Read Zechariah 8, click here. Read Zechariah 10, click here.
Zechariah chapter 9:
A simple exegesis based
on grammatical observations of the Hebrew text. Some references to Bible
Commentaries and Hebrew Lexicons are made to enhance my understanding of the
text
By Stephen Ng
Zech. 9:1 מַשָּׂ֤א דְבַר־יְהוָה֙
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַדְרָ֔ךְ וְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק מְנֻחָת֑וֹ
כִּ֤י לַֽיהוָה֙ עֵ֣ין
אָדָ֔ם
וְכֹ֖ל שִׁבְטֵ֥י
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Zech. 9:2 וְגַם־חֲמָ֖ת תִּגְבָּל־בָּ֑הּ
צֹ֣ר וְצִיד֔וֹן כִּ֥י
חָֽכְמָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃
Zech. 9:3 וַתִּ֥בֶן צֹ֛ר מָצ֖וֹר לָ֑הּ
וַתִּצְבָּר־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וְחָר֖וּץ כְּטִ֥יט חוּצֽוֹת׃
Zech. 9:4 הִנֵּ֤ה אֲדֹנָי֙ יֽוֹרִשֶׁ֔נָּה
וְהִכָּ֥ה בַיָּ֖ם חֵילָ֑הּ
וְהִ֖יא בָּאֵ֥שׁ
תֵּאָכֵֽל׃
Zech. 9:5 תֵּרֶ֨א אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן וְתִירָ֗א
וְעַזָּה֙ וְתָחִ֣יל
מְאֹ֔ד
וְעֶקְר֖וֹן
כִּֽי־הֹבִ֣ישׁ מֶבָּטָ֑הּ
וְאָ֤בַד מֶ֙לֶךְ֙
מֵֽעַזָּ֔ה
וְאַשְׁקְל֖וֹן לֹ֥א
תֵשֵֽׁב׃
Zech. 9:6 וְיָשַׁ֥ב מַמְזֵ֖ר
בְּאַשְׁדּ֑וֹד
וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י גְּא֥וֹן
פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
Zech. 9:7 וַהֲסִרֹתִ֨י דָמָ֜יו מִפִּ֗יו
וְשִׁקֻּצָיו֙ מִבֵּ֣ין שִׁנָּ֔יו
וְנִשְׁאַ֥ר גַּם־ה֖וּא
לֵֽאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ
וְהָיָה֙ כְּאַלֻּ֣ף
בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה
וְעֶקְר֖וֹן
כִּיבוּסִֽי׃
Zech. 9:8 וְחָנִ֨יתִי לְבֵיתִ֤י מִצָּבָה֙
מֵעֹבֵ֣ר וּמִשָּׁ֔ב
וְלֹֽא־יַעֲבֹ֧ר
עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם ע֖וֹד נֹגֵ֑שׂ
כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה
רָאִ֥יתִי בְעֵינָֽי׃ ס
Zech. 9:9 גִּילִ֨י מְאֹ֜ד בַּת־צִיּ֗וֹן
הָרִ֙יעִי֙ בַּ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם
הִנֵּ֤ה מַלְכֵּךְ֙
יָ֣בוֹא לָ֔ךְ צַדִּ֥יק וְנוֹשָׁ֖ע ה֑וּא
עָנִי֙ וְרֹכֵ֣ב
עַל־חֲמ֔וֹר
וְעַל־עַ֖יִר
בֶּן־אֲתֹנֽוֹת׃
Zech. 9:10 וְהִכְרַתִּי־רֶ֣כֶב
מֵאֶפְרַ֗יִם
וְסוּס֙
מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
וְנִכְרְתָה֙ קֶ֣שֶׁת
מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֥ר שָׁל֖וֹם לַגּוֹיִ֑ם
וּמָשְׁלוֹ֙ מִיָּ֣ם
עַד־יָ֔ם
וּמִנָּהָ֖ר
עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Zech. 9:11 גַּם־אַ֣תְּ בְּדַם־בְּרִיתֵ֗ךְ
שִׁלַּ֤חְתִּי אֲסִירַ֙יִךְ֙ מִבּ֔וֹר
אֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם בּֽוֹ׃
Zech. 9:12 שׁוּ֚בוּ לְבִצָּר֔וֹן אֲסִירֵ֖י הַתִּקְוָ֑ה גַּם־הַיּ֕וֹם מַגִּ֥יד
מִשְׁנֶ֖ה אָשִׁ֥יב לָֽךְ׃
Zech. 9:13 כִּֽי־דָרַ֨כְתִּי לִ֜י יְהוּדָ֗ה קֶ֚שֶׁת מִלֵּ֣אתִי אֶפְרַ֔יִם
וְעוֹרַרְתִּ֤י
בָנַ֙יִךְ֙ צִיּ֔וֹן
עַל־בָּנַ֖יִךְ יָוָ֑ן
וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךְ
כְּחֶ֥רֶב גִּבּֽוֹר׃
Zech. 9:14 וַֽיהוָה֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם יֵֽרָאֶ֔ה
וְיָצָ֥א כַבָּרָ֖ק
חִצּ֑וֹ
וַֽאדֹנָ֤י יְהוִֹה֙
בַּשּׁוֹפָ֣ר יִתְקָ֔ע
וְהָלַ֖ךְ בְּסַעֲר֥וֹת
תֵּימָֽן׃
Zech. 9:15 יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֮ יָגֵ֣ן עֲלֵיהֶם֒
וְאָכְל֗וּ
וְכָֽבְשׁוּ֙ אַבְנֵי־קֶ֔לַע
וְשָׁת֥וּ הָמ֖וּ
כְּמוֹ־יָ֑יִן
וּמָֽלְאוּ֙
כַּמִּזְרָ֔ק
כְּזָוִיּ֖וֹת
מִזְבֵּֽחַ׃
Zech. 9:16 וְֽהוֹשִׁיעָ֞ם יְהוָ֧ה
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא כְּצֹ֣אן עַמּ֑וֹ
כִּ֚י אַבְנֵי־נֵ֔זֶר
מִֽתְנוֹסְס֖וֹת עַל־אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃
Zech. 9:17 כִּ֥י מַה־טּוּב֖וֹ וּמַה־יָפְי֑וֹ
דָּגָן֙ בַּֽחוּרִ֔ים
וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ יְנוֹבֵ֥ב בְּתֻלֽוֹת׃
|
Sidon |
This
chapter is seen as the beginning of the last five chapters of Zechariah, where Walvoord,
etc divide into sections:
(a)
Chapters 9-11: about the first coming
of Christ;
(b)
Chapters 12-14: focuses on Christ’s
return and emphasises more on his enthronement and the grand finale of Israel’s
history. [1]
In
itself, Chapter 9 can be divided into two shorter passages based on the
paragraph breakers marked by the Samech added to the text by the Masoretes in
the 8-10 Century AD. They are:
(a)
Zechariah 9: 1-8: After Israel was
given peace and prosperity once again, now the judgement against the land of
Hadrach (חַדְרָ֔ךְ) begins. The cities mentioned – Damascus (דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק) and Hamath (חֲמָ֖ת); Tyre (צֹ֣ר), Sidon (צִיד֔וֹן); Gaza (עַזָּ֔ה), Ashkelon (אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן), Ekron (עֶקְר֖וֹן) and Ashdod (אַשְׁדּ֑וֹד)
– are
all important cities during Zechariah’s era and they are on the major trade
routes.
(b)
Zechariah 9:9-17: The prophecy of entry of the King into Jerusalem would bring much cheer,
and thereafter, the dominion of this King all over the land.
Verses 1-8
Here, we see Zechariah's focus now shifts to the non-Jews after peace and prosperity returned to Jerusalem. Zechariah 9 begins by way of a new introduction, מַשָּׂ֤א דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַדְרָ֔ךְ which is translated by the New American Standard Bible as, “The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach…” while Alter renders it as simply, “The word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach…”[2]
Alter is right in that the Hebrew text does not have the
word ‘against’; it simply says ‘in (the) land of Hadrach.’ However, Alter may
have missed the point that this is not just the ‘word of the LORD’ but the
‘burden’ of the word of the LORD.
