Zechariah 14

A prophecie of the great miserie, which was to befall the city of Jerusalem, verse 1, &c with the promise nevertheless, that the LORD would save and preserve his, 3. mention is made also of the rare gifts, which the LORD would pour forth upon his church, of their blessed and glorious estate, 8 and of the punishment and destruction of their enemies, 12 as also of the conversion of some of them, 16 together with the holy zeal of the church.

1. Behold, the day cometh to the LORD, that your prey shall be divided in the midst of thee (O Jerusalem) [understand withal, and land of Juda: the day comes to the LORD i.e. for the LORD. Oth. The day of the LORD cometh or, the day from the LORD i.e. that day which is well known to the LORD, as it is verse 7. some understand this of the destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasoan and Titus; other of the persecution of the church, under the cruel Tyrant Antiochus, in the time of the Macchabees. Others refer it to Anti-christ, and his cruel persecutions.]

2. For I will gather all the heathen against Jerusalem in battle, [compare Ezekiel 38:4, 6, 9, 15 and Habakkuk 1:6. all is here as much as many, all sorts, as Jona 2.3.] and the city shall be taken, and the houses shall be plundered; [Isaiah 13:16.] and the women shall be abused, and half of the cty shall go forth into captivitie, [i.e. great many of the inhabitants of the city, shall be carried away captive: to wit, of them, that shall have escape the sword, the plague and te famine] but the remnant of the people, shall not be destroyed out of the city. [if we understand this prophecie of the besieging of Jerusalem, by Vespasian and Titus; then the meaning is here, that the godly people, shall get out of Jerusalem before the close siege and withdraw themselves into the small city of Pella, and so be sayed alive. And this is the third part before spoken of, chapter 13. verse 8.9.]

3. And the LORD shall march forth, and he shall fight against those heathen, [viz. against those heathen, [viz. against all those people and nation, which shall be enemies to his church] even as in the day, when he sought in the day of the battle: [or; according as he used to fight (for you) in the day of the battle, viz in the time of Moseh, Josua, Gideon, Debora, david, Asa, and others]

4. And his sect shall stand in that day, upon the mount of Olives [viz. in the time of Christ conversed much on that mount, and there began his suffering and thence he ascended up to heaven. See Luke 22:39. Acts 1:12.] that lieth before Jerusalem, towards the cast: [see Acts 1:12. Heb. That is before the face of Jerusalem] and the mount of Olives shall be split in twain, [Heb. In the midst thereof: or: in its moytie] to the east and to the west, [in length from the east to the wesr] (so that there) shall be a very great valley; and the one half of the mount shall remove toward the North, and the (other) half thereof towards the south. By means of this division of the mount Olives and the large valley that should be between the two parts, removed so far asunder, it should come to pass, that Jerusalem would lie clearly in view whereas it lay hid and obscured in a manner before, by this mount and others adjacent. Understand this of the spiritual Jerusalem, viz. the church of God, of which, the Gentiles, before the coming of Christ, had no knowledge: but together with his coming, all hindrances and impediments, which kept them from the fight of the coming to Christ and his church, should be taken out of the way, and free passage opened for their approach and reception. Compare Isaiah 57:14 and 62.10.]

5. Then shall ye [O my chosen] flee [i.e. come running hastily, as those that flee to a place of safitie: or it may be understood of the wicked Jews, who for fear and terrour of punishment, should flee away and make room for Go’d people coming on] (through) the valley of my mountains; [Oth. Unto the valley &c. i.e. to my church; of the mountains i.e. the two parts of the mounts of Olives, meaning that valley which God had made by splitting and dividing the mount Olives] (for this valley of the mountains, shall reach to Azal) [oth. To the mountain whom he had separated, or chosen, to wit mount Zion. He, to wit, the LORD: the meaning is; there shall be a large passage, so that every one shall have room and place enough, to come unto the church of Christ. As for the mountain of Azal., it is uncertain where it lay, there being no mention made of it elsewhere] and ye shall flee [oth. Ye shall I say,] as ye sted before the earthquake, [or, because or, for fear of the earthquake. See Amos 1:1.] in te dayes of Uzzia, the King of Juda; [of whom see 2 Chro. 26.19] then the Lord my God shall come, [this the prophet speaketh in his own person: the meaning is, after the first appearing of Christ in the flesh, the other shall succeed, at the holy (ones) [i.e. the blessed angels. See Daniel 8:13.] with thee o LORD: [here the prophet addresseth his speech to Christ, which, as some conceive, is done therefore because the prophet knew well, that the wicked Jews would not believe him. Compare Joel 3:11.]

