Zechariah 10 commentary

Spiritual blessings had been promised under figurative allusions to earthly plenty. Seasonable rain is a great mercy, which we may ask of God when there is most need of it, and we may look for it to come. We must in our prayers ask for mercies in their proper time. The Lord would make bright clouds, and give showers of rain. This may be an exhortation to seek the influences of the Holy Spirit, in faith and by prayer, through which the blessings held forth in the promises are obtained and enjoyed. The prophet shows the folly of making addresses to idols, as their fathers had done. The Lord visited the remnant of his flock in mercy, and was about to renew their courage and strength for conflict and victory. Every creature is to us what God makes it to be. Every one raised to support the nation, as a corner-stone does the building, or to unite those that differ, as nails join the different timbers, must come from the Lord; and those employed to overcome their enemies, must have strength and success from him. This may be applied to Christ; to him we must look to raise up persons to unite, support, and defend his people. He never will say, Seek ye me in vain.

Here are precious promises to the people of God, which look to the state of the Jews, and even to the latter days of the church. Preaching the gospel is God's call for souls to come to Jesus Christ. Those whom Christ redeemed by his blood, God will gather by his grace. Difficulties shall be got over easily, and effectually, as those in the way of the deliverance out of Egypt. God himself will be their strength, and their song. When we resist, and so overcome our spiritual enemies, then our hearts shall rejoice. If God strengthen us, we must bestir ourselves in all the duties of the Christian life, must be active in the work of God; and we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Chapter 10

Lecture One Hundred and Fifty-fifth

Zechariah 10:1

1. Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

1. Petite a Iehova pluviam tempore serotino (vertunt;) Iehova faciet nubes, et pluvium imbrem dabit illis, cuique herbam in agro.

Zechariah, after having shown that God would be bountiful towards the Jews, so that nothing necessary to render life happy and blessed should be wanting, now reproves them for their unbelief, because they did not expect from the Lord what he was ready fully to bestow on them. As then it depended on them only, that they did not enjoy abundance of all blessings, he charges them with ingratitude: for though he exhorts them to prayer, there is yet an implied reproof. One by merely reading over the words may think that a new subject is here introduced, that the Jews are directed to ask of the Lord what he had previously promised them; but he who will more minutely consider the whole context, will easily find that what I have stated is true — that the Jews are here condemned, and on this account, because they closed the door against God’s favor; for they were straitened in themselves, as all the unbelieving are, who cannot embrace the promises of God; nor is it at all doubtful but that many made great complaints, when they found themselves disappointed of their wishes. They had indeed hoped for a most abundant supply of corn and wine, and had also promised to themselves all kinds of blessings, yet the Lord, as we have seen in the book of Haggai, had begun to withdraw his hand, so that they labored under want of provisions; and when mine and thirst oppressed them, they thought that they had been in a manlier deceived by God. On this ground the Prophet expostulates with them; they thrust from themselves, by their want of faith, the favor which had been prepared for them. We now then understand the Prophet’s meaning.

He bids them to ask rain of Jehovah. They ought indeed to have done this of themselves without being reminded; for though Christ has delivered to his Church a form of prayer, it ought yet to be as it were the dictate of nature to seek of God our daily bread; and it is not without reason that he claims to himself the name of a Father. The Prophet then does here reprove the Jews for their brutal stupidity — that they did not ask rain of the Lord. He adds, at the late season, that is, at spring time; for rains at two seasons were necessary for the corn, after sowing and before harvest, and whenever Scripture speaks of fruitfulness or of a large produce, it mentions rain at these two seasons. Zechariah in this place only refers to the vernal before harvest; for in that hot country the earth wanted new moisture, Ask, he says, rain at the beginning of summer.

Jehovah, he adds, will give it; he will make clouds, or storms, or boisterous winds, as some read; but it is evident from other passages that חזיזים, chezizim, means clouds, which are as it were preparations for rain. The word in the singular number is found twice, in Job 28:26; 38:25, and rendered “lightning.” Scott, the versifier of the book of Job, renders it “blaze” or “flash of lightning,” deriving it from an Arabic word which means to cut a thing like the jagged edge of a leaf. It is then the zigzag flash of lightning. Marckius renders it here “coruscations;” Dathius and Henderson “lightnings.” To avoid the connection of two words of similar import, the arrangement of the verse may be different, —

Ask ye from Jehovah rain in the latter season; Jehovah, who makes the flashes and the rain, Will a shower give to you, To every one grass in the field.

“To you,” [לכם]; so read many MSS., about fifteen, and the Syriac. — Ed. He then says, that a shower would come with the rain; for some take גשם, gesham, for a shower, that is, heavy rain; but the Prophet introduces here the two words, as though he had said, that the rains would be continued until the ground was saturated and the dryness removed. Some translate, “the rain of a shower,” but this would be too strained. I prefer then this rendering, He will give rain, a shower, that is, abundant rain; to every one grass in the field, that is, so that there may be moisture enough for the ground. In short, he promises a plentiful irrigation, that drought might not deprive them of the hope of food and support. What I have stated will appear more clear from the following verse, for he adds —

Zechariah 10:2

2. For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

2. Certe simulacra loquuta sunt vanitatem, et divini viderunt mendacium, et somnia vanitatis loquuti sunt, frustra consolati sunt; ideo transierunt (vel, migrarunt) sicut oves (aut, grex,) humiliati sunt, quia nullus fuit pastor.

CHAPTER 10

Zec 10:1-12. Prayer and Promise.

Call to prayer to Jehovah, as contrasted with the idol-worship which had brought judgments on the princes and people. Blessings promised in answer to prayer: (1) rulers of themselves; (2) conquest of their enemies; (3) restoration and establishment of both Israel and Judah in their own land in lasting peace and piety.

1. Ask ... rain--on which the abundance of "corn" promised by the Lord (Zec 9:17) depends. Jehovah alone can give it, and will give it on being asked (Jr 10:13; 14:22).

rain in ... time of ... latter rain--that is, the latter rain in its due time, namely, in spring, about February or March (Job 29:23; Joe 2:23). The latter rain ripened the grain, as the former rain in October tended to fructify the seed. Including all temporal blessings; these again being types of spiritual ones. Though God has begun to bless us, we are not to relax our prayers. The former rain of conversion may have been given, but we must also ask for the latter rain of ripened sanctification. Though at Pentecost there was a former rain on the Jewish Church, a latter rain is still to be looked for, when the full harvest of the nation's conversion shall be gathered in to God. The spirit of prayer in the Church is an index at once of her piety, and of the spiritual blessings she may expect from God. When the Church is full of prayer, God pours out a full blessing.

bright clouds--rather, "lightnings," the precursors of rain [Maurer].

showers of rain--literally, "rain of heavy rain." In Job 37:6 the same words occur in inverted order [Henderson].

grass--a general term, including both corn for men and grass for cattle.

2. idols--literally, "the teraphim," the household gods, consulted in divination (see on Ho 3:4). Derived by Gesenius from an Arabic root, "comfort," indicating them as the givers of comfort. Or an Ethiopian root, "relics." Herein Zechariah shows that the Jews by their own idolatry had stayed the grace of God heretofore, which otherwise would have given them all those blessings, temporal and spiritual, which they are now (Zec 10:1) urged to "ask" for.

diviners--who gave responses to consulters of the teraphim: opposed to Jehovah and His true prophets.

seen a lie--pretending to see what they saw not in giving responses.

comfort in vain--literally, "give vapor for comfort"; that is, give comforting promises to consulters which are sure to come to naught (Job 13:4; 16:2; 21:34).

therefore they went their way--that is, Israel and Judah were led away captive.

as a flock ... no shepherd--As sheep wander and are a prey to every injury when without a shepherd, so the Jews had been while they were without Jehovah, the true shepherd; for the false prophets whom they trusted were no shepherds (Eze 34:5). So now they are scattered, while they know not Messiah their shepherd; typified in the state of the disciples, when they had forsaken Jesus and fled (Mt 26:56; compare Zec 13:7).

3. against the shepherds--the civil rulers of Israel and Judah who abetted idolatry.

punished--literally, "visited upon." The same word "visited," without the upon, is presently after used in a good sense to heighten the contrast.

goats--he-goats. As "shepherds" described what they ought to have been, so "he-goats" describes what they were, the emblem of headstrong wantonness and offensive lust (Is 14:9, Margin; Eze 34:17; Da 8:5; Mt 25:33). The he-goats head the flock. They who are first in crime will be first in punishment.

visited--in mercy (Lu 1:68).

as his goodly horse--In Zec 9:13 they were represented under the image of bows and arrows, here under that of their commander-in-chief, Jehovah's battle horse (So 1:9). God can make His people, timid though they be as sheep, courageous as the charger. The general rode on the most beautiful and richly caparisoned, and had his horse tended with the greatest care. Jehovah might cast off the Jews for their vileness, but He regards His election or adoption of them: whence He calls them here "His flock," and therefore saves them.

4. Out of him--Judah is to be no more subject to foreigners, but from itself shall come its rulers.

the corner--stone, Messiah (Is 28:16). "Corners" simply express governors (1Sa 14:38, Margin; Is 19:13, Margin). The Maccabees, Judah's governors and deliverers from Antiochus the oppressor, are primarily meant; but Messiah is the Antitype. Messiah supports and binds together the Church, Jews and Gentiles.

the nail--(Jud 4:21; Is 22:23). The large peg inside an Oriental tent, on which is hung most of its valuable furniture. On Messiah hang all the glory and hope of His people.

bow--(Zec 9:13). Judah shall not need foreign soldiery. Messiah shall be her battle-bow (Psa 45:4, 5; Re 6:2).

every oppressor--rather, in a good sense, ruler, as the kindred Ethiopic term means. So "exactor," in Is 60:17, namely, one who exacts the tribute from the nations made tributary to Judah [Ludovicus De Dieu].

5. riders on horses--namely, the enemy's horsemen. Though the Jews were forbidden by the law to multiply horses in battle (De 17:16), they are made Jehovah's war horse (Zec 10:3; Psa 20:7), and so tread down on foot the foe with all his cavalry (Eze 38:4; Da 11:40). Cavalry was the chief strength of the Syro-Grecian army (1 Maccabees 3:39).