Sometimes, the phrase מַשָּׂ֤א דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ is also translated as
‘the oracle of the LORD.’ An oracle is a prophetic utterance, pronouncement,
with the focus on the content of the message.[3] The word מַשָּׂ֤א means
‘weight’ or ‘burden’. Hall has this to say:
The term מַשָּׂא (massaʾ, “pronouncement, a lifting up
[of the voice]”) is a technical term introducing a message from the Lord (cf.
Nah 1:1; Hab 1:1; Zech 9:1; Mal 1:1). Derived from the root נָשָׂא (nasaʾ, “to lift”), it is probably connected to the
phrase “to raise one’s voice” (HALOT 639 s.v. II מַשָּׂא) and is usually translated as “oracle” or
“utterance.” Because the root can also mean “to carry (a burden)” it has also
been suggested that its nuance is of a burdensome message (KJV). Here it is the
message which the prophet saw, suggesting that it is the report of a prophetic
vision. In Nahum 1:1, the oracle is called “the book of vision.”[4]
As
Jamieson, et al put it, “Burden” means a prophecy BURDENED with
wrath against the guilty.[5] In short, it was a “burdensome message” (in KJV) which has to be
communicated to the people, and this was most probably not spoken directly to
the foreigners themselves but to the Jews as the target audience of Zechariah’s
oracle. These cities would face the judgement from God Himself.
My attempt
to translate this phrase:
מַשָּׂ֤א דְבַר־יְהוָה֙
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַדְרָ֔ךְ
The
burden of the word of the LORD in (land) of Hadrach …
The
NASB rendition of ‘against’ the land of Hadrach comes from the nuance we see in
the Hebrew word מַשָּׂא ‘burden’
(or punishment) is on the land of Hadrach (emphasis, mine).
Aramean
(v1): One of the first cities mentioned is Damascus, the capital of Aram (modern
Syria) while Hamath was another Aramean city, north of Damascus on the Orontes
River. [6]
Phoenician
(v2-4): Tyre (צֹ֛ר) and
Sidon (צִיד֔וֹן) were
mentioned together, pretty much like twin cities of key importance to the
Phoenicians. Tyre was a rich Phoenician seaport, while Sidon was also a seaport
on the Mediterranean coast and a city-state located about 25
miles north of Tyre. [7] Tyre was endowed
with much gold and silver which came from their dominance in the mercantile
trade through the Mediterranean,[8], [9] yet, we see
that God did not spare the city port.
Philistines
(verses 5-7): All four cities – Ashkelon (אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן), Gaza (עַזָּה), Ekron
(עֶקְר֖וֹן) and Ashdod (אַשְׁדּ֑וֹד)
–
were part of what was known as the five major city-states (hence, the
Philistine Pentapolis). The fifth of these city-states, which was not mentioned
in Zechariah’s oracle, was Gath. They existed since Joshua’s time (Joshua
13:2-3) and were jointly-ruled by five Philistine lords.
Ashkelon
and Gaza were about 10 miles apart and they also served as seaports.[10]
Ekron was located further inland.[11] Ashkelon was once under the control of the Egyptians who ruled over Canaan
and the trade routes around the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000-1800 BC). [12]
After
the Sea Peoples invaded Ashkelon in 1200 BC and defeated the Egyptians, the
Philistines started occupying the area. [13] Gaza was the most important of the five cities as it was just two miles
away from the coast, and according to Judges 1:19, Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron
located in the plains could not be captured by the Israelites because they had the
iron chariots (symbol of power and dominance).[14] Ashdod, on the other hand, was located directly west of Jerusalem some 25
miles northeast of Gaza. [15]
In
verse 4, we see the word יֽוֹרִשֶׁ֔נָּה
used. This is translated as ‘dispossess’ or ‘strip’ and when read in the
context of the entire verse, it is obvious that the Phoenician seaport of Tyre,
although rich with gold and silver, will be stripped of her wealth. To the
LORD, gold and silver is as ‘dross’ to be ‘cast into the sea’ while the city of
Tyre will be consumed by fire. What man deems as precious, God sees it as
nothing in comparison with what He owns – an imagery that reminds Israel of who
the LORD of the Armies is!
