Zechariah 10

God Will Bless Judah and Ephraim

1 Ask ¹rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain - The LORD who ²makes the storm clouds; And He will give them ³showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man.

2 For the ⁴teraphim speak iniquity, And the ⁵diviners see lying visions And tell ⁶false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore * the people wander like ⁷sheep, They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.

3 "My ⁸anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the male goats; For the LORD of hosts has ⁹visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.

4 "From them will come the ¹⁰cornerstone, From them the tent peg, From them the bow of ¹¹battle, From them every ruler, all of them together.

5 "They will be as mighty men, ¹²Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; And the ¹³riders on horses will be put to shame.

6 "I will ¹⁴strengthen the house of Judah, And I will ¹⁵save the house of Joseph, And I will ¹⁶bring them back, Because I have had ¹⁷compassion on them; And they will be as though I had ¹⁸not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will ¹⁹answer them.

7 "Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad as if from wine; Indeed, their ²⁰children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD.

8 "I will ²¹whistle for them to gather them together, For I have redeemed them; And they will be as ²²numerous as they ²³were before.

9 "When I scatter them among the peoples, They will ²⁴remember Me in far countries, And they with their children will live and come back.

10 "I will ²⁵bring them back from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria; And I will bring them into the land of ²⁶Gilead and Lebanon Until ²⁷no room can be found for them.

11 "And they will pass through the ²⁸sea of distress And He will strike the waves in the sea, So that all the depths of the ²⁹Nile will dry up; And the pride of ³⁰Assyria will be brought down And the scepter of ³¹Egypt will depart.

12 "And I will ³²strengthen them in the LORD, And in His name ³³they will walk," declares the LORD.

Zechariah 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Blessings to be sought from the Lord. (1-5) God will restore his people. (6-12)

Verses 1-5 Spiritual blessings had been promised under figurative allusions to earthly plenty. Seasonable rain is a great mercy, which we may ask of God when there is most need of it, and we may look for it to come. We must in our prayers ask for mercies in their proper time. The Lord would make bright clouds, and give showers of rain. This may be an exhortation to seek the influences of the Holy Spirit, in faith and by prayer, through which the blessings held forth in the promises are obtained and enjoyed. The prophet shows the folly of making addresses to idols, as their fathers had done. The Lord visited the remnant of his flock in mercy, and was about to renew their courage and strength for conflict and victory. Every creature is to us what God makes it to be. Every one raised to support the nation, as a corner-stone does the building, or to unite those that differ, as nails join the different timbers, must come from the Lord; and those employed to overcome their enemies, must have strength and success from him. This may be applied to Christ; to him we must look to raise up persons to unite, support, and defend his people. He never will say, Seek ye me in vain.

Verses 6-12 Here are precious promises to the people of God, which look to the state of the Jews, and even to the latter days of the church. Preaching the gospel is God's call for souls to come to Jesus Christ. Those whom Christ redeemed by his blood, God will gather by his grace. Difficulties shall be got over easily, and effectually, as those in the way of the deliverance out of Egypt. God himself will be their strength, and their song. When we resist, and so overcome our spiritual enemies, then our hearts shall rejoice. If God strengthen us, we must bestir ourselves in all the duties of the Christian life, must be active in the work of God; and we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Cross References

• 1. Joel 2:23
• 2. Jeremiah 10:13
• 3. Isaiah 30:23
• 4. Ezekiel 21:21; Hosea 3:4
• 5. Jeremiah 27:9
• 6. Jeremiah 23:32
• 7. Ezekiel 34:5, 8; Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34
• 8. Jeremiah 25:34-36
• 9. Ezekiel 34:12
• 10. Luke 20:17; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6
• 11. Jeremiah 51:20; Zechariah 9:10
• 12. 2 Samuel 22:43
• 13. Amos 2:15; Haggai 2:22
• 14. Zechariah 10:12
• 15. Zechariah 8:7; Zechariah 9:16
• 16. Zechariah 8:8
• 17. Isaiah 54:8; Zechariah 1:16
• 18. Isaiah 54:4
• 19. Zechariah 13:9
• 20. Isaiah 54:13; Ezekiel 37:25
• 21. Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 7:18, 19
• 22. Jeremiah 33:22; Revelation 7:9
• 23. Jeremiah 30:20; Ezekiel 36:11
• 24. 1 Kings 8:47, 48; Ezekiel 6:9
• 25. Isaiah 11:11
• 26. Jeremiah 50:19
• 27. Isaiah 49:19, 20
• 28. Isaiah 51:9, 10
• 29. Isaiah 19:5-7
• 30. Zephaniah 2:13
• 31. Ezekiel 30:13
• 32. Zechariah 10:6
• 33. Micah 4:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "thunderbolts"
• [b]. Or "futility"
• [c]. Lit a "lie"
• [d]. Lit "journey"
• [e]. I.e. leaders
• [f]. Lit "him"
• [g]. Lit "him"
• [h]. Lit "him"
• [i]. Lit "him"
• [j]. Or "oppressor"
• [k]. Or "make them dwell"
• [l]. Or "Let their heart rejoice"
• [m]. Lit "were numerous"
• [n]. Lit "sow"
• [o]. Lit "And"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 10

This chapter is a prophecy of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, when the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, spoken of in the preceding chapter Zec 9:1-17. It begins with an exhortation to ask rain of the Lord; denounces wrath upon his enemies; and consists of various promises to his people. The exhortation to ask rain is in Zec 10:1 to which encouragement is given from its being of the Lord, from his willingness to grant it, and from the fruitfulness occasioned by it. The vanity of idols, and idolaters, who can not give it, is exposed; and the distress and confusion they were thrown into is observed, Zec 10:2. The anger of the Lord against the principal of them is declared; and his gracious visitation of the people of the Jews, whom he will honour and glorify, is taken notice of, Zec 10:3 from whom the Messiah sprung, than which a greater glory can not be enjoyed, Zec 10:4 and then follow various promises, relating to them; as of victory over their enemies, through the presence of the Lord with them, Zec 10:5 of strength and salvation to them, as owing to his free grace and mercy, Zec 10:6 of inward spiritual joy in them and theirs, Zec 10:7 of their effectual calling and spiritual increase, in consequence of redeeming grace, Zec 10:8 of their having a name and a place in Gospel churches, where they will remember the Lord, and live with their children, being converted, Zec 10:9 which conversion of theirs is represented in terms alluding to their deliverance from Egypt and Babylon, Zec 10:10,11 and the chapter is concluded with a promise of spiritual strength, so that they shall continue in their profession of faith in Christ, and persevere therein to the end, Zec 10:12.