1Jerusalem a cup of trembling, and burdensome stone to the confusion of her adversaries. 6The victorious restoring of Judah. 10The repentance of Jerusalem.
1THE 1burden of the word of the LORD 2for Israel, 3saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and 4formeth the 5spirit of man within him.
1 Or, the prophecy.
2 Or, concerning, or, for or unto Israel. See Zech. 9:1. Understand here by Israel the christian church or congregation consisting of Jews and Gentiles, which the apostle Paul calls the Israel of God, Gal. 6:16, and who are here promised the victory over their enemies.
3 Namely, that which follows in verse 2.
4 Or, fashioneth, a phrase taken from the potter.
5 That is, soul.
2Behold, I will make 6Jerusalem a cup of 7trembling unto all the people round about, 8when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
6 Here Jerusalem signifies the christian church or congregation, as Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:18, 22.
7 Or, of shaking, or, unto a poisonous beaker, or, unto a reeling-cup or a sleep-bowl, that is, filled with wine which causes sleep, unto a vessel out of which all nations, which shall fight against the Israel of God, shall be made to drink so that it shall cause them to reel or fall asleep. The sense is: The enemies, consisting of all nations, which shall oppose and persecute My church, shall not gain thereby, or are able to do anything else, then that I will smite them with madness and absurdity for the persecution of the church, so that they shall disgrace and ruin themselves. Compare Psalm 60:3; Isa. 51:22, 23; Jer. 25:15, 16 with the annotations.
8 Namely, the cup of giddiness; namely, when the city of Jerusalem shall be besieged. The meaning is, Not only the heathen nations, but the Jews also themselves, namely, all such as shall persecute the christian church, shall be confounded and destroyed by it. Or, and it shall be also in the siege against Judah, against Jerusalem.
3¶And in that day will I make 9Jerusalem 10a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, 11though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
9 That is, the christian church.
10 Or, a most heavy stone. The sense is: Even as those, who go about to show their strength by lifting up a great and heavy stone oftentimes are oppressed by its weight, so shall those likewise, who want to tempt the church of God with their strength, be destroyed thereby, and made to feel how hard it is to kick against the pricks. Compare Luke 20:18; Acts 9:4, 5.
11 Or, though all nations do assemble themselves against her, etc. Namely, who fight against My church.
4In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse 12with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I 13will open mine eyes 14upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse 15of the people with blindness.
12 Or, with dismay, that is, I will disable their strength. Compare Psalm 76:5, 6, etc.
13 That is, I shall take notice of them, having pity on them. Compare Jer. 39:12.
14 That is, over My church.
15 Namely, of the enemies of My church.
5And 16the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 17The inhabitants of Jerusalem 18shall be my strength 19in the LORD of hosts their God.
16 That is, all advocates of the church.
17 That is, the members of the church.
18 Or, are a strength unto me; or, that the inhabitants of Jerusalem have me a strong courage.
19 That is, while the Lord is with them, or, for the Lord’s sake.
6¶In that day will I make the governors of Judah 20like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and 21Jerusalem shall be 22inhabited again 23in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
20 Or, as a fiery hearth, that is, as or unto a hearth on which burns a fire, which consumes the wood laid upon it. Also later in the text, Hebr. as a torch of fire. The sense is: They shall obtain the victory over all their enemies, which is here to be understood spiritually of the true believers’ victory over their spiritual enemies. Compare Psalms 48; 87; 125; 129.
21 The true citizens of Jerusalem, the christian church.
22 Hebr. sit or dwell, that is, abide.
23 In that place where God is called upon in true faith, and served according to His will, wherever it is all over the world.
7The LORD also shall 24save 25the tents of Judah 26first, that 27the glory 28of the house of David and 29the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not 30magnify themselves against Judah.
24 Or, preserve.
25 That is, the insignificant and impoverished ones in Judah, who dwelled outside Jerusalem and who were not of the house of David.
26 Or, foremost, or, as formerly.
27 Or, excellence, that is, those who are in more authority and esteem than the others of Judah.
28 That is, of the family of David.
29 That is, the rich and the mighty ones over against the low and the poor.
30 Hebr. lift up.
8In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he 31that is feeble among them at that day shall be 32as David; and 33the house of David shall be 34as God, 35as the angel of the LORD 36before them.
31 That is, who is weak.
32 That is, as valiant and courageous as David was in former times. Understand this of a spiritual valor and courage, which the Holy Ghost begets in God’s children.
33The house of David, that is, the advocates of God’s people.
34 Other, as gods. Other, as God’s house; by God here may likewise be understood the Angel.
35 That is, as Christ, as it appears from the following words.
36 That is, Who walks or goes before their face. Compare Micah 2:13.
9¶And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
10And I will poura upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 37the spirit of grace and of supplications: and 38they shall lookb upon me 39whom they have pierced, and 40they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth 41for his only son, and 42shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
a Ezek. 39:29; Joel 2:28.
37 That is, the Holy Spirit, Who bears witness to the elect that God will be gracious unto them; and He stirs them up to prayer and supplication, in order that they pray God for grace and forgiveness of sins. Compare Acts 2:37.
38 Partly, with physical eyes at the time of His suffering; see John 19:37; and partly, by faith, in regard of the penitents and believers, Acts 2:37, and with terror, in regard of the unbelievers at the last day, Rev. 1:7.
b John 19:37; Rev. 1:7.
39 This piercing through of Christ comprehends here the entire crucifixion. See John 19:34, 37. Although one soldier has done this, nevertheless it is imputed to the entire Jewish nation, when they have pressed Pilate to kill Christ.
40 That is, they shall be heartily grieved for their horrible sin.
41 Namely, who has died. See Jer. 6 on verse 26; Amos 8:10.
42 Hebr. shall make bitter.
11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of 43Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.c
43 Where king Josiah was slain, who was exceedingly lamented and bemoaned by his good subjects. See the history 2 Kings 23:29, 30; 2 Chron. 35:22, 24, 25.
c 2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chron. 35:22, 24.
12And 44the land shall mourn, 45every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of 46Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
44 That is, the inhabitants of the land.
45 Hebr. family family apart. The sense is: that this would be an extraordinary mourning among all families. It has regard to the customary manner of the mourning among the Jews.
46 See 2 Sam. 5:14; 1 Chron. 3:5; Luke 3:31.
13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of 47Simei apart, and their wives apart;
47 Who, according to the opinion of some, was a son of Gershom, the son of Levi, 1 Chron. 6:16, 17. This man is set down by name for an example, but the same is said in general of all the other tribes and families in the next verse.
14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.