Nazarene Commentary 2000©
21st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures©
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21st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures©
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THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH
CHAPTER NINE:
ENEMIES AND A COMING KING
Summary
A new series of divine messages come through Zechariah. The first is against named enemy cities that opposed Israel. YHWH will now guard Judah. A righteous king possessed of salvation approaches riding a young donkey. He will speak peace to the nations.
Promises of restoration cause Zion to rejoice. A key Messianic prophecy is quoted at Matthew 21:15.
Zechariah 9:1-8 – Against Enemy Cities
ZC9:1 A weighty message:
“The utterance of YeHoWaH is opposed to the land of Hadrach.
It comes to rest against Damascus.
For YeHoWaH is watching all humanity,
including all the tribes of Israel.
| 214 | Weighty message: Or, burden, pronouncement, oracle, proclamation. |
| 215 | Opposed to the land of Hadrach: Or, ASV: The burden of the word of Jehovah upon the land of. Evidently a province in the general area. Some think it to be that Hatarikka mentioned in Assyrian
writings. It is only mentioned here. The weighty message is addressed to a series of cities who were enemies of Israel. |
| 216 |
It comes to rest against Damascus: Or, ASV: and Damascus shall be its resting-place; BAS: and Damascus is his resting-place; LXX: and his sacrifice shall be in Damascus. Damascus was the capitol of Syria to the north of Jerusalem. See notes
elsewhere on Damascus. [Jeremiah 49:27; Amos 1:3] |
| 217 | For YeHoWaH is watching all
humanity: Or, BAS: for the towns of Aram are the Lord’s; JPS: for the LORD’S is the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel; LXX: for the Lord looks [EPHORA] upon men, and upon all the tribes of Israel. There are a couple of approaches to the
Hebrew phrase. [2 Chronicles 16:9; 1 Peter 3:12] |
ZC9:2 Also [YeHoWaH is watching] Hamath
bordering [Hadrach], as well as Tyre and Sidon no matter her wisdom.
| 218 | Hamath: An ancient city in Syria, now modern Hama. Compare Genesis 10:6, 15-18; 1 Chronicles 1:8, 13-16. [Jeremiah 49:23; Amos 6:14] |
| 219 | As well as Tyre and Sidon no matter her wisdom: Or, ASV: because they are very wise; LXX: because they were very wise [SPHODRA]. Trye and
Sidon were key cities in Phoenicia and are often mentioned together. See notes on Isaiah 23:1. [Ezekiel 28:3; Joel 3:4; Amos 1:9] Note the Nazarene Master’s words regarding these at Matthew 11:21, 22. |
ZC9:3 Tyre has constructed her own fortress and piled up silver as though it were mere dust.
Indeed, gold as though it were street debris.
| 220 | Tyre has constructed her own fortress and piled up silver as though it were mere dust: Or, ASV: Tyre did build herself a stronghold,
and heaped up silver as the dust. See notes in Isaiah on Tyre. [Ezekiel 27:33] This was an island fortress. |
| 221 | Gold
as though it were street debris: Or, ASV: fine gold as the mire of the streets; BAS: best gold like the earth of the streets. |
ZC9:4 Watch! The Sovereign Lord will oust her and smash her
fortress into the sea.
She will be consumed by fire.
| 222 | Watch! The Sovereign Lord will oust her and smash her fortress into the sea: Or, ASV: Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he
will smite her power in the sea; BAS: See, the Lord will take away her heritage, overturning her power in the sea. [Ezekiel 26:17; 27:26] |
ZC9:5 Ashkelon will watch on and be terrified.
Gaza will also squirm with great agony.
Also Ekron because she will be embarrassed over her own prospects.
The ruler will disappear from Gaza, and Ashkelon will be deserted.
| 223 | Ashkelon will watch on and be terrified: Or, ASV: Ashkelon shall see it, and fear. A Philistine city. |
| 224 | Gaza will also squirm with great agony: Or, ASV: Gaza also, and shall be sore pained. Another important Philistine city and still in Palestinian
news in modern times. |
| 225 | Also Ekron because she will be embarrassed over her own prospects: Or, ASV: Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; JPS: for her expectation shall be ashamed; LXX: for she is ashamed at her trespass. Another Philistine city. [Joshua 13:3; 1 Sam 5:10] |
| 226 | The ruler will disappear from Gaza, and Ashkelon will be deserted: Or, ASV: the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited; BAS: the king will be cut off from Gaza, and Ashkelon will be unpeopled. [Zephaniah 2:4] |
ZC9:6 A bastard will rule as king in Ashdod,
and so I will terminate the smugness of the Philistines.
