John Gill Commentary Zechariah 10

Ask you of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain
There was the former and the latter rain, of which see (Hosea 6:3) (Joel 2:23) . The former rain was in autumn, a little before or about seed time; the latter was in the spring, and a little before harvest, which is here referred to.

So Hesiod ^F7 calls those rains the autumnal and vernal rains; and between these two rains there was seldom any more. Jerom says ``The first rains (he observes) fall here some years in September, in others a month later; after which the Arabs break up their ground, in order to sow wheat, and plant beans: this commonly falls out about the middle of October.'' If the latter rains fall as usual in the middle of April, (in the holy land we find they were a month sooner, (Joel 2:23) .) the crop is reckoned secure; the harvest coming on in the latter end of May, or in the beginning of June, according to the heat and quality of the preceding seasons:

wherefore, since there was so little rain fell in these countries, and particularly in Judea; if these former and latter rains failed, a scarcity followed; for, for want of the former rain, the earth was hard, and not easily ploughed up; and for want of the latter the grain withered away in the blade, and did not form ears, at least did not produce ears plump and good; so that these rains were great temporal blessings, and to be asked for, as they were by the Jews, when they were wanted; and for which they appointed fasts ^F11 , and were emblems of spiritual blessings here designed.

For rain here is not to be literally understood, but mystically and spiritually; and designs either the love and favour of God, and the comfortable discoveries of it; see (Proverbs 16:15) (19:12) which may be compared to rain in its original; it is from above, from on high, it comes from heaven; it is not owing to anything in man, but to the will of God; and is distinguishing, as rain falls on one city, and not on another; in its objects, undeserving persons, as rain is sent on the just and unjust; in its manner of communication, it tarries not for the will and works of men; it comes at times in great abundance, and the discoveries of it are to be asked for; in its effects, it softens and melts the heart into evangelical repentance; it cools and extinguishes the flaming wrath of a fiery law in the conscience; it refreshes and revives the drooping spirit, and makes the barren soul fruitful:

or the blessings of grace in general may be meant; these are from above, depend on the will of God; are to be sought after, and asked for; are free grace gifts; are given largely and plentifully, and make fruitful:

or the coming of Christ in the flesh in particular is intended; see (Hosea 6:3) who came down from heaven; is a free gift of God to men, was sought after, and greatly desired, and to be desired, by the Old Testament saints, and very grateful to such when he came. This may also be applied to his spiritual coming in his power and kingdom in the latter day, which is to be earnestly wished and prayed for, (Psalms 72:7Psalms 72:8Psalms 72:16)

or else the Gospel may be designed; see (Deuteronomy 32:2) (Isaiah 55:10Isaiah 55:11) this is of God, and from above; comes and falls upon the sons of men, according to divine direction; softens hard hearts, when it becomes effectual; comforts the souls of God's people; is a blessing to be desired, and asked for; and will be enjoyed in great plenty in the latter day:

[so] the Lord shall make bright clouds ;
by which may be meant the ministers of the Gospel, who are of God's making, and not man's: these may be compared to "clouds" for their number, especially as they will be in the latter day; and for their moving to and fro, to communicate spiritual knowledge: and to "bright" ones, such as from whence lightning springs, thunderclouds, full of water; (the same word is used for lightning, (Job 38:25) ;) because full of Gospel truths, and because of that clear light they diffuse to others:

and give them showers of rain :
productive, under a divine influence, of large conversions among Jews and Gentiles:

to everyone grass in the field :
on whom these showers fall with efficacy, and a divine blessing; everyone of these have a spiritual knowledge of Christ, faith in him, repentance towards God, food and fulness of it; and are filled with the fruits of righteousness, or good works, to the glory of God; see (Isaiah 55:10) .

The Targum is, ``that he may give to them (the children of men) corn to eat, and grass to the beasts in the field;'' taking the words literally.

