Bible Commentaries

Zec 12:1-14.

JERUSALEM THE INSTRUMENT OF JUDGMENT ON HER FOES HEREAFTER; HER REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION.

1. burden--"weighty prophecy"; fraught with destruction to Israel's foes; the expression may also refer to the distresses of Israel implied as about to precede the deliverance.

for Israel--concerning Israel [MAURER].

stretcheth forth--present; now, not merely "hath stretched forth," as if God only created and then left the universe to itself

(Joh 5:17).

To remove all doubts of unbelief as to the possibility of Israel's deliverance, God prefaces the prediction by reminding us of His creative and sustaining power. Compare a similar preface in

Isa 42:5; 43:1; 65:17, 18.

formeth . . . spirit of man--

(Nu 16:22; Heb 12:9).

2. cup of trembling--a cup causing those who drink it to reel (from a Hebrew root "to reel"). Jerusalem, who drank the "cup of trembling" herself, shall be so to her foes

(Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 13:13).

CALVIN with the Septuagint translates, "threshold of destruction," on which they shall stumble and be crushed when they attempt to cross it. English Version is better.

both against Judah--The Hebrew order of words is literally, "And also against Judah shall he (the foe) be in the siege against Jerusalem"; implying virtually that Judah, as it shares the invasion along with Jerusalem, so it shall, like the metropolis, prove a cup of trembling to the invaders. MAURER with JEROME translates, "Also upon Judah shall be (the cup of trembling); that is, some Jews forced by the foe shall join in the assault on Jerusalem, and shall share the overthrow with the besiegers. But

Zec 12:6, 7

show that Judah escapes and proves the scourge of the foe.

3.

(Zec 14:4, 6-9, 13).

JEROME states it was a custom in Palestine to test the strength of youths by their lifting up a massive stone; the phrase, "burden themselves with it," refers to this custom. Compare

Mt 21:44:

The Jews "fell" on the rock of offense, Messiah, and were "broken"; but the rock shall fall on Antichrist, who "burdens himself with it" by his assault on the restored Jews, and "grind him to powder."

all . . . people of . . . earth--The Antichristian confederacy against the Jews shall be almost universal.

4. I will smite . . . horse--The arm of attack especially formidable to Judah, who was unprovided with cavalry. So in the overthrow of Pharaoh

(Ex 15:19, 21).

open mine eyes upon . . . Judah--to watch over Judah's safety. Heretofore Jehovah seemed to have shut His eyes, as having no regard for her.

blindness--so as to rush headlong on to their own ruin (compare

Zec 14:12, 13).

5. shall say--when they see the foe divinely smitten with "madness."

Judah . . . Jerusalem--here distinguished as the country and the metropolis. Judah recognizes her "strength" to be "Jerusalem and its inhabitants" as the instrument, and "Jehovah of hosts their God" (dwelling especially there) as the author of all power

(Joe 3:16).

My strength is the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who have the Lord their God as their help. The repulse of the foe by the metropolis shall assure the Jews of the country that the same divine aid shall save them.

6. On "governors of Judah," see on

Zec 9:7.

hearth--or pan.

torch . . . in a sheaf--Though small, it shall consume the many foes around. One prophet supplements the other. Thus

Isa 29:1-24; Joe 3:1-21; Zec 12:1-14:21,

describe more Antichrist's army than himself. Daniel represents him as a horn growing out of the fourth beast or fourth kingdom; St. John, as a separate beast having an individual existence. Daniel dwells on his worldly conquests as a king; St. John, more on his spiritual tyranny, whence he adds a second beast, the false prophet coming in a semblance of spirituality. What is briefly described by one is more fully prophesied by the other [ROOS].

7. Judah is to be "first saved," because of her meek acknowledgment of dependence on Jerusalem, subordinate to Jehovah's aid.

tents--shifting and insecure, as contrasted with the solid fortifications of Judah. But God chooses the weak to confound the mighty, that all human glorying may be set aside.

8. Jerusalem, however, also shall be specially strengthened against the foe.

feeble . . . shall be as David--to the Jew, the highest type of strength and glory on earth

(2Sa 17:8; 18:3; Joe 3:10).

angel of the Lord before them--the divine angel that went "before them" through the desert, the highest type of strength and glory in heaven

(Ex 23:20; 32:34).

"The house of David" is the "prince," and his family sprung from David

(Eze 45:7, 9).

David's house was then in a comparatively weak state.