6. Judah ... Joseph--that is, the ten tribes. The distinct mention of both Judah and Israel shows that there is yet a more complete restoration than that from Babylon, when Judah alone and a few Israelites from the other tribes returned. The Maccabean deliverance is here connected with it, just as the painter groups on the same canvas objects in the foreground and hills far distant; or as the comparatively near planet and the remote fixed star are seen together in the same firmament. Prophecy ever hastens to the glorious final consummation under Messiah.

bring them again to place them--namely, securely in their own land. The Hebrew verb is compounded of two, "I will bring again," and "I will place them" (Jr 32:37). Maurer, from a different form, translates, "I will make them to dwell."

7. like a mighty man--in the battle with the foe (Zec 10:3, 5).

rejoice--at their victory over the foe.

children shall see it--who are not yet of age to serve. To teach patient waiting for God's promises. If ye do not at present see the fulfilment, your children shall, and their joy shall be complete.

rejoice in the Lord--the Giver of such a glorious victory.

8. hiss for them--Keepers of bees by a whistle call them together. So Jehovah by the mere word of His call shall gather back to Palestine His scattered people (Zec 10:10; Is 5:26; Eze 36:11). The multitudes mentioned by Josephus [Wars of the Jews, 3:2], as peopling Galilee two hundred years after this time, were a pledge of the future more perfect fulfilment of the prophecy.

for I have redeemed them--namely, in My covenant purpose "redeemed" both temporally and spiritually.

as they have increased--in former times.

9. sow them among ... people--Their dispersion was with a special design. Like seed sown far and wide, they shall, when quickened themselves, be the fittest instruments for quickening others (compare Mi 5:7). The slight hold they have on every soil where they now live, as also the commercial and therefore cosmopolitan character of their pursuits, making a change of residence easy to them, fit them peculiarly for missionary work [Moore]. The wide dispersion of the Jews just before Christ's coming prepared the way similarly for the apostles' preaching in the various Jewish synagogues throughout the world; everywhere some of the Old Testament seed previously sown was ready to germinate when the New Testament light and heat were brought to bear on it by Gospel preachers. Thus the way was opened for entrance among the Gentiles. "Will sow" is the Hebrew future, said of that which has been done, is being done, and may be done afterwards [Maurer], (compare Ho 2:23).

shall remember me in far countries--(De 30:1; 2Ch 6:37). Implying the Jews' return to a right mind in "all the nations" where they are scattered simultaneously. Compare Lu 15:17, 18, with Psa 22:27, "All the ends of the world remembering and turning unto the Lord," preceded by the "seed of Jacob ... Israel ... fearing and glorifying Him"; also Psa 102:13-15.

live--in political and spiritual life.

10. Egypt ... Assyria--the former the first, the latter among the last of Israel's oppressors (or representing the four great world kingdoms, of which it was the first): types of the present universal dispersion, Egypt being south, Assyria north, opposite ends of the compass. Maurer conjectures that many Israelites fled to "Egypt" on the invasion of Tiglath-pileser. But Is 11:11 and this passage rather accord with the view of the future restoration.

Gilead ... Lebanon--The whole of the Holy Land is described by two of its boundaries, the eastern ("Gilead" beyond Jordan) and the northern ("Lebanon").

place shall not be found for them--that is, there shall not be room enough for them through their numbers (Is 49:20; 54:3).

11. pass ... sea with affliction--Personifying the "sea"; He shall afflict the sea, that is, cause it to cease to be an obstacle to Israel's return to Palestine (Is 11:15, 16). Vulgate translates, "The strait of the sea." Maurer, "He shall cleave and smite." English Version is best (Psa 114:3). As Jehovah smote the Red Sea to make a passage for His people (Ex 14:16, 21), so hereafter shall He make a way through every obstacle which opposes Israel's restoration.

the river--the Nile (Am 8:8; 9:5), or the Euphrates. Thus the Red Sea and the Euphrates in the former part of the verse answer to "Assyria" and "Egypt" in the latter.

sceptre of Egypt ... depart--(Eze 30:13).

12. I ... strengthen them in ... Lord--(Ho 1:7). I, the Father, will strengthen them in the name, that is, the manifested power, of the Lord, Messiah, the Son of God.

walk ... in his name--that is, live everywhere and continually under His protection, and according to His will (Ge 5:22; Psa 20:1, 7; Mi 4:5).

Ask ye of the Lord rain - Rain in the due seasons -

1. To impregnate the seed when sown; and

2. To fill the ear near the time of harvest - was so essential to the fertility of the land, and the well-being of the people, that it stands well among the chief of God's mercies and the promise of it here shows that God designs to ensure the prosperity promised, by using those means by which it was promoted.

The idols have spoken vanity - This is spoken of the Jews, and must refer to their idolatry practiced before the captivity, for there were no idols after.

Therefore they went their way - They were like a flock that had no shepherd, shifting from place to place, and wandering about in the wilderness, seeking for pasture, wherever they might find it. Some think that the idols and diviners were those of the Seleucidae Greeks, who excited their masters with promises of success against the Maccabees. Others think that the Babylonish captivity is foretold; for a determined future event is frequently spoken of by the prophets as past.

Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds - Bad kings and bad priests. I will punish the goats; these were the wicked priests, who were shepherds by their office, and goats by the impurity of their lives.

As his goodly horse in the battle - The honorable war horse, or the horse that carried the general's equipage. In the unaccountable variation of interpreters on these chapters, this, among other things, is thought to be spoken of Matthias, and Judas Maccabeus, who assembled the people from all quarters, as a shepherd gathers his sheep together; and led them against the sons of Greece, the Seleucidae Greeks. Others refer every thing here to times before the captivity.

Out of him came forth the corner - This is spoken of the tribe of Judah: all strength, counsel, and excellence came from that tribe. The corner stone, the ornament and completion of the building; the nail, by which the tents were fastened, and on which they hung their clothes, armor, etc., the battlebow, the choicest archers.

Every oppressor together - Those heroes and generals, by whom, under God, their foes should be totally routed. Newcome translates, "Every ruler together." Perhaps all this is spoken of the Messiah.

They shall be as mighty men - The Maccabees and their successors.

Riders on horses - The Macedonians, who opposed the Maccabees, and had much cavalry; whereas the Jews had none, and even few weapons of war; yet they overcame these horsemen.

I will strengthen the house of Judah - I doubt whether the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth verses are not to be understood of the future ingathering of the Jews in the times of the Gospel. See Jer 3:14; Jer 23:6; Hos 1:2; Hos 6:11.

Ephraim shall be like a mighty man - This tribe was always distinguished for its valor.

I will hiss for them - אשרקה eshrekah, "I will shriek for them;" call them with such a shrill strong voice, that they shall hear me, and find that it is the voice of their redemption.

I will sow them among the people - Wherever they have been dispersed, my voice in the preaching of the Gospel shall reach them. And they shall remember me, and they and their children shall turn again to the Lord, through Messiah their King.

Out of the land of Egypt - I will bring them out of all the countries where they have been dispersed, and bring them back to their own land; and they shall be so numerous that they shall scarcely find there, in all its length and breadth, a sufficiency of room. If all the Jews that are now scattered over the face of the earth were gathered together, they would make a mighty nation. And God will gather them together. As a wonderful providence has preserved them in every place, so a wondrous providence will collect them from every place of their dispersion. When the great call comes, no one soul of them shall be left behind.

And he shall pass through the sea - Here is an allusion to the passage of the Red Sea, on their coming out of Egypt, and to their crossing Jordan, when they went into the promised land; the waves or waters of both were dried up, thrown from side to side, till all the people passed safely through. When they shall return from the various countries in which they now sojourn, God will work, if necessary, similar miracles to those which he formerly worked for their forefathers; and the people shall be glad to let them go, however much they may be profited by their operations in the state. Those that oppose, as Assyria and Egypt formerly did, shall be brought down, and their scepter broken.

I will strengthen them in the Lord - I, the God of Israel, will strengthen them in the Lord-Jesus, the Messiah; and thus indeed the Chaldee: I will strengthen them, בימרא דיי bemeymre dayai, in or by the Word of Jehovah, the same personal Word which we so often meet with in the Chaldee paraphrases or Targum.

They shall walk up and down in his name - In the name of the Messiah. Saith the Lord - God speaks here, not of himself, but concerning his Christ. The Jews shall have complete liberty; they shall appear everywhere as a part of the flock of Christ, and no difference be made between them and the converted Gentiles. They shall be all one fold under one Shepherd and Bishop of all souls.

The latter rain - This made plenty of all provision, and is proverbially used to signify a great blessing. Bright clouds - Bright through the lightnings which break from them. Them - The Jews.

Vanity - Their predictions were vain. They went - They went into captivity. Troubled - Oppressed and afflicted. No shepherd - No ecclesiastical or civil governors, that would faithfully do their duty.

The shepherds - Officers in the church and state. The goats - The officers among them, who were like he - goats, that push, and wound, and trample under foot the feebler cattle. Visited - In mercy. As his goodly horse - Hath given them strength and courage.

Out of him - From God. The corner - The prince or ruler, who is in a polity as a corner - stone in buildings. The nail - Which fastens the tents of war, or the timber together in a house. The battle bow - All warlike provision. Every oppressor - Or collector of tribute. It was from God that Nebuchadnezzar mightily prevailed, and opprest Israel; and it is from God also, that Judah grows up to such power, as to be able to cope with his adversaries, and to impose tribute on them.

Of Joseph - The remnant of the kingdom of Israel, the residue of the ten tribes. To place them - To settle them in their own land, and in their own cities.

Their children shall see - These blessings shall continue through your generations, to children that shall be born.

I will hiss - Though they are now scattered far off, I will call them as a shepherd, and they shall run with speed back to the flock. As they have increased - As they did of old time.

I will sow them - Their increase shall be like the increase of rich soil that hath much seed cast on it. The people - The Heathen. In far countries - Whithersoever they were driven. With their children - The children born to them shall live, and grow up with them. Turn again - To their city and country.

Place shall not be found - The land shall be too narrow for them.

And he passed through - The whole verse is an allusion to what God had done in the two famous deliverances of his people, bringing them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and through Jordan, and destroying the Egyptians, and delivering them out of Assyrian bondage, and in order thereto, destroying that kingdom.

