Zechariah9
New International Version
1A prophecy: The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus— for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord—
2and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful.
3Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.
4But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.
5Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod, and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.
7I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
8But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.
9Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
13I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword.
14Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,
15and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.
16The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.
17How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Zechariah 9.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God's defence of his church. (1–8). Christ's coming and his kingdom. (9–11). Promises to the church. (12–17).
vv1-8
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.
vv9-17
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, Ac 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!
Key Words
מַשָּׂא: a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly adoom, especially singing; mental, desire
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
חַדְרָךְ: Chadrak, a Syrian deity
דַּמֶּשֶׂק: Damascus, a city of Syria
מְנוּחָה: repose or (adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an abode
עַיִן: an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
שֵׁבֶט: a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
Cross References
Zechariah 9Directly cited in the Gospels as the literal fulfillment of Zion's King riding upon a colt.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The NT record of Jesus entering Jerusalem on the donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's specific prophecy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Matches the description of Tyre's great wisdom, commercial success, and accumulation of gold.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel oracle concerning the judgment and ultimate stripping of Tyre's pride and power.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Verbatim parallel for the Messiah's universal dominion extending 'from sea to sea, and from the river.'
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Explains the 'blood of thy covenant' in connection with eternal redemption and deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The historical foundation of 'the blood of the covenant' which established Israel's relationship with God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Riblah in the land of Hamath, where severe judgments were executed upon Judah's royalty.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Echoes the proverbial expression of 'heaping up silver as the dust' in pride.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Judgment on the Philistine cities (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, Ashdod) matching Zechariah's list.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the promise of God encamping around His house to defend it from danger.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Thematic parallel of releasing captive prisoners from dungeons and darkness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the promise of rendering 'double' restoration and joy to God's suffering people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reinforces God's direct protection of Jerusalem, acting as a wall of fire around her.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jesus identifies His blood at the Last Supper as 'my blood of the new testament.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes the empowerment of God's people, making the feeble among them as David.
Supported by Matthew Henry