‏ 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.

‏ Zechariah 12

Summary for Zech 12:1-14:21: 12:1–14:21  ^gn The theme of Jerusalem versus the nations binds the four messages of Zechariah’s second oracle together; the nations are gathered against Jerusalem at the beginning (12:1-9  ^go) and the end (14:1-15  ^gp) of the oracle. Through the repetition of the phrase on that day, the oracle looks to the future day of the Lord. The picture it presents mixes judgment with blessing for Jerusalem. The oracle’s focal point is the cleansing of the people of Israel (13:1  ^gq); it culminates with God’s universal Kingdom (14:16-21  ^gr). These visions of the future encouraged the Judeans of Zechariah’s day to be faithful in spite of their seeming insignificance and helplessness.
12:2  ^gs intoxicating drink (literally bowl of reeling or cup of staggering): The cup of alcoholic drink is a metaphor for God’s judgment (Isa 51:17  ^gt; Jer 25:15  ^gu; Hab 2:16  ^gv; Matt 26:39  ^gw, 42  ^gx; Rev 14:10  ^gy; 16:1  ^gz). Jerusalem would be instrumental in God’s judgment on the nearby nations.
12:3  ^ha Jerusalem will be an immovable rock that cuts and gashes those who attempt to conquer and control it, because the city was founded by the Lord, who loves it more than any other city of Israel (Ps 87:1-2  ^hb). In Zechariah, imagery involving a stone is associated with the Temple (Zech 3:9  ^hc; 4:7  ^hd; 10:4  ^he).
12:4  ^hf Madness, blindness, and panic were among the curses threatened against Israel for covenant disobedience (Deut 28:28  ^hg). The day of the Lord will witness a reversal as these curses are turned against Israel’s enemies (see 2 Kgs 7:6-7  ^hh).

• watch over (literally open my eyes): The open eyes of God represent divine provision for those in desperate need (see Gen 16:13-14  ^hi; 21:19-21  ^hj).
12:5  ^hk the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: This title emphasizes God’s irrepressible power (see study note on 1:3). The frequent repetition of this title in Zechariah’s second oracle (chs 12–14  ^hl) assured his audience that the divine promises concerning Judah’s victory would certainly be fulfilled (12:7  ^hm).
12:6  ^hn flame (literally firepan): Bronze or gold firepans were used to carry hot coals to and from the sacrificial altars of the Tabernacle and the Temple (Exod 27:3  ^ho; 1 Kgs 7:50  ^hp). God would set Israel among the nations like a burning firepan to destroy or purify them.
12:8  ^hq The angel of the Lord is here equated with God, represented as a Divine Warrior, rescuer, and protector (see 1:11  ^hr; 3:1  ^hs; Exod 14:19  ^ht; 15:3  ^hu; Isa 59:15-20  ^hv; 63:1-6  ^hw). By divine enabling, the weak will be imbued with God’s power.
12:10  ^hx pour out: This word describes the outpouring of God’s spirit of prophecy upon Israel and all people on the day of the Lord (cp. Ezek 39:28-29  ^hy; Joel 2:28-29  ^hz) and God’s judgment upon the wicked (Lam 2:4  ^ia; Hos 5:10  ^ib; Zeph 3:8  ^ic).

• a spirit of grace: God’s unmerited and unsought favor persuades God’s people to seek him in contrite and repentant prayer (see Ps 86:15-16  ^id).

• me whom they have pierced: The New Testament understands the piercing of God as a reference to the piercing of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth (John 19:34-37  ^ie; Rev 1:7  ^if).
12:11  ^ig The name Hadad-rimmon combines the names of two Syrian deities, the storm-god Hadad and the thunder-god Rimmon. The great mourning for these gods may be similar to the weeping for Tammuz, one of the rituals practiced in the Mesopotamian fertility cults.

