Zechariah 9

Judgment on Israel's Enemies

1 The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach and ¹Damascus is its resting place. For the LORD has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel,^[a]

2 ²and on Hamath also, which borders on it, ³Tyre and ⁴Sidon, though ⁵they are very wise.

3 Tyre has built herself ⁶a rampart and ⁷heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets.

4 But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down ⁸her power on the sea, and ⁹she shall be devoured by fire.

5 ¹⁰Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;

6 ¹¹a mixed people^[b] shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.

7 I will take away ¹²its blood from its mouth, and ¹³its abominations from between its teeth; ¹⁴it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like ¹⁵a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

8 Then ¹⁶I will encamp at my house as a guard, ¹⁷so that none shall march to and fro; ¹⁸no oppressor shall again march over them, ¹⁹for now I see with my own eyes.

The Coming King of Zion

9 ²⁰Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! ²¹Behold, ²²your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, ²³humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 ²⁴I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and ²⁵the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and ²⁶he shall speak peace to the nations; ²⁷his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from ²⁸the River to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you also, because of ²⁹the blood of my covenant with you, ³⁰I will set your prisoners free from ³¹the waterless pit.

12 Return to your stronghold, O ³²prisoners of hope; today I declare that ³³I will restore to you double.

13 For ³⁴I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, ³⁵O Greece, and wield you like a warrior's sword.

The Lord Will Save His People

14 Then the LORD will appear over them, and ³⁶his arrow will go forth like lightning; ³⁷the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and will march forth in ³⁸the whirlwinds ³⁹of the south.

15 The LORD of hosts ⁴⁰will protect them, and ⁴¹they shall devour, ⁴²and tread down the sling stones, and ⁴³they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched ⁴⁴like the corners of the altar.

16 On that day the LORD their God will save them, as ⁴⁵the flock of his people; for ⁴⁶like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

17 ⁴⁷For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! ⁴⁸Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

Zechariah 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

God's defence of his church. (1-8) Christ's coming and his kingdom. (9-11) Promises to the church. (12-17)

Verses 1-8 Here are judgements foretold on several nations. While the Macedonians and Alexander's successors were in warfare in these countries, the Lord promised to protect his people. God's house lies in the midst of an enemy's country; his church is as a lily among thorns. God's power and goodness are seen in her special preservation. The Lord encamps about his church, and while armies of proud opposers shall pass by and return, his eyes watch over her, so that they cannot prevail, and shortly the time will come when no exactor shall pass by her any more.

Verses 9-17 The prophet breaks forth into a joyful representation of the coming of the Messiah, of whom the ancient Jews explained this prophecy. He took the character of their King, when he entered Jerusalem amidst the hosannas of the multitude. But his kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. It shall not be advanced by outward force or carnal weapons. His gospel shall be preached to the world, and be received among the heathen. A sinful state is a state of bondage; it is a pit, or dungeon, in which there is no water, no comfort; and we are all by nature prisoners in this pit. Through the precious blood of Christ, many prisoners of Satan have been set at liberty from the horrible pit in which they must otherwise have perished, without hope or comfort. While we admire Him, let us seek that his holiness and truth may be shown in our own spirits and conduct. These promises have accomplishment in the spiritual blessings of the gospel which we enjoy by Jesus Christ. As the deliverance of the Jews was typical of redemption by Christ, so this invitation speaks to all the language of the gospel call. Sinners are prisoners, but prisoners of hope; their case is sad, but not desperate; for there is hope in Israel concerning them. Christ is a Strong-hold, a strong Tower, in whom believers are safe from the fear of the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and the assaults of spiritual enemies. To him we must turn with lively faith; to him we must flee, and trust in his name under all trials and sufferings. It is here promised that the Lord would deliver his people. This passage also refers to the apostles, and the preachers of the gospel in the early ages. God was evidently with them; his words from their lips pierced the hearts and consciences of the hearers. They were wondrously defended in persecution, and were filled with the influences of the Holy Spirit. They were saved by the Good Shepherd as his flock, and honoured as jewels of his crown. The gifts, graces, and consolations of the Spirit, poured forth on the day of Pentecost, ( Acts 2 ) and in succeeding times, are represented. Sharp have been, and still will be, the conflicts of Zion's sons, but their God will give them success. The more we are employed, and satisfied with his goodness, the more we shall admire the beauty revealed in the Redeemer. Whatever gifts God bestows on us, we must serve him cheerfully with them; and, when refreshed with blessings, we must say, How great is his goodness!

