Zechariah9
New King James Version
1The burden of the word of the Lord Against the land of Hadrach, And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the Lord);
2Also against Hamath, which borders on it, And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust, And gold like the mire of the streets.
4Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, And she will be devoured by fire.
5Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6“A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite.
8I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.
9“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’
11“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.
13For I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man.”
14Then the Lord will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south.
15The Lord of hosts will defend them; They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar.
16The Lord their God will save them in that day, As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land—
17For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall 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