The
destruction of Tyre sent a chill to nearby Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza
and Ekron. Although Verse 1 started as a prose, subsequent writing style
shifted to Hebrew poetry. It is interesting to observe the parallelism, common
in Hebrew poetry writing, as shown below in verse 5:
תֵּרֶ֨א אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן וְתִירָ֗א
וְעַזָּה֙ וְתָחִ֣יל מְאֹ֔ד
וְעֶקְר֖וֹן כִּֽי־הֹבִ֣ישׁ מֶבָּטָ֑הּ
וְאָ֤בַד מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֵֽעַזָּ֔ה
וְאַשְׁקְל֖וֹן לֹ֥א תֵשֵֽׁב׃
Their
fears will soon become a reality when they face the judgement as depicted in
the parallelism of verse 5: Ekron will be confounded, Gaza will no longer have
a king and Askhelon will not be inhabited. This is followed by verse 6 which
reveals that another city, Ashdod will be inhabited by a people of great depravity
(מַמְזֵ֖ר). BDB
renders this word as bastard, specifically child of incest or a mixed
population. [16]
Of Ashdod, the
Philistine near to Jerusalem, the LORD of Hosts has a different thing to say
regarding the people living in this city.
He
would remove blood from his mouth, and the detestable things from between his
teeth. The NASB uses the third person plural ‘their’ mouth and ‘their teeth,’
but the Hebrew text uses the third masculine singular (3ms), which in my opinion,
refers to Ashdod. This is typical of Hebrew poetry. The NASB rendition of the
3ms pronominal suffix as ‘their’ is not wrong as it merely refers to the people
who dwelled in the city.
The remnant
of these people will become part of “the house of Judah” (or “a clan of Judah”,
the way it was understood during Zechariah’s time), giving us a hint of God had
planned since then to include the Gentile believers into His body or the
universal church (the way we would understand now):
וְנִשְׁאַ֥ר
גַּם־ה֖וּא לֵֽאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהָיָה֙ כְּאַלֻּ֣ף בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְעֶקְר֖וֹן
כִּיבוּסִֽי׃“
(Zechariah
9:7 HMT-W4)
Because of the armies coming against us, who belong to the
household of God, God Himself will encamp around us to protect us from the
enemies. He himself is the LORD of the Armies.
”וְחָנִ֨יתִי
לְבֵיתִ֤י מִצָּבָה֙ מֵעֹבֵ֣ר וּמִשָּׁ֔ב וְלֹֽא־יַעֲבֹ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם ע֖וֹד נֹגֵ֑שׂ“
(Zechariah
9:8 HMT-W4)
Verses 9-17
The turnaround to the oracles is found in verse 9,
where in the non-narrative passage of this Hebrew prose, the use of the weqatal
verb, וְחָנִ֨יתִי (to surround or encamp) mirrors a different picture painted earlier of the Aramean,
Phoenician and Philistine cities. Instead of the pronouncement of judgement, a
more positive word is used. The hint of who this protection refers to is found
in the later part of verse 9.
The
focus shifts to the daughter of Zion (בַּת־צִיּ֗וֹן) and the main theme now is the coming
king, riding on a colt. It starts with two imperatives – Rejoice (גִּילִ֨י) and Shout (הָרִ֙יעִי֙), suggesting an ongoing
continuous action. Here again, we see the use of parallel writing:
גִּילִ֨י מְאֹ֜ד בַּת־צִיּ֗וֹן
הָרִ֙יעִי֙ בַּ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם
הִנֵּ֤ה מַלְכֵּךְ֙
יָ֣בוֹא לָ֔ךְ
צַדִּ֥יק וְנוֹשָׁ֖ע
ה֑וּא
עָנִי֙ וְרֹכֵ֣ב
עַל־חֲמ֔וֹר
וְעַל־עַ֖יִר בֶּן־אֲתֹנֽוֹת׃“
(Zechariah
9:9 HMT-W4)
The
word often translated as ‘mounted’ (in verse 9) and as ‘chariot’ in verse 10
share the same Hebrew root word (רכב).