| 227 | A bastard will rule as king in Ashdod: Or, ASV: a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod; BAS: a mixed people will be living in Ashdod; LXX:
aliens. The Hebrew for “bastard” is MAMZER [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #4464]. Compare Deuteronomy 23:2 and Hebrews 12:8 KJV. |
| 228 | I will terminate the smugness of the Philistines: Or, ASV: I will cut off the pride of the Philistines; LXX: I will bring down the pride. |
ZC9:7 I will
remove the sacrificial blood from his mouth, his abominations from between his teeth.
He that survives will belong to our God, and so he will become a leader in Judah.
Ekron will be absorbed just like the Jebusites.
| 229 | I will remove the sacrificial blood from his mouth, his abominations from between his teeth: Or, ASV: I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; BAS: and his disgusting things from between his teeth; LXX: abominations [BDELYGMATA]. Note BDELYGMA at Matthew 24:14. Possibly idolatrous food and drink. |
| 230 | He that survives will belong to our God, and so he will become a leader in Judah: Or, ASV: and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah; BAS: and some of his people will be kept for our God: and he will be as a family in Judah; JPS: and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chief in Judah; LXX: these also shall be left to our God, and they shall be as a captain of a thousand [CHILIARCHOS] in Juda. [Isaiah 4:3] |
| 231 | Ekron will be absorbed just like the Jebusites: Or, BAS: Ekron as one living in Jerusalem; JPS: Ekron as a Jebusite. That is conquered and turned into citizens. [2 Samuel 5:6; 1 Kings 9:20; 1 Chronicles 11:4; 21:28] |
ZC9:8 At that time I will set up camp around My House
– [protecting her] against any enemy army, against any passerby or returnee.
No longer will oppressors tread on them, for now I am on the watch with My own eyes. | 232 | At that time I will set up camp around My House: Or, ASV: And I will encamp about my house; BAS: I will put my forces in position round my house; LXX: I will set up a defence for my house. The language seems similar to Revelation 20:9. [Psalm 125:2] |
| 233 | Protecting her against any enemy army, against any passerby or returnee: Or, ASV: against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more; BAS: so that there may be no coming and going: and no cruel master will again go through them; LXX: that they may not pass through, nor turn back, neither shall there any more come upon them one to drive them away; NJB: to defend it against all comers. The LXX Greek uses ANACAMPTEIN. [Isaiah 54:14] |
| 234 | For now I am on the watch with My own eyes: Or, ASV: for now have I seen with mine eyes; BAS: for now I have seen his trouble; NJB: for now I am on the alert. [Exodus 3:7; 2 Samuel 16:12] |
Zechariah 9:9, 10 – A Coming King
ZC9:9 “Leap for joy, O daughter of Zion. Shout triumphantly, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Look, your King approaches! He is righteous and possesses salvation. Riding a donkey he is poor and humble, indeed, [riding] upon a colt, a young donkey.
[Matthew 21:5]
| 235 | Leap for joy, O daughter of Zion. Shout triumphantly, O daughter of Jerusalem: Or, BAS: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout,
O daughter of Jerusalem. A few see the word “fair” in the word “daughter” and thus render it, “O fair Zion.” |
| 236 | Look, your King approaches! He is righteous and possesses salvation. Riding a donkey he is poor and humble, indeed, [riding] upon a colt, a young donkey: Or, ASV: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass; BAS: thy king cometh unto thee, he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass; JPS: behold, the King is coming to thee, just,
and a Saviour; he is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal; LXX: see, your king comes to you: he is upright and has overcome; gentle and seated on an ass, on a young ass; NJB: vindicated and victorious, humble. The whole verse is quoted at Matthew 21:7
and John 12:15 and there applied to the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Matthew 21:7 adds the compound paraphrase with is 62:11. The words “poor and humble” are rendered in the Latin Vulgate as PAUPER [English = pauper]. The Hebrew is
ANI [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #6041, poor, afflicted, humble, wretched] and points to a humble man of poverty. [Matthew 11:29] On the Nazarene’s poverty see the notes on 2 Corinthians 8:9. It seems clear from the context that
this “king” is not Jehovah but someone sent by Him. |
ZC9:10 He will cut off chariots from Ephraim, as well as horses from Jerusalem.