Walk up and down - Shall manage all their affairs. In his name - By power and wisdom given from above, to the glory of our God, and our Redeemer.

1 ASk ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain , so the LORD shall make bright clouds , and give them showers of rain to every one grass in the field.

It was a time of great scarcity with the Iews while the Temple and City lay waste, and the Prophets from God assure them 'tis for neglecting to rebuild the Temple, to which work the Lord doe's earnestly call by Haggai and Zechariah, with promises of great Blessings which forthwith God would give to them, if they set to this work, and seek the Lord by Prayer, to which Duty he doth direct them in this chap. to the building of City and Temple they must add Prayer, for the Blessing is prepared, and shall be given when asked.

Iews returned from Babylon, setled in your City, and return'd to the Worship of God, and to whom many excellent promises are made you must pray.

Which usually came about Spring to fill the eared Corn, and to bring forth the grass to make the Trees and plants with their Fruit to be full and large, this latter rain made plenty of all provision, and is proverbially used to signifie a great blessing, Hos. 6.3.

By making the Vapours ascend from the Earth, he will cover the Heavens with clouds, see how Iob 38.28. doth elegantly describe this work of God.

Clouds which bring rain, and pour it out abundantly, when they are opened with Thunders and Lightnings, which do as it were broach the Clouds, they unstop these Bottles, and they are bright Clouds through the Lightnings which break from them. Iob 28.26. and 38.25, 26.

The Iews his people.

Plentiful showers of rain that shall fatten the Earth, and make it fruitful.

None shall miss it, nor the effect of it on Corn, or Grass; Corn for Man, and Grass for the Beast.

Marginal references: Jer. 14.22.; Or, lightnings.

2 For the idols have spoken vanity , and the diviners have seen a lie , and have told false dreams : they comfort in vain : therefore they went their away as a flock, they were troubled , because there was no shepherd .

Images which before the Captivity they venerated, and at them consulted their Idols about plenty, or barrenness, and concerning future events, Iudg. 10.14. Isa. 19.3.

Their predictions were vain, nothing of certainty in them.

Southsayers, and consulters with familiar Spirits.

Foretold good, when all issued in evil, no good came.

They pretended a revelation from Heaven, but 'twas a dream of their own head, or a cheat put on them by the Father of lies.

Their lies for the present comfort the deceived, but the vanity of these comforts soon appears in the disappointment which followeth.

Either they that consulted, or those who sent them, indeed almost all the Iews were thus foolish in consulting, and believing these Lyars, and so confounded at last, fell into all the misery they thought to escape.

They went into Captivity into Babylon,

miserably oppressed and afflicted,

without guide, or protection: without Ecclesiastical or Civil Governours, that would faithfully do their duty, and this was one reason that they were so afflicted and captivated.

Marginal references: Jer. 10.8. Hab. 2.18.; Heb. teraphims.; Or, answered that, &c.

3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds , and I punished the goats : for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the of battel .

Though 'twas justly kindled against all, yet 'twas more hot, and fierce against the chief sinners among them.

Officers in Church and State, who neglected to keep the flock from straying, who were ring-leaders in Idolatry, and south-saying.

The wanton, lustful, and petulant Officers among them, which like he goats push, and wound, and trample under foot the feebler cattle, as Ezek. 34.16, 17. these were more grievously punished, Ier. 29.22. and 39.6.

In favour and mercy.

With change of State hath changed their sheepish weakness and cowardise into strength, courage, and gallantry, like that of a goodly Horse, this appeared in the Maccabees Wars,

When all his courage is stir'd up, and he appears as Iob brings him forth with neck clothed with thunder, Iob 39.19, to 26.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]

4 Out of him came forth the corner , out of him the nail , out of him the battel-bow , out of him every oppressour together.

Or out from him,

from Iudah, rather from the God of Iudah,

which in buildings is strength and beauty, here 'tis the Prince or Ruler, which is in a polity as a corner stone in Buildings.

From God the nail which fastens the Tents of War, or fastens the Timber together in a house.

All Warlike Provision both of Men and Arms, Synechdochically exprest by Bow.

Or Officer, Exactor, Collector of Tribute. It was from God that Nebuchadnezzar mightily prevailed, and in the course of his Victories opprest Israel, and it is from God also that Iudah is at last made free, grows up to such power, as to be able to cope with his Adversaries, to beat them, and to impose Tribute on them. He sets up, and pulls down as he pleaseth, Psal. 60. tot.

5 ¶ And they shall be as mighty men , which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battel : and they shall fight , because the LORD is with them : and the riders on horses shall be confounded .

The Iews under the Conduct of their Captains, such as the Maccabees

shall be valiant, mighty Warriours,

Shall take Cities, and beat down those that oppose them, and as usual in such cases tread the conquer'd as mire in the streets;

thus valiantly and successfully

fighteth for them, and against their Enemies.

This is the Character of the Iews Enemies, they came with armed men, and a mighty Cavalry, as Antiochus, and others did in which they trusted; but this availed little, these Horsemen were consounded, beaten, or fled away from a beating, when God was with Iudah's Enemies, so they behaved themselves, and trod down Iudah, now he is reconciled to Iudah, and fighteth for Iudah, Iudah shall behave himself, and succeed against his Enemies as before they did against him.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah , and I will save the house of Joseph , and I will bring them again to place them ; for I have mercy upon them : and they shall be as though I had not cast them off : for I am the LORD their God , and will hear them .

God will give both courage and strength, courage to attempt, and also strength to go through and finish the attempt; in this they of the house of Iudah were famous in the Wars of the Iews against the Seleucidae, in which Wars they had wonderful difficulties, and as wonderful courage and success.

The remnant of the Kingdom of Israel, the residue of the ten Tribes, called the house of Joseph, for that Ephraim and Manasseh part of that Kingdom were the sons of Joseph.

Both Iudah and Ioseph out of Babylonish Captivity,

To settle them in their own Land, and in their own Cities, how far this doth warrant the expectation of an universal gathering of this people, I do not undertake to determine.

I pity them in what they have already suffered, and my mercy is not clean gone from them, I have yet rich mercy for them, and will shew it when they have built City and Temple, and restored Religion.

In every respect they shall so multiply, thrive, and prosper, that though they remember it with grief, and shame, yet the generations to come shall discern no sad marks of a rejected people

in a perpetual Covenant which I never can, nor will break; I am and will be their God, they should, yea, shall be my people, as chap. 8.8.

They will pray, and I will hear, for they are mine, they will seek me as their God, and I will save them as my people.

7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man , and their heart shall rejoice as through wine yea, their children shall see it, and be glad , their heart shall rejoice in the LORD .

Vid. verse 6. let. o.

See verse 5. let. h.

Which warmeth the blood, cheareth the spirits, and adds Life greatly, where a good and joyful success concurreth as here it doth.

Either thus in the dayes of your Children this shall be, or rather when the time comes for these things they shall continue through your generations to Children that shall be born.

The goodness, power, wisdom and faithfulness of God shall be the cause of this Joy, and many of these people shall indeed rejoice in the Lord, and in the Messiah.

8 I will hisse for them , and gather them for I have redeemed them : and they shall increase as they have increased .

Though they are now scattered far off I will cause them to return, I will whistle, as a Shepherd, and they, as scattered Sheep, shall run with speed back to the flock, I called their Enemies so once and they came, Isa. 5.26. and 7.18, 19, and my people will come when thus I call to them.

This shall be enough to bring them together, or it shall be done as soon as spoke, so soon as I whistle they shall return.

I have been at the care and charge of Redeeming, I raised Cyrus to do it, I bestow'd all Nations and Kingdoms on him, and afterwards on Darius Hystaspis to do this, to restore my exiles, to replant Iudah, to rebuild the City and Temple, and I will do this also which is much less, I will as a Shepherd with his Pastoral whistle, call them in.

A promise made by Ier. 33.22. and Ezek. 36.10, 11, 37, 38. which see.

9 And I will sowe them among the people : and they shall remember me in far countreys , and they shall live with their children , and turn again .

It might seem impossible the Jews should so increase but to satisfie us herein God promiseth to sow them, so their increase should be like the increase of rich soil that hath much seed cast on it, Ier. 31.27. and Hos. 2.23. that Land shall soon be full of Men and Cattle, when God sows both.

The heathen; where dispersed, there they should multiply.

Whither soever they were driven in the farthest parts of the Persian Empire.

Though captives and poor, yet they nor their Children shall starve, nay their Children born to them shall live, and grow up with them, this young fry shall fill the Earth.

To me, my Temple, their City and Countrey. That this may also refer somewhat to the Conversion of the Jews to the Gospel, and to their spreading the Gospel unto others for multiplying of the seed of Israel according to the Faith, as I doubt not, so neither shall I particularly enquire, since the letter so fairly suits with history and matter of fact, as is evident from the multitudes that were gathered to the passeover when Titus Vespasianus coopt them up in a close siege.

There they shall think of me, and long for me, and desire to return to Ierusalem, and to my Temple.

10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt h, and gather them out of Assyria , and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon , and place shall not be found for them .

In which many yet did linger, loth to depart but when God hisseth for them they shall come.

Which was the Eastern frontier of the Land of Canaan.

This was the North Frontier of the Land, and both fruitful and pleasant, they are here mentioned as part for the whole, as before chap. 8. ver. 7.

The Land should be too narrow for them, so Isa. 49.20. and 54.2, 3. which was in part fulfilled according to the Historical, and Literal part but fully in the spiritual part.

Into which doubtless some hasted by an early flight from the Babylonians before they wasted Canaan, and others fled though forbidden, Ier. 43. chap. where also in after days some Jews sought a repose and where they wonderfully increased if Iosephus story be true of 120 thousand Jews set at liberty by Ptolomaeus Philadelphus when he procured the 72 Elders to translate the Hebrew Bible into Greek. These Egyptian Jews shall be brought back.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 11.11.

11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away.

