Zechariah 9

Prophecies against Neighboring Nations

1 The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, with ¹Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD ),

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

3 For Tyre built herself a ⁶fortress And ⁷piled up silver like dust, And ⁸gold like the mire of the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord will ⁹dispossess her And cast her wealth into the sea; And she will be ¹⁰consumed with fire.

5 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

6 And a mongrel race will dwell in ¹¹Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 And I will remove their blood from their mouth And their detestable things from between their teeth. Then they also will be a remnant for our God, And be like a clan in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite.

8 But I will camp around My house because of an army, Because of ¹²him who passes by and returns; And ¹³no oppressor will pass over them anymore, For now I have seen with My eyes.

9 ¹⁴Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your ¹⁵king is coming to you; He is ¹⁶just and ¹⁷endowed with salvation, ¹⁸Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a ¹⁹colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 I will ²⁰cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the ²¹horse from Jerusalem; And the ²²bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak ²³peace to the nations; And His ²⁴dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.

Deliverance of Judah and Ephraim

11 As for you also, because of the ²⁵blood of My covenant with you, I have set your ²⁶prisoners free from the waterless * pit.

12 Return to the ²⁷stronghold, O prisoners who have the ²⁸hope; This very day I am declaring that I will restore ²⁹double to you.

13 For I will ³⁰bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O ³¹Greece; And I will make you like a ³²warrior's sword.

14 Then the LORD will appear ³³over them, And His ³⁴arrow will go forth like lightning; And the Lord GOD will blow the ³⁵trumpet, And will march in the ³⁶storm winds of the south.

15 ³⁷The LORD of hosts will defend them. And they will ³⁸devour and trample on the ³⁹sling stones; And they will drink and be ⁴⁰boisterous as with wine; And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin, Drenched like the ⁴¹corners of the altar.

16 And the LORD their God will ⁴²save them in that day As the flock of His people; For they are as the stones of a ⁴³crown, Sparkling in His land.

17 For what ⁴⁴comeliness and ⁴⁵beauty will be theirs! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

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. Isaiah 17:1; Jeremiah 49:23-27; Amos 1:3-5
• 2. Jeremiah 49:23
• 3. Ezek 28:2-5, 12
• 4. Ezekiel 28:21
• 5. Ezek 28:2-5, 12
• 6. Joshua 19:29; 2 Samuel 24:7
• 7. Job 27:16; Ezekiel 27:33; Ezekiel 28:4, 5
• 8. 1 Kings 10:21, 27
• 9. Ezekiel 26:3-5
• 10. Ezekiel 28:18
• 11. Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4
• 12. Isaiah 52:1
• 13. Isaiah 54:14; Isaiah 60:18
• 14. Zephaniah 3:14, 15; Zechariah 2:10
• 15. Psalms 110:1; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Jeremiah 23:5, 6; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15
• 16. Zephaniah 3:5
• 17. Isaiah 43:3, 11
• 18. Isaiah 57:15
• 19. Judges 10:4; Isaiah 30:6
• 20. Hosea 1:7
• 21. Micah 5:10
• 22. Hosea 2:18
• 23. Isaiah 57:19; Micah 4:2-4
• 24. Psalms 72:8; Isaiah 60:12
• 25. Exodus 24:8; Hebrews 10:2
• 26. Isaiah 24:22; Isaiah 51:14
• 27. Jeremiah 16:19; Joel 3:16
• 28. Jeremiah 14:8; Jeremiah 17:13; Hebrews 6:18, 19
• 29. Isaiah 61:7
• 30. Jeremiah 51:20
• 31. Joel 3:6
• 32. Psalms 45:3
• 33. Isaiah 31:5; Zechariah 2:5
• 34. Psalms 18:14; Habakkuk 3:11
• 35. Isaiah 27:13
• 36. Isaiah 21:1; Isaiah 66:15
• 37. Isaiah 37:35; Zechariah 12:8
• 38. Zechariah 12:6
• 39. Job 41:28
• 40. Psalms 78:65
• 41. Exodus 27:2
• 42. Jeremiah 31:10, 11
• 43. Isaiah 62:3
• 44. Jeremiah 31:12, 14
• 45. Psalms 27:4; Isaiah 33:17

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "oracle"
• [b]. Or "because"
• [c]. I.e. they think they are
• [d]. Lit "bastard will"
• [e]. Or "chief"
• [f]. Or "as a guard, so that none will go back and forth"
• [g]. Or "vindicated and victorious"
• [h]. Lit "son of a female donkey"
• [i]. I.e. Euphrates
• [j]. Lit "cistern in which there is no water"
• [k]. Or "Stronghold"
• [l]. Lit "of the hope"
• [m]. Lit "for Me"
• [n]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD
• [o]. Or "Displayed over"
• [p]. Lit "goodness"
• [q]. Lit "his"

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.