John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 9

One thing had escaped my notice in the words of the Prophet—that great people and strong nations would come. We have said that “great” rather than “many” should be adopted. The latter meaning, that worshipers of God would come from various cities, may indeed be allowed. However, since the word עצומים, otsumim, properly means strong, and since it is certain that the Prophet means the same thing by the two words, it is more probable that he speaks of strong and valiant people, as they are not so easily subdued. For the more anyone excels in prowess, the more stiff-necked they are to undertake the yoke. Since then the strong and the brave, and those who are eminent in the world, are not so easily brought to submit to God, the Prophet expressly says that they will become teachable and willing, so that pride, as is usually the case, will not be a hindrance to them.

I come now to the passage in which the Prophet announces a heavy burden, or a severe and fearful prophecy concerning Syria and other neighboring nations. I prefer to retain the word “burden,” rather than to translate it as prophecy, as many commentators have done. For though משא, mesha, is sometimes taken simply for prophecy, yet here, it appears to me, something particular is intended. The Prophet denounces God’s judgment both on Syria and on the surrounding countries, and the word “prophecy” is not suitable, for to say “the prophecy of the word” would be strange and meaningless. But when he says, The burden of the word of God, the sentence is full and flows well. He reminds us that His word would not be ineffectual but full of effect, as it would lie like a burden on Syria and on other countries, which they would not be able to shake off. The burden then of the word of Jehovah; that is, 'I now have a prediction which will be grievous and severe to those heathens who now disturb the Jews, the chosen people.'

But this doctrine contains consolation for the godly, for they may therefore know that they are safe under God’s protection, since He wages war against their enemies. Indeed, His vengeance was now prepared against all those who harassed the Jews. Since He had previously promised that incredible favor of God which we have noted, He now declares that the Church would be safe under God’s protection, as vengeance was ready for all the ungodly.

But the Prophet here mentions only the cities known to the Jews, for it was enough to refer to them as an example, so that the Jews might therefore conclude that God would always be the protector of His Church, and that no enemies will escape unpunished. The Prophet, then, no doubt mentioned these few cities to the Jews so that they might feel assured that nothing in the world is so strong and impetuous that God cannot easily subdue and lay it prostrate. Now that we understand the Prophet’s purpose, we will turn to the words themselves.

Some think that the word חדרך, chedrak, includes the whole of Syria, which seems probable to me. Others suppose that some notable city is meant, since Damascus is immediately added. But as the matter is uncertain, and as there is no doubt that the Prophet speaks of the kingdom of Syria, I will not contest the point. Whether it is the name of a city or of a country, it is all the same, for the Prophet means that God’s vengeance was impending over the Syrians, and impending in such a way that it would not depart from them until they were wholly destroyed. For when he adds that its rest would be Damascus, he intimates that God’s judgment would not be like a storm, which soon passes away, but that it would be a heavy and burdensome mass, which could not be dissipated, according to what Isaiah says—

The word came on Jacob and fell on Israel (Isaiah 8:9).

That is, what God pronounced against Jacob fell on Israel. He indeed changes the name, but it is as though he had said, 'When God punishes Jacob, can the Israelites escape?' For they were the same. The sentence then will fall; that is, it will find its own place. In vain will they run here and there to escape.

The Jews then will gain nothing by their flight, for the vengeance now denounced by the Lord will lay hold of them. So also in this place he says, the burden of the word of Jehovah on the land of Chadrak and Damascus, the royal city, the metropolis, shall be its rest, its dwelling; for the Lord’s vengeance will fix its station there, and it cannot be removed from there.

In vain then will the Syrians try in various ways to escape, for they must be pressed down by God’s hand until they are laid prostrate. We now therefore understand in what sense the Prophet says that Damascus would be the rest, the habitation, or the abode of God’s vengeance.

