Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

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THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH

CHAPTER TEN:
A SCATTERED FLOCK RESTORED BY A CORNER-STONE

Summary

Zechariah begins his revelation by urging the people of Israel to ask for rain. The prophet describes them as sheep misled by false gods and lying mediums. A Corner-Stone goes forth for battle. Israel will be restored from Egypt and Assyria.

Zechariah 10:1, 2 – A Scattered Flock

ZC10:1 Y^eH^oW^aH proclaims, 258 “All of you, ask Y^eH^oW^aH for rain during the time of spring rains. 259 Y^eH^oW^aH causes storm-clouds, and it is He that gives copious showers to you people, to every person growing fields of crops. 260
258 Y^eH^oW^aH proclaims: Or, declares. Brought up from the end of verse 12 for clarity.
259 Rain during the time of spring rains: Or, ASV: Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain; JPS: the early and the latter; LXX: Make your request to the Lord for rain in the time of the spring rains; NJB: rain in autumn and at the time of the spring rains. [Deuteronomy 11:14; Joel 2:23]
260 Y^eH^oW^aH causes storm-clouds, and it is He that gives copious showers to you people, to every person growing fields of crops: Or, ASV: Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field; JPS: given bright signs, and will give them abundant rain, to every one grass in the field; LXX: makes the thunder-flames; and he will give them showers of rain, to every man grass in the field. See notes on James 5:7. [Psalm 104:14; Jeremiah 51:16; Ezekiel 34:26]
ZC10:2 The people are scattered like a frightened flock of sheep, 261 all because the household idols speak mere worthlessness. 262 The people endure oppression because the spirit mediums have visions of what is false, 263 for there is no shepherd to care for them. 264
261 The people are scattered like a frightened flock of sheep: Or, BAS: they go their way like sheep; JPS: they fallen away like sheep; LXX: so they go out of the way like sheep. [Jeremiah 50:17]
262 Because the household idols speak mere worthlessness: Or, ASV: For the teraphim have spoken vanity; JPS: the speakers have uttered grievous things; NJB: domestic idols; LXX: the images have said what is not true. The Hebrew for “household idols” is TERAPHIYM [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #86:55, a kind of idol used in household shrine or worship]. Compare 1 Samuel 15:23. The LXX Greek uses APOPHTHENGOMENOI. The LXX Greek says: “vain comfort [PAREKALOUN].”
263 The people endure oppression because the spirit mediums have visions of what is false: Or, ASV: the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams, they comfort in vain; JPS: the diviners have seen false visions, and they have spoken false dreams, they have given vain comfort; NJB: the diviners have seen false signs; LXX: they have given accounts of false dreams [HORASEIS PSEUDEIS], they give comfort to no purpose. The Greek suggests “false heresies.” [Jeremiah 8:11; 27:9; 29:21]
264 For there is no shepherd to care for them: Or, JPS: because there was no healing; LXX: they are troubled because they have no keeper. [Numbers 27:17; Ezekiel 34:5] One thinks of the Nazarene Master at Matthew 9:36. [Mark 6:34] Compare Zechariah 11:4, 7, 15, 17; 13:7.