• Joshua captured Megiddo (Josh 12:21  ^ih), a major city on the southwest edge of the Jezreel Valley; it was allotted to the tribe of Manasseh (Josh 17:11  ⁱⁱ). Megiddo controlled a key pass on the great highway from Egypt to Mesopotamia, and so was of great strategic importance. It was a district capital during Solomon’s reign (1 Kgs 4:12  ^ij). King Josiah was mortally wounded in a battle against Pharaoh Neco and the Egyptians on the plain of Megiddo (2 Chr 35:22-23  ^ik), and the mountain of Megiddo is the site of the great battle depicted in Rev 16:16  ^il.
Summary for Zech 12:12-14: 12:12-14  ^im The clan of David ... Nathan ... Levi, and ... Shimei: Zechariah might be referring to the royal families (David and his son Nathan; see 1 Chr 14:4  ⁱⁿ) and the priestly families (Levi and his grandson Shimei; see Num 3:16-18  ^io; 1 Chr 6:16-17  ^ip). Alternatively, the four families might represent the four principal classes of leadership in Old Testament times: the king (David, 1 Sam 16:1-13  ^iq; the prophet (Nathan, 2 Sam 7:2  ^ir), the priest (Levi, Deut 33:8-11  ^is), and the tribal leader (Shimei, 1 Kgs 1:8  ^it; 4:18  ^iu). The first interpretation correlates with Zechariah’s emphasis on the Branch that will be both king and priest (see Zech 6:12-13  ^iv).

• each clan by itself: This separation depicts the depth and totality of Israel’s mourning.

‏ Zechariah 13

Summary for Zech 13:1-6: 13:1-6  ^iw The second message (13:1-6  ^ix) of the second oracle (chs 12–14  ^iy) focuses on cleansing from sin. 13:1  ^iz A fountain is a spring of pure, flowing water for cleansing and purification (see 14:8  ^ja; John 4:14  ^jb; Rev 22:1-2  ^jc).

• God’s cleansing of Israel will include leaders (represented by the dynasty of David) and all the people of Judah and Israel (signified by the people of Jerusalem, the spiritual center of the nation).

• to cleanse them: This cleansing, symbolized in the ritual washings of Old Testament worship (see Exod 30:17-21  ^jd), was provided in the new covenant as promised by Jeremiah (Jer 31:34  ^je) and Ezekiel (Ezek 36:25  ^jf; see Heb 10:1-22  ^jg).

• all their sins and impurity: The Hebrews would experience a complete moral and spiritual cleansing because of their sorrow over their sin (Zech 12:10-14  ^jh).
13:2  ^ji By cleansing Israel, God would erase their former penchant for idol worship, giving them a new heart and enabling them to worship God alone (Jer 31:33  ^jj; 32:38-40  ^jk; Ezek 36:25-28  ^jl).

• In the biblical world, one’s name embodied one’s existence. When the names of the idols are forgotten, they cease to exist.

• The false prophets misrepresented God by fabricating divine revelations or by speaking in the name of other gods (Deut 13:5-11  ^jm; 18:17-22  ^jn). They led Israel astray by encouraging idol worship (Jer 23:13  ^jo, 25  ^jp) and would continue to do so (see Neh 6:12-14  ^jq; Mark 13:22  ^jr; 2 Pet 2:1  ^js; 1 Jn 4:1-3  ^jt) until that day, the day of the Lord.
13:3  ^ju You must die: According to God’s law, a false prophet must be executed (Deut 13:5  ^jv, 10  ^jw; 18:20  ^jx). The Israelites had tolerated false prophets and killed the Lord’s true prophets. In the future, the situation would be reversed.
Summary for Zech 13:4-6: 13:4-6  ^jy God’s total cleansing of his people from their impurities will strike such fear among the people that false prophets will deny or conceal their identity, even lying about the nature and purpose of their activities that might be associated with the prophets of idolatrous cults. 13:4  ^jz ashamed to claim the prophetic gift (literally ashamed of his vision): The Old Testament prophet was sometimes identified as a visionary “seer” (see 1 Sam 9:9-19  ^ka; 2 Kgs 17:13  ^kb), since divine revelation often came to them in dreams or night visions (e.g., Zech 1:7–6:15  ^kc).