He afterwards adds, For to Jehovah the eye of man. The particle כי, ki, is to be taken here, I think, as an adverb of time, “When.” There is, in reality, little difference, except that the common rendering of it greatly obscures the Prophet’s meaning. But if it is taken as an adverb of time, the passage will read better: When the eye of man shall be to Jehovah, and of all the tribes of Israel. That is, when the Jews begin to turn to God without any dissimulation but with real sincerity, then, he says, God will in every way bless them and raise up His hand against their enemies.

The Prophet had previously exhorted the Jews to repentance, for they had been too much given to sacrifices and fastings while no integrity existed among them. So also he shows again that their hypocrisy was a hindrance which prevented God from manifesting His favor to them. And thus He reminds them that the gate would be opened, and the way made plain and smooth for God’s favor and blessings, whenever they raised their eyes to Him; that is, whenever they derived their hopes from Him and fixed their dependence on Him.

For to direct the eyes to God is nothing other than to look to Him so as to fix all our thoughts on Him. Some understand “man” to mean all mortals, but I do not approve of this, nor do I doubt that the Prophet refers to the Jews alone. Doubtless, it is inconsistent with the context to regard anyone but the Jews.

It is indeed true that the Prophet speaks here of the calling of the Gentiles, but in such a way as to begin with the Jews; for as they were the first-born, it was necessary for them to have precedence. The Prophet then declares here that God would be glorious in His chosen people and would lay prostrate all the bordering enemies.

Thus, “the eye of man” signifies the same as the eye of the whole people, as though he had said that after the Jews had begun to lay aside all dissimulation, devoted themselves to God, and cast all their hopes on Him, they would then find God sufficiently powerful to lay all their enemies in the dust.

But he afterwards adds, by way of explanation, and of all the tribes of Israel. Some give this rendering, “How much more,” as though the Prophet reasoned here from the less to the greater. But, as I have already said, this cannot be maintained. First, this explanation is strained: 'The eye of man, and especially of all the tribes of Israel,' for the Jews should have had the first place. Secondly, the particle waw has no amplifying sense. In short, he intended by a small particle to show that precedence belonged to the Jews.

I do not, then, understand what those mean who would include all nations in the word “man” and then regard the Prophet as proceeding to mention the tribes of Israel. Now, what I have stated—that the true servants of God were then few—is probable enough. Hence, the Prophet here exhorts the whole people to unity in religion. Whenever, then, the whole tribes of Israel directed their eyes to God, the burden of His word would then come upon Damascus and all the Syrians.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You kindly and graciously extend Your hand to us, not only to show us once for all the right way but also to lead us throughout our whole life, and even to sustain us when we are weary and to raise us up when we have fallen—O grant that we may not be ungrateful for this Your great kindness, but render ourselves obedient to You. May we not experience the dreadful power of Your judgment, which You denounce on all Your enemies, who are to sustain a vengeance that will sink them into the abyss of endless perdition. But may we allow ourselves to be ever raised up by Your hand, until we at length reach that blessed rest to which You invite us and are ready to lead us, where we will enjoy the fullness of those blessings which have been obtained for us by Your only-begotten Son. Amen.

Zechariah continues with the same subject, for he now says that destruction was near all the nations who, as neighbors, harassed the people of God. Yesterday I briefly referred to what he intended, which was to show that God would so defend His Church as to execute vengeance on all the ungodly who had unjustly persecuted it; and he spoke of the kingdom of Syria, which was contiguous to Judea.

But he now goes further—that the wrath of God would extend to the more remote parts of Syria, for Hamath is Antioch the great, and it gave a name to a part of Syria. Damascus was the metropolis of the Syrian empire. But as we have said elsewhere, this word is taken in various ways in Scripture, but generally for the whole country extending from Judea to the Euphrates and even beyond it. We now then see why Zechariah adds Antioch to Syria, as if he had said that God would now be the avenger of His people, not only by punishing bordering cities, but also those far off. He then passes on to Tyre and Sidon, which were, as is well known, cities on the seaside, and were also near the Jews, for there was no great distance between Galilee and Phoenicia. But as we said yesterday, destruction is denounced on all the nations who had been hostile to the chosen people.

