 them; and they shall know H3045 that I am the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 When I shall have gathered H6908 the house H1004 of Israel H3478 from the people H5971 among whom they are scattered, H6327 and shall be sanctified H6942 in them in the sight H5869 of the heathen, H1471 then shall they dwell H3427 in their land H127 that I have given H5414 to my servant H5650 Jacob. H3290

Jeremiah 46:13 STRONG

The word H1697 that the LORD H3068 spake H1696 to Jeremiah H3414 the prophet, H5030 how Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 should come H935 and smite H5221 the land H776 of Egypt. H4714

Ezekiel 39:29 STRONG

Neither will I hide H5641 my face H6440 any more from them: for I have poured out H8210 my spirit H7307 upon the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069

Daniel 11:6-7 STRONG

And in the end H7093 of years H8141 they shall join themselves together; H2266 for the king's H4428 daughter H1323 of the south H5045 shall come H935 to the king H4428 of the north H6828 to make H6213 an agreement: H4339 but she shall not retain H6113 the power H3581 of the arm; H2220 neither shall he stand, H5975 nor his arm: H2220 but she shall be given up, H5414 and they that brought H935 her, and he that begat H3205 her, and he that strengthened H2388 her in these times. H6256 But out of a branch H5342 of her roots H8328 shall one stand up H5975 in his estate, H3653 which shall come H935 with an army, H2428 and shall enter H935 into the fortress H4581 of the king H4428 of the north, H6828 and shall deal H6213 against them, and shall prevail: H2388

Daniel 11:10-16 STRONG

But his sons H1121 shall be stirred up, H1624 and shall assemble H622 a multitude H1995 of great H7227 forces: H2428 and one shall certainly H935 come, H935 and overflow, H7857 and pass through: H5674 then shall he return, H7725 and be stirred up, H1624 even to his fortress. H4581 And the king H4428 of the south H5045 shall be moved with choler, H4843 and shall come forth H3318 and fight H3898 with him, even with the king H4428 of the north: H6828 and he shall set forth H5975 a great H7227 multitude; H1995 but the multitude H1995 shall be given H5414 into his hand. H3027 And when he hath taken away H5375 the multitude, H1995 his heart H3824 shall be lifted up; H7311 H7311 and he shall cast down H5307 many ten thousands: H7239 but he shall not be strengthened H5810 by it. For the king H4428 of the north H6828 shall return, H7725 and shall set forth H5975 a multitude H1995 greater H7227 than the former, H7223 and shall certainly H935 come H935 after H7093 certain H6256 years H8141 with a great H1419 army H2428 and with much H7227 riches. H7399 And in those times H6256 there shall many H7227 stand up H5975 against the king H4428 of the south: H5045 also the robbers H1121 H6530 of thy people H5971 shall exalt H5375 themselves to establish H5975 the vision; H2377 but they shall fall. H3782 So the king H4428 of the north H6828 shall come, H935 and cast up H8210 a mount, H5550 and take H3920 the most fenced H4013 cities: H5892 and the arms H2220 of the south H5045 shall not withstand, H5975 neither his chosen H4005 people, H5971 neither shall there be any strength H3581 to withstand. H5975 But he that cometh H935 against him shall do H6213 according to his own will, H7522 and none shall stand H5975 before H6440 him: and he shall stand H5975 in the glorious H6643 land, H776 which by his hand H3027 shall be consumed. H3617

Daniel 11:27-29 STRONG

And both H8147 these kings' H4428 hearts H3824 shall be to do mischief, H4827 H7451 and they shall speak H1696 lies H3577 at one H259 table; H7979 but it shall not prosper: H6743 for yet the end H7093 shall be at the time appointed. H4150 Then shall he return H7725 into his land H776 with great H1419 riches; H7399 and his heart H3824 shall be against the holy H6944 covenant; H1285 and he shall do H6213 exploits, and return H7725 to his own land. H776 At the time appointed H4150 he shall return, H7725 and come H935 toward the south; H5045 but it shall not be as the former, H7223 or as the latter. H314

Daniel 11:40-45 STRONG

And at the time H6256 of the end H7093 shall the king H4428 of the south H5045 push H5055 at him: and the king H4428 of the north H6828 shall come against him like a whirlwind, H8175 with chariots, H7393 and with horsemen, H6571 and with many H7227 ships; H591 and he shall enter H935 into the countries, H776 and shall overflow H7857 and pass over. H5674 He shall enter H935 also into the glorious H6643 land, H776 and many H7227 countries shall be overthrown: H3782 but these shall escape H4422 out of his hand, H3027 even Edom, H123 and Moab, H4124 and the chief H7225 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 He shall stretch forth H7971 his hand H3027 also upon the countries: H776 and the land H776 of Egypt H4714 shall not escape. H6413 But he shall have power H4910 over the treasures H4362 of gold H2091 and of silver, H3701 and over all the precious H2532 things of Egypt: H4714 and the Libyans H3864 and the Ethiopians H3569 shall be at his steps. H4703 But tidings H8052 out of the east H4217 and out of the north H6828 shall trouble H926 him: therefore he shall go forth H3318 with great H1419 fury H2534 to destroy, H8045 and utterly to make away H2763 many. H7227 And he shall plant H5193 the tabernacles H168 of his palace H643 between the seas H3220 in the glorious H6643 holy H6944 mountain; H2022 yet he shall come H935 to his end, H7093 and none shall help H5826 him.

