Zechariah 14

The beginning of the chapter is a continuation of the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans; then follows the Jews’ final victory over their enemies in the latter times. The prophecy concludes with a description of the glorious state of Jerusalem, which should follow. xxv. 31. Markviii. 38. The word kedoshim, translated saints, elsewhere signifies angels: (secDeut. xxxiii. 2.) so the word saint is used in the New Testament, 1 Thess. Hi. 13. and St.: Jude, ver. 14. quoting the. prophecy of (Enoch, saith, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, or holy ones; a place exactly. parallel with, that of the text. The name Jehovah,- Lord, is; often applied to the Messias by the prophets. (See the note upon Isa. vii.: 14. Hoseai. 7. anfl compare xii. 8. 10. of this prophecy.) The time here specified may probably be the.seasonvvhen the Jews shall look upon, or behold, him whom they have pierced, xii. 10. Ver. G. And it sltall come to pass in that.day,: that the light shall not be clear and dark.] It shall not be clear in some places, and dark in other parts of the world: i. e. there shall not be that succession of day.and night as there is now.

Zechariah 14:1

JlSeHOLD, the day of the Lord cometh, 8cc. A day remarkable for the execution of his judgments upon Jerusalem, and her inhabitants: (compare Joel ii. 31.) when their riches shall become a prey to the conquerors.

Zechariah 14:2

And I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle-. The Romans being lords of the known world, had the strength of all nations united in theii forces; as Nebuchadnezzar is said to fight against Jerusalem with all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, Jer. xxxv. 1. And the’ city shall be lake?i, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished.] The Roman army shall exercise those acts of lust and violence which are too frequent among cortquerors. (See Isa. xiii. 13. Amos vii. 17.) And half of the city shall go into captivity.] It is said, xiii. 8. that a third part of the land shall be left therein, which is very well consistent with lialfthe city’s going into captivity. And theresidue of the people shall not be cut off from the city,] God shall preserve theother half of the citizens from being cut off by the enemy. There were forty thou* Sand of the inhabitants’ suffered to go whither they would, saith Josephus,de Bell. Jud. lib. vii* cap. 15.

Zechariah 14:3

Then [or, afterward. shall the Lord go forth to fight against those nations, &c] In aftertimes God shall discomfit the posterity of these nations, viz. the Latin idolaters, who probably will bo joined in alliance with the Mahometans, (see xii. 2. 8.) and will go forth against them in as visible a manner, as he Jippeared in behalf of Israel, wh£n he overthrew the Egyptians in the Red Sea, or when the ark of God’s presence led their armies in the land of Canaan, (Josh. vi. 6.) It is no iinusual thing for the holy writers to speak of two events together which happen at a great distance from each other: so we read, 1 Cor. xv. 23. CJirist the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Zechariah 14:4

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. The glory of the Lord, i. e. the Schechinah, or symbol of God’s presence, when itdeparted from the city and temple, settled itself upon the Mount of Olives: (Ezek. xi. 23.) so, when God shall return to Jerusalem, and make it the seat of his presence again, it shall return by the same way it departed. (See Ezek. xliii. 2.) We may add, that when our Lord ascended from the Mount of Olives, the angels told his disciples he should come again in like manner;i. e. in a visible and glorious appearance at the same place, Acts i. 11, 12. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof towards the east and towards the west, and there shall be a very great valley.] By an earthquake, such as was in the time of king Uzziah, (sec Amosi. 1.) the middle of Mount Olivet shall cleave asunder, and sink into a deep valley, so as to leave the two points or tops of the hill, north and south, still standing. Mount Olivet had three tops, or eminences, one on the north point, another on the south, and the third in the middle, from whence Christ ascended, and where Christians in aftertimes erected a cross in memory of his ascensioh there. (See Maundrell’s Travels, p. 103.)

