‏ Zechariah 9

Summary for Zech 9:1: 9:1–14:21  ^a The second part of Zechariah stands apart from the first in several ways. Zechariah 9–14  ^b is distinctively apocalyptic, combining cryptic historical allusions with futuristic visions. The messages alternate between threats of judgment for other nations and promises of deliverance for Israel. The section contains no explicit references to Zechariah, but uses God’s direct speech. The messages probably date from a later period in Zechariah’s ministry.
Summary for Zech 9:1: 9:1–11:17  ^c This is the message: This is the superscription (introductory heading) for the entire section; it includes the technical term message (or oracle, burden), a prophetic pronouncement of judgment; the use of this word invests the message with divine authority. These prophecies can be related to events between Zechariah’s time and the coming of Christ.
Summary for Zech 9:1-8: 9:1-8  ^d This encouraging message told the Judeans that they had nothing to fear from their three most prominent neighbors—Syria (Aram), the Phoenicians (Tyre and Sidon), and the Philistines. All three were rivals of Judah; they were always trying to take commercial and territorial advantage. God said that their efforts would be in vain. 9:1  ^e The land of Aram was a city-state on the northern boundary of Israel, on the caravan route connecting Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean coast. Aram was sometimes an ally and sometimes an enemy to Israel and Judah.

• Damascus, the capital of Aram, was the northern boundary of the ideal Hebrew state (Ezek 47:16-18  ^f).
9:2  ^g Hamath, a fortress city on one of the southern trade routes from Asia Minor, was on the northern boundary of Israel (see Num 13:21  ^h; Josh 13:5  ⁱ).

• The twin port cities of Tyre and Sidon were independent Phoenician kingdoms located on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel (modern-day Lebanon); they are often paired in biblical texts (e.g., Ezra 3:7  ^j; Joel 3:4  ^k; Luke 10:13-14  ^l). The cities were legendary for their maritime trade wealth, but Old Testament prophets condemned their pride and oppressive policies and predicted their destruction (Isa 23  ^m; Ezek 26:3-14  ⁿ; Amos 1:9-10  ^o).
Summary for Zech 9:3-4: 9:3-4  ^p Strong fortress (Hebrew matsor) is a pun on the name of the city of Tyre (Hebrew tsor). This famed island fortress (Isa 23:4  ^q; Ezek 26:5  ^r) was captured and destroyed by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.
Summary for Zech 9:5-6: 9:5-6  ^s Ashkelon ... Gaza ... Ekron ... Ashdod: These Philistine cities, located on the coastal plain of Israel, were defeated by David (2 Sam 5:17-25  ^t) but later regained some autonomy. The prophets Amos and Zephaniah pronounced similar judgments against the same four cities (Amos 1:6-8  ^u; Zeph 2:4-7  ^v).
9:6  ^w Foreigners: This Hebrew word occurs elsewhere only in Deut 23:2  ^x, where it refers to illegitimate children. Zechariah uses it to signify the Philistines’ eventual loss of political and social identity.
9:7  ^y bloody meat: The Philistines ate meat that had not been drained of blood and was therefore unclean (Gen 9:4  ^z; Lev 3:17  ^aa; Acts 15:20  ^ab).

• Detestable sacrifices suggests eating unclean foods (see Lev 11:2-23  ^ac).

• the surviving Philistines will worship our God: This anticipates Philip’s ministry in the cities of the Philistine coastal plain (Acts 8:40  ^ad).

• The Jebusites were a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:16  ^ae; 1 Chr 1:14  ^af) living in and around Jerusalem. The city of Jebus (Jerusalem) was sacked and burned during the days of the judges (Judg 1:8  ^ag); it was later recaptured by David, who made it the capital of his kingdom (2 Sam 5:6-10  ^ah). The Jebusites were absorbed by the Israelites through intermarriage during David’s reign (see 2 Sam 5:13  ^ai).
Summary for Zech 9:9-17: 9:9-17  ^aj The second message of Zechariah’s first oracle (chs 9–11  ^ak) presents the juxtaposition of warfare and peace that has defined human history. Judah’s coming deliverer-king will be victorious in battle, yet righteous and humble (9:9  ^al), and he will bring peace to the nations in his universal reign (9:10  ^am). 9:9  ^an Your king refers to a future king from David’s line, described earlier as the Branch (3:8  ^ao; 6:12-13  ^ap).

