1Amidst the judgments of the neighbouring nations God will defend his church. 9Zion is exhorted to rejoice for the coming of Christ and his peaceable kingdom. 12God's promises of victory and defence.
1THE 1burden of the word of the LORD 2in the land of 3Hadrach, and 4Damascus shall be 5the rest thereof: 6when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.
1 That is, a burdensome and grievous prophecy or foretelling what would befall the land of Hadrach. See Isa. 13 on verse 1, the annotation.
2 Or, upon, or, against.
3 It appears that this signifies the land of Syria, while Damascus is immediately subjoined, being the capital city of Syria. Some hold that Hadrach was the name of an idol, which the Syrians worshipped. Others translate it thus: of the land of honour or of glory, or, of the glorious land; others: of the land that lies round about thee, O Judea.
4 Hebr. Dammesek. Other, though Damascus be its rest.
5 That is, upon which it does rely itself. Or, although it relieth itself upon Damascus and is reassured thereon. Others: but Damascus shall be, namely of the burden, rest, that is, it shall yet strike Damascus at last. Others: and Damascus shall be its rest, that is, God’s wrath shall rest upon Damascus, that is, this city shall be excused as little as any other place.
6 Or, for the LORD hath an eye over man, as over all the tribes of Israel. Hebr. the Lord is an eye, that is, the LORD has an eye upon all mankind, in whichever country they are, as well as upon the Jews. And understand here by the eye of the LORD His Providence, that is, the omniscient power of the Lord, whereby He governs the heaven and the earth and all what is in it.
27And 8Hamath also shall 9border 10thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though 11it be 12very wise.
7 Or, And he (namely, the Lord) Hamath also shall border thereby; etc.
8 See Num. 13:21.
9 That is, He shall order the Syrians how far they shall advance and extend themselves for the good of His church. Others take it thus: also shall that burden limit Hamath. It is the same sense.
10 Namely, eye. Other, Hamath shall limit the same, that is, Hamath shall lie upon the borders thereof. See Joshua 19:35. Other, by the same, namely, the rest of the burden.
11 Namely, Tyrus, that is, the inhabitants or citizen of Tyre, as also of the Zidonians.
12 According to their opinion. See Ezek. 28 the annotation on verse 3, etc.
3And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver 13as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
13 That is, in very great abundance. Compare 1 Kings 10:27; 2 Chron. 9:27. See also Psalm 78:27.
4Behold, the Lord 14will cast her out, and 15he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.
14 Or, shall make poor, whereas she was then most rich and excellent.
15 The sense is: Although the Tyrians think themselves to be invincible, seeing that they are situated all around in and at the sea, nevertheless they shall not escape the judgment of God, but they shall be destroyed by fire. This was executed by Alexander the Great, as Curtius Lib. 4, and Diodoros Siculus, Lib. 17 testify. Here some do understand by her power their strong and mighty navies.
516Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be 17very sorrowful, and Ekron; 18for her expectation 19shall be ashamed; and 20the king 21shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
16 That is, when Ashkelon shall see the destruction of Tyre, it shall make them fearful. Ashkelon and the other cities, which are mentioned here in this verse, were situated in the land of the Philistines, and by them the Philistines themselves are understood.
17 As a woman in childbirth.
18 That is, on which they relied, namely, the city of Tyre, which they held to be invincible.
19 That is, deceived and disappointed in their expectation; for, Alexander the Great took and destroyed Tyre. See a similar example in Isa. 20:5, 6.
20 That is, the prince; for, the country of the Philistines was divided into five principalities.
21 That is, there shall be no king or prince anymore in Gaza.
6And 22a bastard shall 23dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off 24the pride of the Philistines.
22 That is, a foreign prince or king, with a rabble of foreign, base and unruly people; they shall thereof possess the houses, gardens and lands.
23 Namely, as lord and master of the same city.
24 Pride, splendor and glory, that is what made them proud and insolent. Compare Lev. 26:19.
7And 25I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and 26his abominations 27from between his teeth: but 28he that remaineth, even he, shall be for 29our God, and he shall be 30as a governor in Judah, 31and Ekron as a Jebusite.