Zechariah 14:5

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, &c. When ye see the Mount of Olives cleave asunder, ye shall flee towards the valley for fear. The margin reads, Tlie valley of my mountains, which may be understood of Zion and Moriah. But the Chaldee and LXX. reading the text with a small alteration of the points, render the sense thus; The valley of the [or, my] mountains shall be filled up; for the valley of the mountains shall join, or touch, even to Azal; it shall even befilledup, as it ivasfilledby the earthquakein the days of Uzziah. Josephus writes, (Antiq. lib. ix. cap. 11.) " That upon the earthquake, the mountain before Jerusalem, i. e. Mount Olivet, cleft on the west side, and then removed for about half a mile towards the east part of the hill, and there stopped." Azal is probably a name by which part of the hill was called. And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints [or, holy ones] ivith thee.] Or, with him, as the Chaldee and LXX. read. The words are a description of Christ’s coming to judgment, attended with all theholy angels, as the writers of the New Testament express it, Matt. xvi. 27.

Zechariah 14:7

But it shall be one day, which shall be known to the Lord, not day nor night; but [or,, and. it shall come to pass, that at evening-time it shall be light.’] At the consummation of all things, a time predetermined by God, but known to no creature, (Matt, xxiv; 36.) there shall not.be any vicissitude of day and night, but one uninterrupted day, without any evening or twilight. (Compare Isa. Ix. 19, 20. Rev. xxi. 23. xxii. 5.) These two verses may be expounded with respect to the Jews, that their condition.shall be for some time not altogether prosperous nor yet quite desperate. The great crisis of their affairs shall be in a day which God alone knows;* unlike to our days; dark at the beginning and clear in the end, when the light is not expected.

Zechariah 14:8

And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out of Jerusalem. The supplies of grace are often represented in Scripture by rivers and streams of water, which both cleanse and make fruitful the ground through which they pass. (See Ezck. ^lvii. 1.. Joel iii. 18.) Here they are described as coming out of Jerusalem: in Ezekiel and Joel they are said to come out of the temple; both descriptions intimating, that the church is the spring from whence all the means of grace arc communicated to believers. Half of them towards the former sea, and half of them towards the hinder sea.] The same Hebrew phrase is translated, the east sea and tho utmost sea, Joel ii. 20. The first of these denotes the sea or lake of Sodom, being towards tho east country, (Ezck. xlvii. 8.) the latter signifies the Mediterranean, or western sea. (See Deut. xi. 24.) The expression imports, that the whole land shall have a plentiful share of these blessings, which are here described under the metaphor of living waters. In summer and in winter shall it be.] They shall be the same in all seasons of the year; neither failing in summer, nor overflowing in winter.

Zechariah 14:9

And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one’ Lord, and his name one. Upon the conversion of the Jews, and the coming in of the fulness of the gentiles, the name of God shall not be given to any idol, idolatry being utterly abolished, (xiii. 2.) and God shall be glorified with one mind and one mouth all the world over. (Compare Micah v. 12.14. Zcph.iii.9. Rev. xi.15.) The stone which represents Christ’s kingdom, shall then become a mountain, and fill the whole earth, Dan. ii. 35.

Zechariah 14:10

All the land shall be turned as a plain, from,Geba to Iiimmon, south of Jerusalem. The mountains about Jerusalem (see Psal. exxv. 2.) shall be levelled, perhaps by the earthquake beforcmentioncd, from Geba; northwardJo Rimmon southward of Jerusalem. The expressions may.signify, that all impediments shall be re- -moved that oppose the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. (Compare iv. 7. and Isa. xl. 4.) And it shall be lifted up, and inhabited Jn Jier, place.] The mountains that. obstructed the prospect of Jerusalem being removed, the city, shall be.seen by passengers afar off,, like the city set ona hill, to which the church is compared, Matt.; v. 14. and it shall be inhabited,as formerly. (See xii. 6.) From Benjamin’s gate, unto the place of the first gate, [even] unto the corner gate.] Benjamin’s gate was on t^e north side of the city, the tribe of Benjamin lying northward in respect of Jerusalem. The. prophet foretells that the city shall,be inhabited from.Benjamin’s gate northward, to the first or old, gate southward, mentioned Nehem. iii. 6. xii. 39. and still farther on to the c,orner gate,, situate on the squth-west part of the city. (See^Dr.; Lightfoot’s Description of Judea, chap. 26.) And from the tower of Hananeel.unto the king’s winepress.] The tower ofHananeel was on the south part of Jerusalem, as the same, writer observes, and the king’s wine-press on the north part. (Compare this verse with Jer. xxxi, 38, 39.)

