{"commentary":{"id":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson-Fausset-Brown_Bible_Commentary","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"db3d4c8b3c1f32ef9d1430a57392e02bda3a17aac1f9bbe398461de021a3cb13","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":66,"totalNumberOfChapters":1187,"totalNumberOfVerses":17056,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"ZEC","commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Zechariah","commonName":"Zechariah","introduction":"THE name Zechariah means one whom Jehovah remembers: a common name, four others of the same name occurring in the Old Testament. Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, he was a priest as well as a prophet, which adapts him for the sacerdotal character of some of his prophecies (Zac 6:13). He is called \"the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo\" (Zac 1:1); but simply \"the son of Iddo\" in Ezr 5:1; Ezr 6:14. Probably his father died when he was young; and hence, as sometimes occurs in Jewish genealogies, he is called \"the son of Iddo,\" his grandfather. Iddo was one of the priests who returned to Zerubbabel and Joshua from Babylon (Neh 12:4).\n\nZechariah entered early on his prophetic functions (Zac 2:4); only two months later than Haggai, in the second year of Darius' reign, 520 B.C. The design of both prophets was to encourage the people and their religious and civil leaders, Joshua and Zerubbabel, in their work of rebuilding the temple, after the interruption caused by the Samaritans (see Introduction to Haggai). Zechariah does so especially by unfolding in detail the glorious future in connection with the present depressed appearance of the theocracy, and its visible symbol, the temple. He must have been very young in leaving Babylonia, where he was born. The Zechariah, son of Barachias, mentioned by our Lord (Mat 23:35) as slain between the porch and the altar, must have been the one called the son of Jehoiada in Ch2 24:21, who so perished: the same person often had two names; and our Lord, in referring to the Hebrew Bible, of which Second Chronicles is the last book, would naturally mention the last martyr in the Hebrew order of the canon, as He had instanced Abel as the first. Owing to Mat 27:9 quoting Zac 11:12-13 as the words of Jeremiah, MEDE doubts the authenticity of the ninth through the fourteenth chapters, and ascribes them to Jeremiah: he thinks that these chapters were not found till after the return from the captivity, and being approved by Zechariah, were added to his prophecies, as Agur's Proverbs were added to those of Solomon. All the oldest authorities, except two manuscripts of the old Italian or Pre-Vulgate version, read Jeremiah in Mat 27:9. The quotation there is not to the letter copied from Zechariah, Jer 18:1-2; Jer 32:6-12, may also have been in the mind of Matthew, and perhaps in the mind of Zechariah, whence the former mentions Jeremiah. HENGSTENBERG similarly thinks that Matthew names Jeremiah, rather than Zechariah, to turn attention to the fact that Zechariah's prophecy is but a reiteration of the fearful oracle in Jer. 18:1-19:15, to be fulfilled in the destruction of the Jewish nation. Jeremiah had already, by the image of a potter's vessel, portrayed their ruin in Nebuchadnezzar's invasion; and as Zechariah virtually repeats this threat, to be inflicted again under Messiah for the nation's rejection of Him, Matthew, virtually, by mentioning Jeremiah, implies that the \"field of blood\" (Mat 27:8-9), now bought by \"the reward of iniquity\" (Act 1:18) in the valley of Hinnom, was long ago a scene of prophetic doom in which awful disaster had been symbolically predicted: that the present purchase of that field with the traitor's price renewed the prophecy and revived the curse--a curse pronounced of old by Jeremiah, and once fulfilled in the Babylonian siege--a curse reiterated by Zechariah, and again to be verified in the Roman desolation. LIGHTFOOT (referring to B. BATHRA and KIMCHI) less probably thinks the third division of Scripture, the prophets, began with Jeremiah, and that the whole body of prophets is thus quoted by the name \"Jeremiah.