• The donkey was a humble animal, and riding on a donkey signaled that its rider came in peace (see Matt 21:5  ^aq; John 12:15  ^ar).
9:10  ^as As used here, Israel stands in contrast to Judah, the southern kingdom. The pairing of Israel and Jerusalem signifies a reunited Israel and the regaining of the covenant land.

• The kingdoms of Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, and Israel were established by military conquest. By contrast, the kingdom of the Messiah will dismantle the machinery of war and eradicate all arsenals of weapons (see Isa 2:4  ^at; 9:5  ^au; Mic 5:10-11  ^av; Joel 3:10  ^aw).

• The Euphrates River was the northern boundary of the Promised Land (Gen 15:18  ^ax).

• the ends of the earth: The righteous king will establish universal peace.
9:11  ^ay The covenant ... sealed with blood probably refers to the blood sacrifice that sealed the Mosaic covenant (Exod 24:8  ^az).

• The prisoners were Jews still living as exiles in Mesopotamia after the Babylonian exile. The Jews who remained in Persia and Babylon were spiritual exiles because they lived outside the Promised Land of spiritual blessing and rest (see Deut 12:10  ^ba). One of the Messiah’s defining activities would be to free prisoners (Isa 61:1  ^bb; Luke 4:17-22  ^bc; Rom 7:6  ^bd; Eph 4:8  ^be).
9:12  ^bf Come back to the place of safety: This is a call for the Jews still in Babylon to return to the land of Judah.
9:13  ^bg The Persians and the Greeks were engaged in a power struggle in Zechariah’s time. In the future, God would judge the Greeks (who could represent all Gentiles). Zechariah is possibly alluding to Daniel’s vision (Dan 8:21-22  ^bh).
9:14  ^bi appear above his people: Zechariah borrows the image of a winged sun disk that artists pictured as protectively hovering over the Persian king. The Lord will protect Israel, go before them in battle, and show them his power.

• The ram’s horn issues a summons (Num 10:2-3  ^bj, 7-10  ^bk; Isa 27:13  ^bl) and declares God’s presence and power (Exod 19:19  ^bm; 20:18  ^bn).

• The whirlwind depicts God as a warrior of devastating power and unpredictable swiftness (Ps 77:18  ^bo; Isa 21:1  ^bp; 29:6  ^bq; 66:15  ^br). References to lightning bring Mount Sinai to mind (Exod 19:16  ^bs) and with it God’s covenant promises to Israel.
9:15  ^bt In ancient battles, great stones (literally sling-stones) were hurled at defenders on city walls and catapulted onto the inhabitants inside. The Maccabees’ triumph over the Hellenistic Seleucids in the 100s BC might have partially fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy of Israel’s defeat of the Greeks (see 1 Maccabees 3:16-24; 4:6-16; 7:40-50).

• They will be filled with blood ... drenched with blood: When the Lord unleashes his armies against the Greeks, the amount of bloodshed will be vast.

• like a bowl: Ceremonial sprinkling bowls filled with animal blood were used in the rituals of sacrifice. This image almost suggests that the vanquishing of the Lord’s enemies is in some sense an offering to him (see Exod 24:6  ^bu; Lev 1:5  ^bv; 16:18  ^bw).
9:16  ^bx On that day: See study note on 3:10.

• The Old Testament prophets portrayed the Messiah as a king and as a faithful shepherd (see Ezek 34:12  ^by, 16  ^bz, 23  ^ca; 37:24  ^cb; John 10:1  ^cc; Heb 13:20  ^cd; 1 Pet 5:4  ^ce).
9:17  ^cf abundant grain ... new wine: Agricultural prosperity was a tangible sign of God’s blessing (see Joel 2:19  ^cg; Amos 9:13  ^ch; cp. Hag 1:11  ^ci).