Zechariah 14:11

And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be >no more utter destruction. The city shall never be utterly destroyed, as it was by the Chaldeans and Romans. (Compare Jer. xxxi. 40.) The latter part of the sentence may be, translated, Tliere shall be no more curse. In the new state of things here foretold, the curse which sin brought into the world shall be removed. The same words are repeated by St.. John, Rev. xxii. 3. and seem to be taken from this place. But Jerusalem shall, safely be inhabited.] A promise often repeated in the prophets. (See Jer.xxiii.6. and tho note there.)

Zechariah 14:12

And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lorfil will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem, &c. Those that die not in the battle, nor fall by the hand of their brethren, (see ver. 13.) shall be destroyed by fa-, mine or consumption.

Zechariah 14:13

And it shall, come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them, &c. Or, A great discomfiture, as the word is translated, 1 Sam. xiv. 20. The LXX. render it an ecstacy: such a terror or confusion shall seize them, as shall take away the use of their reason; (see xii. 4.) or there shall be misunderstandings among them, so that they shall fall foul one upon another, as the army of tho Philistines and Moabites did, 1 Sam. xiv. 20. 2 Chron. xx. 23. (Compare Ezck. xxxviii. 21.) The prophet goes back to give an account how.God would discomfit those that come against Jerusalem, (ver. 3.)

Zechariah 14:14

And Judah also shall fight at [or, rather for. Jerusalem.’] The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first, (xii. 7.) and then they shall join their forces against the common enemy, when ho comes against Jerusalem. (See xii. 2.) And the wealth of the heathen round about shall be gathered together, &c] As they came with an intent to make Microsoft® 2H2 A COMMENTARY UPON XECHARIAIL.[chap, xxv a prey of Jerusalem, so the wealth which they brought with them shall become. a spoil to the Jews. (Compare Ezek. xxxviii. 12. xxxix. 10.)

Zechariah 14:15

And so shall be the plague of the house, &c. This is to be joined to the twelfth verse, the thirteenth and fourteenth being read in a parenthesis. Bdth man and beast in that army shall be consumed in one common destruction.

Zechariah 14:16

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem. Those that were not in the army that inarched against Jerusalem. The words may be translated, Every one that is left from among all the nations, &c. and then they may be understood of the Jews that remained behind, and did not go to Judea to fight for Jerusalem. The Jewish commentators follow this sense. Shall even go tip year by year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and keep the feast of tabernacles.] i. c. They shall join in the solemn acts of Christian worship. The prophets often describe the state of the gospel by the usages of their own times. (Compare ver. 20, 21. of this chapter, and viii. 21, 22. see likewise Isa. lx. 7. 9. lxvi. 23. with the notes upon those places.) The feast of tabernacles, being observed in remembrance of God’s conducting and preserving the Jews in the wilderness for forty years, was observed with extraordinary expressions of rejoicing. (Compare Hos. xii. 9.) The Jews have a tradition, that the defeat of Gog and Magog, which seems to be the same discomfiture which is here described, shall fall out upon the feast of tabernacles; or, as others say, that the seven months’ cleansing of the land, (Ezek. xxxix. 12.) shall be finished at that time.

Zechariah 14:17

Even upon them shall be no rain. For want of which they shall sufFer a famine.

