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Zechariah
Chapter Two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 2
This
chapter contains a prophecy of the church under the Gospel dispensation; of the
largeness and numbers of it; and of its protection and glory, through the
presence of God in it. In this vision a man is seen with a measuring line in
his hand, to measure Jerusalem with, Zechariah 2:1 upon
which an angel bids the angel that talked with the prophet to declare to him
the largeness, populousness, and safety of Jerusalem, Zechariah 2:3 then
follows an exhortation to the people of God to come out of Babylon, Zechariah 2:6 and
then a promise of the calling of the Gentiles, and of God's gracious
inhabitation in his church, which would be matter of joy to Zion; and of his
inheriting Judah, and choosing Jerusalem Zechariah 2:8 and
the chapter is concluded with an address to all mankind, to be silent before
the Lord, since he was raised up out of his habitation, Zechariah 2:13.
Zechariah 2:1 Then I raised my
eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
YLT
1And I lift up mine eyes,
and look, and lo, a man, and in his hand a measuring line.
I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked,.... And saw a
third vision; which, as Kimchi owns, refers to the times of the Messiah; though
it might be of use to the Jews then present, to encourage them to expect the
rebuilding of Jerusalem, in a literal sense:
and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand: by whom is
meant, not Nehemiah, nor Zerubbabel; see Zechariah 4:10 who
were concerned in the building of Jerusalem; nor any mere man, nor even a
created angel; for, though he may be the same with the other angel, that did
not talk with the prophet, Zechariah 2:3 as
Kimchi observes; seeing he seems to be superior to him that did; yet not a
ministering spirit, but the Messiah, who in this book is often spoken of as a
man; See Gill on Zechariah 1:8 and
by "the measuring line in his hand" may be meant eternal
predestination, the Lamb's book of life, which is in his keeping; and is the
measure and rule by which he proceeds in the calling, justification, and
glorification of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; or the
Scriptures of truth, the measure and rule of doctrine, discipline, worship, and
conversation; and according to which Christ forms, constitutes, and regulates
Gospel churches; see Ezekiel 40:3.
Zechariah 2:2 2 So I
said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see
what is its width and what is its length.”
YLT
2And I say, `Whither are
thou going?' And he saith unto me, `To measure Jerusalem, to see how much [is]
its breadth, and how much its length.'
Then said I, Whither goest thou?.... As it showed great
freedom and boldness in the prophet to put such a question to the man with the
measuring reed, it was great condescension in him to return him an answer, as
follows:
and he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem; not literally
understood, which was not yet thoroughly built; but the Gospel church, often so
called; see Hebrews 12:22 and
this measuring of it denotes the conformity of it to the rule of God's word; a
profession of the true doctrines of it, and an observance of the ordinances of
it, as delivered in it; and an agreement of the walk, life, and conversation of
its members with it:
to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the
length thereof; the length of the New Jerusalem is as large as the breadth; its
length, breadth, and height, are equal, Revelation 21:16.
Zechariah 2:3 3 And
there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was
coming out to meet him,
YLT
3And lo, the messenger who
is speaking with me is going out, and another messenger is going out to meet
him,
And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth,.... See Zechariah 1:9 and
he "went forth" from the place where the prophet was, with whom he
had been conversing:
and another angel went out to meet him: the same that
was seen among the myrtle trees, Zechariah 1:8 and
here, with a measuring line in his hand, Zechariah 2:1.
Zechariah 2:4 4 who
said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be
inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and
livestock in it.
YLT
4and he saith unto him,
`Run, speak unto this young man, saying: Unwalled villages inhabit doth
Jerusalem, From the abundance of man and beast in her midst.