The former part of this verse might be read in the Praeter-perfect tense, reporting what God hath done, and perhaps more agreeably with the context and design, which is no doubt to confirm the promise, and make it credible though so many, and great difficulties render it unlikely to reason; I will saith God, verse 10. I promise who am he that hath past through the Sea, the Red Sea, and brought my people through, who hath done this can do what he now promiseth. I am he that dried up the deeps of Iordan, (when at deepest by the floods, which was then upon the River) I can remove obstacles were they as great as these, and as easily lay low the pride of Enemies, or remove their Scepters as I did to Assyria and Egypt, so the whole verse is an allusion to what God had done in the two famous deliverances of his people under the hand of Moses and Ioshua bringing them out of Egypt through the Read Sea, and through Iordan, and destroying the Egyptians, and delivering them out of Assyrian bondage, and in order thereto destroying that Kingdom.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] Isa. 11.

12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD , and they shall walk up and down in his name , saith the LORD.

Vid. ver. 6. let. n.

Their God, in Christ say some; and 'tis true enough, whether these words so mean or no; God and Christ are the strength of the Church, and of all believers.

Shall manage all their affairs Civil, and Military, Secular and Ecclesiastical.

By Authority derived from, by power received of him, by Wisdom given from above, to the glory of our God, and our Redeemer. Thus far the great things promised to the Jewish Church and which were to be fulfilled in the time from the Rebuilding the Temple and City to the coming of Christ through some 490 years, in which times if ought fell short of promise it was because the sins of the people provoked God to alter the course of his Providence toward them.

Marginal references: Mi[illegible: 1 letter]h. 4.5.

Zec 10:1-2 “Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain; Jehovah createth lightnings, and showers of rain will He give them, to every one vegetation in the field. Zec 10:2. For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the soothsayers have seen a lie, and speak dreams of deceit; they comfort in vain: for this they have wandered like a flock, they are oppressed because there is no shepherd.” The summons to prayer is not a mere turn of the address expressing the readiness of God to give (Hengstenberg), but is seriously meant, as the reason assigned in Zec 10:2 clearly shows. The church of the Lord is to ask of God the blessings which it needs for its prosperity, and not to put its trust in idols, as rebellious Israel has done (Hos 2:7). The prayer for rain, on which the successful cultivation of the fruits of the ground depends, simply serves to individualize the prayer for the bestowal of the blessings of God, in order to sustain both temporal and spiritual life; just as in Zec 9:17 the fruitfulness of the land and the flourishing of the nation are simply a concrete expression, for the whole complex of the salvation which the Lord will grant to His people (Kliefoth). This view, which answers to the rhetorical character of the exhortation, is very different from allegory. The time of the latter rain is mentioned, because this was indispensable to the ripening of the corn, whereas elsewhere the early and latter rain are connected together (e.g., Joe 2:23; Deu 11:13-15). The lightnings are introduced as the harbingers of rain (cf. Jer 10:13; Psa 135:7). Metar geshem, rain of the rain-pouring, i.e., copious rain (compare Job 37:6, where the words are transposed). With lâkem (to them) the address passes into the third person: to them, i.e., to every one who asks. עשׂב is not to be restricted to grass or herb as the food of cattle, as in Deu 11:15, where it is mentioned in connection with the corn and the fruits of the field; but it includes these, as in Gen 1:29 and Psa 104:14, where it is distinguished from châtsı̄r. The exhortation to pray to Jehovah for the blessing needed to ensure prosperity, is supported in Zec 10:2 by an allusion to the worthlessness of the trust in idols, and to the misery which idolatry with its consequences, viz., soothsaying and false prophecy, have brought upon the nation. The terâphı̄m were house-deities and oracular deities, which were worshipped as the givers and protectors of the blessings of earthly prosperity (see at Gen 31:19). Along with these קוסמים are mentioned, i.e., the soothsayers, who plunged the nation into misery through their vain and deceitful prophesyings. חלמות is not the subject of the sentence, for in that case it would have the article like הקּוסמים; but it is the object, and הקּוסמים is also the subject to ידבּרוּ and ינחמוּן. “Therefore,” i.e., because Israel had trusted in teraphim and soothsayers, it would have to wander into exile. נסע, to break up, applied to the pulling up of the pegs, to take down the tent, involves the idea of wandering, and in this connection, of wandering into exile. Hence the perfect נסעוּ, to which the imperfect יענוּ is suitably appended, because their being oppressed, i.e., the oppression which Israel suffered from the heathen, still continued. The words apply of course to all Israel (Ephraim and Judah); compare Zec 9:13 with Zec 10:4, Zec 10:6. Israel is bowed down because it has no shepherd, i.e., no king, who guards and provides for his people (cf. Num 27:17; Jer 23:4), having lost the Davidic monarchy when the kingdom was overthrown.

Zec 10:3-4

To this there is appended in Zec 10:3. the promise that Jehovah will take possession of His flock, and redeem it out of the oppression of the evil shepherds. Zec 10:3. “My wrath is kindled upon the shepherds, and the goats shall I punish; for Jehovah of hosts visits His flock, the house of Judah, and makes it like His state-horse in the war. Zec 10:4. From Him will be corner-stone, from Him the nail, from Him the war-bow; from Him will every ruler go forth at once.” When Israel lost its own shepherds, it came under the tyranny of bad shepherds. These were the heathen governors and tyrants. Against these the wrath of Jehovah is kindled, and He will punish them. There is no material difference between רעים, shepherds, and עתּוּדים, leading goats. ‛Attūdı̄m also signifies rulers, as in Isa 14:9. The reason assigned why the evil shepherds are to be punished, is that Jehovah visits His flock. The perfect pâqad is used prophetically of what God has resolved to do, and will actually carry out; and pâqad c. acc. pers. means to visit, i.e., to assume the care of, as distinguished from pâqad with 'al pers., to visit in the sense of to punish (see at Zep 2:7). The house of Judah only is mentioned in Zec 10:3, not in distinction from Ephraim, however (cf. Zec 10:6), but as the stem and kernel of the covenant nation, with which Ephraim is to be united once more. The care of God for Judah will not be limited to its liberation from the oppression of the bad shepherds; but Jehovah will also make Judah into a victorious people. This is the meaning of the figure “like a state-horse,” i.e., a splendid and richly ornamented war-horse, such as a king is accustomed to ride. This figure is not more striking than the description of Judah and Ephraim as a bow and arrow (Zec 9:13). This equipment of Judah as a warlike power overcoming its foes is described in Zec 10:4, namely in 4 a, in figures taken from the firmness and furnishing of a house with everything requisite, and in 4 b, etc., in literal words. The verb יצא of the fourth clause cannot be taken as the verb belonging to the ממּנּוּ in the first three clauses, because יצא is neither applicable to pinnâh nor to yâthēd. We have therefore to supply יהיה. From (out of) Him will be pinnâh, corner, here corner-stone, as in Isa 28:16, upon which the whole building stands firmly, and will be built securely, - a suitable figure for the firm, stately foundation which Judah is to receive. To this is added yâthēd, the plug. This figure is to be explained from the arrangement of eastern houses, in which the inner walls are provided with a row of large nails or plugs for hanging the house utensils upon. The plug, therefore, is a suitable figure for the supports or upholders of the whole political constitution, and even in Isa 22:23 was transferred to persons. The war-bow stands synecdochically for weapons of war and the military power. It is a disputed point, however, whether the suffix in mimmennū (out of him) refers to Judah or Jehovah. But the opinion of Hitzig and others, that it refers to Jehovah, is overthrown by the expression יצא ממּנּוּ in the last clause. For even if we could say, Judah will receive its firm foundation, its internal fortification, and its military strength from Jehovah, the expression, “Every military commander will go out or come forth out of Jehovah,” is unheard-of and unscriptural. It is not affirmed in the Old Testament even of the Messiah that He goes forth out of God, although His “goings forth” are from eternity (Mic 5:1), and He Himself is called El gibbōr (Isa 9:5). Still less can this be affirmed of every ruler (kol-mōgēs) of Judah. In this clause, therefore, mimmennū must refer to Judah, and consequently it must be taken in the same way in the first three clauses. On יצא מן, see Mic 5:1. Nōgēs, an oppressor or taskmaster, is not applied to a leader or ruler in a good sense even here, any more than in Isa 3:12 and Isa 60:17 (see the comm. on these passages). The fact that negus in Ethiopic is the name given to the king (Koehler), proves nothing in relation to Hebrew usage. The word has the subordinate idea of oppressor, or despotic ruler, in this instance also; but the idea of harshness refers not to the covenant nation, but to its enemies (Hengstenberg), and the words are used in antithesis to Zec 9:8. Whereas there the promise is given to the nation of Israel that it will not fall under the power of the nōgēs any more, it is here assured that it is to attain to the position of a nōgēs in relation to its foes (Kliefoth). כּל־נוגשׂ is strengthened by יחדּו: every oppressor together, which Judah will require in opposition to its foes.