Zechariah 14:18

And if the family of Egypt go not tip, and come not, that have no rain, there shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen, &c. Though the fruitfulness of Egypt, especially the upper part of it, (see Herodotus, lib. iii. cap. 10.) depends not upon rain; (compare Dent. xi. 10, 11.) yet if the Jews that dwell there, or the rest of the inhabitants, do not join in the solemn acts of Christian worship, (see ver. 16.) they shall suffer the same plague of famine with which others are threatened, i. e. the Nile shall not overflow, as the Targum explains it; from whence a famine will ensue. The words may be translated more exactly to the Hebrew thus; If the family of Egypt go not up, shall there not be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up? The particle velo is often taken interrogatively, as Noldius observes, p. 342. The word family is equivalent to kingdom. (See the note upon Jer. i.15.) [That have no rain.] The upper parts of Egypt, beyond Thebes, have no rain: beside the testimony of Herodotus, referred to in the last note, Seneca affirms the same: (Nat. Quocst. lib. iv. cap. 2.) “Inea parte quae in ^Ethiopian* vergit, aut nulli imbres sunt, aut rari.” Our learned countryman, Mr. Graves, in his Pyramidographia, sect. 2. tells us, " That while he lived at Alexandria, a great deal of rain fell there in the months of December and January; but in the upper part of Egypt, about Syene, and the cataracts of Nile, the inhabitants affirmed that they seldom had any rain."]

Zechariah 14:20

In that day shall there he upon the bells [or, bridles. of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord.] Avery learned person supposes, that this and the following verse imply in them the promise of a universal peace, a blessing often spoken of in the prophets, as concomitant of the flourishing state of Christ’s kingdom. Taking this to be the general import of the place, the first part of the verse implies, that the bridles, or trappings, of the horses, as the Chaldee explains the word metsilloth, i. e. the necessary furniture of war, shall no more be applied to its proper use, but shall be looked upon as sacred, and laid up in the armoury of God’s house for a memorial of the good success he had given his people against their enemies. (See 2 Chron. xxiii. 9.) And the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.] In pursuance of this interpretation, by the word siroth,pots, we are to understand helmets, called so because of their shape, being made like a pot. These, saith the text, shall be like the bowls, or vials, before the altar; no more to be profaned in war or bloodshed. In the Hebrew, words made up of letters of the same organ, have often an affinity of sense. So sarah, a word near akin to siroth, signifies a coat of mail; and -the words sheriah and sherion are used in the same sense.

Zechariah 14:21

Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts. Even every private helmet in Judah and in Jerusalem, shall be as useless to the purposes they were formerly employed in, as the most sacred things in the temple. And all they that sacrifice shall come and take them, and seethe therein.] The helmets shall arise to such a number, that if every one that sacrificeth were to seethe separately, they would suffice for pots for every one’s use. If this interpretation be not accepted, we may suppose the words set forth the abundant measure of grace and holiness which shall then be bestowed upon all believers, they being all made priests unto God; (see Isa. lxi. 6. Rev. v. 10. xx. G.) set apart to attend upon God’s service, as the priests were under the law, whose office it was to seethe, or boil, the sacrifices. (See 2 Chron. xxxv. 13.) And in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the home of the Lord of hosts.] If we understand the former words of a universal peace, the sense of these will be, that no stranger, or unbelieving enemy, shall give any annoyance to the servants or worship of God. (See Joel iii. 17.) The Christian church is often called the house or temple of God in the New Testament. (See Eph. ii. 20, &c. 1 Tim. iii. 15. Heb. iii. G. 1 Pet. iv. 19.) If we follow the common interpretation, the words import, that no hypocrite or unclean person shall have any share in the society of the faithful. (See Rev. xxi. 27. xxii. 15.) The Chaldee and Vulgar Latin translate the words, Tliere shall be no more any merchant in the house of the Lord of hosts. There shall be such plenty of all provisions at home, that there will be no need of being supplied by any traffickers from abroad. Taking the words in this sense, they arc equivalent to those descriptions of plenty foretold in the days of the Messias, Joel iii. 18. Amos ix. 13.