Matthew Poole and continuators on Zechariah 7

1 AND it came to pass , in the fourth year of king Darius , that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chis[illegible: 1 letter]en .

A most usual form of speech introductory to what shall afterwards be spoken,

When the Jews had now been two years in building the Temple, and probably 'twas in good forwardness.

Son of Hystaspis about An. Mundi 3487. as Arch-Bishop Vsher in his Annals.

Part of our November and December, when half the time of building the Temple was spent.

2 When they had sent unto the house of God , Sherezer and Regem-melech , and their men to pray before the LORD .

Either the Captives which still continued in Babylon, or the Jews returned out of captivity, but dwelt in the Countrey at distance from Ierusalem.

Temple, which now half built began to be frequented by Priests and People, and where Haggai and Zecharia[illegible: 1 letter] might be found true Prophets.

It appears not who these were, but no doubt they were eminent in dignity and piety.

Train either of Friends that accompanied them. Or, of Servants that waited on them.

In most solem[illegible: 1 letter] manner, and with Sacrifices no doubt, for the Altar was set up long ago. Now these come to intreat the face of the Lord by Prayer in the house of Prayer for pardon of what was past, and acceptance of them at present, and for answer to their enquiry.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]

3 And to speak to the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets , saying, Should I weep in the fifth month , separating my self ; as I have done these so many years ?

To consult with.

They were to be the ordinary casuists, and ought to be able, and ready to answer all cases of Conscience, as Mal. 2.7.

Had their residence in, or about the Temple.

These were extraordinary casuists, who might be supposed able to satisfie the enquiry, if the Priests could not. These Prophets were Haggai and Zechariah.

i. e. Fast, of which weeping was a part, 1 Sam[illegible: 1 letter]el chapter 1. verse 7. and Matth. 9.15.

In sad remembrance of the burning of the Temple on the 10th. day of that month.

From worldly cares and designs, and afflicting my self.

This intimateth their former practice, and seems to include in it some little boasting of it.

It had been easie for them to have reckoned up the exact number of years, but they choose rather to express it thus, to greaten their performance.

4 ¶ Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,

When these men had proposed their case, and expected the Priests answer.

An answer from God which follows in the 7th. and 8th. chapters of this book at large.

5 Speak unto all the people of the land , and to the priests , saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth , and seventh moneths, even those seventy years , did ye at all fast unto me ? even to me ?

i. e. Either by their messengers who came in their name, or to all the Jews that were at Ierusalem.

By which it seems to be not the loiterers in Babylon, but the returned in Iudea, that sent.

Some of these perhaps doubted; and others might overvalue, and dote on these voluntary services, and needed as well as deserved, a reproof.

Who prescribed this your Fast? and since you needs would, (as it was at liberty you might fast, and mourn) who was better for it? or did you do it to please me, when you displeased me by other, your sinful courses?

See ver. 3. let. p.

For the murther of Gedalia[illegible: 1 letter], slain by Ihmael, Ier. 41.1.

So many they were since Gedaliah's death to this time of enquiry, which is made now as many years after the return as Gedaliah was slain after the beginning of the captivity.

What ever was in it. There was very little in it from me, no command, no honour, as you ordered it, you pleased your selves in it, not me; you wept more for the inconveniences of the thing, then the sinfulness of it. Had you fasted to me, you would have abstained more from sin, which I forbad, then from meats which I did not forbid.

As if God had said, I put it once more to you, did you indeed fast to me?

Marginal references: Isa. 5[illegible: 1 letter].5.; chap. 1.12.; See Rom. 14.

6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did ye not eat for your selves? and drink for your selves?

I was as little minded by you in your Fasts, as in your Feasts, and I was as little pleased with your Fasts, as Feasts, self was all in both, you lookt no higher. Such fasting commends none to God, you had not been the worse if you had forborn such Fasts, nor are you the better for such ill managed abstinence.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 letter]e [illegible: 1 letter]ot ye [illegible: 1 word] that, &c.

7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cryed by the former prophets , when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity , and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?

You needed not have thus enquired had you heeded the word written, should you not remember? Or have you not read what Isa. 58.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, determins in this very case?

Openly and loudly spoken.

Who have given you the true value of obedience to the great, and momentous precepts of the Law, who have called for Repentance, and sincere love to God, and Man, and have on just ballance shewed how light, and under weight formal services have been.

Did such observances preserve Ierusalem in its prosperity? Did they prevent the desolation of the Cities round about her? Were they sufficient to save the men, the multitudes that inhabited the South of the plain? Did they, or could they do no good when things were all safe and well? And do you fondly imagine they can profit you now all is in ruins? Can they restore a fallen state that could not support it falling?

Marginal references: Or, are not [illegible: 1 word] the word[illegible: 1 letter].; Heb. by the [illegible: 1 word] of, &c.