\" The mention of \"Ephraim\" and \"Israel\" in these chapters as distinct from Judah, does not prove that the prophecy was written while the ten tribes existed as a separate kingdom. It rather implies that hereafter not only Judah, but the ten tribes also, shall be restored, the earnest of which was given in the numbers out of the ten tribes who returned with their brethren the Jews from captivity under Cyrus. There is nothing in these characters to imply that a king reigned in Judah at that time. The editor of the Hebrew canon joined these chapters to Zechariah, not to Jeremiah; the Septuagint, three hundred years B.C., confirms this.\n\nThe prophecy consists of four parts: (1) Introductory, Zac 1:1-6. (2) Symbolical, Zac 1:7, to the end of the sixth chapter, containing nine visions; all these were vouchsafed in one night, and are of a symbolical character. (3) Didactic, the seventh and eighth chapters containing an answer to a query of the Beth-elites concerning a certain feast. And (4) Prophetic, the ninth chapter to the end. These six last chapters predict Alexander's expedition along the west coast of Palestine to Egypt; God's protection of the Jews, both at that time and under the Maccabees; the advent, sufferings, and reign of Messiah; the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, and dissolution of the Jews' polity; their conversion and restoration; the overthrow of the wicked confederacy which assailed them in Canaan; and the Gentiles' joining in their holy worship [HENDERSON]. The difference in style between the former and the latter chapters is due to the difference of subject; the first six chapters being of a symbolical and peculiar character, while the poetical style of the concluding chapters is adapted admirably to the subjects treated. The titles (Zac 9:1; Zac 12:1) accord with the prophetic matter which follows; nor is it necessary for unity of authorship that the introductory formulas occurring in the first eight chapters should occur in the last six. The non-reference in the last six chapters to the completion of the temple and the Jews' restoration after the captivity is just what we should expect, if, as seems likely, these chapters were written long after the completion of the temple and the restoration of the Jews polity after the captivity, in circumstances different from those which engaged the prophet when he wrote the earlier chapters.\n\nThe style varies with the subject: at one time conversational, at another poetical. His symbols are enigmatical and are therefore accompanied with explanations. His prose is like that of Ezekiel--diffuse, uniform, and repetitious. The rhythm is somewhat unequal, and the parallelisms are not altogether symmetrical. Still, there is found often much of the elevation met with in the earlier prophets, and a general congruity between the style and the subjects. Graphic vividness is his peculiar merit. ChaldÃ&brvbrisms occur occasionally. Another special characteristic of Zechariah is his introduction of spiritual beings into his prophetic scenes. \n\n\n\nNext: Zechariah Chapter 1\n\n","order":38,"numberOfChapters":14,"sha256":"d1c647660fec77e6b63ae1f1ed01101ef9ff627de36526793f2ddb3e2416cdd2","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ZEC/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ZEC","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":14,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ZEC/14.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ZEC","chapter":14},"totalNumberOfVerses":189},"chapter":{"number":12,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["cup of trembling--a cup causing those who drink it to reel (from a Hebrew root \"to reel\"). Jerusalem, who drank the \"cup of trembling\" herself, shall be so to her foes (Isa 51:17, Isa 51:22; Jer 13:13). CALVIN with the Septuagint translates, \"threshold of destruction,\" on which they shall stumble and be crushed when they attempt to cross it. English Version is better. \n\nboth against Judah--The Hebrew order of words is literally, \"And also against Judah shall he (the foe) be in the siege against Jerusalem\"; implying virtually that Judah, as it shares the invasion along with Jerusalem, so it shall, like the metropolis, prove a cup of trembling to the invaders. MAURER with JEROME translates, \"Also upon Judah shall be (the cup of trembling); that is, some Jews forced by the foe shall join in the assault on Jerusalem, and shall share the overthrow with the besiegers. But Zac 12:6-7 show that Judah escapes and proves the scourge of the foe.