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Again the word of the LORD of hosts came [to me], saying,

Again the word of the Lord of hosts — As for reprehension in the former chapter, so for consolation in this; that they might not be discouraged, or say, as once they did, There is no hope; but lifting up the hands which hung down, and the feeble knees, they might go on to lay the last stone with joy. To which end also no less then eighteen different times in this one chapter God is styled the Lord of hosts; that, resting upon God’s power and goodness (whereof they are assured by many precious promises), as upon the Jachin and Boaz, the two main pillars of a Christian’s faith, they might have strong consolation.

Came to me — See Trapp on " Zechariah 7:8 "

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Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

I was jealous for Zion — See Trapp on " Zechariah 1:14 " Jealous as a husband, zealous as a loving father; for, Non amat qui non zelat, He does not love who does not ardently low, saith Augustine; and a father being rebuked by some for his exceeding forwardness for his friend, answered, Ego aliter amare non didici, I know not how to love any otherwise than earnestly. God, therefore, to ascertain his people of the truth of the ensuing promises, and to cure their unbelief, lets them know that all this he will do for them of his free grace without their having deserved it. As at first he loved them merely because he loved them, Deuteronomy 7:7-8 ; so, out of the same love, he will bestow upon them all the good things here mentioned. See the like Isaiah 9:6-7 , where, after a sweet description of Christ, his kingdom and benefits, he concludes all with "The zeal" (that is, the tender love and free grace) "of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Fear ye not." So 2 Samuel 7:21 "For thy word’s sake," that is, for thy Christ’s sake, "and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these things" which thou hadst promised. "According to thine own heart," that is, ex mero motu, out of pure and unexcited love, or zeal, which is the top of all the affections and the heat of the heart.

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Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

I am returned unto Zion — After a long absence, as it may seem by the late troubles, and that dismal dispersion, Zechariah 7:14 . God was gone aside and returned to his place, till they should acknowledge their offence and seek his face: In their affliction, said he, they will seek me early. Neither was he frustrated, as appeareth, Hosea 5:15 ; cf. Hosea 6:1 . Come, and let us return unto the Lord, say they. Do so, and then I will come again unto you as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth, with a cornucopia of peace, plenty, and prosperity. Neither this only will I do as a stranger in the land, or as a wayfaring man, that tarrieth for a night,

But I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem — My shechinah, or settled habitation, shall be in the midst of it, sc. in my temple there situated, Jeremiah 14:8 . Maimonides saith, that the Hebrew word here used signifieth continuationem stationis, a sure and settled abode; such as was that of the Godhead of Christ in his manhood. "For the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us," εσκηνωσεν . The word seems to be made of this Shacan in the text.

And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth — A faithful city, Isaiah 1:26 . A Verona rightly so called; a place where the sincere service of the true God is set up and practised; in opposition to other cities (such as Athens was, wholly given to idolatry, Acts 17:16 , κατειδωλον ), that went a whoring after lying vanities, and so forsook their own mercies, Job 2:8 .

And the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain — This and the former clause may safely and fitly be extended to the holy Catholic Church of the New Testament also; whereof Jerusalem and the mount Moriah, whereon the temple stood, were figures. The Rabbis themselves expect the good things here promised to be performed when their Messiah shall come, quem tantis ululatibus exposcunt.

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Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem — Because the "Ancient of days, the just Lord, is in the midst thereof," Zephaniah 3:5 , and he will give every "good gift and perfect giving," James 1:17 , that is, both temporal and spiritual. The Father of lights will be to his both a sun and a shield; and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, Psalms 84:11 . Godliness hath the promises of both lives, 1 Timothy 4:8 . Christ is heir of all, Hebrews 1:2 , and the saints are his coheirs, Romans 8:17 . He is the "everlasting Father," and also the "Prince of peace," Isaiah 9:6 ; his children and subjects shall have both the upper and nether springs, both the blessing of the right hand (spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus), and also of the left; riches and honour, delight and pleasure, life and length of days, peace and prosperity, …, Proverbs 3:16-17 ; Proverbs 8:18 ; Psalms 112:2-3; Deuteronomy 28:2-6 .