Joel 3:16-17 STRONG

The LORD H3068 also shall roar H7580 out of Zion, H6726 and utter H5414 his voice H6963 from Jerusalem; H3389 and the heavens H8064 and the earth H776 shall shake: H7493 but the LORD H3068 will be the hope H4268 of his people, H5971 and the strength H4581 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 So shall ye know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 your God H430 dwelling H7931 in Zion, H6726 my holy H6944 mountain: H2022 then shall Jerusalem H3389 be holy, H6944 and there shall no strangers H2114 pass through H5674 her any more.

Amos 9:15 STRONG

And I will plant H5193 them upon their land, H127 and they shall no more be pulled up H5428 out of their land H127 which I have given H5414 them, saith H559 the LORD H3068 thy God. H430

Zechariah 2:1-13 STRONG

I lifted up H5375 mine eyes H5869 again, and looked, H7200 and behold a man H376 with a measuring H4060 line H2256 in his hand. H3027 Then said H559 I, Whither goest H1980 thou? And he said H559 unto me, To measure H4058 Jerusalem, H3389 to see H7200 what H4100 is the breadth H7341 thereof, and what is the length H753 thereof. And, behold, the angel H4397 that talked H1696 with me went forth, H3318 and another H312 angel H4397 went out H3318 to meet H7125 him, And said H559 unto him, Run, H7323 speak H1696 to this H1975 young man, H5288 saying, H559 Jerusalem H3389 shall be inhabited H3427 as towns without walls H6519 for the multitude H7230 of men H120 and cattle H929 therein: H8432 For I, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 will be unto her a wall H2346 of fire H784 round about, H5439 and will be the glory H3519 in the midst H8432 of her. Ho, H1945 ho, H1945 come forth, and flee H5127 from the land H776 of the north, H6828 saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 for I have spread you abroad H6566 as the four H702 winds H7307 of the heaven, H8064 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Deliver H4422 thyself, O H1945 Zion, H6726 that dwellest H3427 with the daughter H1323 of Babylon. H894 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 After H310 the glory H3519 hath he sent H7971 me unto the nations H1471 which spoiled H7997 you: for he that toucheth H5060 you toucheth H5060 the apple H892 of his eye. H5869 For, behold, I will shake H5130 mine hand H3027 upon them, and they shall be a spoil H7998 to their servants: H5647 and ye shall know H3045 that the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 hath sent H7971 me. Sing H7442 and rejoice, H8055 O daughter H1323 of Zion: H6726 for, lo, I come, H935 and I will dwell H7931 in the midst H8432 of thee, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 And many H7227 nations H1471 shall be joined H3867 to the LORD H3068 in that day, H3117 and shall be my people: H5971 and I will dwell H7931 in the midst H8432 of thee, and thou shalt know H3045 that the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 hath sent H7971 me unto thee. And the LORD H3068 shall inherit H5157 Judah H3063 his portion H2506 in the holy H6944 land, H127 and shall choose H977 Jerusalem H3389 again. Be silent, H2013 O all flesh, H1320 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 for he is raised up H5782 out of his holy H6944 habitation. H4583

Zechariah 12:8 STRONG

In that day H3117 shall the LORD H3068 defend H1598 the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 and he that is feeble H3782 among them at that day H3117 shall be as David; H1732 and the house H1004 of David H1732 shall be as God, H430 as the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 before H6440 them.

Zechariah 14:11 STRONG

And men shall dwell H3427 in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; H2764 but Jerusalem H3389 shall be safely H983 inhabited. H3427

Acts 7:34 STRONG

I have seen, G1492 I have seen G1492 the affliction G2561 of my G3450 people G2992 which G3588 is in G1722 Egypt, G125 and G2532 I have heard G191 their G846 groaning, G4726 and G2532 am come down G2597 to deliver G1807 them. G846 And G2532 now G3568 come, G1204 I will send G649 thee G4571 into G1519 Egypt. G125

Revelation 20:1-3 STRONG

And G2532 I saw G1492 an angel G32 come down G2597 from G1537 heaven, G3772 having G2192 the key G2807 of the bottomless pit G12 and G2532 a great G3173 chain G254 in G1909 his G846 hand. G5495 And G2532 he laid hold on G2902 the dragon, G1404 that old G744 serpent, G3789 which G3739 is G2076 the Devil, G1228 and G2532 Satan, G4567 and G2532 bound G1210 him G846 a thousand G5507 years, G2094 And G2532 cast G906 him G846 into G1519 the bottomless pit, G12 and G2532 shut G2808 him G846 up, G2808 and G2532 set a seal G4972 upon G1883 him, G846 that G3363 he should deceive G4105 the nations G1484 no G3363 more, G2089 till G891 the thousand G5507 years G2094 should be fulfilled: G5055 and G2532 after G3326 that G5023 he G846 must G1163 be loosed G3089 a little G3398 season. G5550

Revelation 20:9 STRONG

And G2532 they went up G305 on G1909 the breadth G4114 of the earth, G1093 and G2532 compassed G2944 the camp G3925 of the saints G40 about, G2944 and G2532 the beloved G25 city: G4172 and G2532 fire G4442 came down G2597 from G575 God G2316 out of G1537 heaven, G3772 and G2532 devoured G2719 them. G846

Psalms 125:1-2 STRONG

[[A Song H7892 of degrees.]] H4609 They that trust H982 in the LORD H3068 shall be as mount H2022 Zion, H6726 which cannot be removed, H4131 but abideth H3427 for ever. H5769 As the mountains H2022 are round about H5439 Jerusalem, H3389 so the LORD H3068 is round about H5439 his people H5971 from henceforth even for H5704 ever. H5769

Exodus 3:7 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I have surely H7200 seen H7200 the affliction H6040 of my people H5971 which are in Egypt, H4714 and have heard H8085 their cry H6818 by reason H6440 of their taskmasters; H5065 for I know H3045 their sorrows; H4341

Exodus 3:9 STRONG

Now therefore, behold, the cry H6818 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 is come H935 unto me: and I have also seen H7200 the oppression H3906 wherewith the Egyptians H4714 oppress H3905 them.

