Zechariah 10
Summary for Zech 10:1-11:3: 10:1–11:3 a God will strengthen his people by his power and restore them because of his compassion (10:6 b, 12 c). With its references to shepherds (10:2-3 d; 11:3 e), the passage prepares for the following allegory of the good and evil shepherds (11:4-17 f).Summary for Zech 10:1-3: 10:1-3 g This is a rebuke of false shepherds, human leaders who do not have their people’s good at heart. 10:1 h Rain was a sign of divine blessing (see Joel 2:23 i)—the Lord was the source of the rain, but Israel’s leaders had led the people to trust in false gods instead.
10:2 j Household gods might refer to ancestor statues used in rituals of necromancy (conjuring up the spirits of the dead); consultation with the dead was a widespread practice in the ancient world, but God’s law made it taboo for the Hebrews (see Lev 20:27 k; Deut 18:10-11 l).
10:3 m My anger burns: Israel is often the object of this divine wrath, incited by disobedience to covenant stipulations or by lapses into idolatry (see Exod 22:22-24 n; Deut 6:14-15 o; Josh 7:1 p; Judg 2:20 q; Heb 10:31 r).
• these leaders (or these male goats): This is a figure of speech for princes, since male goats typically lead goat herds.
Summary for Zech 10:4-12: 10:4-12 s A true shepherd is promised. 10:4 t A cornerstone is the first-laid foundation stone upon which a building’s superstructure rests (see Job 38:6 u; Ps 118:22 v; Isa 28:16 w; Eph 2:20 x).
• Just as a tent peg anchors a tent to the ground, so Judah will provide the future leaders needed to stabilize the Hebrew nation.
• Many understand cornerstone, tent peg, and bow for battle as titles for the Messiah (cp. Isa 22:20-23 y; Zech 9:13 z).
10:6 aa save: This Hebrew word is also used for the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 14:30 ab). Salvation and victory come from God (Ps 3:8 ac; Isa 63:1 ad).
• God saves and restores his people Israel because of his compassion (see Exod 33:19 ae; Pss 103:13 af; 111:4 ag; Lam 3:32 ah).
10:8 ai When I whistle to them: Shepherds in biblical times herded their flocks by whistling or piping to them (see Judg 5:16 aj).
• Redeemed can also mean “ransomed”—buying slaves out of their servitude or indentured status (see Deut 15:15 ak; 24:18 al).
• numerous as ... before: The proliferation of the Hebrew people was one of God’s covenant promises to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3 am; 22:17 an; 32:12 ao).
10:10 ap The Lord had previously whistled for the armies of Egypt and Assyria to come against King Ahaz of Judah because of his unbelief (Isa 7:18 aq). The two nations were especially symbolic of the slavery and exile endured by the Hebrews.
• Gilead is a fertile region east of the Jordan River and south of the Sea of Galilee that is suitable for grain growing and pasturing; it was settled by the tribes of Manasseh and Gad.
• Lebanon sometimes defined the northern edge of the Promised Land (see Deut 11:24 ar; Josh 1:4 as). God’s restoration and resettlement of the Hebrews would be so complete that even the fringe areas of Israelite territory would teem with people.
10:11 at When the Hebrews returned to the land of Israel from exile in Babylon, they had to ford the Euphrates River; this is likened to a second exodus from Egypt (see Isa 43:2-6 au, 16-17 av).
10:12 aw This verse repeats the earlier promise that God would strengthen his people (10:6 ax; see Isa 41:8-10 ay; cp. Pss 18:1 az; 22:19 ba; 28:8 bb; 29:11 bc).
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