He says that Hamath, or Antioch, would be in its border. Nearly all with one consent apply this to Judea or to Jerusalem, but they are mistaken; and this whole chapter is misunderstood by all commentators, Jews and others. I indeed feel ashamed when I see how widely they have departed from the meaning of the Prophet, and it will be almost a trial for me to reject their mistakes completely. But it will become plainly evident that none of them have understood what the Prophet means.

They explain the passage this way: that Antioch would be within the borders of Judea, as God would consecrate to Himself the lands which were previously heathen. But the Prophet no doubt says, as I have already stated, that Antioch would be within the borders of Syria whenever God should visit them all for their wickedness, as if he had said, “God will involve in the same punishment that part of Syria which derives its name from Antioch, because all the Syrians with united forces had assailed His chosen people; though they are far distant from Judea, they shall still partake of the same punishment, because they took up arms against His Church.” Hamath then, or Antioch, shall be in the borders of Damascus; that is, it shall not be exempt from the punishment which God will inflict on the bordering kingdom of Syria. And as we proceed, this view will become clearer.

He adds, Tyrus and Sidon, though it be very wise. The particle כי, ki, is used, which is properly causal; but we may gather from many parts of Scripture that it is taken as an adversative. Either meaning, however, would be suitable: that God would take vengeance on the Sidonians and Syrians because they were very crafty, or though they were cautious and seemed skillful and cunning in managing their affairs, they were not, however, to escape God’s judgment.

If the former meaning is approved, it was the Prophet’s object to show that when men are extremely provident and labor to fortify themselves by crafty means, God is opposed to them, for it is His unique role to take the crafty by their own craftiness. Since, then, excessive cunning and craftiness displease God, it may suitably be said that the Syrians and Sidonians were now summoned before God’s tribunal because they were extremely crafty, as is commonly the case with merchants in wealthy and maritime cities; for they learn much cunning by the many frauds they are almost compelled to use.

Since, then, the Sidonians and Syrians were such, it was right to denounce vengeance on them. But the other view is equally suitable: that all the craft of Tyre and Sidon would not prevent God from executing His judgment. As for me, I think that a reason is here given why God threatens ruin to the Syrians and Sidonians, even because they were given to crafty artifices and thus circumvented all their neighbors.

But he uses a good word as a concession, for all who intend to deceive cover their craft with the name of wisdom or prudence. “They wish to be cautious,” while they wickedly deceive others by their intrigues and frauds. A concession, then, is made regarding the word “wise”; but the Prophet at the same time teaches us that this kind of wisdom is hateful to God when we increase our own wealth by the loss of others, for an explanation immediately follows this passage.

For Tyrus has for herself built a fortress. The Prophet shows by these words how very cautious or prudent the Tyrians had been, for they fortified themselves with strongholds and thought themselves to be beyond the reach of danger. He then adds, and heaped to herself silver as dust, and gold as the mire of the streets; that is, accumulated wealth beyond measure, for he mentions “dust” and “mire” as signifying an immense heap, as if he had said, “They have worthless heaps of silver and gold because of their vast abundance.” He no doubt includes silver and gold in the fortress which he mentions, for I do not confine the word “fortress” only to towers and strongholds; but the Prophet, as I think, states generally that Tyre was so furnished and fortified with wealth, forces, and all kinds of defences, that it thought itself impregnable.

There is a striking correspondence between צור, tsur, and מצור, metsur. צור, Tsur, he says, has built מצור, metsur, a fortress. It is a paronomasia worthy of notice but cannot be retained in Latin.

He now declares that God would be an avenger. Behold, he says, Jehovah will possess—or cause to possess, as some read, but they are mistaken, owing to the two meanings of the verb ירש, iresh, which means to possess and also to expel or impoverish. For commentators think that a hope of favor and salvation is given here to these cities, and say that they are now chosen by God as a possession. But this is wholly contrary to the intention of the Prophet, as appears more clearly from a view of each clause.