The weapons of war will be banished as he will speak peace to the national groups.
His kingly territory will be from sea to sea and from the river Euphrates to the extremities of the land. | 237 | He will cut off chariots from Ephraim, as well as horses from Jerusalem: Or, ASV: And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; JPS: he
shall destroy the chariots out of Ephraim, and the horse out of Jerusalem; LXX: he will have the war-carriage cut off from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. These are symbols for warfare. [Proverbs 21:31] Ephraim stands for the ten-tribe northern kingdom
of Israel, and Jerusalem for the southern two-tribe kingdom of Judah. |
| 238 | The weapons of war will be banished as he will speak peace to the national groups: Or, ASV: and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations; JPS: and the bow of war shall be utterly destroyed; and there shall be abundance and peace out of the nations; LXX: he will say words of peace to the nations. On such peace see the notes on Ephesians 2:14. [1 Peter 3:11] Peace will occur at the end of the day. Peace is not something that comes globally upon the initial coming of Christ to Jerusalem. [Matthew 10:34] |
| 239 | His kingly territory will be from sea to sea and from the river Euphrates to the extremities of the land: Or, ASV: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth; JPS: he shall rule over the waters as far as the sea; LXX: and his rule will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. The phrase is repeated from Psalm 72:8. Messiah will rule the world. [Psalm 2:8] His rule begins upon his return to heaven. [Daniel 7:13] He begins to rule over his disciples scattered throughout the multitude of nations, peoples and languages. [Daniel 7:14; Acts 2:5] Upon Messiah’s Return and Parousia he will include the “world” in his domain. [Revelation 11:15-18] His Saints will rule with him. [Daniel 7:27; Revelation 20:4] |
Zechariah 9:11-17 – Promises of Restoration
ZC9:11 “As for you, O fair Zion, because of
the blood of your covenant
[Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 13:20] I have released prisoners from the waterless pit.
| 240 | As for you, O fair Zion, because of the blood of your covenant: Or, LXX: because of the blood of your agreement [HAIMATI DIATHEKES].
The phrase “blood of your covenant” likely refers to Exodus 24:8. The phrase is alluded to at Matthew 26:28 and Hebrews 13:20. |
| 241 |
I have released prisoners from the waterless pit: Or, ASV: I have set free thy prisoners from the pit wherein is no water; LXX: I have sent out your prisoners from the deep hole in which there is no water. [Isaiah 49:9] Compare the Nazarene at Luke 4:18. |
ZC9:12 All you hopeful prisoners, return to the inaccessible Tower of Strength.
This very day I promise to restore you two-fold.
| 242 | All you hopeful prisoners, return to the Tower of Strength: Or, ASV: Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope; JPS: ye shall
dwell in strongholds, ye prisoners of the congregation; LXX: And they will come back to you, O daughter of Zion, as prisoners of hope. [2 Samuel 5:7] The Hebrew BITSTSAROWN [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #1225 (from 1219, inaccessible)]
is unique and only occurs here. That is, no enemy could attack such an “inaccessible Tower of Strength” – The God residing in Jerusalem. |
| 243 | This very day I promise to restore you two-fold: Or, ASV: even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; JPS: and for one day of thy captivity I will recompense thee double. [Job 42:10; Isaiah 61:7] |
ZC9:13 Regarding Judah I have strung the bow, and like a bow I have supplied My hand with arrows from Ephraim.
Just so, O Zion, I will arouse your children against the children of Greece.
I will turn you into the sword of a warrior.
| 244 | Regarding Judah I have strung the bow, and like a bow I have supplied My hand with arrows from Ephraim: Or, ASV: For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; LXX: For I have made Judah a bow bent for my use, I have made Ephraim the arrows of the bow. |
| 245 | Just so, O Zion, I will arouse your children against the children of Greece: Or, ASV: and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece; BAS: and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan; LXX: I will make your sons, O Zion, take up arms against your sons, O Greece [HELLENON]. The Hebrew for “Greece” is YAVAN [Javan/Ionia]. On the historical roots of Greece see Genesis 10:2. [Daniel 8:21; Joel 3:6] |
| 246 | I will turn you into the sword of a warrior: Or, LXX: and will make you like the sword of a man of war. [Psalm 149:6; Isaiah 41:15] |
ZC9:14 Then YeHoWaH will appear above them
and His arrows will shoot forth just like lightning.