FOOTNOTES:

• F7: Opera & Dies, l. 2.
• F11: Misn. Taanith, c. 1. sect. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

For the idols have spoken vanity
The vanities of the Gentiles cannot give rain; if they promise it, they speak vain things; God only can give it, and therefore it must be asked of him, (Jeremiah 14:22) . The word for idols is "teraphim", the same as in (Genesis 31:19) (Hosea 3:4) and here signifies worshippers of idols, as the Targum interprets it; and may be understood of the idolatrous Papists who worship idols of gold, silver, brass, and wood, (Revelation 9:20Revelation 9:21) and who speak lies in hypocrisy, great swelling words of vanity, and even blasphemy against God, his name, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, (1 Timothy 4:1 1 Timothy 4:2) (Revelation 13:6) .

Jarchi on (2 Kings 23:24) , says, the teraphim are images that speak by sorcerers or sorceries; and to such evils the followers of the man of sin are addicted, (Revelation 9:21) (18:23) and the Jews ^F12 have a notion that those images were so formed, that they were capable of speaking and talking with men; see (Hosea 3:4) they seem to confound them with the "talisman": and the diviners have seen a lie ; delivered it out, and others believed it, being given up to judicial blindness, because they received not the love of the truth, (2 Thessalonians 2:10 2 Thessalonians 2:11) . The Targum is, ``the diviners prophesy falsehood;'' or preach false doctrine, as the Romish clergy do, who are meant by the diviners:

and have told false dreams ; about transubstantiation, purgatory, &c. which are visionary things; false doctrines are compared to dreams, (Jeremiah 23:25Jeremiah 23:27Jeremiah 23:28Jeremiah 23:32) : they comfort in vain ; by works of supererogation, by selling pardons, and praying souls out of purgatory:

therefore they went their way as a flock ; as a flock of sheep straying from the fold. The Targum is, ``they are scattered as sheep are scattered;'' that is, the Jews, being hardened against the Christian religion, by the idolatry, lies, and dreams of the Papists, wander about in their mistakes and errors concerning the Messiah; which is their case to this day, and will be until the man of sin is destroyed:

they were troubled, because [there was] no shepherd ; or, "no king", as the Targum paraphrases it; that is, the King Messiah, according to them, is not yet come; which is their affliction and trouble, that they are as sheep without a shepherd: or, "they answered", that there "is no shepherd" ^F13 ; they replied to the diviners, the tellers of false dreams and idolaters, and affirmed that the Messiah is not come, and that the pope of Rome is not the shepherd and bishop of souls.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: Targum Jon. in Gen. xxxi. 19. R. Eliezer Pirke, c. 36. fol. 40. 1.
• F13: (her Nya yk wney) "testificati sunt nullum fuisse pastorem", Junius & Tremellius, Heb.; "responderunt", Piscator; "respondebunt quod non sit pastor", Burkius.

Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds
The Targum interprets it of "kings"; as the "goats" of "princes", in the next clause; by whom, according to Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, are meant the kings of Greece; but rather the antichristian kings are designed, the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication with the whore of Rome, which is the cause of the anger of the Lord being kindled: or else ecclesiastical rulers are meant, the Romish clergy, the chief of them, as cardinals, archbishops, bishops, &c. who may fitly be represented by the shepherds of Israel in the times of the prophets for their name, professing to be of Israel, or to be Christians; and by them for their ignorance, covetousness, luxury, disregard to the flock, tyranny and cruelty over it, and murder of it; see (Isaiah 56:10) , against these the fire of God's wrath will be kindled, and with it will they be destroyed.

and I punished the goats ;
not the Seleucidae, as the above Jewish writers; though they may with propriety be so called, since they were the successors of Alexander, signified by the he goat in (Daniel 8:5) rather the monks and friars, comparable to these for their filthiness and uncleanness; and because they pretend to be guides of the people, and to go before them, and yet use them ill, and push them with their horns of power; wherefore God will punish them, and kill those children of Jezebel with death, (Revelation 2:22Revelation 2:23) :

for the Lord of hosts has visited his flock, the house of Judah ;
by sending the Gospel to them, and his Spirit with it, to make it effectual to their conversion; which will be at the time that the antichristian hierarchy will be destroyed; then the Lord's flock, who have gone astray, shall be returned to the true Shepherd and Bishop of souls, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and shall be saved by him: a gracious visitation this will be!

and has made them as his goodly horse in the battle ;
this denotes that the Jews, when converted, will be bold in their God; valiant for the truth on earth; courageously fight the good fight of faith, and be victorious over their enemies; and that they will be in great honour and esteem among the saints, though so mean and justly despicable now: the sense is, that as the horse shows its strength and courage in battle, so should they; see (Job 39:19–25) .