2 Samuel 16:12 STRONG

It may be that the LORD H3068 will look H7200 on mine affliction, H5869 H6040 and that the LORD H3068 will requite H7725 me good H2896 for his cursing H7045 this day. H3117

2 Kings 23:29 STRONG

In his days H3117 Pharaohnechoh H6549 king H4428 of Egypt H4714 went up H5927 against the king H4428 of Assyria H804 to the river H5104 Euphrates: H6578 and king H4428 Josiah H2977 went H3212 against H7125 him; and he slew H4191 him at Megiddo, H4023 when he had seen H7200 him.

2 Kings 24:1 STRONG

In his days H3117 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 came up, H5927 and Jehoiakim H3079 became his servant H5650 three H7969 years: H8141 then he turned H7725 and rebelled H4775 against him.

Psalms 34:7 STRONG

The angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 encampeth H2583 round about H5439 them that fear H3373 him, and delivereth H2502 them.

Psalms 46:1-5 STRONG

[[To the chief Musician H5329 for the sons H1121 of Korah, H7141 A Song H7892 upon Alamoth.]] H5961 God H430 is our refuge H4268 and strength, H5797 a very H3966 present H4672 help H5833 in trouble. H6869 Therefore will not we fear, H3372 though the earth H776 be removed, H4171 and though the mountains H2022 be carried H4131 into the midst H3820 of the sea; H3220 Though the waters H4325 thereof roar H1993 and be troubled, H2560 though the mountains H2022 shake H7493 with the swelling H1346 thereof. Selah. H5542 There is a river, H5104 the streams H6388 whereof shall make glad H8055 the city H5892 of God, H430 the holy H6918 place of the tabernacles H4908 of the most High. H5945 God H430 is in the midst H7130 of her; she shall not be moved: H4131 God H430 shall help H5826 her, and that right H6437 early. H1242

Psalms 72:4 STRONG

He shall judge H8199 the poor H6041 of the people, H5971 he shall save H3467 the children H1121 of the needy, H34 and shall break in pieces H1792 the oppressor. H6231

Genesis 32:1-2 STRONG

And Jacob H3290 went H1980 on his way, H1870 and the angels H4397 of God H430 met H6293 him. And when Jacob H3290 saw them, H7200 he said, H559 This is God's H430 host: H4264 and he called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Mahanaim. H4266

Isaiah 4:5 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 will create H1254 upon every dwelling place H4349 of mount H2022 Zion, H6726 and upon her assemblies, H4744 a cloud H6051 and smoke H6227 by day, H3119 and the shining H5051 of a flaming H3852 fire H784 by night: H3915 for upon all the glory H3519 shall be a defence. H2646

Isaiah 26:1 STRONG

In that day H3117 shall this song H7892 be sung H7891 in the land H776 of Judah; H3063 We have a strong H5797 city; H5892 salvation H3444 will God appoint H7896 for walls H2346 and bulwarks. H2426

Isaiah 31:5 STRONG

As birds H6833 flying, H5774 so will the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 defend H1598 Jerusalem; H3389 defending H1598 also he will deliver H5337 it; and passing over H6452 he will preserve H4422 it.

Isaiah 33:20-22 STRONG

Look H2372 upon Zion, H6726 the city H7151 of our solemnities: H4150 thine eyes H5869 shall see H7200 Jerusalem H3389 a quiet H7600 habitation, H5116 a tabernacle H168 that shall not be taken down; H6813 not one of the stakes H3489 thereof shall ever H5331 be removed, H5265 neither shall any of the cords H2256 thereof be broken. H5423 But there the glorious H117 LORD H3068 will be unto us a place H4725 of broad H7342 H3027 rivers H5104 and streams; H2975 wherein shall go H3212 no H1077 galley H590 with oars, H7885 neither shall gallant H117 ship H6716 pass H5674 thereby. For the LORD H3068 is our judge, H8199 the LORD H3068 is our lawgiver, H2710 the LORD H3068 is our king; H4428 he will save H3467 us.

Isaiah 52:12 STRONG

For ye shall not go out H3318 with haste, H2649 nor go H3212 by flight: H4499 for the LORD H3068 will go H1980 before H6440 you; and the God H430 of Israel H3478 will be your rereward. H622

Jeremiah 31:12 STRONG

Therefore they shall come H935 and sing H7442 in the height H4791 of Zion, H6726 and shall flow together H5102 to the goodness H2898 of the LORD, H3068 for wheat, H1715 and for wine, H8492 and for oil, H3323 and for the young H1121 of the flock H6629 and of the herd: H1241 and their soul H5315 shall be as a watered H7302 garden; H1588 and they shall not sorrow H1669 any more H3254 at all.