And said unto him,.... That is, the other angel said to the
angel that had been talking with the prophet,
Run, speak to this young man: meaning Zechariah, who
was either young in years, as Samuel and Jeremiah were when they prophesied; or
he was a servant of a prophet older than he, and therefore so called, as
Joshua, Moses's minister, was, Numbers 11:28 as
Kimchi observes:
saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls; this shows
that this is not to be understood of Jerusalem in a literal sense, for that was
not inhabited as a town without a wall; its wall was built in Nehemiah's time,
and remained until the city was destroyed by Vespasian; yea, it had a treble
wall, as Josephus saysF2De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2. ; but of
the church of Christ in Gospel times; and denotes both the safety and security
of it; see Ezekiel 38:11 and
the populousness of it; and especially as it will be in the latter day, when
both Jews and Gentiles are called, and brought into it; which sense is
confirmed by what follows:
for the multitude of men and cattle therein; the Jews
being meant by "men"; see Ezekiel 34:31 and
the Gentiles by "cattle", to which they used to be compared by the
former: this will be fulfilled when the nation of the Jews will be born at
once, and all Israel will be saved, and the fulness of the Gentiles shall be
brought in; for the number of the spiritual Israel, the sons of the living God,
both Jews and Gentiles, shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
measured, Hosea 1:10 and when
there will be such a large increase of converts; and such flockings to Zion, to
the spiritual Jerusalem, the church of God, that the place will be too small
for them, Isaiah 49:19
whereas, when Jerusalem in a literal sense was rebuilt, after the Babylonian
captivity, there was a want of persons to inhabit it, and lots were cast for
one out of ten to dwell in it; and they were glad of others that offered
themselves willingly to be inhabitants of it, Nehemiah 11:1 for
there was but a small number that returned from Babylon to repeople the city of
Jerusalem, and the whole country of Judea; no more came from thence but forty
two thousand, three hundred, and threescore, besides men and maid servants,
which amounted to seven or eight thousand more, Ezra 2:64 Nehemiah 7:66 which
were but a few to fill such a country, and so many cities and towns that were
in it, besides Jerusalem; and yet JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 11. c. 3.
sect. 10. affirms, that the number of those of the tribes of Judah and
Benjamin, that came up from thence, and were above twelve years of age, were
four millions, six hundred, and twenty eight thousand; in which he is followed
by ZonarasF4Apud Hudson in ib. , and it is admitted and approved of
by Sanctius on the place; which is not only contrary to the accounts of Ezra
and Nehemiah, but is incredible; that such a number that went into captivity,
which was not very large, should, under all the distresses and oppressions they
laboured, in seventy years time so multiply, and that two tribes only, as to be
almost eight times more than all the twelve tribes were at their coming out of
Egypt; a number large enough to have overrun the Babylonian monarchy; and too
many to be supported in so small a country as the land of Canaan: wherefore,
upon the whole, it must be best to interpret this of spiritual and mystical
Jerusalem, and of the populousness of the church of Christ in the latter day.
Zechariah 2:5 5 For
I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in
her midst.’”
YLT
5And I -- I am to her -- an
affirmation of Jehovah, A wall of fire round about, And for honour I am in her
midst.
For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about,..... So that
she needs no other wall to secure her, the power of God encompassing her about
as the mountains did Jerusalem, Psalm 125:2 and he
being as a wall of fire to terrify and destroy her enemies; for our God is a
consuming fire, Hebrews 12:29.
Drusius thinks it is a metaphor taken from travellers in some countries, who
kindle fires about their tents, to keep off lions, and other beasts of prey;
and observes of lions particularly, that they are exceedingly terrified by
fire; for which he refers to John Leo in his description of Africa; and Pliny
makesF5Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 16. mention of several things that are
terrifying to them, but especially fires, he says; and so Dr. ShawF6Travels,
tom. 1. par. 3. c. 2. p. 172. , of late, speaking of the lions in Barbary,
remarks, fire is what they are the most afraid of; yet, notwithstanding all the
precautions of the Arabs in this respect, with others he takes notice of, it
frequently happens that these ravenous beasts, outbraving all those terrors,
will leap into the midst of an enclosure or fold, and drag from thence a sheep,
or a goat; and TavernierF7Travels through India, in Harris's Voyages
and Travels, vol. 1. p. 848. tells a story, by which he thinks it appears to be
a vulgar error that lions will not come near the fire; though the relation
itself shows it to be not only a received opinion, but a common custom to light
fires in the night, to preserve from lions: his story is,
"a
party of Dutch soldiers, under the command of a serjeant, far advanced in the
country (about the Cape of Good Hope), and night coming on, they made a great
fire, as well to keep themselves from the lions, as to warm themselves, and so
lay down to sleep round about it; being asleep, a lion seized one of the
soldier's arms, which with difficulty was got out, after the lion was shot;'
but
this seems to be the case, when these creatures are dreadfully hunger bitten;
however, be it as it will, God is the sure and safe protection of his people;
who went before the people of Israel in a pillar of a cloud by day, and in a
pillar of fire by night, when they passed through a terrible wilderness, in
which were beasts of prey; and surrounded Elisha with horses and chariots of
fire, when the king of Syria sent a large host to take him; so that he could
say, to encourage his servant, "they that be for us are more than they
that be with them", 2 Kings 6:15 who
seem to be angels; and the JewsF8Pesikta Rabbati apud Yalkut in loc.
