Zechariah 9

Zechariah 9:1

BUrden of the word] A Prophecie of threatnings and curses. See Isaiah 13:1. Jeremiah 23:33.

of Hadrach] It was an idol of the Syrians, which represented the Sunne. The name signifieth, the onely King: to which they added a Goddesse, called by Authours, Atergatis: which signifieth, onely Queen; and that represented the earth: both of them were figured with Sunne beames, the King downwards, and the Queen upwards: and their chief temple was in Hierapolis, a citie of Syria. And the Prophet calleth the countrey, by the name of the chief idol of it; as Isaiah 8:8. Jeremiah 48:46. Hosea 10:5.

and Damascus shall be the rest thereof] Isaiah 8:4. & Isaiah 17:1. Jeremiah 49:23. Amos 1:3. A principall Citie of Syria, upon whose strength and wealth the whole countrey depended: in which also the people took their pleasure, with all securitie. Others, these threatenings shall fall, and be executed upon Damascus: namely, by Alexander the Great, who conquered all these nations.

when the eyes of man] Heb. For the Lords eye is upon man, as on all the Tribes of Israel. He giveth a reason why the words of the Prophet were directed also to heathen nations namely, because Gods providence doth not govern his people alone, but the whole world; for God hath an eye upon all men. See Chap. 3. 9. & 4. 10. & 5. 6.

Zechariah 9:2

And Hamath also shall border thereby] Heb. And he also shall border Hamath thereby. Meaning, that eye of providence shall limit, that is, shall stay the course of the power, conquests, and enterprises of Hamath, chiefe citie of Syria. See Isa. 7. 8, 9. Jeremiah 49:23.

Tyrus and Zidon] Two famous Sea towns of Phoenicia.

be very wise] In worldly wisdome, which is attributed to the Tyrians, Ezekiel 28:3. 4. 12 17. upon which those cities founded their subsistence and greatnesse.

Zechariah 9:3

and heaped up silver as the dust] Which abundance of treasure it was not hard for the Tyrians to gather together, considering the long and great trade which all nations of the world used there, as is largely described, Ezek. 27.

Zechariah 9:4

Behold] Isaiah 23:1.

devoured with fire] That is, consumed: a Metaphor from ravenous beasts: Though Tyrus was seated in the midst of the waters, yet she shall be devoured with fire: If God kindle the flame, nothing shall quench it.

Zechariah 9:5

Ashkelon shall see it] Cities of the Philistims, enemies of Gods people: even after their returne from captivitie: and therefore were destroyed at the last by Alexander the Great.

Zechariah 9:6

a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod] A mingled multitude of strange nations gathered together.

Zechariah 9:7

I will take away his bloud] Heb. blouds. I will make that they shall no more devoure my people.

his abominations from between his teeth] That is, abominable spoyles.

but he that remaineth] That little remainder of my people, which escaped from the enemies violence, shall be gathered together by God, and held as part of his people, as a commonalty thereof, governed by it head, as the other commonalties of Judah were. See Judges 6:15. Micah 5. 2.

Ekron] The Philistims shall be utterly destroyed, as the Jebusites were by David, 2 Samuel 5:6. Or shall be slaves and tributaries and appointed to destruction, as the Jebusites, and the rest of the Canaanites were.

Zechariah 9:8

And I will encamp] Chap. 2. 5.

no oppressour shall passe] They shall no more be tyrannized over, nor exacted upon, as they have been heretofore.

now have I seene with mine eyes] I have turned my favourable countenance toward her, and have taken her into my protection.

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoyce greatly] Isaiah 62:11. Matthew 21:5. John 12:15.

O daughter of Zion] O universall Church.

thy king cometh] A prophecie of Christs coming in the flesh: who is the everlasting King of his Church, from whom all former benefits proceeded, and were spiritually in him fully heaped up: not by worldly strength and power; but by vertue of his everlasting righteousnesse, by which he hath acquired salvation to his Church: whereof his royall, and withall most humble entrance into Jerusalem was a figure.

having salvation] Or, saving himself.