Jeremiah 46:2 STRONG

Against Egypt, H4714 against the army H2428 of Pharaohnecho H6549 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 which was by the river H5104 Euphrates H6578 in Carchemish, H3751 which Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 smote H5221 in the fourth H7243 year H8141 of Jehoiakim H3079 the son H1121 of Josiah H2977 king H4428 of Judah. H3063

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Zechariah 9

Commentary on Zechariah 9 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 9

At this chapter begins another sermon, which is continued to the end of ch. 11. It is called, "The burden of the word of the Lord,' for every word of God has weight in it to those who regard it, and will be a heavy weight upon those who do not, a dead weight. Here is,

  • I. A prophecy against the Jews' unrighteous neighbours-the Syrians, Tyrians, Philistines, and others (v. 1-6), with an intimation of mercy to some of them, in their conversion (v. 7), and a promise of mercy to God's people, in their protection (v. 8).
  • II. A prophecy of their righteous King, the Messiah, and his coming, with a description of him (v. 9) and of his kingdom, the nature and extent of it (v. 10).
  • III. An account of the obligation the Jews lay under to Christ for their deliverance out of their captivity in Babylon (v. 11, 12).
  • IV. A prophecy of the victories and successes God would grant to the Jews over their enemies, as typical of our great deliverance by Christ (v. 13-15).
  • V. A promise of great plenty, and joy, and honour, which God had in reserve for his people (v. 16, 17), which was written for their encouragement.

Zec 9:1-8

After the precious promises we had in the foregoing chapter of favour to God's people, their persecutors, who hated them, come to be reckoned with, those particularly that bordered close upon them.

