John Gill Commentary Zechariah 8

Again the word of the Lord of hosts came [to me] saying .
] The phrase, "to me", is wanting in the Hebrew text; and is the only place it is wanting in, as the Masora observes; though undoubtedly it is to be understood; and therefore is rightly supplied, as it is by the Targum, "with me". Mention being made in the latter part of the preceding chapter (Zechariah 7:8–14) of the desolations of the earth, comfort is here administered, as Aben Ezra notes.

Thus says the Lord of hosts This prophecy, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, respects time to come; the days of the Messiah, in the war of Gog and Magog, when they shall come up against Jerusalem, and the Lord shall pour out his great wrath upon them; and it seems right to interpret it, not only literally of Jerusalem, but spiritually of the church in Gospel times: I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy ; the Arabic version reads, "for Jerusalem, and for Zion"; as in (Zechariah 1:14) , (See Gill on Zechariah 1:14): and I was jealous for her with great fury : that is, against her enemies; the Babylonians and Chaldeans now, and the antichristian powers in Gospel times. The Targum paraphrases it, "against the people that provoked her to jealousy"; the past tense is put for the future, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe.

Thus says the Lord, I am returned to Zion The temple being now building, and almost finished, and the worship of God restored in it. The Targum renders it, "I will return to Zion"; and it may refer to the time of Christ's incarnation, when the Redeemer came to Zion, (Isaiah 59:20) or to the time of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, of both of which it is true; see (Romans 11:26) :

and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem or "cause my Shechinah to dwell there", as the Targum paraphrases it; which was fulfilled when the Word was made flesh, (kai eskhnwsen) , "and dwelt" or "tabernacled" among the inhabitants of Judea and of Jerusalem, and taught his doctrines, and wrought his miracles, in the midst of them; and will be also when he shall dwell among them by his Spirit and grace in the latter day:

and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth when Christ, who is "truth" itself, was in it, and the truths of the Gospel were preached there by him and his apostles, and they were received and professed by many, though despised by others; and especially in the latter day, when the Jews shall generally and cordially embrace Christ and his Gospel, and shall worship God in spirit and in truth, and not in that shadowy, formal, and hypocritical way they do now; see (Isaiah 1:26Isaiah 1:27) and especially this will be true of the New Jerusalem, into which nothing shall enter that makes a lie, (Revelation 21:27) :

the mountain of the Lord of hosts which will be established upon the top of the mountains, and where the Lord will be seen and exalted in his glory, even the Lamb, with the hundred and forty four thousand with him, (Isaiah 2:2) (Revelation 14:1) :

the holy mountain where the holy word of God will be preached, the holy ordinances administered, and holiness of life and conversation will be strictly attended to; yea, Holiness will be upon the bells of the horses, (Zechariah 14:20) .

Thus says the Lord of hosts. These words are used at every consolatory promise given, as Kimchi observes, for the confirmation of it.

There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem. This signifies that the inhabitants should be very healthful; no sweeping disease or calamity should be among them, but they should live to a good old age, as follows:

And every man with his staff in his hand for very age. This means "because of multitude of days" ^F9, referring to the length of time they should have lived in the world, being worn out, not with diseases, but with old age, and therefore obliged to use a staff when they walk the streets for their support.

All which is an emblem of the healthfulness of the inhabitants of Zion, who have no reason to complain of sickness, because their sins are forgiven them; and of that spiritual and eternal life, which they that are written among the living in Jerusalem do enjoy; who are in understanding men, fathers in Christ, and are growing up to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; see (Isaiah 65:20) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F9: (Mymy brm) "prae multitudine dierum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius, Burkius.

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls , &c.] Denoting a large increase of inhabitants, in a literal sense; and may spiritually signify the large numbers of converts, of new born babes, who are regenerated by the grace and Spirit of God, and are accounted of by the Lord for a generation: playing the streets thereof ; being in health and rigour, and in great security. The Targum renders it, "singing" or "praising in the spacious places thereof"; singing the praises of God in Gospel strains; saying their Hosannas to the Son of David; rejoicing in the great salvation by Christ, and magnifying the grace of God, and setting forth the glories of it in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; see (Matthew 11:16Matthew 11:17) (Matthew 21:15Matthew 21:16) .

In Jerusalem, literally taken, there were various streets, besides the street of the temple, which led to it, (Ezra 10:9) mention is made of others in Jewish writings, as of the upper street ^F11 , and of the street of the butchers, and of the street of those that dealt in wool ^F12 .

FOOTNOTES:

• F11: Misn. Shekalim, c. 8. sect. 1.
• F12: Misn. Erubin, c. 10. sect. 9.