For a certainty the Sovereign Lord YeHoWaH will blow the trumpet advancing in the tornadoes of the south.
| 247 | YeHoWaH will appear above them: Or, TAN: the Lord will manifest Himself to them. The LXX Greek is
simply “he is” or “He will be over them.” [ESTAI EP] Compare 1 John 3:2. |
| 248 | Then YeHoWaH
will appear above them and His arrows will shoot forth just like lightning: Or, ASV: Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; JPS: the Lord shall be over them, and his arrow shall go forth as lightning; LXX:
the Lord will be seen over them, and his arrow will go out like the thunder-flame; NJB: Yahweh will appear. The Hebrew for “appear” is RA’AH [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #7200, to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider].
See notes on Daniel 7:22 and Daniel 12:1. [Exodus 14:24] |
| 249 | For a certainty the Sovereign Lord YeHoWaH
will blow the trumpet advancing in the tornadoes of the south: Or, ASV: and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet [SHOFAR], and will go with whirlwinds of the south; LXX: and the Lord God, sounding the war-horn [SALPIGNI], will go in the storm-winds
of the South. See notes on Isaiah 18:3. [Joshua 6:5] Compare the SALPINGI at 1 Thessalonians 4:16. [1 Corinthians 15:52; Revelation 8:7] |
ZC9:15 YeHoWaH of
[celestial] armies spread His covering protection over them!
They will devour, trampling underfoot the stones for slings.
They will drink blood like wine, their bowls awash like the corners of an altar.
| 250 | Spread His covering protection over them: Or, LXX: The Lord of armies will be a cover for them. That is, to defend by a covering protection. [GANAN, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #1598] One is reminded of Revelation 7:15. |
| 251 | They will devour, trampling underfoot the stones for slings: Or, JPS: they shall destroy them, and overwhelm them with sling-stones; LXX: they will overcome, crushing under foot the armed men. [TAN: Hebrew uncertain]. |
| 252 | They will drink blood like wine, their bowls awash like the corners of an altar: Or, ASV: and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar; JPS: and they shall swallow them down as wine, and fill the bowls as the altar; LXX: they will take their blood for drink like wine: they will be full like the sides of the altar; TAN: footnote, some LXX mss read “drink blood like”; NJB: they will drink blood like wine [see footnote]. [Exodus 27:2; Leviticus 4:7] The LXX reading will shock some for it describes God’s warriors drinking blood like wine. |
ZC9:16 Just so their God YeHoWaH will rescue them in that day.
For a certainty His people will be like a flock of sheep,
for they will be just like the gems of a crown, conspicuously sparkling over the land.
| 253 | Just so their God YeHoWaH will rescue them in that day: Or, ASV: And Jehovah their God will save
them in that day; LXX: And the Lord their God will be their saviour in that day. |
| 254 | For a certainty His people will
be like a flock of sheep: Or, LXX: giving them food like the flock of his people. Compare Zechariah 11:7. [Psalm 100:3; Ezekiel 34:22; 37:23; Micah 5:4; Luke 12:32; John 10:16] |
| 255 | For they will be just like the gems of a crown, conspicuously sparkling over the land: Or, BAS: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, glittering over His land; JPS: for holy stones are
rolled upon his land; LXX: for they will be like the jewels of a crown shining over his land. [Isaiah 62:3] One is reminded of Daniel 12:3 and Matthew 13:43. The LXX Greek is LITHOI HAGIOI, that is, “holy (saintly) stones.” |
ZC9:17 How excellent! Indeed, how beautiful!
Grain will cause young men to be fruitful, and new wine young maidens.” | 256 | How excellent! Indeed, how beautiful!: Or, ASV: For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty; BAS: For how great is their goodness, and how great is their beauty; LXX: how good
it is and how beautiful. |
| 257 | Grain will cause young men to be fruitful, and new wine young maidens: Or, ASV: grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins; LXX: grain will make the young men strong and new wine the virgins [PARTHENOUS]. [Isaiah 62:8; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13] |
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Nazarene Commentary 2000©
Mark Heber Miller
©2000 All Rights Reserved
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