  • I. The Syrians had been bad neighbours to Israel, and God had a controversy with them. The word of the Lord shall be a burden in the land of Hadrach, that is, of Syria, but it does not appear why it was so called. That that kingdom is meant is plain, because Damascus, the metropolis of that kingdom, is said to be the rest of this burden; that is, the judgments here threatened shall light and lie upon that city. Those are miserable upon whom the burden of the word of the Lord rests, upon whom the wrath of God abides (Jn. 3:36); for it is a weight that they can neither shake off nor bear up under. There are those whom God causes his fury to rest upon. Those whom the wrath of God makes its mark it will be sure to hit; those whom it makes its rest it will be sure to sink. And the reason of this burden's resting on Damascus is because the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel (or rather, even of all the tribes of Israel), are towards the Lord, because the people of God by faith and prayer look up to him for succour and relief and depend upon him to take their part against their enemies. Note, It is a sign that God is about to appear remarkably for his people when he raises their believing expectations from him and dependence upon him, and when by his grace he turns them from idols to himself. Is. 17:7, 8, At that day shall a man look to his Maker. It may be read thus, for the Lord has an eye upon man, and upon all the tribes of Israel; he is King of nations as well as King of saints; he governs the world as well as the church, and therefore will punish the sins of other people as well as those of his own people. God is Judge of all, and therefore all must give account of themselves to him. When St. Paul was converted at Damascus, and preached there, and disputed with the Jews, then the word of the Lord might be said to rest there, and then the eyes of men, of other men besides the tribes of Israel, began to be towards the Lord; see Acts 9:22. Hamath, a country which lay north of Damascus, and which we often read of, shall border thereby (v. 2); it joins to Syria, and shall share in the burden of the word of the Lord that rests upon Damascus. The Jews have a proverb, Woe to the wicked man, and woe to his neighbour, who is in danger of partaking in his sins and in his plagues. Woe to the land of Hadrach, and woe to Hamath that borders thereby.
  • II. Tyre and Zidon come next to be called to an account here, as in other prophecies, v. 2-4. Observe here,
    • 1. Tyrus flourishing, thinking herself very safe, and ready to set God's judgments, not only at a distance, but at defiance: for,
      • (1.) She is very wise. It is spoken ironically; she thinks herself very wise, and able to outwit even the wisdom of God. It is granted that her king is a great politician, and that her statesmen are so, Eze. 28:3. But with all their wit and policy they shall not be able to evade the judgments of God when they come with commission; there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord; nay, it is his honour to take the wise in their own craftiness.
      • (2.) She is very strong, and well fortified both by nature and art: Tyrus did build herself a strong-hold, which she thought could never be brought down nor got over.
      • (3.) She is very rich; and money is a defence; it is the sinews of war, Eccl. 7:12. By her vast trade she has heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets, that is, she has an abundance of them, heaps of silver as common as heaps of sand, Job 27:16. Solomon made silver to be in Jerusalem as the stones of the streets; but Tyre went further, and made fine gold to be as the mire of the streets. It were well if we could all learn so to look upon it, in comparison with the merchandise of wisdom and grace and the gains thereof.
    • 2. Tyrus falling, after all. Her wisdom, and wealth, and strength, shall not be able to secure her (v. 4): The Lord will cast her out of that strong-hold wherein she has fortified herself, will make her poor (so some read it); there have been instances of those that have fallen from the height of plenty to the depth of poverty, and great riches have come to nothing. God will smite her power in the sea; her being surrounded by the water shall not secure her, but she shall be devoured with fire, and burnt down to the ground. Tyrus, being seated in the midst of the water, was, one would have thought, in danger of being some time or other overflowed or washed away by that; yet God chooses to destroy it by the contrary element. Sometimes he brings ruin upon his enemies by those means which they least suspect. Water enough was nigh at hand to quench the flames of Tyre, and yet by them she shall be devoured; for who can put out the fire which the breath of the Almighty blows up?
  • III. God next contends with the Philistines, with their great cities and great lords, that bordered southward upon Israel.
    • 1. They shall be alarmed and affrighted by the word of the Lord lighting and resting upon Damascus (v. 5); the disgraces of Israel had many a time been published in the streets of Ashkelon, and they had triumphed in them; but now Ashkelon shall see the ruin of her friends and allies, and shall fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron, concluding that their own turns come next, now that the cup of trembling goes round. What will become of their house when their neighbour's is on fire? They had looked upon Tyre and Zidon as a barrier to their country; but, when those strong cities were ruined, their expectations from them were ashamed, as our expectation from all creatures will be in the issue.
    • 2. They shall themselves be ruined and wasted.
      • (1.) The government shall be dissolved: The king shall perish from Gaza, not only the present king shall be cut off, but there shall be no succession, no successor,
      • (2.) The cities shall be dispeopled: Ashkelon shall not be inhabited; the rightful owners shall be expelled, either slain or carried into captivity.
      • (3.) Foreigners shall take possession of their land and become masters of all its wealth (v. 6): A bastard shall dwell in Ashdod; a spurious brood of strangers shall enter upon the inheritances of the natives, which they have no more right to than a bastard has to the estates of the legitimate children. And thus God will cut off the pride of the Philistines, all the strength and wealth which they prided themselves in, and which were the ground of their confidence in themselves and their contempt of the Israel of God. This prophecy of the destruction of the Philistines, and of Damascus, and Tyre, was accomplished, not long after this, by Alexander the Great, who ravaged all these countries with his victorious army, took the cities, and planted colonies in them, which Quintus Curtius gives a particular account of in the history of his conquests. And some think he is meant by the bastard that shall dwell in Ashdod, for his mother Olympia owned him begotten in adultery, but pretended it was by Jupiter. The Jews afterwards got ground of the Philistines, Syrians, and others of their neighbours, took some of their cities from them and possessed their countries, as appears by the histories of Josephus and the Maccabees, and this was foretold before, Zep. 2:4, etc.; Obad. 20.
    • 3. Some among them shall be converted, and brought home to God, by his gospel and grace; so some understand v. 7, as a promise,
      • (1.) That God would take away the sins of these nations-their blood and their abominations, their cruelties and their idolatries. God will part between them and these sins which they have rolled under their tongue as a sweet morsel, and are as loth to part with as men are to part with the meat out of their mouths, and which they hold fast between their teeth. Nothing is too hard for the grace of God to do.
      • (2.) That he would accept of a remnant of them for his own: He that remains shall be for our God. God would preserve a remnant even of these nations, that should be the monuments of his mercy and grace and be set apart for him; and the disadvantages of their birth shall be no bar to their acceptance with God, but a Philistine shall be as acceptable to God, upon gospel-terms, as one of Judah, nay, as a governor, or chief one, in Judah, and a man of Ekron shall be as a Jebusite, or a man of Jerusalem, as a proselyted Jebusite, as Araunah the Jebusite, 2 Sa. 24:16. In Christ Jesus there is no distinction of nations, but all are one in him, all alike welcome to him.
  • IV. In all this God intends mercy for Israel, and it is in kindness to them that God will deal thus with the neighbouring nations, to avenge their quarrel for what is past and to secure them for the future.
    • 1. Thus some understand the seventh verse, as intimating,
      • (1.) That thus God would deliver his people from their bloody adversaries, who hated them, and to whom they were an abomination, when they were just ready to devour them and make a prey of them: I will take away his blood (that is, the blood of Israel) out of the mouth of the Philistines and from between their teeth (Amos 3:12), when, in their hatred of them and enmity to them, they were greedily devouring them.
      • (2.) That lie would thus give them victory and dominion over them: And he that remains (that is, the remnant of Israel) shall be for our God, shall be taken into his favour, shall own him and be owned by him, and he shall be as a governor in Judah; though the Jews have been long in servitude, they shall recover their ancient dignity, and be victorious, as David and other governors in Judah formerly were; and Ekron (that is, the Philistines) shall be as the Jebusites, and the rest of the devoted nations, who were brought into subjection under them.
    • 2. However, this is plainly the sense of v. 8, that God will take his people under his special protection, and therefore will weaken their neighbours, that it may not be in their power to do them a mischief: I will encamp about my house because of the army. Note, God's house lies in the midst of an enemy's country, and his church is as a lily among thorns; and therefore God's power and goodness are to be observed in the special preservation of it. The camp of the saints, being a little flock in comparison with the numerous armies of the powers of darkness that are set against it round about, would certainly be swallowed up if the angels of God did not encamp about it, as they did about Elisha, to deliver it, Rev. 20:9; Ps. 34:7. When the times are unusually perilous, when armies are marching and counter-marching, and all bearing ill-will to Zion, then Providence will as it were double its guards upon the church of God, because of him that passes by and because of him that returns, that whether he return a conqueror or conquered he may do it no harm. And, as none that pass by shall hurt them, so no oppressor shall pass through them any more; they shall have no enemy within themselves to rule them with rigour, and to make their lives bitter to them with sore bondage, as of old in Egypt. This was fulfilled when, for some time after the struggles of the Maccabees, Judea was a free and flourishing state, or perhaps when Alexander the Great, struck with an awe of Jaddus the high priest, favoured the Jews, and took them under his protection, at the same time when he wasted the neighbouring countries. And the reason given for all this is, "For now have I seen with my eyes, now have I carefully distinguished between my people and other people, with whom before they seemed to have their lot in common, and have made it to appear that I know those that are mine,' This agrees with Ps. 34:15, The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous; now his eyes, which run to and fro through the earth, shall fix upon them, that he may show himself tender of them, and strong on their behalf, 2 Chr. 16:9.

Zec 9:9-11

That here begins a prophecy of the Messiah and his kingdom is plain from the literal accomplishment of the ninth verse in, and its express application to, Christ's riding in triumph into Jerusalem, Mt. 21:5; Jn. 12:15.

