Zechariah9
King James Version · Public Domain
1The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.
2And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyre, and Zidon, though it be very wise.
3And Tyre did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
4Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.
5Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
8And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
12Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
13When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.
14And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
15The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.
16And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.
17For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.
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