‏ Zechariah 10

Summary for Zech 10:1-11:3: 10:1–11:3  ^cj God will strengthen his people by his power and restore them because of his compassion (10:6  ^ck, 12  ^cl). With its references to shepherds (10:2-3  ^cm; 11:3  ^cn), the passage prepares for the following allegory of the good and evil shepherds (11:4-17  ^co).
Summary for Zech 10:1-3: 10:1-3  ^cp This is a rebuke of false shepherds, human leaders who do not have their people’s good at heart. 10:1  ^cq Rain was a sign of divine blessing (see Joel 2:23  ^cr)—the Lord was the source of the rain, but Israel’s leaders had led the people to trust in false gods instead.
10:2  ^cs 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  ^ct; Deut 18:10-11  ^cu).
10:3  ^cv 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  ^cw; Deut 6:14-15  ^cx; Josh 7:1  ^cy; Judg 2:20  ^cz; Heb 10:31  ^da).

• 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  ^db A true shepherd is promised. 10:4  ^dc A cornerstone is the first-laid foundation stone upon which a building’s superstructure rests (see Job 38:6  ^dd; Ps 118:22  ^de; Isa 28:16  ^df; Eph 2:20  ^dg).

• 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  ^dh; Zech 9:13  ^di).
10:6  ^dj save: This Hebrew word is also used for the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 14:30  ^dk). Salvation and victory come from God (Ps 3:8  ^dl; Isa 63:1  ^dm).

• God saves and restores his people Israel because of his compassion (see Exod 33:19  ^dn; Pss 103:13  ^do; 111:4  ^dp; Lam 3:32  ^dq).
10:8  ^dr When I whistle to them: Shepherds in biblical times herded their flocks by whistling or piping to them (see Judg 5:16  ^ds).

• Redeemed can also mean “ransomed”—buying slaves out of their servitude or indentured status (see Deut 15:15  ^dt; 24:18  ^du).

• numerous as ... before: The proliferation of the Hebrew people was one of God’s covenant promises to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3  ^dv; 22:17  ^dw; 32:12  ^dx).
10:10  ^dy 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  ^dz). 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  ^ea; Josh 1:4  ^eb). 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  ^ec 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  ^ed, 16-17  ^ee).
10:12  ^ef This verse repeats the earlier promise that God would strengthen his people (10:6  ^eg; see Isa 41:8-10  ^eh; cp. Pss 18:1  ^ei; 22:19  ^ej; 28:8  ^ek; 29:11  ^el).

‏ Zechariah 11

Summary for Zech 11:1-3: 11:1-3  ^em This taunt song against Lebanon and Bashan concludes the preceding message of deliverance and restoration for Israel (10:1-12  ^en); it could also introduce the following message about good and evil shepherds (11:4-17  ^eo). 11:1  ^ep Lebanon, boasting snow-covered mountains and fruitful valleys, was a symbol of strength and fertility.
11:2  ^eq Like Lebanon, Bashan had superb stands of timber. Lebanon and Bashan are often paired (Isa 2:13  ^er; Jer 22:20-22  ^es; Ezek 27:5-6  ^et) in representing nations that God would judge when he would regather and restore the people of Israel (see Zech 10:11  ^eu).
11:3  ^ev Shepherds and lions figuratively represent the leaders of Lebanon and Bashan, lamenting the destruction of their forested slopes, their pride, and their livelihood (see 11:1-2  ^ew).
Summary for Zech 11:4-17: 11:4-17  ^ex The metaphor of the Hebrew leaders as shepherds binds together the last three messages (9:9–11:17  ^ey) of Zechariah’s first oracle (chs 9–11  ^ez). This message combines allegory with symbolic action on Zechariah’s part to dramatize the wickedness of Israel’s shepherds. The prophet acts out a parable of a “good shepherd” called by God to lead and unite his people, but the people reject this shepherd along with the promise of protection from the nations (11:10  ^fa) and unity between Judah and Israel (11:14  ^fb). Zechariah’s symbolic actions foreshadow the ministry of Jesus the Messiah as the Good Shepherd (see John 10:1-21  ^fc). 11:4  ^fd The people of Israel are God’s flock (see Isa 40:11  ^fe; Mic 5:4  ^ff). The relative helplessness of sheep places a premium on their careful shepherding.