• prophet’s clothes: A coarse cloak of camel or goat hair distinctively garbed the Old Testament Hebrew prophets (see 2 Kgs 1:8  ^kd; Matt 3:4  ^ke).
13:5  ^kf I’m a farmer: This might be a parody of Amos 7:14  ^kg.
13:6  ^kh wounds on your chest?: These wounds might be cuts or bruises that ecstatic prophets, especially in Canaanite religious circles, sometimes gave themselves (see 1 Kgs 18:28  ^ki). False prophets would make excuses for themselves, such as, I was wounded at my friends’ house!
Summary for Zech 13:7-9: 13:7-9  ^kj This message describes a coming day when God’s appointed shepherd of Israel would be struck down, and the sheep (the people of Israel) would be scattered. A portion of the nation would be given over to divine judgment, while part of the nation would experience spiritual renewal, fulfilling Zechariah’s vision of God once again among his people (see 1:16  ^kk; 2:5  ^kl, 10-11  ^km; 8:3  ^kn, 23  ^ko). The Gospel writers connect portions of this passage (13:7  ^kp) to the scattering of Jesus’ disciples as a result of the events surrounding his arrest, trial, and execution by the Romans (see Matt 26:31  ^kq, 56  ^kr). 13:7  ^ks The sword is personified as a warrior being called to awake in battle, heightening its image as God’s servant, an instrument of death (see Isa 31:8  ^kt; 34:6  ^ku; 66:16  ^kv).

• My shepherd signifies the Messiah, the coming leader of Israel (see Ezek 34:23  ^kw; 37:24  ^kx).

• My partner conveys the equality of the shepherd with God (see Matt 26:31  ^ky; Mark 14:27  ^kz).
13:8  ^la Two-thirds ... one-third: The divine judgment would be catastrophic, but God would preserve a remnant and forgive their sin (see Isa 65:9  ^lb; Jer 50:20  ^lc; Ezek 5:2-12  ^ld; Rev 9:15-18  ^le).
13:9  ^lf Fire is a metaphor for God’s judgment (see Isa 66:15  ^lg; Jer 4:4  ^lh; Ezek 36:5  ^li; Amos 5:6  ^lj). God’s fire may either destroy the wicked or, as here, test and purify the righteous.

• refine them ... like gold: God is the divine metallurgist, using fire to burn the dross out of metal (Isa 1:25  ^lk; Mal 3:2-3  ^ll).

• These are my people ... The Lord is our God: The declarations of loyalty by God and Israel restore their broken covenant relationship (Zech 11:10  ^lm, 14  ^ln; see Exod 19:5  ^lo; Jer 30:22  ^lp; 31:33  ^lq; Hos 2:23  ^lr).

‏ Zechariah 14

Summary for Zech 14:1-21: 14:1-21  ^ls Zechariah closes with visions of judgment, salvation, and God’s universal kingdom. In the future, Israel would be besieged, teetering on the verge of total destruction, when the Lord himself would intervene and rescue his people (14:3-4  ^lt) and punish their enemies with a terrible plague (14:12  ^lu). Israel would be restored as God’s people, and Jerusalem would be exalted as the center of civilization (14:16-17  ^lv). God’s rule would be established over all the earth (14:9  ^lw), and the created order would be transformed (14:6-10  ^lx). Fittingly, God’s holiness would be the pervasive characteristic of his rule over all the earth (14:20-21  ^ly). Zechariah’s message stimulates the people of God to hope in the Sovereign King of Israel, who will bring justice and restoration. 14:1  ^lz The day of the Lord will bring judgment and deliverance and will reverse the fortunes of many (see Amos 5:18  ^ma; cp. Matt 19:28-30  ^mb; Luke 13:23-30  ^mc).
14:2  ^md The rest is the remnant of Israel that survived the sack of Jerusalem (see 13:8  ^me).
14:3  ^mf fought in times past: An example would be the exodus from Egypt (Exod 14–15  ^mg; see Isa 42:13  ^mh).
14:4  ^mi Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives, and the angels’ message to Jesus’ disciples (Acts 1:11-12  ^mj) implied that he would return in a similar fashion.

• Zechariah envisions an earthquake that will split apart the Mount of Olives and create a valley running east and west through the fissure. This valley will become an escape route for Hebrews fleeing Jerusalem during the assault by the nations (Zech 14:5  ^mk). This event is probably connected to the return of Jesus at the end of the age (see Matt 24  ^ml; Rev 6:12  ^mm; 11:13  ^mn; 16:18  ^mo).
14:5  ^mp Some identify Azal (Hebrew ’atsal) as a district on the northeast side of Jerusalem inhabited by descendants of Azel (1 Chr 8:37-39  ^mq; 9:43-44  ^mr). Others emend the Hebrew to ’etsel, “alongside” or “the side [of it].”

• The date of the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah is unknown, but Amos began his ministry two years before it (Amos 1:1  ^ms).