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["(Compare Zac 14:4, Zac 14:6-9, Zac 14:13). JEROME states it was a custom in Palestine to test the strength of youths by their lifting up a massive stone; the phrase, \"burden themselves with it,\" refers to this custom. Compare Mat 21:44 : The Jews \"fell\" on the rock of offense, Messiah, and were \"broken\"; but the rock shall fall on Antichrist, who \"burdens himself with it\" by his assault on the restored Jews, and \"grind him to powder.\" \n\nall . . . people of . . . earth--The Antichristian confederacy against the Jews shall be almost universal.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["I will smite . . . horse--The arm of attack especially formidable to Judah, who was unprovided with cavalry. So in the overthrow of Pharaoh (Exo 15:19, Exo 15:21). \n\nopen mine eyes upon . . . Judah--to watch over Judah's safety. Heretofore Jehovah seemed to have shut His eyes, as having no regard for her. \n\nblindness--so as to rush headlong on to their own ruin (compare Zac 14:12-13).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["shall say--when they see the foe divinely smitten with \"madness.\" \n\nJudah . . . Jerusalem--here distinguished as the country and the metropolis. Judah recognizes her \"strength\" to be \"Jerusalem and its inhabitants\" as the instrument, and \"Jehovah of hosts their God\" (dwelling especially there) as the author of all power (Joe 3:16). My strength is the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who have the Lord their God as their help. The repulse of the foe by the metropolis shall assure the Jews of the country that the same divine aid shall save them.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["On \"governors of Judah,\" see on Zac 9:7. \n\nhearth--or pan. \n\ntorch . . . in a sheaf--Though small, it shall consume the many foes around. One prophet supplements the other. Thus Isa. 29:1-24; Joel 3:1-21; Zec. 12:1-14:21, describe more Antichrist's army than himself. Daniel represents him as a horn growing out of the fourth beast or fourth kingdom; St. John, as a separate beast having an individual existence. Daniel dwells on his worldly conquests as a king; St. John, more on his spiritual tyranny, whence he adds a second beast, the false prophet coming in a semblance of spirituality. What is briefly described by one is more fully prophesied by the other [ROOS].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["Judah is to be \"first saved,\" because of her meek acknowledgment of dependence on Jerusalem, subordinate to Jehovah's aid. \n\ntents--shifting and insecure, as contrasted with the solid fortifications of Judah. But God chooses the weak to confound the mighty, that all human glorying may be set aside.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["Jerusalem, however, also shall be specially strengthened against the foe. \n\nfeeble . . . shall be as David--to the Jew, the highest type of strength and glory on earth (Sa2 17:8; Sa2 18:3; Joe 3:10). \n\nangel of the Lord before them--the divine angel that went \"before them\" through the desert, the highest type of strength and glory in heaven (Exo 23:20; Exo 32:34). \"The house of David\" is the \"prince,\" and his family sprung from David (Eze 45:7, Eze 45:9). David's house was then in a comparatively weak state.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["I will seek to destroy--I will set Myself with determined earnestness to destroy (Hag 2:22).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["Future conversion of the Jews is to flow from an extraordinary outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Jer 31:9, Jer 31:31-34; Eze 39:29). \n\nspirit of grace . . . supplications--\"spirit\" is here not the spirit produced, but THE HOLY SPIRIT producing a \"gracious\" disposition, and inclination for \"supplications.\" CALVIN explains \"spirit of grace\" as the grace of God itself (whereby He \"pours\" out His bowels of mercy), \"conjoined with the sense of it in man's heart.\" The \"spirit of supplications\" is the mercury whose rise or fall is an unerring test of the state of the Church [MOORE]. In Hebrew, \"grace\" and \"supplications\" are kindred terms; translate, therefore, \"gracious supplications.\" The plural implies suppliant prayers \"without ceasing.