As depicted by the portrayal of power using chariot of Ephraim and the horse of
Jerusalem, the word רכב in
verse 9 refers to a position befitting a king, but instead of a show of power
riding on a horse, this king rides on a colt.
He
is both righteous (צַדִּ֥יק)
and humble (עָנִי֙).
The word righteous (צַדִּ֥יק)
is further expanded to explain וְנוֹשָׁ֖ע ה֑וּא; while humble (עָנִי֙) is followed by the depiction of
a king riding on a donkey (וְרֹכֵ֣ב
עַל־חֲמ֔וֹר). Of course, we all know that this is a
prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ ride on a colt into the city of Jerusalem, being
greeted with shouts of Hosanna! (Matthew 21:2-9).
In
some ways, we can see the humour that God is portraying here of the king that
will be entering into Jerusalem. Jesus will come in as king but not with the
full armour of the great horse and chariot, but on a donkey. When Jesus hung on
the cross, the inscription described him as ‘King of the Jews’ but people
mocked him because in their minds, a king had to ride on a powerful animal used
in wars but never on a donkey! Some 500 years before the birth of Christ,
Zechariah had depicted Jesus as a different kind of king.
This
phrase refers to the dungeon or ‘pit without water’, which is often used to
keep prisoners: בּ֔וֹר
אֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם בּֽוֹ. Although the word can mean ‘grave’ or
place of death, but it is more like a pit without water or a deep place. [17] Jeremiah has languished in one of these pits (translated as dungeon cells)
in Jeremiah 37:16; Joseph also experiences it when Potiphar’s anger burns
against him.[18] After the wars end, these prisoners can
expect to be released. God will perform this because of the blood of His
covenant (בְּדַם־בְּרִיתֵ֗ךְ).
We see the next change of scene here
again in verse 13 onwards, where God will not only protect and defend (יָגֵ֣ן) His people; instead, He will
pitch Judah and Ephraim against the Greeks (known in Hebrew as יָוָן). From being the persecuted, now
Judah and Ephraim launch the attack against the Greeks with God’s help.
”כִּ֥י
מַה־טּוּב֖וֹ וּמַה־יָפְי֑וֹ דָּגָן֙ בַּֽחוּרִ֔ים וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ יְנוֹבֵ֥ב בְּתֻלֽוֹת׃“
(Zechariah
9:17 HMT-W4)
[1]F. Duane Lindsey, Zechariah (The Bible
Knowledge Commentary; ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B.
Zuck; Accordance electronic ed. 2 vols.; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 1:1561.
[2] Alter, Robert. The
Hebrew Bible Vol 2, Prophets. First Edition. Vol. 2. 3 vols. New York, NY:
W.W. Nortton & Co, Inc, 2019.
[3]Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of
the Old Testament, s.v. “מ,” paragraph
10809.
[4]W. Hall Harris, eds. The NET Bible Notes. 1st, Accordance electronic ed. (Richardson: Biblical Studies Press,
2005), paragraph 48213.
[5]Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, A Commentary, Critical
and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871, Accordance electronic ed.
(Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 1996), paragraph 16240.
[6]F. Duane Lindsey, Zechariah (The Bible
Knowledge Commentary; ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B.
Zuck; Accordance electronic ed. 2 vols.; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 1:1562.
[7]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 247.
[8]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 247.
[9]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 361.
[10] In ancient times, cities grew due to trade; as a result, seaports became
important cities. Even in our Malaysian context, Port Klang was once a bustling
port in the early years of Malaya. Before it was developed by the chieftain,
Yap Ah Loy, Kuala Lumpur was considered a rural village. The royal palaces and
all the activities were centred in Klang.
[11]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 243.
[12]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 243.
[13]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 58.
[14]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 243.
[15]John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 229.
[17]John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries (Complete), trans. John King,
Accordance electronic ed. (Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1847),
paragraph 40651.
[18]W. Hall Harris, eds. The NET Bible Notes. 1st, Accordance electronic
ed. (Richardson: Biblical Studies Press, 2005), paragraph 54896.
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