And every man with his staff in his hand — His third leg, as they call it; q.d. they shall live so long that they shall need a staff, a servant or a son (such as Scipio was to his old decrepit father) to lean upon; because the strong men, the legs, shall bow themselves, that is, bend and buckle under their burden, Ecclesiastes 12:3 . They shall not be cut off by the devouring sword of war, that slaughter-man of mankind that lays heaps upon heaps, and by chain bullets cuts its way through a heap of men at once, without respect of old or young.

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And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls — Lads and lasses (as the Hebrew seems to sound), that mind little else but play as if, with leviathan, they had been made to sport, or as those people of Tombutum, in Africa, who are said to spend their whole time in singing and dancing. But this they could not do if the times were troublesome, and the soldier at his bloody play, according to that of Abner, 2 Samuel 2:14 "Let the young men now arise and play before us," that is, thrust their swords in their fellows’ sides, 2 Samuel 2:16 .

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Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people — Here the Lord graciously answereth the secret objection of these Jews’ unbelieving and misgiving hearts. It is impossible, thought they, that these promises should ever have their performance; they are sure too good to be true. This is the voice of carnal reason; it usually tells a story of impossibilities, and judgeth according to sense, looketh upon God’s Jordan (as Naaman did) with Syrian eyes. But faith can mount higher and see further; as a lark, with a little eye, getting aloft, can see that which an ox, with a bigger eye, but being below on the ground, cannot. It is the nature of faith to look upon all things seizable. I can do all things, saith she, through Christ that strengtheneth me. Is there anything too hard for the Almighty? was not that an absurd question of these men’s ancestors, "Can he prepare a table for us in the wilderness?" God can do much more than he will do; but whatsoever he willeth that he doth both in heaven and earth. And if faith have but a promise to fasten upon, she can believe God upon his bare word, without a pawn; and that both against sense in things invisible, and against reason in things incredible.

Should it also be marvellous in mine eyes — q.d. Will ye measure me by yourselves, and make my thoughts to be as your thoughts, my ways as your ways? there is no comparison. Abraham cared not for the deadness of his own body or his wife’s, but was strong in faith, and gave God the glory of his power, Romans 4:20 . This was it indeed that God himself minded him of when he said unto him, Genesis 17:1 , I am God Almighty, walk before me and be upright: q.d. Thou wilt never do the latter unless thou believe the former.

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Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

Behold, I will save my people from the east — This was in part, no doubt, literally meant to be the scattered Jews; and fulfilled also in those 500 years’ time between the captivity and Christ, though stories tell us not when and how; and shall be much more at their much desired conversion. For this is laid down for a general rule, that all evangelical promises made to the Jews, seeing they neither at first received the gospel, nor ever hitherto enjoyed that peace, plenty, and prosperity which these and such like promises do purport, cannot but aim at somewhat that is yet to come. Albeit it cannot be denied but that the great and glorious things which in the height and excellence thereof are spoken particularly to them, do in their measure and degree appertain in common to all the faithful; and so in the New Testament are ordinarily applied.

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And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

And I will bring them — And then they are sure to be brought. For who hath resisted his will? he will breathe life into those dead bones, and flesh shall cover them; he will make up those two sticks into one, and David his servant shall be king over them for ever, Ezekiel 37:24 .

And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem — They shall, they shall. Oh the rhetoric of God! Oh the certainty of the promises! what a monstrous sin is unbelief!

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God — This is a short gospel; this is the sum of the covenant of grace. Brevis et longa, planeque aurea est haec clausula, as Pareus somewhere speaks of another text. This is a long, and yet a short clause; short in sound, long in sense, but golden all over.

In truth and righteousness — I will be their God.

in truth — That is, in an assured performance of promise.

And they shall be my people in righteouness — That is, in obedience to my commandments. So here is the covenant renewed in a mutual stipulation.

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