  • I. Here is notice given of the approach of the Messiah promised, as matter of great joy to the Old-Testament church: Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. Christ is a king, invested with regal powers and prerogatives, a sovereign prince, an absolute monarch, having all power both in heaven and on earth. He is Zion's king. God has set him upon his holy hill of Zion, Ps. 2:6. In Zion his glory as a king shines; thence his law went forth, even the word of the Lord. In the gospel-church his spiritual kingdom is administered; it is by him that the ordinances of the church are instituted, and its officers commissioned; and it is taken under his protection; he fights the church's battles and secures its interests, as its king. "This King has been long in coming, but now, behold, he cometh; he is at the door. There are but a few ages more to run out, and he that shall come will come. He cometh unto thee; the Word will shortly be made flesh, and dwell within thy borders; he will come to his own. And therefore rejoice, rejoice greatly, and shout for joy; look upon it as good news, and be assured it is true; please thyself to think that he is coming, that he is on his way towards thee; and be ready to go forth to meet him with acclamations of joy, as one not able to conceal it, it is so great, nor ashamed to own it, it is so just; cry Hosanna to him.' Christ's approaches ought to be the church's applauses.
  • II. Here is such a description of him as renders him very amiable in the eyes of all his loving subjects, and his coming to them very acceptable.
    • 1. He is a righteous ruler; all his acts of government will be exactly according to the rules of equity, for he is just.
    • 2. He is a powerful protector to all those that bear faith and true allegiance to him, for he has salvation; he has it in his power; he has it to bestow upon all his subjects. He is the God of salvation; treasures of salvation are in him. He is servatus-saving himself (so some read it), rising out of the grave by his own power and so qualifying himself to be our Saviour.
    • 3. He is a meek, humble, tender Father to all his subjects as his children; he is lowly; he is poor and afflicted (so the word signifies), so it denotes the meanness of his condition; having emptied himself, he was despised and rejected of men. But the evangelist translates it so as to express the temper of his spirit: he is meek, not taking state upon him, nor resenting injuries, but humbling himself from first to last, condescending to the mean, compassionate to the miserable; this was a bright and excellent character of him as a prophet (Mt. 11:29, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart), and no less so as a king. It was a proof of this that, when he made his public entry into his own city (and it was the only passage of his life that had any thing in it magnificent in the eye of the world), he chose to ride, not upon a stately horse, or in a chariot, as great men used to ride, but upon an ass, a beast of service indeed, but a poor silly and contemptible one, low and slow, and in those days ridden only by the meaner sort of people; nor was it an ass fitted for use, but an ass's colt, a little foolish unmanageable thing, that would be more likely to disgrace his rider than be any credit to him; and that not his own neither, nor helped off, as sometimes a sorry horse is, by good furniture, for he had no saddle, no housings, no trappings, no equipage, but his disciples' clothes thrown upon the colt;' for he made himself of no reputation when he visited us in great humility.
  • III. His kingdom is here set forth in the glory of it. This king has, and will have, a kingdom, not of this world, but a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom of heaven.
    • 1. It shall not be set up and advanced by external force, by an arm of flesh or carnal weapons of warfare. No; he will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horses from Jerusalem (v. 10), for he shall have no occasion for them while he himself rides upon an ass. He will, in kindness to his people, cut off their horses and chariots, that they may not cut themselves off from God by putting that confidence in them which they should put in the power of God only. He will himself undertake their protection, will himself be a wall of fire about Jerusalem and give his angels charge concerning it (those chariots of fire and horses of fire), and then the chariots and horses they had in their service shall be discarded and cut off as altogether needless.
    • 2. It shall be propagated and established by the preaching of the gospel, the speaking of peace to the heathen; for Christ came and preached peace to those that were afar off and to those that were nigh; and so established his kingdom by proclaiming on earth peace, and good-will towards men.
    • 3. His kingdom, as far as it prevails in the minds of men and has the ascendant over them, will make them peaceable, and slay all enmities; it will cut off the battle-bow, and beat swords into plough-shares. It will not only command the peace, but will create the fruit of the lips, peace.
    • 4. It shall extend itself to all parts of the world, in defiance of the opposition given to it. "The chariot and horse that come against Ephraim and Jerusalem, to oppose the progress of Zion's King, shall be cut off; his gospel shall be preached to the world, and be received among the heathen, so that his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth, as was foretold by David,' Ps. 72:8. The preachers of the gospel shall carry it from one country, one island, to another, till some of the remotest corners of the world are enlightened and reduced by it.
  • IV. Here is an account of the great benefit procured for mankind by the Messiah, which is redemption from extreme misery, typified by the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity in Babylon (v. 11): "As for thee also (thee, O daughter of Jerusalem! or thee, O Messiah the Prince!) by the blood of thy covenant, by force and virtue of the covenant made with Abraham, sealed with the blood of circumcision, and the covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai, sealed with the blood of sacrifices, in pursuance and performance of that covenant, I have now of late sent forth thy prisoners, thy captives out of Babylon, which was to them a most uncomfortable place, as a pit in which was no water.' It was part of the covenant that, if in the land of their captivity, they sought the Lord, he would be found of them, Lev. 26:42, 44, 45; Deu. 30:4. It was by the blood of that covenant, typifying the blood of Christ, in whom all God's covenants with man are yea and amen, that they were released out of captivity; and this was but a shadow of the great salvation wrought out by thy King, O daughter of Zion! Note, A sinful state is a state of bondage; it is a spiritual prison; it is a pit, or a dungeon, in which there is no water, no comfort at all to be had. We are all by nature prisoners in this pit; the scripture has concluded us all under sin, and bound us over to the justice of God. God is pleased to deal upon new terms with these prisoners, to enter into another covenant with them; the blood of Christ is the blood of that covenant, purchased it for us and all the benefits of it; by that blood of the covenant effectual provision is made for the sending forth of these prisoners upon easy and honourable terms, and proclamation made of liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those that were bound, like Cyrus's proclamation to the Jews in Babylon, which all those whose spirits God stirs up will come and take the benefit of.