6. And it shall come to passé in that there shall not be the precious light, [i.e. the clear light as Job 31:26.] and the thick darkness. [Heb. Contraction, to wit, of darkness. Oth. Twilight. The sense is, there shall be no vicissitudes, or turns of light and darkness, bright day and dark night, it shall be day still everlastingly, see Isaiah 60:19, 20. Revelation 21:23 and 22.5. yet some do understand this of the light of the Holy Gospel, which should shine in Christ time. Others refer it to the obscuring or darkening of the sun, at the time of Christ’s suffering.]

7. But it shall be onely day, [i.e. a day to last for ever] that shall be known to the LORD, [The Lord alone doth know when that day shall begin. Matthew 24:36.] it shall be neither day, [to wit, such an one, as begins with the rising of the sun’s absence] and it shall come to passé in the eventime, [understand here by the evening, the whole night; or that time, when the evening begins. See Isaiah 60:20. Revelation 21:23.] that it shall be light.

8. Also it shall come to passé in that day, [i.e. in the time of Christ’s appearing in the flesh] that there shall flow living water, [i.e. ever-flowing and running. Hereby must be understood the gifts of the holy Ghost, which Christ should pour out abundantly upon his church. See Ezekiel 47:1. Joel 3:18. Revelation 22:1. Compare Job 4:14. and 7.38.] out of Jerusalem; half of them toward the east-sea, and half of them unto the hind-most sea, [i.e. all true believers, where ever they have their abode in the word, towards the rising or setting of the sun, shall be made partakers of these spiritual gifts] they shall be [i.e. last, continue] summer and winter: [i.e. for ever, without change or, intermission. Oth. It shall come to passé summer and winter]

9. And the LORD [viz. Jesus Christ] shall be king over the whole earth: in that day the LORD shall be [i.e. be made known, or be acknowledged to be; thus the word be is likewise used, Job 15:8. ye shall be my disciples, i.e. known and acknowledged for such] one, and his name: [i.e. he shall be honoured and wrshipped, as being the onely true God and Saviour; all the idols shall be destroyed, above chapter 13.2.]

10. And this shall be made as a champain countrey round about, from Geba even to Rimmon, southwards of Jerusalem: [to with the land of Judea, from the one end of the land to the other. For geba, otherwise Gibea, lay on the borders of Benjamin, 1 Kings 15:22. and rimmon on the borders of the tribe of Juda. Joshua 15:32. and 19.7. see of Geba. Joshua 21:17. and 1 Kings 15:22 and Isa.10.29.] and flee [to wit, the city of Jerusalem, whereby the church of God is meant here, especially that of the New Testament shall exalted [i.e. her same and glory shall rife and spread much] and inhabited in her place. [i.e. many shall come to and joyn themselves with her] from the gate of Benjamin, unto the place of the first gate, even unto the corner-gate; and from the tower of Hananeel, even to the Kings Wine-presses. [see Nehemiah 3:1. and Jeremiah 31:38. all by all these places, are to be understood all the parts and places of the world, when the LORD shall have his church. Of the gate of Benjamin see likewise, Jeremiah 20:2. and 37.13.]

11. And they shall dwell therein, [viz. in the city of Jerusalem, that is in God’s church] and there shall be no banning more, [i.e she shall be no more destroyed as formerly, when it seemed, that the LORD had altogether banned and rejected her. See Deuteronomy 2:34.] for Jerusalem [i.e. the inhabitants of Jerusalem] shall dwell safety. [Heb. In safety, or security.]

12. And that shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD shall plague all Nations, that shall have made war against Jerusalem: [after that the prophets had spoken of the state and condition of the faithful, he now speakes of the plagues and miseries which should befall the wicked, their enemies and persecutors] he shall cause every ones flesh [Heb. His flesh i.e. every ones flesh, body, limbs, members, or, the flesh of the same, and so presently, his eyes, and his tongue] where he stands upon his feet [i.e. suddenly, unwares, unawares, when they least expect any evil. See an example in Herod, Acts 12:21. &c.] to consume, [i.e. utterly to be destroyed] and everyones eyes shall consume in their holes, and every one’s tongue shall consume in their mouth. [Having blasphemed and reviled God and his people with it]

13. Also it shall come to passé in that day, that there shall be a great rushing-noise [Or, a great tumult, uproar] from the LORD [Heb. Of the LORD, i.e. which the LORD shall send] among them, so that they shall take hold, every one of his neighbour’s hand, [whether in an hostile manner, or out of fear and anguish, seeking for shelter, help and comfort to his friend, companion, or neighbour. Compare Judges 7:22 and 1 Samuel 14:20. and Ezekiel 38:21,22.] and every ones hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour: [whether to strike, or, according to others requesting help and assistance. The sense of the whole verse is, God shall not onely plague them by his own hand, as verse 12. but also by themselves, on rising another,a nd likewise by his own people, as folleweth in the next verse. Compare Ezekiel 30:21, &c.]

