Zechariah 10:8

8 I shall hiss to them, and I shall gather them, for I again-bought them, and I shall multiply them, as they were multiplied before. (I shall whistle for them, and I shall gather them together, for I have redeemed them, and I shall multiply them, so that they become as numerous as they were before.)

Zechariah 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 10:8

I will hiss for them
Or "whistle for them" F16; the word signifies, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, the motion of the lips with the voice, and is a sign of calling; and so the Targum renders it, I will cry or call for them; and it denotes the call of them by the Gospel, which is the voice of Christ, which is soft, sweet, and melodious; is a sound of love, grace, and mercy; of peace, pardon, life, and salvation: the allusion seems to be to the shepherd gathering his sheep together with his pipe or whistle, and which was a reed; and so may denote the weakness of the instrument, the ministry of the word in itself, which is made the power of God unto salvation: and gather them;
from the places where they are scattered, into their land; or, by effectual calling, out from the state and condition in which they are, and from among the men of the world, to the Lord himself, as their Redeemer and Saviour; and to him for pardon and righteousness; and into his churches, and communion with him there: Kimchi observes, that some interpret this verse of future time; and Jarchi says it relates to it; and in the Talmud F17 it is applied to the times of the Messiah; where they speak of a bird called "racham", which we translate the gier eagle, ( Deuteronomy 14:17 ) and they say it is so called, because, when that comes, mercies come into the world, which this word signifies. R. Bibi bar Abi says, when it sits, it makes a whistling or hissing, from whence it is called "sarakrak", a word derived from what is here used; and when it sits on the ground, and hisses or whistles, the Messiah will come, as it is said, "I will hiss for them"; the gloss is, when it stands not, but sits and chirps, it is a sign of good news. The design, seems to be to show, that the Messiah's coming is owing mercy, and would be good news, which the Gospel publishes. For I have redeemed them;
from sin, Satan, the law, death, and hell, and every enemy, by his precious blood, and the sacrifice of himself when here on earth; and this is the foundation of the effectual calling of any and every sinner; and will be the reason of the conversion and ingathering of the Jews in the latter day; they being a people redeemed and purchased by the blood of Christ, ( Isaiah 43:1 ) : and they shall increase as they have increased;
either when in Egypt, or in the days of Solomon; their number shall be as the sand of the sea, ( Hosea 1:10 ) a nation shall be born at once; they shall be multiplied, and not be few, and glorified, and not be small; yea, the place shall be too strait for them to dwell in, ( Jeremiah 31:18 ) ( Isaiah 49:18-22 ) ( 66:8 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F16 (hqrva) "sibilabo", i. e. "fistula pastorali", Grotius, Burkius.
F17 T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 63. 1.

Zechariah 10:8 In-Context

6 And I shall comfort the house of Judah, and I shall save the house of Joseph; and I shall convert them, for I shall have mercy on them; and they shall be as they were, when I had not cast away them; for I shall be the Lord God of them, and I shall graciously hear them. (And I shall strengthen the house of Judah, and I shall save the house of Joseph; and I shall restore them, for I shall have mercy upon them, and they shall be as they were, when I had not cast them away; for I shall be the Lord their God, and I shall graciously hear, or I shall graciously answer, them.)
7 And they shall be as the strong men of Ephraim, and the heart of them shall be glad, as of wine; and the sons of them shall see, and be glad, and the heart of them shall make joy withoutforth in the Lord. (And they shall be like the strong men of Ephraim, and their hearts shall be happy, as if from wine; and their sons shall see, and be happy, and their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.)
8 I shall hiss to them, and I shall gather them, for I again-bought them, and I shall multiply them, as they were multiplied before. (I shall whistle for them, and I shall gather them together, for I have redeemed them, and I shall multiply them, so that they become as numerous as they were before.)
9 And I shall sow them among peoples, and from far they shall bethink of me; and they shall live with their sons, and shall turn again. (And I shall sow them among the nations, and from far off they shall remember me; and they shall live with their children, and then shall return.)
10 And I shall bring again them from the land of Egypt, and I shall gather them from Assyrians; and I shall bring them to the land of Gilead and of Lebanon, and place shall not be found to them. (And I shall bring them back from the land of Egypt, and I shall gather them from Assyria; and I shall bring them to the lands of Gilead and of Lebanon, until there be no more places found for them.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.