25 Namely, after I shall have punished or chastised them and received them to be My people, then shall I cleanse him (namely, the Philistine) from his sins, especially from the murders which they have committed. Hebr. bloods. Here God promises that He shall accept also the Gentiles unto His people and incorporate into His church.
26 Understand the idols and their sacrifices.
27 That is, I shall cause that they shall not speak of it anymore, Psalm 16:4. Or, I shall cause that they shall eat no flesh anymore, which they have offered to their idols.
28 Namely, the Philistine, the nation of the Philistines. Or, he also, that is, not only the common people, but even the king himself also.
29 That is, be brought to and received among the people of God, and into the church of true believers. See Zech. 8:23.
30 Or, as a leader, that is, they shall be of great repute in the church of God, and go before others with exemplary godliness.
31 That is, those of Ekron shall likewise dwell at Jerusalem, namely, in the spiritual Jerusalem, as the Jebusites formerly inhabited the material city of Jerusalem, and the Jebusites shall likewise be taken in to be God’s people.
8And I will encamp 32about 33mine house because of 34the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no 35oppressor shall pass 36through them any more: for 37now have I 38seen with mine eyes.
32 Or, by, or, at my house, namely, by Mine angels, Psalm 34:7; 121:3, 4; 124:1, 2, 8.
33 That is, round about My church, 1 Tim. 3:15.
34 Namely on account of the army or the soldiers of the enemy, in order that he does not touch or damage My house when they run over it and back again. See Zech. 2:5.
35 That is, the enemy.
36 Namely, through My people, the believers. Understand this of a spiritual deliverance from the severity of the law.
37 Namely, Mine house.
38 Understand this of a kind and gracious regard. See Deut. 12 on verse 13. Compare Exod. 3:7; Acts 7:34.
9¶Rejoice greatly, O 39daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, 40thy King 41cometh unto thee: he is just, and 42having salvation; 43lowly, and riding upon an ass, 44and upon a colt 45the foal of an ass.
39 That is, ye people of Jerusalem, yea, all ye people of God, both Jews and Gentiles.
40 Namely, Christ Jesus.
41 For thy good and help. See Isa. 62:11, etc.; Mat. 21:5.
42 Or, Redeemer, Who shall deliver all His chosen ones out of the power of the devil, of death and all their enemies. Other, Who is provided with salvation, or, is saved, namely, from His sufferings, through His own Divine power, to save His church also. Compare Isa. 53:8; Heb. 5:7.
43 Feeble, despised, in the form of a servant, Phil. 2:7, etc.
44 Or, namely.
45 The same in other words, which He had said just now. See Mat. 21:5; John 12:14.
10And 46I will cut off the chariot from 47Ephraim, and the horse 48from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak 49peace unto the heathen: and his dominion 50shall be from sea even to sea, and from 51the river even to the ends of the earth.
46 That is, I will give peace to My church, so that they shall need no more chariots, or horsemen, or other weapons, the heathen being reconciled to the church of Christ. See Isa. 2:2, 4; Hosea 2:17; Acts 10:34; Eph. 2:17.
47 By the tribe of Ephraim He understands all the ten tribes of Israel, and by the same His church.
48 That is, out of the tribe of Judah.
49 That is, teach peace, namely, by the preaching of the Holy Gospel shall He proclaim peace or reconciliation with God.
50 That is, she shall extend itself. Psalm 2:8.
51 Understand here the river Phrath or Euphrates. See Exod. 23:31; Psalm 72 on verse 8, the annotation. By these places known to the Jews, one must also understand others, yea, the sense is: that the dominion of Christ would extend itself over the entire world.
11As for 52thee also, 53by thea blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
52 That is, O My people and My church. Compare Zech. 9:9.
53 Or, in. The sense is: In or by the efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ, wherewith I shall affirm the covenant, entered with you, have I (delivered), or shall I deliver your prisoners, who are bound with the bonds of sins, out of the pit, that is, out of the power of hell and of the devil, under which they otherwise had to languish through a spiritual thirst, by the impressions of the heavy wrath of God which laid upon them.
a Mat. 26:28; 1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 9:19, 20, 21.