• The holy ones are probably the multitude of angels that worship God and serve as his army (see Ps 89:5  ^mt, 7  ^mu).
14:7  ^mv continuous day: The day of the Lord will bring fundamental changes to the created order (see Isa 60:19-22  ^mw; Rev 21:22-25  ^mx). This promise emphasizes that the sun and moon are created by God and are not eternal deities—light does not originate with them.
14:8  ^my The life-giving waters ... from Jerusalem symbolize God’s life-giving presence among his people (see Ezek 47:1-12  ^mz; Joel 3:18  ^na; John 7:37-39  ^nb; Rev 22:1-2  ^nc).

• half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean: Divine blessings will extend both east and west, flowing continuously. They will never stop bringing healing (see Isa 30:23-26  ^nd).
14:9  ^ne the Lord will be king: Zechariah envisions the ultimate fulfillment of many psalms (see Pss 47–48  ^nf, 93  ^ng, 97-99  ^nh).

• there will be one Lord: This promise reaffirms Israel’s creed (Deut 6:4  ⁿⁱ) and signals a final end of all idolatry.
14:10  ^nj The towns Geba and Rimmon represent the north–south extent of the district including Jerusalem.
14:12  ^nk As divine Judge, God strikes those who rebel against him with a sudden and deadly plague (see Exod 9:14  ^nl; Num 14:36-37  ^nm; 2 Sam 24:10-25  ⁿⁿ; Jer 14:11-12  ^no).
14:13  ^np The day of the Lord will bring terror to God’s enemies (12:4  ^nq; see Isa 22:5  ^nr).
14:14  ^ns The day of the Lord is characterized by reversal: The capture of the wealth of the nations overturns the looting of Jerusalem announced earlier (14:1  ^nt).

• great quantities of gold and silver: The Lord’s Temple will receive “the treasures of all the nations” (Hag 2:7-8  ^nu).
14:16  ^nv enemies ... will ... worship the King: Another reversal will occur on the day of the Lord (cp. Phil 2:8-11  ^nw).

• The annual Festival of Shelters marked the beginning of the fall harvest season and commemorated Israel’s wilderness experience after the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 23:14-19  ^nx; Lev 23:33-43  ^ny; Num 29:12-40  ^nz; Deut 16:13-17  ^oa). The festival gave the worshiping community an opportunity to thank God for his provision. It encouraged social concern for the disadvantaged and reliance on God as pilgrims in this world. Thanksgiving will characterize worship in the messianic era (see Isa 51:3  ^ob; Jer 33:11  ^oc).
14:17  ^od come to Jerusalem to worship: Jerusalem, with God’s Temple, is envisioned as the center of God’s universal kingdom (8:20-22  ^oe; see Isa 56:6-7  ^of; 66:19-23  ^og; Mic 4:1  ^oh; Hag 2:7  ^oi; Rev 21:1-2  ^oj, 10-27  ^ok).

• no rain: This was one of the curses God pronounced against Israel for covenant disobedience (see Deut 28:22-24  ^ol). That curse extended to all the nations, as God’s rule extends over all peoples (cp. Zech 10:1  ^om).
14:20  ^on Holy to the Lord: See study note on 3:5. The priesthood was set apart for the Lord, as was the nation of Israel (Exod 19:6  ^oo; Lev 11:44-45  ^op). That identity will be fulfilled in the messianic kingdom (Rom 11:16-17  ^oq; Eph 1:4  ^or; 5:27  ^os; 1 Pet 1:15-16  ^ot). The inscription on the harness bells and the cooking pots shows how pervasive holiness will be in that day.
14:21  ^ou every cooking pot: The holiness of God’s kingdom will transform even mundane utensils into sacred vessels like those used in the sacrificial ritual of the Temple, eliminating all Old Testament distinctions between the sacred and the profane.

• traders (literally Canaanites): Commercial activity was associated with the Canaanites (see Hos 12:7  ^ov; Zeph 1:11  ^ow). The expression might be a euphemism for idolaters or another way of saying that under God’s rule, traditional ethnic boundaries will be dissolved. The passage may anticipate the work of Jesus in cleansing the Jerusalem Temple as a prelude to the greater work of cleansing the heart of those who believe in him by the Holy Spirit (see John 2:13-16  ^ox; 1 Cor 6:11  ^oy; Titus 3:5  ^oz).