8 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,

Vid. verse 4. tot.

9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment , and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother .

Or did speak, i. e. to your Fathers, and thus he doth speak to you now.

God required former Judges, and he requireth present Judges, without hatred, prejudice, partiality, or bribery, to give true sentence.

Be kind and beneficent to such as need. Wrong none, if you could, do good to all you can,

with tenderest, and most abundant pity; with a heart that feels their miseries.

As this is every mans duty, let it be every ones practice.

i. e. to every one that needs you.

Marginal references: Mich. 6.3. Matth. 23.23.; Heb. judge judgment of truth.

10 And oppress not the widow , nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart .

Do not first misreport their persons, their actions, and their cases, and on that pretence do them wrong, and oppress them: 'tis double oppression, to oppress by false information, and then condemn, the first is an oppression of Righteousness, the next is oppression of the Righteous.

A Catalogue of helpless ones who are under the peculiar tutelage of God, Exod. 22.21, 22. Deut. 10.18. and 14.29. and 24.17, 19. Isa. 1.17, 23. &c.

Neither think ill of, or wish ill to, nor plot evil against, one another.

Marginal references: Jer. 5.28.; chap. 8.17.

11 But they refused to hearken , and pulled away the shoulder , and stopped their ears that they should not hear .

They willfully were ignorant would not consider nor understand.

Next they shift from doing their duty, withdraw their shoulder from the yoke of the Law, Neh. 9.29. Hos. 4.16.

And to make it highest contempt, they act the deaf man, stop their ears, and so turn their backs on God.

All this out of an obstinate resolution to be unacquainted with Gods will, and their own duty.

Marginal references: Heb. they ga[illegible: 2 letters] a backsliding shoulder.; Heb. made heavy.

12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law , and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets : therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts .

Though the heart of it self is far from taking impressions, and receiving kindly the Law of God, yet these desperate sinners think 'tis too pliable, they study how to harden it, and this was the fault of many of them.

The hardest of stones.

Which was peremptorily required of them, and they as peremptorily resolved against it.

Of God by Moses, of whom they boasted, whilst they despised his Law.

Counsels and Commands▪

Which the Lord of Hosts their God spake, nay though they knew he spake they would not hear.

By his Holy Spirit in clear evidences, piercing convictions, powerful operation, and dreadful threatnings; yet they opposed and resisted, and sinned against his Spirit.

All of them acted by the same Spirit, and pressing them to the same duties, and foretelling the same miseries, and promising the same blessings, but all would not prevail.

For this great obstinacy,

which consumed the whole Land, and burnt against them 70 years together in Babylon.

In all which the hand of the Lord was most evidently seen, dealing to them according to their ways. Such were your Fathers, such their ways, such their sufferings, all which is well known to you who start such queries, and mean while runaway from the great commands of the Law.

Marginal references: Heb. by the hand of.

13 Therefore it is come to pass that as he cried, and they would not hear: so they cried and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts.

This is the very cause, and 'tis just too.

My Spirit by the Prophets called, warned, intreated, and urged them to repent, obey, and live; but they would not;

by fasting and howling in their deep, but chosen distress, in the miseries they fell under after Gedaliahs death, yet I would not hear saith the Lord of hosts, is it not most just I should disregard their Tears for Gedaliah, when after his death they pretended to enquire that they might obey my word, Ier. 42.2, 3. with 5, 6? yet then they gave my Prophet the lye, and contemptuously resolved to do contrary to my word by him, Ier. 43.4. Thus you know my resentments of your Fas[illegible: 1 letter]s held on with your sins, saith the Lord.

Marginal references: Prov. 1.24, 28. Isa. 1.15. Jer. 11.11. & 14.12. Mich. 3.4.

14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they know not ; Thus the land was desolate after them , that no man passed through, or returned , for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

When they had so provoked me, I cast them out of their Habitations, pursued them with the Tempest of wrath th[illegible: 1 letter]t scattered them as I threatned.

Irresistibly, suddenly, and tearing all into pieces▪ as Whirlwinds do.

All the Heathen that hated them, and their wayes.

Where they could have no pity, nor any relief, nor common commerce; but as barbarous usage as fierce and unintelligible Enemies can give them.

Once flowing with Milk and Honey; once full of Cities, Men, and Cattel, now waste as a wilderness.

Either the Iewes cast out, or▪ the Chaldeans who cast them out.

'Twas not fit to make a Road through a Land so void of all necessaries, so full of wild, and ravenous Beasts, so unwholsome as to the Air, &c.

Sinful Iewes by their Sins, fierce Chaldeans by their Sword, and God by his just displeasure, laid the pleasant Land most desolate and waste.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]eb. land of desire.