12¶Turn you 54to the strong hold, 55ye prisoners of hope: 56even to day do I declare 57that I will render double unto thee;
54 The Jews, who remained still in Babel, are invited to return to the city and temple at Jerusalem. Yet at the same time it is here declared that all those who wish to be partakers of the deliverance, which God has promised through Christ, and to be protected and defended against the power and devices of the devil, to cause themselves to go to the church of God, which is the true heavenly Jerusalem.
55 Hebr. ye bounden ones of hope, or of expectation, that is, ye to whom hope is given, or who has the hope, that ye shall be delivered from your bonds.
56 As I have often declared it before this time, I so do declare it now again.
57 The sense is: I will bestow far greater gifts upon you than is the deliverance out of the Babylonian captivity, namely, spiritual mercies and benefits, such as are: forgiveness of sin, renewing of the mind by the Holy Ghost and everlasting life.
1358When I have 59bent Judah for me, 60filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, 61O Greece, and made 62thee as the sword of a mighty man.
58 Here God promises aid and protection to His people against the enemies that shall assault and fight against them, yet as such, that it shall not be without combat and battle, as it was manifested afterwards in the wars, in which the Maccabees were engaged with the kings of Asia and Syria.
59 Hebr. trodden, for, the foot bow was to be stepped upon as one bends a bow. Others translate the first words of this verse as such: After that I shall have bent my Judah as a bow and shall have filled Ephraim as a quiver.
60 Namely, with arrows, to fight against the enemy.
61 Namely, against the descendants or successors of Alexander the Great, the kings in Asia and in Syria, against whom the Lord God has most wonderfully sheltered and protected the Jews. See the books of the Maccabees, and the histories of Josephus.
62 O Zion.
14And the LORD shall be seen 63over them, and 64his arrow shall 65go forth asb the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go 66with whirlwinds of the south.
63 Namely, over the Jews. Others, over Judah and Ephraim. Others, against them, namely, the Greeks.
64 Or, his arrows.
65 Namely, out of heaven, against the enemies of His people.
b Nah. 2:4.
66 Or, like a tempest. The sense is: He shall cast Himself upon the enemies of the church with such fierceness and violence as the storms coming from the south. See Isa. 21 the annotations on verse 1, and compare Joshua 10:11; 2 Sam. 5:24.
15The LORD of hosts 67shall defend them; and they shall 68devour, and subdue with 69sling stones; and they shall drink, and make 70a noise as through wine; and 71they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.
67 Namely, the Jews, fighting against the Greeks.
68 That is, they shall enjoy their goods in peace and with joy after their enemies shall have been destroyed.
69 That is, the enemies, who used to throw the stones with the sling upon them. Others render these words thus: and they shall subdue them with sling stones. It was the practice of old to fight, not only with arrows, but also with slings against each other. See Judges 20:16.
70 This noise or stir shall proceed from an holy rejoicing.
71 That is, they shall have abundance of all manner of good things, according as the basin, which used to stand by the altar, was full of the blood of slain beasts, and as they were wont to moisten or sprinkle the corners of the altar with the same blood, Lev. 3:2, 8, 13; 7:2. Taking this spiritually, it signifies that they shall thank God for the benefits which they shall receive from Him. Compare Eph. 5:18, 19, 20.
16And the LORD their God shall 72save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as 73the stones of a crown, lifted up as 74an ensignc75upon his land.
72 Or, deliver, or, procure salvation, or, make them blessed, as being the Shepherd of His flock. See Psalm 100:3; John 10.
73 That is, pillars, or, monuments adorned with crowns and garlands. Others take it in this sense: for they shall be exalted upon the earth, as stones of the crown, that is, as rare precious stones, such as are worn by kings in their crowns. Hebr. stones of the crown.
74 Unto a sign of victory, which God had or would grant them over their enemies.
c flag, banner, esp. a military one*
75 Namely, in the land of Judea, which is called the land of God and the holy land.
17For how great is 76his 77goodness, and how great is his beauty! 78corn shall 79make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.
76 That is, of the LORD; or, her, namely, of the church.
77 That is, His blessedness. The sense is: How greatly shall the Lord bless His church, filling the same with honor and with glory.
78 That is, God shall give such plenty of corn and wine that the young people shall be cheerful and rejoicing. Compare Isa. 9:3. Compare also Jer. 48:33.
79 Or, bring forth fruit abundantly, namely, the fruit of the lips. Compare Isa. 57 on verse 19.