\" Herein not merely external help against the foe, as before, but internal grace is promised subsequently. \n\nlook upon me--with profoundly earnest regard, as the Messiah whom they so long denied. \n\npierced--implying Messiah's humanity: as \"I will pour . . . spirit\" implies His divinity. \n\nlook . . . mourn--True repentance arises from the sight by faith of the crucified Saviour. It is the tear that drops from the eye of faith looking on Him. Terror only produces remorse. The true penitent weeps over his sins in love to Him who in love has suffered for them. \n\nme . . . him--The change of person is due to Jehovah-Messiah speaking in His own person first, then the prophet speaking of Him. The Jews, to avoid the conclusion that He whom they have \"pierced\" is Jehovah-Messiah, who says, \"I will pour out . . . spirit,\" altered \"me\" into \"him,\" and represent the \"pierced\" one to be Messiah Ben (son of) Joseph, who was to suffer in the battle with Cog, before Messiah Ben David should come to reign. But Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic oppose this; and the ancient Jews interpreted it of Messiah. Psa 22:16 also refers to His being \"pierced.\" So Joh 19:37; Rev 1:7. The actual piercing of His side was the culminating point of all their insulting treatment of Him. The act of the Roman soldier who pierced Him was their act (Mat 27:25), and is so accounted here in Zechariah. The Hebrew word is always used of a literal piercing (so Zac 13:3); not of a metaphorical piercing, \"insulted,\" as MAURER and other Rationalists (from the Septuagint) represent. \n\nas one mourneth for . . . son-- (Jer 6:26; Amo 8:10). A proverbial phrase peculiarly forcible among the Jews, who felt childlessness as a curse and dishonor. Applied with peculiar propriety to mourning for Messiah, \"the first-born among many brethren\" (Rom 8:29).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["As in Zac 12:10 the bitterness of their mourning is illustrated by a private case of mourning, so in this verse by a public one, the greatest recorded in Jewish history, that for the violent death in battle with Pharaoh-necho of the good King Josiah, whose reign had been the only gleam of brightness for the period from Hezekiah to the downfall of the state; lamentations were written by Jeremiah for the occasion (Kg2 23:29-30; Ch2 35:22-27). \n\nHadad-rimmon--a place or city in the great plain of Esdraelon, the battlefield of many a conflict, near Megiddo; called so from the Syrian idol Rimmon. Hadad also was the name of the sun, a chief god of the Syrians [MACROBIUS, Saturnalia, 1.23]. A universal and an individual mourning at once.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":12,"content":["David . . . Nathan--representing the highest and lowest of the royal order. Nathan, not the prophet, but a younger son of David (Sa2 5:14; Luk 3:31). \n\napart--Retirement and seclusion are needful for deep personal religion. \n\nwives apart--Jewish females worship separately from the males (Exo 15:1, Exo 15:20).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":13,"content":["Levi . . . Shimei--the highest and lowest of the priestly order (Num 3:18, Num 3:21). Their example and that of the royal order would of course influence the rest.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":14,"content":["All . . . that remain--after the fiery ordeal, in which two-thirds fall (Zac 13:8-9).\n\n\n\n\nNext: Zechariah Chapter 13\n\n"]}],"introduction":"JERUSALEM THE INSTRUMENT OF JUDGMENT ON HER FOES HEREAFTER; HER REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION. (Zac 12:1-14)\n\nburden--\"weighty prophecy\"; fraught with destruction to Israel's foes; the expression may also refer to the distresses of Israel implied as about to precede the deliverance. \n\nfor Israel--concerning Israel [MAURER]. \n\nstretcheth forth--present; now, not merely \"hath stretched forth,\" as if God only created and then left the universe to itself (Joh 5:17). To remove all doubts of unbelief as to the possibility of Israel's deliverance, God prefaces the prediction by reminding us of His creative and sustaining power. Compare a similar preface in Isa 42:5; Isa 43:1; Isa 65:17-18. \n\nformeth . . . spirit of man-- (Num 16:22; Heb 12:9).\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ZEC/12.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ZEC","chapter":12},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ZEC/13.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ZEC","chapter":13},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ZEC/11.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ZEC","chapter":11},"numberOfVerses":13}