Zec 10:5-7

Thus equipped for battle, Judah will annihilate its foes. Zec 10:5. “And they will be like heroes, treading street-mire in the battle: and will fight, for Jehovah is with them, and the riders upon horses are put to shame. Zec 10:6. And I shall strengthen the house of Judah, and grant salvation to the house of Joseph, and shall make them dwell; for I have had compassion upon them: and they will be as if I had not rejected them: for I am Jehovah their God, and will hear them. Zec 10:7. And Ephraim will be like a hero, and their heart will rejoice as if with wine: and their children will see it, and rejoice; their heart shall rejoice in Jehovah.” In Zec 10:5, bōsı̄m is a more precise definition of kegibbōrı̄m, and the house of Judah (Zec 10:3) is the subject of the sentence. They will be like heroes, namely, treading upon mire. Bōsı̄m is the kal participle used in an intransitive sense, since the form with o only occurs in verbs with an intransitive meaning, like bōsh, lōt, qōm; and būs in kal is construed in every other case with the accusative of the object: treading upon mire = treading or treading down mire. Consequently the object which they tread down or trample in pieces is expressed by בּטיט חוּצות; and thus the arbitrary completion of the sentence by “everything that opposes them” (C. B. Mich. and Koehler) is set aside as untenable. Now, as “treading upon mire” cannot possibly express merely the firm tread of a courageous man (Hitzig), we must take the dirt of the streets as a figurative expression for the enemy, and the phrase “treading upon street-mire” as a bold figure denoting the trampling down of the enemy in the mire of the streets (Mic 7:10; 2Sa 22:43), analogous to their “treading down sling-stones,” Zec 9:15. For such heroic conflict will they be fitted by the help of Jehovah, that the enemy will be put to shame before them. The riders of the horses are mentioned for the purpose of individualizing the enemy, because the principal strength of the Asiatic rulers consisted in cavalry (see Dan 11:40). הובישׁ intransitive, as in Zec 9:5. This strength for a victorious conflict will not be confined to Judah, but Ephraim will also share it. The words, “and the house of Ephraim will I endow with salvation,” have been taken by Koehler as signifying “that Jehovah will deliver the house of Ephraim by granting the victory to the house of Judah in conflict with its own foes and those of Ephraim also;” but there is no ground for this. We may see from Zec 10:7, according to which Ephraim will also fight as a hero, as Judah will according to Zec 10:5, that הושׁיע does not mean merely to help or deliver, but to grant salvation, as in Zec 9:16. The circumstance, however, “that in the course of the chapter, at any rate from Zec 10:7 onwards, it is only Ephraim whose deliverance and restoration are spoken of,” proves nothing more than that Ephraim will receive the same salvation as Judah, but not that it will be delivered by the house of Judah. The abnormal form הושׁבותים is regarded by many, who follow Kimchi and Aben Ezra, as a forma composita from הושׁבתּים and השׁיבותי: “I make them dwell, and bring them back.” But this is precluded by the fact that the bringing back would necessarily precede the making to dwell, to say nothing of the circumstance that there is no analogy whatever for such a composition (cf. Jer 32:37). The form is rather to be explained from a confusion of the verbs עו and פי, and is the hiphil of ישׁב for הושׁבתּים (lxx, Maurer, Hengstenberg; comp. Olshausen, Grammat. p. 559), and not a hiphil of שׁוּב, in which a transition has taken place into the hiphil form of the verbs פו (Ewald, §196, b, Not. 1; Targ., Vulg., Hitzig, and Koehler). For “bringing back” affirms too little here. הושׁבתּים, “I make them dwell,” corresponds rather to “they shall be as if they had not been cast off,” without needing any further definition, since not only do we meet with ישׁב without anything else, in the sense of peaceful, happy dwelling (e.g., Mic 5:3), but here also the manner of dwelling is indicated in the appended clause כּאשׁר לא־זנחתּים, “as before they were cast off” (cf. Eze 36:11). אענם is also not to be taken as referring to the answering of the prayers, which Ephraim addressed to Jehovah out of its distress, out of its imprisonment (Koehler), but is to be taken in a much more general sense, as in Zec 13:9; Isa 58:9, and Hos 2:23. Ephraim, like Judah, will also become a hero, and rejoice as if with wine, i.e., fight joyfully like a hero strengthened with wine (cf. Psa 78:65-66). This rejoicing in conflict the sons will see, and exult in consequence; so that it will be a lasting joy.

Zec 10:8-10

In order to remove all doubt as to the realization of this promise, the deliverance of Ephraim is described still more minutely in Zec 10:8-12. Zec 10:8. “I will hiss to them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they will multiply as they have multiplied. Zec 10:9. And I will sow them among the nations: and in the far-off lands will they remember me; and will live with their sons, and return. Zec 10:10. And I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Asshur, and bring them into the land of Gilead and of Lebanon; and room will not be found for them.” That these verses do not treat of a fresh (second) dispersion of Ephraim, or represent the carrying away as still in the future (Hitzig), is evident from the words themselves, when correctly interpreted. Not only are the enticing and gathering together (Zec 10:8) mentioned before the sowing or dispersing (Zec 10:9), but they are both expressed by similar verbal forms (אשׁרקה and אזרעם); and the misinterpretation is thereby precluded, that events occurring at different times are referred to. We must also observe the voluntative form אשׁרקה, “I will (not I shall) hiss to them, i.e., entice them” (shâraq being used for alluring, as in Isa 5:26 and Isa 7:18), as well as the absence of a copula. They both show that the intention here is simply to explain with greater clearness what is announced in Zec 10:6, Zec 10:7. The perfect פּדיתים is prophetic, like רחמתּים in Zec 10:6. The further promise, “they will multiply,” etc., cannot be taken as referring either merely to the multiplication of Israel in exile (Hengst., Koehler, etc.), or merely to the future multiplication after the gathering together. According to the position in which the words stand between אקבּצם and אזרעם, they must embrace both the multiplication during the dispersion, and the multiplication after the gathering together. The perfect כּמו רבוּ points to the increase which Israel experienced in the olden time under the oppression of Egypt (Exo 1:7, Exo 1:12). This increase, which is also promised in Eze 36:10-11, is effected by God’s sowing them broadcast among the nations. זרע does not mean to scatter, but to sow, to sow broadcast (see at Hos 2:23). Consequently the reference cannot be to a dispersion of Israel inflicted as a punishment. The sowing denotes the multiplication (cf. Jer 31:27), and is not to be interpreted, as Neumann and Kliefoth suppose, as signifying that the Ephraimites are to be scattered as seed-corn among the heathen, to spread the knowledge of Jehovah among the nations. This thought is quite foreign to the context; and even in the words, “in far-off lands will they remember me,” it is neither expressed nor implied. These words are to be connected with what follows: Because they remember the Lord in far-off lands, they will live, and return with their children. In Zec 10:10 the gathering together and leading back of Israel are more minutely described, and indeed as taking place out of the land of Asshur and out of Egypt. The fact that these two lands are mentioned, upon which modern critics have principally founded their arguments in favour of the origin of this prophecy before the captivity, cannot be explained “from the circumstance that in the time of Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser many Ephraimites had fled to Egypt” (Koehler and others); for history knows nothing of this, and the supposition is merely a loophole for escaping from a difficulty. Such passages as Hos 8:13; Hos 9:3, Hos 9:6; Hos 11:11; Mic 7:12; Isa 11:11; Isa 27:13, furnish no historical evidence of such thing. Even if certain Ephraimites had fled to Egypt, these could not be explained as relating to a return or gathering together of the Ephraimites of Israelites out of Egypt and Assyria, because the announcement presupposes that the Ephraimites had been transported to Egypt in quite as large numbers as to Assyria, - a fact which cannot be established either in relation to the times before or to those after the captivity. Egypt, as we have already shown at Hos 9:3 (cf. Zec 8:13), is rather introduced in all the passages mentioned simply as a type of the land of bondage, on account of its having been the land in which Israel lived in the olden time, under the oppression of the heathen world. And Asshur is introduced in the same way, as the land into which the ten tribes had been afterwards exiled. This typical significance is placed beyond all doubt by Zec 10:1, since the redemption of Israel out of the countries named is there exhibited under the type of the liberation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt under the guidance of Moses. (Compare also Delitzsch on Isa 11:11.) The Ephraimites are to return into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; the former representing the territory of the ten tribes in the olden time to the east of the Jordan, the latter that to the west (cf. Mic 7:14). לא ימּצא, there is not found for them, sc. the necessary room: equivalent to, it will not be sufficient for them (as in Jos 17:16).

Zec 10:11-12

Zec 10:11. “And he goes through the sea of affliction, and smites the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the river dry up; and the pride of Asshur will be cast down, and the staff of Egypt will depart. Zec 10:12. And I make them strong in Jehovah; and they will walk in His name, is the saying of Jehovah.” The subject in Zec 10:11 is Jehovah. He goes, as once He went in the pillar of cloud as the angel of the Lord in the time of Moses, through the sea of affliction. צרה, which has been interpreted in very different ways, we take as in apposition to ים, though not as a permutative, “through the sea, viz., the affliction” (C. B. Mich., Hengst.); but in this sense, “the sea, which caused distress or confinement,” so that the simple reason why  צרה  is not connected with  ים  in the construct state, but placed in apposition, is that the sea might not be described as a straitened sea, or sea of anxiety. This apposition points to the fact which floated before the prophet’s mind, namely, that the Israelites under Moses were so confined by the Red Sea that they thought they were lost (Exo 14:10.). The objection urged by Koehler against this view - namely, that צרה as a noun is not used in the sense of local strait or confinement - is proved to be unfounded by Jon 2:3 and Zep 1:15. All the other explanations of tsârâh are much more unnatural, being either unsuitable, like the suggestion of Koehler to take it as an exclamation, “O distress!” or grammatically untenable, like the rendering adopted by Maurer and Kliefoth, after the Chaldaeans usage, “he splits.” The smiting of the waves in the sea does indeed play upon the division of the waves of the sea when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea (Exo 14:16, Exo 14:21; cf. Jos 3:13; Psa 77:17; Psa 114:5); but it affirms still more, as the following clause shows, namely, a binding or constraining of the waves, by which they are annihilated, or a drying up of the floods, like החרים in Isa 11:15. Only the floods of the Nile (יאור) are mentioned, because the allusion to the slavery of Israel in Egypt predominates, and the redemption of the Israelites out of all the lands of the nations is represented as bringing out of the slave-house of Egypt. The drying up of the flood-depths of the Nile is therefore a figure denoting the casting down of the imperial power in all its historical forms; Asshur and Egypt being mentioned by name in the last clause answering to the declaration in Zec 10:10, and the tyranny of Asshur being characterized by גּאון, pride, haughtiness (cf. Isa 10:7.), and that of Egypt by the rod of its taskmasters. in Zec 10:12 the promise for Ephraim is brought to a close with the general thought that they will obtain strength in the Lord, and walk in the power of His name. With וגבּרתּים the address reverts to its starting-point in Zec 10:6. בּיהוה stands for בּי, to point emphatically to the Lord, in whom Israel as the people of God had its strength. Walking in the name of Jehovah is to be taken as in Mic 4:5, and to be understood not as relating to the attitude of Israel towards God, or to the “self-attestation of Israel” (Koehler), but to the result, viz., walking in the strength of the Lord.

