Zechariah 9:2

2 And Hemath shall be in the terms thereof, and Tyrus, and Sidon; for they took to them wisdom greatly. (And Hamath shall be within its borders, and Tyre, and Sidon; even though they think themselves to have great wisdom.)

Zechariah 9:2 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 9:2

And Hamath also shall border thereby
By the land of Hadrach, or by Damascus; and that it was near Damascus is clear from ( Isaiah 10:9 ) ( Jeremiah 49:23 ) it is called Hamath the great in ( Amos 6:2 ) and according to Jerom ^F4, is the same with Antioch, which he says was so called by some; and the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel on ( Numbers 13:21 ) , renders Hamath by Antioch: and, if so, here was the Lord's rest likewise; here the Gospel was preached, and many converted, and a church, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, was formed; and here the disciples were first called Christians, ( Acts 11:26 ) . Tyrus and Zidon;
these were famous cities of Phoenicia; upon the borders of these our Lord himself was, ( Matthew 15:21 ) of the conversion of the inhabitants of these places the psalmist prophecies, ( Psalms 45:12 ) here likewise the Lord had his resting place; we read of the disciples here, ( Acts 21:3 Acts 21:4 ) ( 27:3 ) : though it be very wise;
particularly Tyre, which was famous for wisdom, ( Ezekiel 28:3 Ezekiel 28:4 ) which the Lord confounded by the preaching of the Gospel, and by the foolishness of that saved them that believe. Kimchi refers this to the times of the Messiah; his note is, she shall not trust in her wisdom in the time of the Messiah: so Ben Melech.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Comment. in Amos, fol. 44. C. & Quaest. Hebr. in Genesim, fol. 67. B. So Cyril. in Amos, p. 312.

Zechariah 9:2 In-Context

1 The burden of the word of the Lord, in the land of Hadrach, and of Damascus, (shall be for) the rest thereof; for of the Lord is the eye of man, and of all [the] lineages of Israel. (The charge, or the heavy burden, of the word of the Lord, for the land of Hadrach, and the city of Damascus, which be his; and the eyes of these people, like those of all the tribes of Israel, shall be upon the Lord.)

2 And Hemath shall be in the terms thereof, and Tyrus, and Sidon; for they took to them wisdom greatly. (And Hamath shall be within its borders, and Tyre, and Sidon; even though they think themselves to have great wisdom.)

3 And Tyrus builded his stronghold, and gathered silver as earth, and gold as fen of streets. (And Tyre built its fortress, and gathered silver like the dust, and gold like the mire, or like the mud, in the streets.)

4 Lo! the Lord shall wield it, and shall smite in the sea the strength thereof, and it shall be devoured by fire. (Lo! the Lord shall possess it, and shall strike down its strength into the sea, and the city itself shall be devoured by fire.)

5 Ashkelon shall see, and shall dread; and Gaza, and shall sorrow full much; and Ekron, for the hope thereof is confounded; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited; (Ashkelon shall see it, and shall have great fear; and Gaza, and it shall have great sorrow; and Ekron too, for its hope is confounded, or what it trusted in hath perished; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited;)