Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · 스가랴 7장

Zechariah 7:1. In the fourth year of king Darius— Two years after they began to rebuild the temple. See chap. Zechariah 1:1. The month Chisleu answers to part of our November and December.

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Zechariah 7:2. When they had sent, &c.— Who it was that sent appears from Zec 7:5 where God commands the prophet to answer all the people and the priests. The people held a fast as a mournful memorial of their subverted temple: a doubt therefore arose in their mind, after the temple began to be rebuilt, whether they should yet fast; which was a doubt of such a kind, as ought to affect both people and priest, though the people might send to consult the priests. God commands the prophet to answer for the priests, and to the priests themselves. The answer is made to those who doubt: they who doubt are called the people of the land; which appellation certainly belongs to the people dwelling in their own land, but by no means to the Jews who continued among the Chaldeans: wherefore they seem to be greatly in an error who think that Sherezer and Regem-melech were sent from Babylon to Judaea. Houbigant.

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Zechariah 7:3. Separating myself, as, &c.— Should I fast as I have done, &c. Houbigant. See Zechariah 7:5.

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Zechariah 7:5. In the fifth and seventh month— The Jews not only observed those fasts which were instituted by God himself, but likewise added others in commemoration of great calamities. The exiled Jews instituted four of these fasts; one in the fourth month, in commemoration of the breach of the wall, mentioned Jeremiah 52:6.; one in the fifth month, in commemoration of the burning of the temple. Jeremiah 52:12.; one in the seventh month for the murder of Gedaliah, Jeremiah 41:2.; and one in the tenth month, in commemoration of the beginning of the siege, 2 Kings 25:1. These fasts were observed not only in their captivity but likewise in Judaea, between the reigns of Cyrus and Darius the son of Hystaspes; the Jews therefore, as we have remarked, particularly inquired concerning the observation of the fast on account of the burning of the temple, because that temple was now rebuilding; for they might doubt whether it was not improper to retain it any longer, as the reason had ceased which gave rise to it; or whether the commemoration of past calamities was not of great utility to the morals of mankind. The prophet acquits himself with great address; he answers, that these days should still be observed, but in a different manner; not as days of mourning, but as days of thanksgiving; see chap. Zec 8:19 premising some very useful observations on the nature of fasts, on the causes of the national calamities, and the manner in which they ought to behave themselves in prosperity. See Grotius, and Calmet's Dictionary on the word FASTS. Houbigant renders the last clause of this verse, Did 1 command you this fast? "Was it by my orders?—to obey me? was it not rather from private motives,—from sentiments of self-love, than those of true religion, and sincere purposes of amendment?" The question is proposed in opposition to their false ideas, that fasting of itself, exclusive of any corresponding graces and virtues, would be pleasing to God.

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Zechariah 7:7. When Jerusalem was inhabited— Heb. ישׁבת ioshebeth, was sitting. To sit denotes a state of permanent order and security. Hence a female figure sitting in a chair of state is the ordinary symbol on the ancient medals to represent a city or nation, whose constitution is entire the woman and unmolested. But when it is overturned and ruined, is seen cast from her seat, and lying or sitting on the ground.

When men inhabited the south— The south was the wilderness and the mountainous parts of Judaea; and the plain, the plains of Jericho. These parts were entirely abandoned during the last captivity. The prophet in this verse manifestly alludes to what Isaiah has said in his 58th chapter, Zechariah 7:3, &c.

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Zechariah 7:10. Let none of you imagine, &c.— Let none of you devise in your heart the hurt of his brother.

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Zechariah 7:11. Pulled away the shoulder— They refused to obey, and turned their backs on instruction. The Hebrew סררת ףּכת ויתנו vaiittenu kateph soreret is literally, They gave a backsliding shoulder; like him who offers his shoulder to carry a burthen with another, and afterwards slides from it, and leaves his companion overpowered with the weight. See Calmet.

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