Zec 9:12-17

The prophet, having taught those that had returned out of captivity to attribute their deliverance to the blood of the covenant and to the promise of the Messiah (for they were so wonderfully helped because that blessing was in them, was yet in the womb of their nation), now comes to encourage them with the prospect of a joyful and happy settlement, and of glorious times before them; and such a happiness they did enjoy, in a great measure, for some time; but these promises have their full accomplishment in the spiritual blessings of the gospel which we enjoy by Jesus Christ.

  • I. They are invited to look unto Christ, and flee unto him as their city of refuge (v. 12): Turn you to the strong-hold, you prisoners of hope. The Jews that had returned out of captivity into their own land were yet, in effect, but prisoners (We are servants this day, Neh. 9:36), yet prisoners of hope, or expectation, for God had given them a little reviving in their bondage, Ezra 9:8, 9. Those that yet continued in Babylon, detained by their affairs there, yet lived in hope some time or other to see their own land again. Now both these are directed to turn their eyes upon the Messiah, set before them in the promise as their strong-hold, to shelter themselves in him, and stay themselves upon him, for the perfecting of the mercy which by his grace, and for his sake, was so gloriously begun. Look unto him, and be you saved, Isa. 45:22. The promise of the Messiah was the strong-hold of the faithful long before his coming; they saw his day at a distance and were glad, and the believing expectation of the redemption in Jerusalem was long the support and consolation of Israel, Lu. 2:25, 38. They, in their dangers and distresses, were ready to turn towards this and the other creature for relief; but the prophets directed them still to turn to Christ, and to comfort themselves with the joy of their king coming to them with salvation. But, as their deliverance was typical of our redemption by Christ (v. 11), so this invitation to the strong-hold speaks the language of the gospel-call. Sinners are prisoners, but they are prisoners of hope; their case is sad, but it is not desperate; yet now there is hope in Israel concerning them. Christ is a strong-hold for them, a strong tower, in whom they may be safe and quiet from the fear of the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and the assaults of their spiritual enemies. To him they must turn by a lively faith; to him they must flee, and trust in his name.
  • II. They are assured of God's favour to them: "Even to day do I declare, when things are at the worst, and you think your case deplorable to the last degree, yet I solemnly promise that I will render double unto thee, to thee, O Jerusalem! to every one of you prisoners of hope. I will give you comforts double to the sorrows you have experienced, or blessings double to what I ever bestowed upon your fathers, when their condition was at the best; the glory of your latter state, as well as of your latter house, shall be greater, shall be twice as great as that of your former.' And so it was no otherwise than by the coming of the Messiah, the preaching of his gospel, and the setting up of his kingdom; these spiritual blessings in heavenly things were double to what they had ever enjoyed in their most prosperous state. As a pledge of this, in the fulness of time God here promises to the Jews victory, plenty, and joy, in their own land, which yet should be but a type and shadow of more glorious victories, riches, and joys, in the kingdom of Christ.
    • 1. They shall triumph over their enemies. The Jews, after their return, were surrounded with enemies on all sides. They were as a speckled bird; all the birds of the field were against them. Their land lay between the two potent kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, branches of the Grecian monarchy, and what frequent dangers they should be in between them was foretold, Dan. 11. But it is here promised that out of them all the Lord would deliver them; and this promise had its primary accomplishment in the times of the Maccabees, when the Jews made head against their enemies, kept their head above water, and, after many struggles and difficulties, came to be head over them. It is promised,
      • (1.) That they shall be instruments in God's hand for the defeating and baffling of their persecutors: "I have bent Judah for me, as my bow of steel; that bow I have filled with Ephraim as my arrows, have drawn it up to its full bent, till the arrow be at the head;' for some think that this is signified by the phrase of filling the bow. The expressions here are very fine, and the figures lively. Judah had been taught the use of the bow (2 Sa. 1:18), and Ephraim had been famous for it, Ps. 78:9. But let them not think that they gain their successes by their own bow, for they themselves are no more than God's bow and his arrows, tools in his hands, which he makes use of and manages as he pleases, which he holds as his bow and directs to the mark as his arrows. The best and bravest of men are but what God makes them, and do no more service than he enables them to do. The preachers of the gospel were the bow in Christ's hand, with which he went forth, he went on, conquering and to conquer, Rev. 6:2. The following words explain this: I have raised up and animated thy sons, O Zion! against thy sons, O Greece! This was fulfilled when against Antiochus, one of the kings of the Grecian monarchy, the people that knew their God were strong and did exploits, Dan. 11:32. And they in the hand of an almighty God were made as the sword of a mighty man, which none can stand before. Wicked men are said to be God's sword (Ps. 17:13), and sometimes good men are made so; for he employs both as he pleases.
      • (2.) That God will be captain, and commander-in-chief, over them, in every expedition and engagement (v. 14): The Lord shall be seen over them; he shall make it appear that he presides in their affairs, and that in all their motions they are under his direction, as apparently, though not as sensibly, as he was seen over Israel in the pillar of cloud and fire when he led them through the wilderness.
        • [1.] Is their army to be raised, or mustered, and brought into the field? The Lord shall blow the trumpet, to gather the forces together, to proclaim the war, to sound the alarm, and to give directions which way to march, which way to move; for, if God blow the trumpet, it shall not give an uncertain sound, nor a feeble ineffectual one.
        • [2.] Is the army taking the field, and entering upon action? Whatever enterprise the campaign is opened with, God shall go forth at the head of their forces, with whirlwinds of the south, which were of incredible swiftness and fierceness; and before these whirlwinds thy sons, O Greece! shall be as chaff.
