John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 12:7

"Jehovah also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem be not magnified above Judah." — Zechariah 12:7 (ASV)

The Prophet teaches us again that there is no need for help when God stretches out his hand to preserve his people, for he alone is abundantly sufficient. And the design of the verse is to show that the Jews were to learn to acquiesce in God alone, even if they might find themselves destitute of all earthly assistance. For when God purposes to save, he needs no help, as we have said; nor does he borrow any, as he himself is fully sufficient.

But by the word Tabernacles, the Prophet means, as I think, sheds, such as afforded only partial protection. It is indeed true that tents are called סחות, sachut, in Hebrew; but the same is often meant by the אעלים, aelim, tents, which afforded temporary accommodation, for they were not strongly built, as is evident from many passages. I allow that all houses without any difference are sometimes called tabernacles, אהלים, aelim; but the word properly signifies a tent, built as a temporary convenience, for it is said that the fathers dwelt in tents when they had no fixed habitation.

Let us now see why the Prophet speaks of tents. He may have alluded to their dwelling in the wilderness; but as this may seem too remote, I consider that he simply refers to the tents in which the Jews dwelt when they had entered the land, after their deliverance from Egypt. For they must have been wonderfully protected by the hand of God, since they had provoked all their neighbors and kindled the hatred of all against themselves. There were indeed some fortified cities, but for the most part they lived in villages, and most of the people were no doubt satisfied with their tents or sheds.

Therefore, since the Israelites then had no defense, the Prophet now reminds them that they were then protected by God alone, so that they might believe that they would in the future be safe and secure, as God would defend them to the end. There is then here an implied comparison between tents and fortified cities; and the Prophet urges them to consider what their fathers had formerly experienced, for God faithfully defended them, even when they were unprotected and exposed to the attacks of their enemies.

He says first, Jehovah will save the tents, etc.; as if he had said, “Know that your fathers were formerly defended by the hand of God when, for the most part, they did not dwell in cities but lived scattered in villages: since God then had been the preserver of his people many ages before a king was appointed, believe that he will be the same to you in the future.” But we must still remember what we said yesterday—that the Jews who had returned to their country had a promise of God’s help, so that the Israelites, who were retained by their own sloth in Babylon, might know that they were justly suffering punishment for their ingratitude, because they had not given glory to God, as they should have done, by committing themselves to his protection and thus relying on his defense, so as not to seek other help from the world: he will then save them, he says, as at the beginning; for 'as', the particle of similitude, is to be understood here.

He then adds, And hence boast shall not the honor of the house of David and the honor of the citizen of Jerusalem over Judah. This last clause is added, I think, as an explanation; and this is evident from the subject itself, for God declares that he would be the protector of the helpless, so that they would be no less victorious than if they possessed many armed soldiers and were furnished with money and other necessities to carry on war. For by comparing here the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem with Judah, he no doubt considers this: that even though there was no kingdom and no fortified cities, there would still be sufficient protection in him alone, so that he himself could defend the people, though unarmed, and having no swords, nor power, nor any other requisite means. Boast then shall not the house of David: and this seems to have been mentioned intentionally, for while they trusted in their own wealth and power, they did not rest on God as they should have done.

Since then the Jews had been elated with vain pride while the dignity of the kingdom remained, and while they possessed wealth and instruments of war, God here reproves this false confidence, for the Jews had thus obscured his gratuitous favor. For however great the treasures collected by David and Solomon might have been, and however formidable they might have been to their enemies and the neighboring nations, they still should have relied on the protection of God alone.

Since then earthly aids had inflated their minds, God now reproves their vain conceit. He shows that the condition of the people would be no less happy when no king sat on the throne and no aids were enlisted for the protection of the people.

Therefore, he declares that though exposed to all evils, they would still be safe and secure, for God would defend them. This is why the Prophet says that the royal posterity would not glory against Judah (though dwelling in tents), nor would the citizens of Jerusalem, who were then, so to speak, the courtiers. For since the royal seat was at Jerusalem, a kind of vain boasting was made by all the citizens. Since then all of them despised the inhabitants of the country when the city’s condition was illustrious, the Prophet says the posterity of David and Jerusalem shall not in the future glory against the people of Judah, scattered in the open fields.