Out of him came forth the corner
Or "cornerstone"; by which is meant a king or ruler, as the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi; and is no other than the King Messiah, who was to come out of Judah, and did spring from that tribe, (1 Chronicles 5:2) (Hebrews 7:14).

And this is a reason why God will visit the house of Judah, or the Jews, in the latter day, because the Messiah was promised and sent unto them, salvation was of them, though they rejected him; but the Lord will have mercy on them; the Redeemer shall come to Zion in a spiritual manner, and turn away iniquity from them, and then all Israel shall be saved by him.

The epithet of a "corner" stone well agrees with him, that being not only the ornament, but the strength and support of the building, which knits, cements, and keeps the whole together: Christ is a beautiful and precious cornerstone, which gives glory and lustre to the church, and is the support, yea, the foundation of it; and who joins and unites together men and angels; Jews and Gentiles; Old and New Testament saints; saints above and below; saints in all ages and places, and of all nations and denominations; and is the Head of the corner, being superior to men and angels, to the kings of the earth, and to the church of God; see (Ephesians 2:20) .

Out of him the nail ;
the Targum is, "out of him his Messiah"; which shows that this text was formerly understood of Christ by the Jews; Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of a prince and governor; so Eliakim the governor is said to be "as a nail in a sure place", (Isaiah 22:23) who was a type of Christ; and this agrees with Christ himself.

The allusion is either to a nail, by which the timber in the building is compacted together, and the whole is strengthened, as the church is by Christ: or to a nail to which the cords of tents are fastened, as those of shepherds, travellers, or soldiers; the church is as such a tent; Christ is the nail to which its cords are fastened, which denotes the stability and security of it: or to a nail fixed in a wall, on which things are hung; on Christ are hung all the vessels of mercy; the covenant of grace, and all its promises and blessings; and all the glory of his Father's house, of his building, the temple, and of the salvation of his people, is to be hung on him.

Out of him the battle bow ;
or "warrior", as Jarchi interprets it; the Lord is a man of war; Christ makes war in righteousness; the armies of heaven follow him; he is at the head of them, and fights the battles of his people, and is victorious, and makes them more than conquerors; their spiritual armour is from him, and they are armed by him, (Revelation 19:11–14) .

Out of him every oppressor together :
or "exactor" ^F14 ; which is used in a good sense, (Isaiah 60:17) as it must be here, since all the rest of the epithets are; and may design the apostles of Christ, who preached the doctrines of grace and righteousness, and required of men the obedience of faith; and these came out of Judah and Jerusalem, and went into all the world, demanding faith in and obedience to the Son of God.

FOOTNOTES:

• F14: vgzn ) "exactor", Montanus, Vatablus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Calvin, Drusius, De Dieu, Cocceius, Burkius.

And they shall be as mighty [men]
That is, the converted Jews shall be such; they shall be strong in faith, giving glory to the Messiah; they shall be strong in the grace that is in him; they shall be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; his strength shall be made perfect in their weakness:

which tread down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the
battle ;
being victorious over sin, Satan, and the world, through Christ, in whom they will believe: and they shall fight ;
against all their inward and outward enemies, the good fight of faith, with great valour and courage:

because the Lord [is] with them ;
who is the Lord of hosts or armies; his presence gives boldness and intrepidity; for, if he is for them, who can be against them? the battle is theirs, success is certain:

and the riders on horses shall be confounded ;
such that come up against them on them, and trust in them, shall be beaten by them, and so made ashamed; and the flesh, both of the horses and their riders, shall be the food of the fowls of the air, (Revelation 19:18) perhaps the Turkish cavalry is meant, who may attempt to hinder the settlement of the Jews in their own land; the armies of the Turks consisting greatly of horsemen, (Revelation 9:16) .