here interpret it of the family of God, his angels, made a wall to Jerusalem to
preserve it; the cherubim and a flaming sword, set to keep the garden of Eden,
were, according to LactantiusF9Institut. Divin. l. 2. c. 13. , a
wall of fire about it; for (he says), when God cast man out of paradise, he
walled it about with fire: but that was that man might not enter in; but here
he himself is a wall of fire, that his people may be safe; hence they have no
reason to fear the wrath of their enemies, the most fierce and furious, savage
and cruel, comparable to lions, bears, &c.; for, if God is for them, on
their side, and on all sides of them, who can be against them to any purpose?
The Targum paraphrases it,
"my
Word shall be unto her, saith the Lord, as a wall of fire encompassing her
round about:'
and will be the glory in the midst of her: appear
glorious in her, be glorified in her, and by her, and be her glory, and make
her glorious; as the Lord does by granting his gracious presence with his
church and people, in his word and ordinances; see Isaiah 4:1 Isaiah 60:13.
Zechariah 2:6 6 “Up,
up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I
have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord.
YLT
6Ho, ho, and flee from the
land of the north, An affirmation of Jehovah, For, as the four winds of the
heavens, I have spread you abroad, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Ho, ho,.... This word expresses a call and proclamation; and is doubled,
as Kimchi observes, to confirm it; and so the Targum paraphrases it,
"proclaim
to the dispersed:'
come forth, and flee from
the land of the north, saith the Lord; that is, from Babylon,
which lay north of Judea; see Jeremiah 1:13 Jeremiah 3:12 where
many of the Jews continued, and did not return with the rest when they came up
out of the captivity; and are therefore called to come forth from thence in
haste; and figuratively designs, either the people of God that are among the
men of the world, and are called to separate from them, and have no fellowship
with there; or such as will be in mystical Babylon, a little before its
destruction; and will be called out of it, lest they partake of her plagues;
see Revelation 18:4,
for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,
saith the Lord; meaning either the dispersion of the Jews in Babylon, and other
countries; or of the people of God, being scattered up and down in the
jurisdiction of Rome Papal; or the sense is, that it was his will and purpose,
when they were come out of Babylon, that they should be spread in the several
parts of the world, to support the cause of Christ, and strengthen his
interest.
Zechariah 2:7 7 “Up,
Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.”
YLT
7Ho, Zion, be delivered who
art dwelling [with] the daughter of Babylon.
Deliver thyself, O Zion,.... Or make thy escape,
you that belong to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, and ought to have
your abode there, and not in Babylon: flee from thence,
that dwelleth with the daughter of Babylon; in any of the
antichristian states, who are the daughters of Babylon, the mother of harlots, Revelation 17:5 so
it may be rendered, "that inhabits the daughter of Babylon"F11יושבת בת בבל,
οι κατοικουντες θυγατερα βαβυλωνος,
Sept.; "habitatrix filiae Babel", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "vel
inhabitans filiam Babel", De Dieu. ; dwells in any of the cities, towns,
and villages, belonging to it.
Zechariah 2:8 8 For
thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder
you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
YLT
8For thus said Jehovah of
Hosts: After honour He hath sent me unto the nations who are spoiling you, For
he who is coming against you, Is coming against the daughter of His eye.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... Christ, who is the
true Jehovah, and Lord of armies, as appears from his being sent in the next
clause:
After the glory; which is promised, Zechariah 2:5 so
the Targum and Kimchi; or, "afterwards" shall be "the
glory"F12אחר כבוד
"tandem erit gloria, aut postea erit gloria", De Dieu. ; or a
glorious time and state; that is, after God's people are brought out of
mystical Babylon, when the Jews shall be converted, and the fulness of the
Gentiles shall be brought in, then will be the latter day glory; and at the
same time will be the fall and destruction of antichrist, and of the
antichristian states, as follows:
hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you; the Chaldeans
and Babylonians, who spoiled and carried captive the Jews; or the antichristian
nations, which persecuted and wasted the people of God, the followers of the
Lamb; but now Christ will be sent, and will come in a spiritual manner, and
take vengeance on them; he will destroy antichrist with the breath of his
mouth, and with the brightness of his coming; with the sharp sword going out of
his mouth, Revelation 19:15,
for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye; either his
own eye, he hurts himself; or the eye of the Lord of hosts; "of mine
eye", as some read itF13So in Siphre apud Galatin. de Arean.