Zechariah 10:3-7 – A Corner-stone and Valiant Warriors

ZC10:3 My anger is enflamed against the [false] shepherds. 265 I will visit punishment upon the demonic-leaders of the flock. 266 For Y^eH^oW^aH of [celestial] armies has inspected His flock, 267 the House of Judah, and I will make [Judah] just like a royal horse in battle. 268
265 My anger is enflamed against the [false] shepherds: Or, JPS: Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds; LXX: My wrath is burning against the keepers of the flock. [Isaiah 56:11; Jeremiah 10:21; Ezekiel 34:10] Compare notes on Jude 12.
266 I will visit punishment upon the demonic-leaders of the flock: Or, ASV: I will punish the he-goats; LXX: and I will send punishment on the he-goats. Animals are used as figures of speech in Hebrew. The Hebrew is ‘ATTUWD [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #6260, ram, he-goat, chief one]. See notes at Isaiah 14:9. Goats are used of those who are rebellious and greedy. [Ezekiel 34:2, 17; Matthew 25:33, 41-46]
267 Inspected His flock: Or, ASV: Jehovah of hosts hath visited his flock; BAS: remembered His flock; LXX: takes care of his flock. [Luke 1:68]
268 A royal horse in battle: Or, ASV: as his goodly horse in the battle; BAS: as His majestic horse in the battle; LXX: like the horse of his pride in the fight. Note the animals in this portion: goat, sheep, horse. [Proverbs 21:31]
ZC10:4 From [Judah] a Corner-Stone will go forth. 269 From him the Tent-Peg will go forth. 270 From him the battle-bow will go forth. 271 From him oppressive soldiers will go forth together. 272
269 From [Judah] a Corner-Stone will go forth: Or, ASV: From him shall come forth the corner-stone; BAS: Out of them shall come forth the corner-stone; LXX: From him will come the keystone. The Hebrew figure of speech suggests a key ruler and likely refers to Zerubbabel. [Haggai 2:23] Some will see this as a Messiah-type. Remember Zerubbabel and Joshua at Revelation 11:4. Return to Zechariah 4:3, 11.
270 From him the Tent-Peg will go forth: Or, ASV: the nail; BAS: the stake. Likely a ruler such as Joshua, though it may be a Messiah-type. [Genesis 49:10; Ezra 9:8]
271 From him the battle-bow will go forth: Or, LXX: the bow of war; NJB: Bow-ready-for-Battle. [Genesis 49:24; Isaiah 49:2] Each element increases in strength and numbers.
272 From him oppressive soldiers will go forth together: Or, ASV: from him every ruler together; BAS: out of them every master together; JPS: every oppressor together; LXX: from him will come every ruler; NJB: together they will be like warriors. [Isaiah 1:26; 60:17]
ZC10:5 So they will all become like valiant warriors tramping in battle on the muddy roads. 273 Routing horse-soldiers they will fight because Y^eH^oW^aH is with them. 274
273 So they will all become like valiant warriors tramping in battle on the muddy roads: Or, BAS: And they shall be as mighty men, treading down in the mire of the streets in the battle; LXX: Together they will be like men of war, crushing down their haters into the earth of the streets in the fight. [Psalm 18:42; Joel 2:7; Micah 7:10] Note Psalm 110:3.
274 Routing horse-soldiers they will fight because Y^eH^oW^aH is with them: Or, ASV: and they shall fight, because Jehovah is with them; JPS: they shall set the battle in array, because the Lord is with them. See notes on Isaiah 7:14. [Deuteronomy 20:1; Isaiah 41:13]
ZC10:6 I will make valiant warriors out of the House of Judah, and I will save the House of Joseph. 275 I will restore them because I have compassion for them. It will be as though I never rejected them. 276 I, Y^eH^oW^aH, will be their God and will respond to them. 277
275 I will make valiant warriors out of the House of Judah, and I will save the House of Joseph: Or, LXX: And I will make the children of Judah strong, and I will be the saviour of the children of Joseph. That is, saving both the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel and the two-tribe southern kingdom of Judah. [Jeremiah 3:18; Ezekiel 37:16; Hosea 1:10, 11]
276 I will restore them because I have compassion for them. It will be as though I never rejected them: Or, ASV: for I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off; JPS: because I have loved them: and they shall be as if I had not cast them off; LXX: and I will make them come back again, for I have had mercy on them: they will be as if I had not given them up. [Jeremiah 30:18; 31:20]
277 I, Y^eH^oW^aH, will be their God and will respond to them: Or, ASV: for I am Jehovah their God, and I will hear them; LXX: I will give them an answer; NJB: shall answer their prayer. [Jeremiah 33:3]
ZC10:7 They will be just like valiant warriors of Ephraim. 278 Their hearts will leap for joy as though from wine. 279 Indeed, their children will see it and their hearts will triumph in Y^eH^oW^aH. 280
278 They will be just like valiant warriors of Ephraim: Or, ASV: like a mighty man; JPS: they shall be as the warriors [GIBBOWR]; LXX: like a man of war. [Jeremiah 31:9; Ezekiel 37:19] That is, the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel.
279 Their hearts will leap for joy as though from wine: Or, ASV: and their heart shall rejoice as through wine; LXX: their hearts will be glad as with wine. Return to Zechariah 9:15. [Psalm 104:15] See the Biblical Article Wine That Makes the Heart Rejoice.
280 Indeed, their children will see it and their hearts will triumph in Y^eH^oW^aH: Or, ASV: their children shall see it, and rejoice; their heart shall be glad in Jehovah; LXX: their hearts will be glad in the Lord. See notes on Zephaniah 3:14. [Isaiah 66:14; Jeremiah 32:39]

Zechariah 10:8-12 – Restoring Israel From Egypt and Assyria

ZC10:8 “I will signal them with a whistle. 281 Because I have ransomed them I will collect them together. 282 They will multiply just like those who multiply. 283
281 I will signal them with a whistle: Or, ASV: I will hiss for them; JPS: I will make a sign to them; LXX: With the sound of the pipe I will get them together. [Ezra 1:1]
282 Because I have ransomed them I have collected them together: Or, ASV: and gather them; for I have redeemed them; LXX: I will get them together; for I have given the price to make them free [LYTROSOMAI AUTOUS]. [Isaiah 44:22; 51:11] Compare the Greek with 1 Timothy 2:6.
283 They will multiply just like those who multiply: Or, ASV: they shall increase as they have increased; JPS: they shall be multiplied according to their number before; LXX: and they will be increased as they were increased. [1 Kings 4:20; Jeremiah 33:22]
ZC10:9 Even though I dispersed them like seeds among foreign peoples they will still remember Me in distant lands. They will sustain the lives their children when they return. ZC10:10 From the land of Egypt I will restore them again, gathering them out of Assyria. I will restore them again onto the land of Gilead and Lebanon. There will not be enough room for them. ZC10:11 He will smite the waves as they pass though Egyptian seas. The deepest parts of the Nile River will seem as though they were dried up. Thus the arrogance of Assyria will be humiliated. The Egyptian rod will vanish. ZC10:12 I will make them valiant in Y^eH^oW^aH, and in His Name they will march.”

Mark Heber Miller