14. And Juda also [i.e. the people of Juda, the Jews] shall fight [viz. against the people spoken of verse 12. oth. Also thou Judas halt fight against Jerusalem] and the substance of all heathen round about shall be gathered; [viz. to be carried away] gold and silver, and garments in great quantitie: [the sense is; God shall unto his church an absolute victorie, overall their enemies, so that they shall even plunder and bereave them of all their goods, according to the use and practice of wars, when enemies are overcome by force of arms: this is a figurative speech borrowed from worldly wars and warious.]

15. So also shall be the plague of the horses, of the mules, of the camels, and of the asses, and of all beasts, [Heb. Of the horses, of the mule &c.] that shall have been in those camps, [viz. which shall been round about Jerusalem] according as the plague of them hath been: [viz. the plague of those men spoken of before verse 11, 12, 13, 14. the sense is, the LORD shall not only destroy the enemies of his church, but also spoil and consume all their might and power, together with all the means and instruments which they imploved against against God’s people.]

16. And it shall come passé, that all the remnant of all the heathen that shall come against Jerusalem. [i.e. all those of them, whom the LORD shall not have destroyed; to wit, all the Elect among them, who by the preaching of the Gospel shall be brought to the true knowledge of God] those shall march up, [viz. to Jerusalem] from year to year, to worship the king [i.e Christ] the Christ] the LORD of hosts, [the sense is, the LORD shall convert them, so that they also shall be joined to the Christian church, for to serve the LORD. The prophet describes the inwards worship of the church of the New Testament, by the outward worship used in the Old] and to celebrate the feast of the leave-huts: [i.e. to blesse and praise God for his mercies, as the people, as the people of God were wont to do, when they kept the feast of the Tabernacles. See Leviticus 13:34, &c and under the Name of this feast, he comprehends all the honor and worship we owe to God.]

17. And it shall come to passé, it any of the families of the earth shall not go up to Jerusalem; for to worship the the Kings the LORD of hosts, that there shall be no rain over them: [i.e. the LORD shall not bless but rather curse them, the rain being an outward token of the blessing of the Lord. Compare Isaiah 30:23. and Deuteronomy 28:23, 24.]

18. And if the family of the Egyptians [some do here by the Egyptians (who were very great enemies to the people of God) understand likewise all other heathen nations, enemies of God’s church] over whom (the rain) is not, shall not march up, nor come, then shall plague be (over them) where (with) the LORD shall plague these heathen, that shall not march up, to celebrate the feast of leave-hurts. [the Egyptians are here described, over whom the rain is not, it raining very seldom in Egypt; the moistening of the land being supplied by the ordinary overflowings of the river Nilus twice a year. See Deuteronomy 11:10. others read here: although it (used not to rain) (yet) shall that plague (come upon them) where (with) the LORD shall plague those heathen, that &c. as if the LORD had said, although it usually rain not with them, yet shall they not escape the curse here threatened; for the plague, which shall come upon others by the withholding of rain from them, shall light upon the Egyptians by other means: or thus; and if the family of the Egyptians shall not march up not come, then (the rain) shall not be over them, the plague shall be, wherewith &c.]

19. This shall be the sin of the Egyptians [i.e. the punishment of their sins] together with the sins] together with the sins of all the heathen that shall not go up, to celebrate the feast of the leave-huts. [i.e. to serve the LORD.]

20. In that day there shall stand [heb. Be] upon the bels of the horses, [it is the custome of countries, that the carries hang bells on the necks of their horses, conceiveing that the sound of them doth somewhat refresh and encourage the horses] THE HOLINESS OF THE LORD: [this implies, that all things, even the least, yea creatures and things which had been made use of in war against Gods people &c. should at last be consecrated to the service of God. These words to be inscribed in the bells here, are the same which stood written upon a golden plate,which the high-priest used to wear on his forehead. See thereof Exe. 28.36.] and the pots in the house of the LORD, shall be as the sprinkling-basins before the Altar: [to wit for quantitie and number. The sense is, there shall be plenty of means for the service of God and of ministers store, for the divine worship, as also there shall be great aboundance of offers.

21. Yea all the the pots in Jerusalem [i.e those that then shall be there] and in Juda shall be holy unto the LORd of hosts, [Heb. Holiness i.e. hallowed, consecrated] so that all those that will offer, shall come and take of them, and dresse meat in the same: [viz. their offerings. See 1 Sam 2.13.] and there shall be no Canaanite more in the house of the house of the LORD of hosts on that day. [i.e. no unclean or wicked man. Compare Revelation 21:27. see also Isaiah 35:8 and joel 3.17. understand withal, that those which shall be and converse in the house of the LORD, shall be cleaned from their sins, and regenerated. Ephesians 5:27. others understand it thus, in the time of the Messia, no people no Nation shall be excluded from the worship of God, or out of the temple; for the Nations, which formerly were unclean, shall then be holy and pure before the LORD.]