        • [3.] Is the army actually engaged? God's arrows shall go forth as lightning, so strongly, so suddenly, so irresistibly; his lightnings shall go forth as arrows and scattered them, that is, he shot out his lightnings and discomfited them. This alludes to that which God had done for Israel of old when he brought them out of Egypt, and into Canaan, and had its accomplishment partly in the wonderful successes which the Jews had against their neighbours that attacked them in the time of the Maccabees, by the special appearances of the divine Providence for them, and perfectly in the glorious victories gained by the cross of Christ and the preaching of the cross over Satan and all the powers of darkness, whereby we are made more than conquerors.
        • [4.] Are they in danger of being overpowered by the enemy? The Lord of hosts shall defend them (v. 15); The Lord their God shall save them (v. 16); so that their enemies shall not prevail over them, nor prey upon them. God shall be unto them for defence as well as offence, the shield of their help as well as the sword of their excellency, and this as the Lord of hosts, who has power to defend them, and as their God, who is engaged by promise to defend them, and by the property he has in them. He shall save them in that day, that critical dangerous day, as the flock of his people, with the same care and tenderness that the shepherd protects his sheep with. Those are safe whom God saves.
        • [5.] Did their enemies hope to swallow them up? It shall be turned upon them, and they shall devour their enemies, and shall subdue with sling-stones, for want of better weapons, those that come forth against them. The stones of the brook, when God pleases, shall do as great execution as the best train of artillery; for the stars in their courses shall fight on the same side. Goliath was subdued with a sling-stone. Having subdued, they shall devour, shall drink the blood of their enemies, as it were, and, as conquerors are wont to do, they shall make a noise as through wine. It is usual for conquerors with loud huzzas and acclamations to glory in their victories and proclaim them. We read of those that shout for mastery, and of the shout of a king among God's people. They shall be filled with blood and spoil, as the bowls and basins of the temple, or the corners of the altar, were wont to be filled with the blood of the sacrifices; for their enemies shall fall as victims to divine justice.
    • 2. They shall triumph in their God. They shall take the comfort and give God the glory of their successes. So some read v. 15. They shall eat (that is, they shall quietly enjoy) what they have got; God will give them power to eat it after they have subdued the sling-stones (that is, their enemies that slung stones at them), and they shall drink and make a noise, a joyful noise, before the Lord their maker and protector, as through wine, as men are merry at a banquet of wine. Being not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but filled with the Spirit, they shall speak to themselves and one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, as those that are drunk do with vain and foolish songs, Eph. 5:18, 19. And, in the fulness of their joy, they shall offer abundance of sacrifices to the honour of God, so that they shall fill both the bowls and the corners of the altar with the fat and blood of their sacrifices. And, when they thus triumph in their successes, their joy shall terminate in God as their God, the God of their salvation. They shall triumph,
      • (1.) In the love he has for them, and the relation wherein they stand to him, that they are the flock of his people and he is their Shepherd, and that they are to him as the stones of a crown, which are very precious and of great value, and which are kept under a strong guard. Never was any king so pleased with the jewels of his crown as God is, and will be, with his people, who are near and dear unto him, and in whom he glories. They are a crown of glory and a royal diadem in his hand, Isa. 62:2, 3. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels, Mal. 3:17. And they shall be lifted up as an ensign upon his land, as the royal standard is displayed in token of triumph and joy. God's people are his glory; so he is pleased to make them, so he is pleased to reckon them. He sets them up as a banner upon his own land, waging war against those who hate him, to whom it is a flag of defiance, while it is a centre of unity to all that love him, to all the children of God, that are scattered abroad, who are invited to come and enlist themselves under this banner, Isa. 11:10, 12.
      • (2.) In the provision he makes for them, v. 15. This is the matter of their triumph (v. 17): For how great is his goodness and how great is his beauty! This is the substance, this the burden, of the songs wherewith they shall make a noise before the Lord. We are here taught,
        • [1.] To admire and praise the amiableness of God's being: How great is his beauty! All the perfections of God's nature conspire to make him infinitely lovely in the eyes of all that know him. They are to him as the stones of a crown; but what is he to them? Our business in the temple is to behold the beauty of the Lord (Ps. 27:4), and how great is that beauty! How far does it transcend all other beauties, particularly the beauty of his holiness. This may refer to the Messiah, to Zion's King that cometh. See that king in his beauty (Isa. 33:17), who is fairer than the children of men, the fairest of ten thousand, and altogether lovely. Though, in the eye of the world, he had no form or comeliness, in the eye of faith how great is his beauty!
        • [2.] To admire and give thanks for the gifts of God's favour and grace, his bounty as well as his beauty; for how great is his goodness! How rich in mercy is he! How deep, how full, are its springs! How various, how plenteous, how precious, are its streams! What a great deal of good does God do! How rich in mercy is he! Here is an instance of his goodness to his people: Corn shall make the young men cheerful and new wine the maids; that is, God will bless his people with an abundance of the fruits of the earth. Whereas they had been afflicted with scarcity to such a degree that the young men and the maidens were ready to swoon and faint away for hunger and thirst (Lam. 2:12, 21; 4:7, 8; 5:10), now they shall have bread enough and to spare, not water only, but wine, new wine, which shall make the young people grow and be cheerful, and (which some have observed to be the effect of plenty and the cheapness of corn) the poor will be encouraged to marry, and re-people the land, when they shall have wherewithal to maintain their families. Note, What good gifts God bestows upon us we must serve him cheerfully with, and must race the streams up to the fountain, and, when we are refreshed with corn and wine, must say, How great is his goodness!