John Trapp on Zechariah 14:1

CHAP. XIV.

Verſe 1. BEhold the day of the Lord commeth] Jeruſalem had her day, and knew it not Luke 19.42. (Jeruſalem was not Jeruſalem: the viſion of peace, ſaw not the things that belong'd to her peace) God therefore will have his day of vengeance, as ſhe had of viſitation. He hath his ſeaſon, his harveſt for judgment Mat. 13.30. and when wickedneſſe is ripe in the field, he will ſuffer it to grow no longer, leſt it ſhed and ſpread: but cuts it up by a juſt and ſeaſonable vengeance. Theſe Jews were by their own confeſſion the children of them which had killed the Prophets:Act. 2 23. and, by killing the Lord Chriſt with wicked hands, they had filled up the meaſure of their fathers Mat. 23.31, 32. what could therefore the Lord do leſſe to a nation ſo incorrigibly flagitious, then bring wrath upon them to the utmoſt 1 Theſſ. 2.16? then ſend forth his armies and deſtroy thoſe murtherers, and burn up their cities? When God did this execution here mentioned, is hard to ſay:Mat. 22.7. Whether by Antiochus Epiphanes (or rather Epimanes, as ſome truly called him,Act. 26.11. Gal. 1.13. for that being exceedingly mad againſt the Jews, he perſecuted the Church of God and waſted it) Or by the Roman ſpoilers at that laſt devaſtation under the command of Titus. Or by Coſroes the Perſian, and Homar the Arabian, who ſucceſſively haraſed and raſed Jeruſalem, rifling the houſes, raviſhing the women, killing whom they pleaſed, and making the reſt pay deare for the very heads they wore: which ſervitude laſted till Godfrey of Bullin ſet them at liberty: ſo the Gloſſe here ſenſeth it. Or laſtly by Gog and Magog, that is, by the great Turk (for Magog is the Scythian nation from whom came the Turks, Lords of Meſhec and Tubal, that is, of Cappadocia and Iberia where they firſt began to raigne) as is before hinted; I take not upon me to determine. The moſt underſtand it of the laſt overthrow of the Romans. The Spirit might have an eye to the Antichriſtian perſecutions of the Orthodox Profeſſours of the Romiſh Edomites.

and the ſpoile ſhall be divided in the middeſt of thee] Freely and feareleſly, none riſing up to make them afraid, the vanquiſhed ſhall be ſo diſabled and diſpirited. Thus the ſilly doves are glad to ſave themſelves by flight, not fight; ſometimes they ſit in their deve-coats, and ſee their neſts deſtroyed, and yong ones killed, not daring once to reſcue or revenge.