If, in conclusion, we survey the whole promise from Zec 9:11 onwards, there are two leading thoughts developed in it: (a) That those members of the covenant nation who were still scattered among the heathen should be redeemed out of their misery, and gathered together in the kingdom of the King who was coming for Zion, i.e., of the Messiah; (b) That the Lord would endow all His people with power for the conquest of the heathen. They were both fulfilled, in weak commencements only, in the times immediately following and down to the coming of Christ, by the return of many Jews out of captivity and into the land of the fathers, particularly when Galilee was strongly peopled by Israelites; and also by the protection and care which God bestowed upon the people in the contests between the powers of the world for supremacy in Palestine. The principal fulfilment is of a spiritual kind, and was effected through the gathering of the Jews into the kingdom of Christ, which commenced in the times of the apostles, and will continue till the remnant of Israel is converted to Christ its Saviour.

Encouragements to Trust in God. (b. c. 510.)

1 Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. 2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. 3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. 4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

Gracious things and glorious ones, very glorious and very gracious, were promised to this poor afflicted people in the foregoing chapter; now here God intimates to them that he will for these things be enquired of by them, and that he expects they should acknowledge him in all their ways and in all his ways towards them—and not idols that were rivals with him for their respects.

I. The prophet directs them to apply to God by prayer for rain in the season thereof. He had promised, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that there should be great plenty of corn and wine, whereas for several years, by reason of unseasonable weather, there had been great scarcity of both; but the earth will not yield its fruits unless the heavens water it, and therefore they must look up to God for the dew of heaven, in order to the fatness and fruitfulness of the earth (v. 1): "Ask you of the Lord rain. Do not pray to the clouds, nor to the stars, for rain, but to the Lord; for he it is that hears the heavens, when they hear the earth," Hos. ii. 21. Seasonable rain is a great mercy, which we must ask of God, rain in the time of the latter rain, when there is most need of it. The former rain fell at the seed-time, in autumn, the latter fell in the spring, between March and May, which brought the corn to an ear and filled it. If either of these rains failed, it was very bad with that land; for from the end of May to September they never had any rain at all. Jerome, who lived in Judea, says that he never saw any rain there in June or July. They are directed to ask for it in the time when it used to come. Note, We must, in our prayers, dutifully attend the course of Providence; we must ask for mercies in their proper time, and not expect that God should go out of his usual way and method for us. But, since sometimes God denied rain in the usual time as a token of his displeasure, they must pray for it then as a token of his favour, and they shall not pray in vain. Ask and it shall be given you. So the Lord shall make bright clouds (which, though they are without rain themselves, are yet presages of rain)—lightnings (so the margin reads it), for he maketh lightnings for the rain. He will give them showers of rain in great abundance, and so give to every one grass in the field; for God is universally good, and makes his rain to fall upon the just and the unjust.

II. He shows them the folly of making their addresses to idols as their fathers had done (v. 2): The idols have spoken vanity; the teraphim, which they courted and consulted in their distress, were so far from being able to command rain for them that they could not so much as tell them when they should have rain. They pretended to promise them rain at such a time, but it did not come. The diviners, who were the prophets of those idols, have seen a lie (their visions were all a cheat and a sham); and they have told false dreams, such as the event did not answer, which proved that they were not from God. Thus they comforted in vain those that consulted the lying oracles; all the vanities of the heathen put together could not give rain, Jer. xiv. 22. Yet this was not the worst of it; they not only got nothing by the false gods, but they lost the favour of the true God, for therefore they went their way into captivity as a flock driven into the fold, and they were troubled with one vexation after another, as scattered sheep are, because there was no shepherd, no prince to rule them, no priest to intercede for them, none to take care of them and keep them together. Those that wandered after strange gods were made to wander, into strange nations.

III. He shows them the hand of God in all the events that concerned them, both those that made against them and those that made for them, v. 3. Let them consider, 1. When every thing went cross it was God that walked contrary to them (v. 3): "My anger was kindled against the shepherds that should have fed the flock, but neglected it, and starved it. I was displeased at the wicked magistrates and ministers, the idol-shepherds." The captivity in Babylon was a token of God's anger against them; in it likewise he punished the goats, those of the flock that were filthy and mischievous; they were set on the left hand, to go away into punishment. Though the body of the nation suffered in the captivity, yet it was only the goats and the shepherds that God was angry with, and that he punished; the same affliction to others came from the love of God, and was but a fatherly chastisement, which to them came from his wrath, and was a judicial punishment. 2. When things began to change for the better it was God that gave them the happy turn. "He has now visited his flock with favour, to enquire after them, and provides what he finds proper for them, and he has made them as his goodly horse in the battle, has beautified them, taken care of them, managed and made use of them, as a man does the horse he rides on, has made them valuable in themselves and formidable to those about them, as his goodly horse." It is God that makes us what we are, and it is with us as he appoints.

IV. He shows them that every creature is to them what God makes it to be (v. 4): Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nails. 1. All the power that was engaged against them was from God. Out of him came all the combined force of their enemies; every oppressor together (and the oppressors of Israel were not a few) did but what his hand and his counsel determined before to be done; nor could they have had such power against them unless it had been given them from above. 2. All the power likewise that was engaged for them was derived from him and depended on him. Out of him came forth the corner-stone of the building, the power of magistrates, which keeps the several parts of the state together. Princes are often called the corners of the people, as 1 Sam. xiv. 38, marg. Out of him came forth the nail that fixed the state, the nail in the sure place (Isa. xxii. 23), the nail in his holy place, Ezra ix. 8. Out of him came forth the battle-bow, the military power, and out of him every oppressor, or exactor, that had the civil power in his hand; and therefore to God, the fountain of power, we must always have an eye, and see every man's judgment proceeding from him.

Evangelical Promises; Encouraging Prospects. (b. c. 510.)

5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded. 6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them. 7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord . 8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. 10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. 11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12 And I will strengthen them in the Lord ; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord .

Here are divers precious promises made to the people of God, which look further than to the state of the Jews in the latter days of their church, and have certain reference to the spiritual Israel of God, the gospel-church, and all true believers.

I. They shall have God's favour and presence, and shall be owned and accepted of him. This is the foundation of all the rest: The Lord is with them, v. 5. He espouses their cause, takes their part, is on their side; and, if he be for them, who can be against them? Again (v. 6), I have mercy upon them. All their dignity and joy are owing purely to God's mercy; and mercy, as it supposes misery, so it excludes merit. They had been cast off, the effect of which could not but be misery; they had been justly cast off, and therefore could pretend to merit nothing at God's hand but wrath and the curse; yet it is promised, They shall be as though I had not cast them off. The transgressions of their fathers, for which they had been rejected, shall not only not be visited upon them, but shall not be so much as remembered against them. God will be as perfectly reconciled to them as if he had never contended with them, and the falling out of these lovers shall rather be the renewing than the weakening of love. They shall have such a full assurance of God's being reconciled to them, and upon that shall be so well reconciled to themselves, that they shall be as easy as if they had never been cast off; and their condition, after their restoration to the divine favour, shall be so very happy that there shall not remain the least scar from the wounds which were given them by their being cast off. Such favour does God show to returning repenting sinners, who were by nature at a distance, and children of wrath; such fellowship are they admitted into, and such freedom does he use with them, that they are as though they had never been cast off. 1. The covenant they are admitted into is the same that ever it was: I am the Lord their God, according to the original contract, the covenant made with their fathers. 2. The communion they are admitted into is the same that ever it was: I will hear them. They shall be as welcome as ever to speak to him, and as sure as ever to receive from him an answer of peace; for, as he never did, so he never will, say to Jacob's seed, Seek you me in vain.

II. They shall be victorious over their enemies, that would draw them from either their duty to God or their comfort in God (v. 5): They shall be as mighty men, that are both strong in body and bold in spirit, men of vigour, men of valour, effective men. Those of Ephraim, as well as those of Judah, shall be like a mighty man (v. 7), that dares to go about a difficult enterprise and is able to go through with it. They shall, as mighty men, tread down their enemies in the battle, as the dirt that is thrown out of the houses is trodden with other dirt in the mire of the streets. And they shall therefore fight, because the Lord is with them. Some would argue that they may therefore sit still, and do nothing, because the Lord is with them, who can and will do all. No; God's gracious presence with us to help us must not supersede, but quicken and animate, our endeavours to help ourselves; and we must therefore work out our salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God that works in us both to will and to do. They shall fight with readiness and resolution because, if God be with them, they are sure to be conquerors, more than conquerors. For then the riders on horses shall be confounded. The cavalry of the enemies shall be routed, and put into disorder, by the infantry of the Jews. The preachers of the gospel of Christ went forth to war a good warfare; they charged bravely, because God was with them; and the riders on horses that opposed them were confounded, for God chose the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty. But whence have they all this might? How come they to be so able, so active? It is in the Lord, and in the power of his might, that they are so (v. 6): I will strengthen the house of Judah, and so I will save the house of Joseph. Note, God saves us by strengthening us, and works out our happiness by working in us to do our duty. And thus we are engaged to the utmost diligence in using the strength God gives us; and yet, when all is done, God must have the glory of all. God is our strength, and so becomes both our song and our salvation.

III. Those of them that are dispersed shall be gathered together into one body (v. 6): I will bring them again to place them, bring them from other lands to place them in their own land. This was a token of their being perfectly restored to all their other ancient privileges—they shall be restored to the possession of their own land. This was fulfilled when the children of God that were scattered abroad were by faith in Christ incorporated in the gospel-church, and Jews and Gentiles became one fold, John x. 16. In order to this (v. 8) I will hiss for them, or, rather, whistle for them, as the shepherd with his pipe calls his sheep together, that know his voice; and so I will gather them. The preaching of the gospel was, as it were, God's hissing for souls to come to Jesus Christ, his calling in his scattered sheep to the green pastures. I will gather them, for I have redeemed them. Note, Those whom Christ has redeemed by his blood God will gather by his grace, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. This promise is enlarged upon v. 10, I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt. Some think this was literally fulfilled when Ptolemæus Philadelphus king of Egypt sent 120,000 Jews out of his country into their own land, as was the promise of gathering them out of Assyria by Alexander the son of Antiochus Epiphanes. But it has its spiritual accomplishment in the gathering in of precious souls out of a bondage worse than that in Egypt or Assyria, and the bringing of them into the glorious liberties of the children of God and their enjoyments, which are as the beautiful fruitful pastures in the land of Gilead and Lebanon. All the land of promise is theirs, even Gilead, the utmost border of it eastward, and Lebanon, the utmost border northward. But how shall this be? How shall a people so dispersed be got together? How shall those that are set at such a distance from their own country be brought to it again? It is true the difficulties seem insuperable, but they shall be got over as easily, as effectually as those that lay in the way of their deliverance out of Egypt and their entrance into Canaan: He shall pass through the sea with affliction, as of old through the Red Sea, to the sore affliction of Pharaoh and his hosts, or to the sore affliction of the sea, the waves whereof he shall smite, so that it shall be driven back, as when the sea saw and fled, Ps. cxiv. 3. And all the deeps of the river (all the rivers, though ever so deep) shall dry up, as Jordan did, to make way for Israel's passage into that good land which God had given them. Does the pride of Assyria stand in the way of their deliverance? He shall give check to it who sets bounds to the proud waves of the sea, and it shall be brought down. Does the sceptre of Egypt oppose it? That shall depart away, so that it shall not be able to obstruct the gathering in of God's Israel when his time shall come for the doing of it. When the gospel-church was to be gathered out of all nations by the preaching of the gospel great opposition was given to it by the enraged combined powers of earth and hell. Insuperable difficulties seemed to be in the way of it. But, by a divine power going along with the doctrine of Christ, it became mighty to the pulling down of strong holds, and the conversion and salvation of thousands. Then the sea fled, and Jordan was driven back at the presence of the Lord.