Cross References

• 1. See Isaiah 17:1
• 2. Jeremiah 49:23; See 1 Kings 8:65
• 3. Joshua 19:28, 29; Isaiah 23:1, 2
• 4. Joshua 19:28, 29; Isaiah 23:1, 2
• 5. See Ezekiel 28:3-5
• 6. [Joshua 19:29]
• 7. Ezekiel 28:4, 5
• 8. Ezekiel 26:17
• 9. Ezekiel 28:18
• 10. See Zephaniah 2:4
• 11. [Deuteronomy 23:2]
• 12. See Leviticus 3:17
• 13. [Isaiah 66:17]
• 14. [Isaiah 14:1]
• 15. Zechariah 12:5, 6
• 16. [Zechariah 2:5]
• 17. Zechariah 7:14
• 18. Zechariah 10:4; [Isaiah 60:17]
• 19. [Zechariah 12:4]
• 20. See Zephaniah 3:14
• 21. Cited Matthew 21:5; [John 12:15]
• 22. See Jeremiah 23:5
• 23. [Matthew 11:29]
• 24. See Hosea 1:7
• 25. See Micah 5:10
• 26. See Micah 5:5
• 27. Psalms 72:8
• 28. See Exodus 23:31
• 29. Exodus 24:8
• 30. Isaiah 42:7; Isaiah 51:14; Isaiah 61:1
• 31. [Genesis 37:24; Jeremiah 38:6]
• 32. [Jeremiah 31:17]
• 33. Isaiah 61:7
• 34. [Zechariah 10:3, 4]
• 35. Genesis 10:2; Ezekiel 27:13
• 36. See 2 Samuel 22:15
• 37. [Isaiah 27:13]
• 38. Isaiah 21:1
• 39. [Zechariah 6:6]
• 40. Zechariah 12:8; [Zechariah 10:5]
• 41. Zechariah 12:6
• 42. [Zechariah 10:5]
• 43. Zechariah 10:7
• 44. [Leviticus 4:18, 25]
• 45. Psalms 100:3
• 46. Isaiah 62:3; [Malachi 3:17]
• 47. [Isaiah 62:3, 4]
• 48. [Isaiah 62:8, 9; Jeremiah 31:12]

Footnotes

• [a]. A slight emendation yields For to the Lord belongs the capital of Syria and all the tribes of Israel
• [b]. Or a foreign people; Hebrew a bastard

Chapter Summary

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, encouragement, and success. The Gentiles converted are first the Syrians that dwelt in Hadrach, Damascus, and Hamath, the Lord's eye being upon them, Zec 9:1 next the Phoenicians, the inhabitants of Tyre and Zidon, who had a vain opinion of their wisdom, and trusted in their riches, Zec 9:2-4 and then the Philistines, the inhabitants of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, guilty of pride, murder, idolatry, and other abominations, Zec 9:5-7 when the church and people of God should be safely protected, Zec 9:8 to whom, for their joy and comfort, is given forth a prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah; who is described by his character as a King, just, having salvation, lowly, and riding on an ass; by the peaceableness of his kingdom; by the various offices he executes; the prophetic office, speaking peace to the Heathen; the kingly office, his dominion being very large; and his priestly office, in the effusion of his blood, by which the covenant is confirmed, his people delivered out of distress, and encouraged to flee to him as their stronghold, where they find plenty and protection, Zec 9:9-12 next the apostles are represented as military men, accoutered with the bow and the sword of the mighty, Zec 9:13 whose success is owing to the Lord's appearance over them, and the efficacy of his grace and Spirit attending the word, Zec 9:14 who are protected and encouraged in it by the Lord, and honoured on account of it, Zec 9:15,16 and the chapter is concluded with an exclamation, wondering at the grace and glory of Christ, and expressing the satisfying provisions of his house, Zec 9:17.