Jehovah then will expel her, and smite her strength. The Prophet no doubt alludes to what he had already said—that Tyre had heaped silver and gold; now on the other hand he declares that Tyre would be exposed to a scattering, for the heap of gold and silver it had laid up would be dissipated by God: He will then dissipate; or if one chooses to take the verb as meaning to reduce to poverty, the contrast would thus be suitable—God will then impoverish, or expel her.

Afterwards he adds, In the sea will He smite her strength. As Tyre, we know, was surrounded by the sea, the Prophet by this reference shows God’s power in taking vengeance on her; for the sea would be no restraint or hindrance to God when He resolved to enter there. The Tyrians, indeed, thought themselves safe from every hostile attack, for they had the sea on every side as a triple wall and a triple rampart.

Nor was Tyre altogether like Venice; for Venice is situated in a stagnant sea, while the situation of Tyre was in a very deep sea, as historians plainly show who relate its assault by Alexander the Great. It had indeed been previously taken and plundered, but he did what none had ever thought of—he filled up a part of the sea, so that Tyre was no longer an island.

We now see what Zechariah intended when he threatened ruin to Tyre, though its strength was in the midst of the sea, beyond the reach of fortune, as it is commonly said. And she shall be consumed by fire. He means that Tyre would not only be plundered but wholly demolished, for we know that even the strongest things are consumed by fire.

In this verse, the devastation of those cities which the Prophet names is also described; as though he had said that all those cities which had risen up against God’s people were consigned to extreme vengeance. Zechariah says that none would be exempt from punishment, since the hand of God would be stretched out and extend everywhere, so that it could be easily concluded that all those who had unjustly harassed the Church would be thus rewarded for their cruelty. This is the meaning of what is said here.

He says that Ascalon would see and fear; for at that time the Ascalonites were hostile to the Jews. He speaks the same of Aza, which the Greeks called Gaza; but they were deceived in thinking it was a name given to it by Cambyses, because Gaza means a treasure in the Persian language. This is childish. It is indeed certain that it was due to a change in the pronunciation of one letter; for ע, oin, is guttural among the Hebrews, and was formerly pronounced so, like our g: as they called Amorrah, Gomorrah, so Aza is Gaza. We have spoken of this elsewhere.

Now, it appears from geography that these cities were near the sea, or not far from it, and having this advantage, they gathered much wealth. But as wealth commonly generates pride and cruelty, all these nations were very troublesome to the Jews. This is the reason why the Prophet says that grief would come on Gaza, and then on Ekron and on other cities.

He adds, Because ashamed shall be her expectation. There is no doubt that they had placed their trust in Tyre, which was thought to be impregnable; for though enemies might have subdued the whole land, a secure station remained there. Since they all looked to Tyre, the Prophet says that their hope would be confounded when Tyre was overthrown and destroyed.

The sum of the whole is that the beginning of the vengeance would be at Tyre, which was situated, as it were, beyond the world, so as not to be exposed to any evils. He says then that the beginning of the calamity would be in that city, to which no misfortunes, it was thought, could find access.

And then he mentions that other cities, on seeing Tyre visited with ruin, would be terrified, as their confidence would thus be subverted. He afterwards adds, Perish shall the king from Gaza, and Ascalon shall not be inhabited; that is, such a change will take place as will almost obliterate the appearance of these cities.

In this verse, the Prophet denounces a similar ruin upon Azotus and the whole land of the Philistines, or upon the whole land of Palestine. For what some interpreters say—that the Jews would dwell at Azotus as strangers (meaning, though they had previously been considered foreigners)—is completely wide of the mark.

The Prophet, on the contrary, means that after the destruction of these cities, if any inhabitants remained, they would be like strangers, without any secure dwelling. The Prophet then mentions the effect to show that the country would be waste and desolate, so that it would contain no safe or permanent dwellings for its inhabitants.

Some translate the word as 'spurious,' as it is translated in some other places, and they understand this as referring to the Jews, because they had previously been in a lowly condition, as if they were an illegitimate race. However, the opinion of those who derive ממזר (memezar) from זור (zur), which means 'to wander' or 'to sojourn,' is probable. They quote other instances in which the double ממ (mem) is used in the formation of a noun, and it is easy to prove from many passages of Scripture that ממזר (memezar) means 'a stranger'.