Cathol. Ver. l. 1. c. 8. , as the Vulgate Latin version; which shows how near
and dear the Lord's people are to him. The pupil or apple of the eye is a
little aperture or perforation in the middle of the tunic or coat of the eye,
called the uvea and iris, about which the iris forms a ring; and through this
little opening the rays of light pass to the crystalline humour, to be formed
on the retina or net, at the bottom of the eye. It is a very weak and tender
part, and easily hurt with the least thing; and fitly describes the feeble
state of Christ's people; and how soon and easily they may be disturbed,
distressed, and hurt by their enemies: and as this is a principal part of the
eye, and a part of a man's self, dear and valuable to him; so are the Lord's
people parts, as it were, of himself; they are members of his body, closely
united to him; and whatever injury is done to them he reckons as done to
himself: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Acts 9:5 and being
highly esteemed by him, and having the strongest affection for them, he resents
every affront given them, and will punish all that hurt them; and exceeding
careful is he of them, to keep and preserve them from being hurt: "he kept
him as the apple of his eye", Deuteronomy 32:10,
which, being such an useful and tender part as it is, it is wonderfully
provided for by nature against all events; besides the orbit in which it is
placed; and the eyebrows, which prevent many nuisances; and the eyelids, which
cover and defend it in sleep; and the fringes of hair on them, which break the
too violent impressions of light, and keep off motes and flies; there are no
less, than six tunics or coats about itF14Vid. Chamber's Dictionary,
in the word "Eye". , as so many preservatives of it: now, as the God
of nature has taken so much care of this useful member of the human body, how
much more careful and tender must we suppose the God of grace, and our merciful
Redeemer and High Priest, to be over his dear people, parts of himself,
redeemed by his blood, and designed and prepared for eternal glory and happiness;
and how daring must such be who offer the least violence unto them; nor must
they expect to escape his wrath and vengeance, that seek their hurt, and give
them disturbance; see Psalm 17:8 and as
this may respect the Jews called out of Babylon in the two preceding verses Zechariah 2:6, it
may be concluded that they were obedient to the divine call, though it is not
recorded; it being not likely that God, who had so great a regard for them,
would suffer them to continue there to their destruction; for it was about two
years after this prophecy, in the fourth year of Darius, or the beginning of
the fifth, that Babylon revolted from him, and was besieged twenty months by
him, before he took it; and which he did at last by the stratagem of Zopyrus,
one of his generals, when he beat down its walls and gates, and put to death three
thousand of the inhabitants that were most guiltyF15Vid. Prideaux's
Connexion, par. 1. B. 3. p. 188, 189. ; but, before this, it is reasonable to
suppose that the people of God, so dear unto him as is expressed, were called
out from hence; as those of his people, equally dear to him, will be called out
of mystical Babylon before its destruction; see Revelation 18:4.
Zechariah 2:9 9 For
surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their
servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts
has sent Me.
YLT
9For lo, I am waving my hand
against them, And they have been a spoil to their servants. And ye have known
that Jehovah of Hosts hath sent me.
For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them,.... The
nations; either the Babylonian, or the antichristian states; meaning, that he
would exert his power, and inflict punishment on them, and utterly destroy
them; which would be done by the bare shaking of his hand:
and they shall be a spoil to their servants; as the
Babylonians were to the Persians; not through Cyrus, which had been done; but
through Darius, who took Babylon, after a siege of twenty months, and put great
numbers to death; and all became a spoil to the Persians, who had been their
servants: or the ten kings, that gave their kingdoms to the beast, and were
subject to him; but now shall hate the whore, and eat her flesh; and all her
riches and revenues shall be a spoil unto them, and be divided among them, Revelation 17:12,
and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me; either the
Prophet Zechariah, that he was a true prophet, and had his mission from the
Lord of hosts, as will appear by the accomplishment of these prophecies; or
rather Christ, sent by God the Father; and who will be known and owned by the
Jews, as well as by the Gentiles, to be the sent of God, when they shall be
converted, and antichrist shall be destroyed. Kimchi refers this, and the
following verse Zechariah 2:10, to
the times of the Messiah.