IV. They shall greatly multiply, and the church, that new world, shall be replenished (v. 8): They shall increase as they have increased formerly in Egypt, and great additions shall be made to their numbers, as in the days of David and Solomon. When God gathers his redeemed ones to himself they shall help to gather in others with them, and their motion homeward shall be like that of a snow-ball. Crescit eundo—The further it goes the larger it grows by accretion. I will gather them, and they shall increase. Note, The church of Christ is a growing body, as long as it is in the present state of minority, till it comes to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. There are added to it daily such as shall be saved. 1. It shall spread to distant places. It shall fill Canaan, even to the lands of Gilead and Lebanon, so that no more place, no more room, shall be found for it there, v. 10. In Judah only God had been known, and his name was great in Israel only; here only he revealed his statutes and judgments. But in gospel-times that place shall be much too strait; the church's tent must be enlarged, and its cords lengthened: Then I will sow them among the people, v. 9. Their scattering shall be like the scattering of seed in the ground, not to bury it, but to increase it, that it may bring forth much fruit. The Jews are said to be dispersed into every nation under heaven (Acts ii. 5); and, as it was their troubles that dispersed some of them, so perhaps others transplanted themselves into colonies because the land of Israel was too strait for them; and many were natives of other nations, but proselyted to the Jewish religion. Now these were sown among the people, Hos. ii. 23. And this contributed very much to the spreading of the gospel. The Jews that came from all parts to worship at Jerusalem fetched thence the gospel light and fire to their own countries, as those Acts ii., and the eunuch, Acts viii. And their own synagogues in the several cities of the Gentiles were the first receptacles of the apostles and their preaching, wherever they came. Thus when God sowed them among the people, that they might not get hurt by the Gentiles, but do good to them, he took care that they should remember him, and make mention of his name in far countries; and, by keeping up the knowledge of God among them as he had revealed himself in the Old Testament, they would be the more ready to admit the knowledge of Christ as he has revealed himself in the New Testament. 2. It shall last to future ages. The church shall not be res unius ætatis—a temporary thing, but a seed in it shall serve the Lord, v. 7. Yea, their children shall see it and be glad; and they shall live with their children, and turn again, v. 9. Converts to Christ shall have their children about them, whom they shall teach the knowledge of the Lord, and bring with them when they turn again to the holy land and the way of holiness. It was said to those to whom the gospel was first preached, The promise is to you and to your children, Acts ii. 39. They shall be so sown among the people as never to be extirpated. Christ's family upon earth shall never be extinct, nor his purchased possession lost for want of heirs.

V. God himself will be both their strength and their song. 1. In him they shall be comforted, and shall have abundant satisfaction (v. 7): Their heart shall rejoice as through wine; for Christ's love, which is their joy, is better than wine. They shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice. When we resolutely resist, and so overcome, our spiritual enemies, then our hearts shall rejoice. But we ruin our own joy if our resistance be feeble and we yield to the temptations of Satan. Their heart shall rejoice, and then they shall be as a mighty man; for the joy of the Lord will be our strength. And with their graces their joys shall be propagated: Their children shall see it and be glad, and their hearts also shall rejoice in the Lord. It is good to acquaint children betimes with the delights of religion, and to make the services of it as pleasant as may be to them, that, learning betimes to rejoice in the Lord, they may with purpose of heart cleave to him. 2. By him they shall be carried on with vigour, and enlargement of heart, in his service (v. 12): I will strengthen them in the Lord, strengthen them for their walk and work, as well as for their warfare. It is the God of Israel that gives strength and power unto his people, that strengthens all their powers and faculties for spiritual performances, above what they are by nature and against what they are by the corruption of nature. Now observe, (1.) How they are thus enabled and invigorated for their duty: I the Lord will strengthen them in the Lord, in the Messiah, who is Jehovah our strength, as well as Jehovah our righteousness. Strength is treasured up for us in Christ, and from him it is communicated to us. It is through Christ strengthening us that we can do all things, and without him we can do nothing. His strength is commanded him for this purpose, Ps. lxviii. 28. (2.) What good use they shall make of this strength given unto them: They shall walk up and down in his name. If God strengthen us, we must bestir ourselves, must walk up and down in all the duties of the Christian life, must be active and busy in the work of God, must walk up and down as industrious men do, losing no time, and letting slip no opportunity. But still we must walk up and down in the name of Christ, must do all by warrant from him and in dependence on him, with an eye to his word as our rule and his glory as our end. To us to live must be Christ; and, whatever we do in word or deed, we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, that we receive not the strengthening grace of God in vain. See Ps. lxxx. 17, 18.

CHAP. X.

Verſe 1. ASK you of the Lord rain] Ask it and have it:Hoſ. 10.12. Open your mouthes wide, and he will fill them. Seek yee the Lord till he come, and rain righteouſneſſe upon you: Surely as the Sunne draws up vapours from the earth and ſea, not to retain them, but to return them: and as thin vapours come down again in thick ſhowers of rain: So God calls for our prayers, for our profit: and does for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Epheſ. 3.20. Ask we muſt, Ezek. 36.37. Prayer is an indiſpenſable duty. Our Saviour taught his diſciples to pray. He himſelf was to ask of his Father, and then he ſhould have the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for his poſſeſſion, Pſal. 2.8. He could have had preſently twelve legions of Angels to reſcue him: but then he was to ſend to heaven for them by prayer, Mat. 26.53. I came for thy words, that is, for thy prayers ſake, ſaith the Angel to Daniel. As well as God loved him, he looked to hear from him, Dan. 10.11, 12. for he will grace his own Ordinances, and make his people know both their diſtance and dependance.

Rain in the time of the latter rain] Rain is the flux of a moiſt cloud; which being diſſolved by little and little, by the heat of the Sun, lets down rain by drops out of the middle region of the air. This, if it come right in due time and meaſure, it maketh much for the fattening of the earth, Pſal. 65.11. laying the heat, nouriſhing the herb and tree, Eſay 44.14. refreſhing all creatures, graſſe, fruits, &c. Lev 26.4. Jam. 5.18. Eſay 30.23. So if otherwiſe, it proves a great puniſhment. Joel 1.Joel 1.10, 11, &c. 17, 19, &c. Great expectation there was in Judaea and thoſe Eaſtern parts of the former and the latter rain. That, fell in the ſeed-time about Autumne: this, in the Spring [illegible: 1 letter]ide, cauſing the corn to ear, and kearn before harveſt. Both were to be ſought of God alone. For are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cauſe rain? or can the heaven give ſhowres? No, no; Theſe come by a divine decree, Job 28.26. God prepares rain, Pſal. 147.8. he diſpenſeth it in number, weight, and meaſure, Job 28.25. not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place: he alſo with-holds it when, and where he thinks good, Amos 4.7. The Egyptians uſed in a profane mockery, to tell other Nations, that if God ſhould forget to rain, they might all chance to ſtarve for it. The rain they though was of God, but not their river: which therefore God threateneth to dry up, Ezek. 29.3, 9. Eſay 19.5, 6.Nat. quaeſt. lib. 4. cap. 2. Art am. l. 1. Jer. 2.13. as alſo he did (as both Seneca and Ovid teſtifie) in the raigne of Cleopatra. The creatures at beſt are but broken ciſterns. Not fountains, but ciſterns onely; and thoſe broken too; there's no truſting to them: they were never true to thoſe that truſted them.

So the Lord ſhall make bright clouds] Nubes curſitantes, thin clouds, that flie ſwiftly in the air, moſt commonly before and after very rainy weather. R. Salomon interprets the word here uſed, not lighenings, which yet are ſignes and fore-runners of rain, Pſal. 135.7. Ier. 10.13. but clouds bringing rain. Clouds are nothing elſe but vapours thickened in the middle region of the air, by the cold invironing and driving them together: that they may be as ſo many heavenly bottles holding water, to be ſeaſonably diſtilled. How they are upheld, and why they fall here, and now, and by drops, not by ſpouts (ſith they are veſſels as thin as the liquor contained in them) we know not, and wonder.

and give them ſhowres of rain] Heb. rain, rain, that is, plentifull rain upon his inheritance:Eccleſ. 12.2. Eſay 45.19. the clouds ſhall return after the rain, and one ſhowre is unburthened, another ſhall be brewed. God ſcorns to ſay to the ſeed of Iacob, Seek ye me in vain: or that any of his ſuitours ſhould go ſad away, for want of an anſwer. David asked his for life: and God gave him more, even length of dayes for ever and ever, Pſal. 21.4. Many came to Chriſt for cure of their bodies, he cured them on both ſides: and was better to them then their prayers. Gehezi asked Naaman for a talent of ſilver: nay, take two, ſaid he: and he preſſed it upon him. So ſaith God to his, Ask and ſpare not, that your joy may be full. Ye are not ſtraitened in me, but ye are ſtraitened in your own bowels. Ye have not, becauſe ye ask not: and he is worthy to want it, that may have it for asking onely.

to every one graſſe] Graſſe for the cattle, and corn for the food of man, as the Chaldee expounds it.

