John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 9:5

"Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited." — Zechariah 9:5 (ASV)

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.