Zechariah 2:10 10 “Sing
and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in
your midst,” says the Lord.
YLT
10Singe, and rejoice, O
daughter of Zion, For lo, I am coming, and have dwelt in thy midst, An
affirmation of Jehovah.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion,.... Or,
"congregation of Zion", as the Targum paraphrases it; the Jewish
church, great numbers of that people being converted, and in a church state; or
the whole Christian church at this time, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, who
are called upon to rejoice and sing at the destruction of antichrist; see Revelation 18:20
and because of the presence of God in the midst of them, as follows:
for, lo, I come; not in the flesh: this is not to be
understood of the incarnation of Christ; or of his coming in human nature to
dwell in the land of Judea; but of his spiritual coming in the latter day, to
set up his kingdom in the world, in a more visible and glorious manner:
and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord; the presence
of Christ in his churches, and with his people, in attendance on his word and
ordinances, will be very manifest and constant in the latter day.
Zechariah 2:11 11 “Many
nations shall be joined to the Lord in that
day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you
will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
YLT
11And joined have been many
nations unto Jehovah in that day, And they have been to Me for a people, And I
have dwelt in thy midst, And thou hast known that Jehovah of Hosts hath sent me
unto thee.
And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day,.... The
Gospel will be preached in all nations, and multitudes will be converted, and
embrace and profess the Christian religion, and join themselves to the churches
of Christ, which, in the New Testament, is expressed by being joined to the
Lord, Acts 5:13 see Jeremiah 50:5,
and shall be my people; shall appear to be so,
who before were not the people of God; did not profess themselves, and were not
known to be, the people of God, though they secretly were in the counsel and
covenant of God; but now, being called by grace, they become openly and
manifestly his people, 1 Peter 2:10,
and I will dwell in the midst of thee; in the
church, consisting of people of many nations, as well as of Jews:
and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee; to the Jews,
as well as to the Gentiles; See Gill on Zechariah 2:9.
Zechariah 2:12 12 And
the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land,
and will again choose Jerusalem.
YLT
12And Jehovah hath inherited
Judah, His portion on the holy ground, And He hath fixed again on Jerusalem.
And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land,.... The
Lord's people is his portion, and the lot of his inheritance; whom he has
chosen, and calls as such, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; but here it seems
to mean the believing Jews; who, it is very likely, upon their conversion, will
be returned to their own land, here called "the holy land"; because
formerly here the Lord's holy people dwelt, his holy sanctuary was, and his
holy worship and ordinances were attended on; and where now he will possess and
enjoy his people, and favour them with communion with himself:
and shall choose Jerusalem again; after long trodden down
of the Gentiles; as it formerly was a place of divine worship, so it shall be
again; and which will be performed in it in a more spiritual and evangelical
manner than ever; or it may respect the people of the Jews, who, being called
by grace, this will be a kind of a renovation of their election, and an
evidence of it; see Romans 11:26.
Zechariah 2:13 13 Be
silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is
aroused from His holy habitation!”
YLT
13Hush, all flesh, because of
Jehovah, For He hath been roused up from His holy habitation!'
Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord,.... Be filled
with fear, awe, and astonishment, at the wonderful work of God; the destruction
of antichrist; the conversion of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles: let
them not open their mouths, or dare to say one word against it. The Targum
interprets the words of the wicked, and paraphrases them thus,
"let
all the wicked be consumed before the Lord;'
see
Psalm 104:35 and it
seems to design the rest of the people, who will not be converted; called
flesh, being not only frail and mortal, but corrupt and sinful; and so not able
to contend with God, who is mighty in strength, and glorious in holiness, and a
God doing wonders. A like phrase is in Habakkuk 2:20,
for he is raised up out of his holy habitation: which is
heaven, Isaiah 63:15 where
he seemed to have been as it were asleep for many hundreds of years, even
during the reign of antichrist; but now he will be as a man awaked out of his
sleep, and will arise to take vengeance on his and his church's enemies, and to
help them, and make them happy and glorious.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》