And if anyone carefully considers the Prophet's purpose, they will see the truth of what I have said—namely, that his object is to show that all the inhabitants of Azotus and of the land of the Philistines would be like sojourners, because all places would be desolate through the slaughter and devastations of enemies. Since Ashdod and Palestine had previously been known for their large populations, the Prophet says that all the cities of Palestine, and the city of Ashdod, would be deserted, except that a few scattered and wandering inhabitants would remain there, like those who sojourn in a foreign land.

Interpreters also pervert the whole of this verse; and as for the following verse, that is, the next, they do nothing but lead readers far astray from its real meaning. God says now that he will take away blood from the mouth of enemies; as if he had said, “I will check their savage disposition, so that they may not thus swallow down the blood of my people.” For no change is described here, as if they were to become a different people—as if the Syrians, the Sidonians, the Philistines, and other nations, who had been given to plundering and raged cruelly against the miserable Jews, would assume the gentleness of lambs. The Prophet does not mean this; instead, he introduces God here as armed with power to suppress the barbarity of their enemies and to prevent them from cruelly assaulting the Church.

I will take away blood, he says, from their mouth; and he says, from their mouth, because they had been hardened in cruelty. I will ensure, then, that they may not, as they have until now, satiate their own lust for blood. He adds, and abominations; that is, I will take from the midst of their teeth their abominable plunders, for he calls all those things abominations which had been taken by robbery and violence. And he compares them to wild beasts, who not only devour the flesh but also drink the blood and tear apart the raw carcass. In short, he shows here, using the likeness of wolves, leopards, and wild boars, how great the inhumanity of enemies to the Church had been, for they devoured the miserable Jews as wild and savage beasts are accustomed to devour their prey.

After this follows, and he who shall be a remnant. Some translate this as, “and he shall be left,” and explain it as referring to the Philistines and other nations who were mentioned. But the Prophet undoubtedly means the Jews. For though only a few had returned to their country as remnants from their exile, yet he says that this small number would be sacred to God, and that all who remained would be, as it were, leaders in Judah, however despised they might have been.

For there was no superiority even in the chief men among them; they only spontaneously paid reverence to Zerubbabel, who was of the royal seed, and to Joshua on account of the priesthood, while all of them were in a low and lowly condition. But the Prophet says that the most despised of them would be leaders and chiefs in Judah.

We now perceive the Prophet’s meaning. For after predicting the ruin that was near for all the enemies of the Church, he now sets forth the purpose and use of his prophecy. This purpose was that God would provide for the good of the miserable Jews. These people had long been exiles and, though now restored to their country, were still exposed to the ill treatment of all. They were also despised and even made objects of scorn by their enemies.

He then who shall be a remnant, even he shall be for our God, as if he had said, “Though the Lord had for a time repudiated you as well as your fathers, when he drove you here and there and scattered you, yet now God has gathered you, and for this purpose—that you may be his people. You shall then be the peculiar people of God, though you are small in number and contemptible in your condition.”

Then he adds, these remnants shall be as leaders in Judah; that is, God will raise them to the highest honor. Though they are now without any dignity, almost all of them shall yet be made princes by God. It then follows, And Ekron shall be as a Jebusite.

Some explain it thus—that the citizens of Ekron would dwell in Jerusalem, which the Jebusites had formerly possessed. Others offer another view, but it is irrelevant. The Prophet is not speaking here of God’s favor to the citizens of Ekron but, on the contrary, shows the difference between God’s chosen people and heathen nations, who gloried in their own good fortune. Therefore, he says that they would be like the Jebusites, for eventually they would have to endure a similar destruction. We indeed know that the Jebusites had been driven out of that town when Jerusalem was later built, but this happened late, even under David. Since, then, they had long held that place and were eventually dislodged, this is the reason the Prophet says that though the citizens of Ekron now seemed to be in the very middle of the Holy Land, they would be made like the Jebusites; for the Lord would drive away and destroy them all. He later adds—