Zechariah 9:10

I will cut off the chariot] The Messiah shall bring unto the Church a true and eternall spirituall peace: whence there shall not be any more preparing for warre, Psalms 46:10. Isaiah 2:4. Hosea 2:18. Or by his onely power, without any humane means, he shall save and defend his people, Hosea 1:7. Mic. 5. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5, 6.

peace unto the heathen] To the Gentiles he shall speak peaceably, as Psal. 85 8. & 28. 3. by publishing the Gospel of reconciliation. See Acts 10:36-37. Ephesians 2:17.

his dominion] Under the figure of the countrey of Israel, confined by these ancient bounds, he notes the large extent of the universall Church; as Psalms 72:8.

from sea even to sea] Psalms 72:8.

Zechariah 9:11

As for thee also] The same Messiah, by vertue of the same bloud, wherewith he hath reconciled mankind to God, and obtained everlasting salvation for them; hath also been the Authour of the deliverance from Babylon, and of all the other ensuing benefits.

by the bloud of thy covenant] Or, whose covenant is by bloud. Namely, the bloud of Christ, figured by the bloud which was sprinkled upon the people, Exodus 24:8. Psalms 74:20. Hebrews 9:19. and Hebrews 13:20.

prisoners out of the pit] Isaiah 61:1. Jeremiah 38:6.

Zechariah 9:12

Turn ye to the strong hold] O ye distressed Jews, that are prisoners in Babylon, to whom I have given a certain hope of return, return speedily to Jerusalem, the place of your habitation, secure under my safeguard and protection. See Daniel 11:31. 38.

even to day] When your state seemeth miserable and deplorable.

do I declare] Make an open promise to you.

that I will render double unto thee] Farre greater then the evils which thou hast suffered, or the goods which thou hast lost, Isaiah 61:7.

Zechariah 9:13

When] Or For.

I have bent Judah for me] I will make use of my own people, to overthrow my enemies: and especially the Kingdomes of Egypt and Syria, which were possessed by Alexanders successours, who were Grecians. A Prophecie fulfilled in the Maccabees, who delivered the Jews from the tyranny of those two Kingdomes; as appears by the books of the Maccabees, and Josephus in his his history of the Jews.

Zechariah 9:14

be seen ver them] Gods powerfull protection of hi people shall be apparent: like as when he shewed himself over the Israelites in the cloud, Exodus 14:19. 24.

with whirlwinds of the south] This may not unfitly be interpreted of those tempests, wherewith God overthrew the Egyptians at the red Sea, southwards of Judea: which how dreadfull they were, not onely in thunderings, lightnings, and horrible raine, but also in outragious winds; see Psal. 77. 16, 17, 18. Exodus 15:10. Or, of Gods judgements upon the Greeks, Gog and Magog, and the Israelites victories; read Ezek. Ch. 38. & 39. 2 Mac. 2. 21, 22. & 5. 2, 3. & 10. 28, 29, 30. & 11. 8. 10. Which shew that God did manifest his powerfull presence to these distressed in very extraordinary manner.

Zechariah 9:15

shall defend them] His people, and the children of Sion, ver. 13.

they shall devour] They shall enjoy my blessing: by power of which they shall be able to overcome all their enemies.

subdue with sling-stones] Or, subdue the stones of the sling.

make a noise] Hereby is described the Jews freenesse, and courage in setting upon their enemies.

shall be filled like bols] Or, shall fill both the bowls, &c.

filled] With the spoils of their enemies, and every good thing.

bowls] Which were used to take in the bloud of the sacrifices, which alwayes fell in great plenty from the Altar, where it was powred out.

Zechariah 9:16

stones of a crown] There shall be Trophies erected every where, by reason of their great victories obtained over their enemies.

Zechariah 9:17

For how great] The grace and the glory of God shall marvellously shew it self in the salvation of his, Psalms 84:12. and Psalms 31:19.

corn shall make] The blessings of God corporall and spirituall, shall make his people fruitfull or eloquent in praise, as Isaiah 57:19.

cheerfull] Or, grow, or speak.