John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 9:14

"And Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south." — Zechariah 9:14 (ASV)

He goes on with the same subject, but explains what I have said—that victory is promised to the Jews, not that which they could gain by their own power, but that which should happen to them beyond their expectation. For this is what is meant when he says that God would be seen over them.

For though the events of all wars depend on God, yet He is said to be seen where there is a remarkable victory, which cannot be accounted for by men. When unequal armies engage, it is no wonder when one becomes victorious; and it may sometimes be that a smaller number overcomes a greater, even because it exceeded the other in courage, counsel, or skill, or in some other way, or because the larger army fought from a disadvantageous position, or, trusting in its own strength, rushed on inconsiderately.

But when consternation alone dejects one party and renders the other victorious, in this case the power of God becomes evident. And even pagans have thought that men are confounded from above when courage fails them, and this is most true. We now understand why the Prophet says that God would be seen over them, namely because they would conquer their enemies, not by usual means, not in an earthly manner, but in a wonderful way, so that it would appear evident to be the work of God.

He then adds, Go forth shall his arrow as lightning. He again repeats and confirms what we have already observed: that there would be no movement among the Jews, no swiftness, except such as would be like the sword, which lies quiet on the ground unless it is taken up by a human hand, and such as would also be like the arrow, which can do no harm unless it is thrown by someone.

We then see that the victory mentioned before is ascribed to God alone. And for the same reason he adds what follows: that Jehovah would come with the shout of a trumpet, and also with the whirlwind of the south. In a word, he means that the work of God would be evident when the Jews went forth against the enemies by whom they had been oppressed and would still be oppressed.

So that they might not then compare their own strength with their enemies’ strength, the Prophet here brings God before them, by whose authority, guidance, and power this war was to be carried on. And then, so that he might extol God’s power, He says that He would come with the shout of a trumpet and with the whirlwind of the south.

Interpreters understand the whirlwinds of the south simply as violent storms, for we know that the most impetuous whirlwinds arise from the south. But as the Prophet joins the whirlwinds of the south to the shout of a trumpet, it seems to me he alludes to those miracles by which God showed His power to the Jews in a terrifying manner on Mount Sinai, for the desert of Teman and Mount Paran were in that vicinity.

We have seen a similar passage in the third chapter of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:1), where God, he said, shall come from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.

The Prophet’s object was to encourage the Jews to cherish hope, for God, who had long concealed Himself and refrained from helping them, would at last come to their aid.

How?

He reminded them in that passage of the records of ancient history. For God had made His power known on Mount Sinai, in the desert of Teman, which was the southern region in relation to Judea.

We also know that trumpets sounded in the air, and that all this was done so that the Jews might reverently receive the Law, and also so that they might feel certain that they would always be safe under God’s hand, since He thus shook the elements by His nod, filled the air with lightnings, storms, and whirlwinds, and also made the air ring with the shouts of trumpets.

It is for the same reason that the Prophet speaks in this passage, when he says that God would make Himself known as formerly: when He astonished the people by the shouts of trumpets, and also when He appeared in whirlwinds on Mount Sinai.

He then adds—