• intended for slaughter: Like sheep fattened for butchering, the people are being treated as disposable goods in a corrupt economy.
11:5  ^fg The sheep (the Hebrew people) were being sold as slaves to buyers—occupying foreign powers, foreign allies, or domestic slave-traders (see Amos 2:6  ^fh).

• The sellers were the shepherds, leaders of the people who were more concerned with getting rich than with the well-being of the sheep.
11:7  ^fi Shepherd’s staffs symbolize leadership and authority.

• Favor: This staff symbolized God’s choice of Israel as his people (see Gen 12:1-3  ^fj) and the promise of a leader like King David (see 2 Sam 7:12-16  ^fk).

• Union: Ezekiel’s staff (Ezek 37:16-17  ^fl) represented the unity of the Hebrew tribes as a single nation during King David’s reign (2 Sam 5:1-3  ^fm).
11:8  ^fn The enigmatic historical reference to three evil shepherds has prompted more than forty different attempts to identify them. None of these explanations is effective. Three symbolizes completeness. God raises up good shepherds to remove evil shepherds for the well-being of his people.
11:9  ^fo devour each other! This might refer literally to the cannibalism that resulted from famine during the siege of Jerusalem in 588–586 BC (see Lam 4:10  ^fp) and later in AD 70 (see Josephus, War 7.4.4). The expression may also be a metaphor for various forms of exploitation and oppression (see Mic 3:3  ^fq; Gal 5:15  ^fr).
11:10  ^fs Unlike Ezekiel, who dramatized the reunification of the Hebrew kingdoms (Ezek 37:15-19  ^ft), Zechariah dramatized the division by cutting the staffs in two (see also Zech 11:14  ^fu). The cutting of the staffs indicated the broken covenant bond between God and his people (11:11  ^fv) and the broken bond of unity between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel (11:14  ^fw).

• A covenant between the Lord and all the nations is otherwise unknown. Zechariah might actually have been proclaiming the dissolution of the covenant binding Israel to God as his people (cp. Hos 1:6-9  ^fx; see study note on Zech 13:9).
11:12  ^fy Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave (see Exod 21:32  ^fz). In the allegory, the silver was severance pay for the shepherd (Zech 11:9  ^ga). The Gospel writers find the fulfillment of this passage in the betrayal of Jesus for thirty silver coins by Judas (see Matt 26:15  ^gb; 27:9-10  ^gc).
11:13  ^gd to the potter: Some scholars speculate that a guild of potters might have been minor Temple officials due to the continual need for sacred vessels (see Lev 6:28  ^ge). Others, noting the similarity between potter (Hebrew yotser) and treasury (’otsar), follow the Syriac version, which reads into the treasury (see Matt 27:6  ^gf, 10  ^gg; cp. Jer 32:6-9  ^gh). The Greek Old Testament translates this sentence as “throw it into the furnace,” suggesting that the silver was melted down and recast into a silver vessel for use in Temple rituals.

• Thirty coins (or pieces of silver) was a magnificent sum of money (nearly two years’ wages for the average laborer).
11:15  ^gi The worthless shepherd represents corrupt leaders, in contrast with the good shepherd (cp. Ezek 34:7-16  ^gj).
11:16  ^gk Tear off their hooves is a Hebrew idiom for a wanton and ravenous search for the last morsel of edible meat on an animal carcass (see Mic 3:3  ^gl).
11:17  ^gm This oracle of woe is a poetic curse against the worthless shepherd for abandoning the flock. The arm and right eye represent the physical and mental abilities of the shepherd. The maimed arm and blind eye make the worthless shepherd powerless and end his selfish, opportunistic rule.