John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 14:10

"All the land shall be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she shall be lifted up, and shall dwell in her place, from Benjamin`s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel unto the king`s wine-presses." — Zechariah 14:10 (ASV)

The Prophet in this verse promises two things—that the city would be in a very prominent place, so that it could be seen at a distance, and also, that it would be a secure and peaceful habitation.

Regarding the former part, he says, Turned shall be the whole land into a plain. We indeed know that Jerusalem was situated with mountains around it; its foundations, as it is said in Psalm 87:1, were on the holy mountains. Since the country was uneven on account of its many hills, the Prophet says that it would become a wide plain, so that travel would not be rough and difficult as before. Furthermore, Jerusalem would not be low in a deep place but would be on a plain, which would not prevent it from being seen from whatever direction visitors might come.

The whole land, he says, shall be a plain from Geba to Rimmon. Since we do not fully know what sort of country that was, nor where Geba and Rimmon were, I will not speak here particularly on every word. However, it is enough for us to understand the design of what is said, which was to show—that steep places would become level ground, so that Jerusalem might be seen from afar, and that with the surface being level, there would be no mountains to impede a distant view.

Then follows the second clause: Inhabited shall be Jerusalem in its own place. This means that, though it was formerly pulled down and now lies, as it were, dilapidated, and the buildings already begun are very imperfect, yet it shall on itself be inhabited. It will have the same limits, the same boundaries. In short, the Prophet means that the size of the city would be the same as it was formerly.

Zechariah, we know, performed the office of a teacher when the Jews began, not without great hindrances, to build the city. They were not able at first to take in the whole compass; indeed, they thought this impracticable until they were encouraged by Ezra and Nehemiah, as we learn from the books of both. Since the city they began to build was confined in its limits, Zechariah says that there was no reason to despair, for in a short time it would again attain its ancient splendor and be extended to all its gates, as it is afterwards stated. A description of the ancient city, when destroyed, is undoubtedly given here when he says:

From the gate of Benjamin to the place of the first gate (he mentions the place of the gate, for there was then no gate, as that part of the city still remained desolate), to the gate of the corners, from the citadel of Hananeel to the wine-vats of the king.

Though we do not fully know now how far the ancient Jerusalem extended, or what was its exact situation, it is still certain that the Prophet meant that such would be the greatness and magnificence of the city that its condition would fully equal its ancient splendor, which had then disappeared.

The city, as is well known, had been very large; though writers do not agree on the subject, it is commonly admitted that it included 30 stadia. This was certainly no common size. Hence, the Prophet states what all thought to be incredible: that though the extent of the city was small, it would yet become a new Jerusalem, not inferior to the former either in size, magnificence, or in any other respect.

But we must defer what remains until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as you gather us for this end—that we may be to you a peculiar people, and as you have separated us from profane people, that your legitimate worship may prevail among us—O grant that we may all attend to your word, surrender ourselves wholly to you, and never turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, but continue to observe the rule which you have prescribed, so that we may know by the continual flowing of your favor that you rule in our midst. May we by this enjoyment be stimulated more and more to love, worship, and fear you, so that, consecrating ourselves, body and soul, truly and from the heart to you, we may make continual advances in true religion, until, having at length put off all the filth of our flesh, we will come to that blessed inheritance which has been purchased for us by the blood of your only begotten Son. Amen.