Verſe 2. For the idols have ſpoken vanity] q. d. Therefore ask good things at Gods hands, as rain, food, and all neceſſary proviſion: becauſe Idols and ſoothſayers cannot help you to theſe things. If they promiſe you (as they will) beleeve them not: for they lie as faſt, as once Rabſhakeh did for his Maſter: when he promiſed the people a land of corn and wine,Eſay. 36.17. a land of bread and vineyards. And they will finally ſerve you, as Abſaloms mule ſerved her Maſter: whom ſhe left at his greateſt need, to hang betwixt heaven and earth, as rejected of both. Lo ſuch are all creature-comforts golden deluſions, lying vanities, apples of Sodom, nec vera, nce veſtra, 1 Cor. 7. 31. the faſhion of this world, ſaith Paul; the phantaſies of mens brain, ſaith Luke, Act. 25.23. the ſemblances and empty ſhews of good, without any reality, or ſolid conſiſtency, ſaith Solomon often. They are, ſaith our Prophet here, a wicked deceit, and coſinage. An arrant lie, a falſe dream, a vain or empty comfort that utterly deceiveth a mans confidence, and maketh him, in the fulneſſe of his conceited ſufficiencie, to be in ſtraights. Theſe here for inſtance: viz. the Jews that had been carried captives as a flock without a guide, ſheep without a ſhepherd, and ye had not (till after ſome while at leaſt) abrenounced their Idols, Ier. 44.22. Ezek. 9.

therefore they went their way as a flock] Driven by the butcher to the ſlaughter-houſe. Idolatry is a land-deſolating ſin: as beſides theſe Jews (the more ingenuous of them at this day confeſſe, that in all their puniſhments there is ſtill an ounce of the golden-calf made by them in the wilderneſſe) the Greek Church was undone by it. The worſhipping of Images they defended with tooth and nail (as they ſay) and eſtabliſhed it in the ſecond Councell of Nice; not long before the Turk took Nice, and made it the ſeat of his Empire, in oppoſition to Conſtantinople, which at length he took alſo; and brought in Mahometiſme, that foul impiety, which quickly over-ſpread the whole Eaſt and South, like as Popiſh Idolatry did the Weſt and North. But this iniquity will be their ruine. Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. She hath fallen culpably, ſhe ſhall therefore fall penally. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And why? She is become the habitation of devils, that is, of idols. See Rev. 9.20. 1 Cor. 10.20.

Verſe 3. Mine anger was kindled againſt the ſhepherds] Paſtores Impoſtores: the greedy prieſts, and falſe prophets main cauſes of the captivity: becauſe through their default, there was no knoledge nor fear of God in the land, Eſay 5.13. Hoſ. 4.6, 7. See Ier. 23.1. Ezek. 34.1.

and I puniſhed the goats] The Grandees and Governours, temporall and Eccleſiaſticall. See Ezek. 34.17. They ſhould have been as the hee-goats before the flock, Ier. 50.8. worthy Guides to God. But they were goats in another ſence, unruly, and naſty, and laſcivious (as thoſe two filthy fellows for inſtance, whom for their adultery the kind of Babylon roaſted in the fire, Ier. 29.22.) and ſuch as begat kids of their own kind, men of their own make, and went before them in wickedneſſe, as the goats lead the flocks.

for the Lord of hoſts] Better to read it, but the Lord of hoſts, &c. And this is ſpoken for the comfort of thoſe that called upon God, and abhorred Idols, and Idol-ſhepherds, that were in ſpeciall covenant with him, and therefore owned by him, as his flock, or peculiar charge. Now, to ſuch he promiſeth to feed them as him ſheep, and to furniſh them as his horſe for ſervice, his goodly warre-horſe, mainly reſpected by his Maſter, as Bucephalus was by Alexander. Plin. l. 8. c. 41. This may in part be underſtood of the Maccabees victories: but principally of the Apoſtles, thoſe white horſes, upon which they rode thorow the world, conquering and to conquer, Rev. 6.2. Saint Paul is fitly compared to that war-horſe in Job, chap. 39.20. whoſe neck is clothed with thunder, and the glory of his noſtrils is terrible. He mocketh at fear, and turneth not back from the ſword. He goeth on to meet the armed man, and ſwalloweth the ground with fierceneſſe, and rage, &c.

Verſe 4. Out of him came forth the corner] Angulus, not Angelus as ſome Vulgar Latine tranſlations have it: and A Lapide juſtly finds fault with it.Chap. 35. A like fault Surius and Caranza (his fellow-popelings) are content to wink at, nay to defend in the Laodicene Councell, becauſe it makes for their Angel-worſhip. For whereas the Councell truely ſaith, [non-Latin text not transcribed], Chriſtians muſt not pray to Angels. They make the words to be Non oportet Chriſtianos ad angulos congregationes facere. Chriſtians ought not hold their meetings in corners; and they make the title ſay, the ſame thing. but is this fair dealing, thus to falſifie antiquity for their own ends, and to maintain their own errours? As for the Text.

Out of his came forth, &c.] That is, Out of Judah ſhall be had all things neceſſary, both at home (and here the Prophet proceeds from the foundation to the nails, or faſtening of the houſe together) and abroad: both for the maſtering of the enemy by the Battle-bowe, &c. and the making of him tributary: for

Out of him ſhall come every exactour] ſc. Of homage and tribute, as the fruit of their victory. Danaeus ſenceth it thus. Out of Judah ſhall go every oppreſſour which did vex his people before, God driving him forth.

Verſe 5. And they ſhall be as mighty men] Or, as Giants, as Gabriels, they ſhall be ſtrong in the Lord,Ruth. 2.11. and in the power of his might, they ſhal do worthily in Ephratas, and be famous in Bethlehem: their bow ſhall abide in ſtrength, and the armes of their hands be made ſtrong, by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob: from thence is the ſhepheard, the ſtone of Iſrael. Plutarch Gen. 49.24. If it could be ſaid of Mithridates, a meer Atheiſt, that he never wanted any courage nor counſel; how much of Gods warriours, ſuch as Iudas Maccabeus, eſpecially Meſſiah the Prince, who treads down his enemies as the mire of the ſtreets, ſetting his feet in their necks and making them to be found liars unto him, that is to yeeld him at leaſt a forced and fained ſubjection.

and they ſhall ſight becauſe the Lord is with them] This is enough to make them fight up to the knees in blood, that they have God to ſtand by them: not onely as a ſpectatour, or Agonotheta (though that's ſomwhat: dogs and other baſer creatures will fight luſtily when their maſters are by, and to ſet them on) but as a Captain of the Lord Hoſts, as Chriſt is called, and a Coadjutor, a Champion, a man of war Exod. 15.3. Yea, he alone is a whole army of men, he is Van and Rei[illegible: 1 letter]e both, Iſai. 52.12. The ſhields of the earth belong to him, the Militia of the world is his Pſal. 47.9. he hath magnleh choloth and matteh choloth, as the Rabbins well obſerve, armies both above, and beneath, as his horſe and foot to fight for him people.

and the riders on horſes ſhall be confounded] As they were in the conqueſt of Canaan, where the enemies had horſes and chariots, when the Iſraelites had neither, as Orig[illegible: 1 letter]n obſerveth: and as they were in all Davids wars, and the reſt of the victorious kings of Iſrael, who according to the Law Deut. 17.16. made no uſe of horſes (but ſaid An horſe is but a vain thing for battel &c. God takes no delight in the ſtrength of an horſe) and ever fought on foot with ſingular ſucceſſe. So did the Maccabees, Ziſca, and after his the Bohemians, the Engliſh in France at the battle of Spurres (ſo the battle of Terwin was called in Henry the eighth his time, from the French poſting away to ſave their lives.)Spied. 1000.

Verſe 6.A Lapide And I will ſtrengthen the houſe of Judah] Robuſtos, as quaſi Gabricles efficiam. See Chap. 12.8. Eſay 10.34. See verſe 5. of this chapter. The Saints ſhall be ſtrengthened with all migh. according to his glorious power, Col. 1.11. at the Reſurrection eſpecially, when Chriſt ſhall change their vile bodies, and make them like unto his glorious body in ſtrength, agility, beauty &c. The bodies of the Saints, ſaith Luther, ſhall have that power as to toſſe the greateſt mountains in the world like a ball. Auſelme ſaith ſuch, as they ſhall be able to ſhake the whole earth at their pleaſure. Our Saviour ſaith, that they ſhall be as the Angels of God Luk. 20.36. more like ſpirits then bodies, while they are here, In quiet and confidence is their ſtrength Eſay 30.15. and again in the ſame chapter verſe 7. their ſtrength is to ſit ſtill. They expected much ſtrenght from Egypt: but the Prophet tells them that by ſiting ſtill and waiting for the ſalvation of God by faith, they ſhall have an Egypt, Heb. 11.34. and better, out of weakneſſe they ſhould be made ſtrong, wax valiant in fight, turn to flight the armies of the aliens, as the Maccabees did, and as Michael and his Angels Rev. 12. the noble Army of the Apoſtles, who were more then Conquerours: and Martyrs who tired their tormentours and laughed at their cruelty: the valour of the patients, the ſavageneſſe of the perſecutours ſtrove together; till both exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and aſtoniſhment in beholders and readers. Theſe were thoſe lion-like men of the tribe of Judah that took the kingdom by violence. Judah which ſignifieth the Confeſſour, had the kingdom, as Levi had the Prieſt-hood, both forfeited by Reuben who was weak as water. Gen. 49.

and I will ſave the houſe of Joſeph] that is, Ephraim, but for the ten tribes, whom God here promiſeth to ſave, not to bring back, ſaith the Geneva-Note on Ver. 9. But others there are that gather from theſe words and theſe that follow, that God will not onely preſerve them, but reduce and reſettle them in their own countrey, yea, and multiply them ſo abundantly, as that their countrey ſhall not be able to hold them Verſe 10. Whence cometh Aſhurs and Egypts ſubjection to Chriſt; that is, all the tract of the Eaſt, and of the South verſe 1. and their perpetual eſtabliſhment in the faith.

Verſe 12 And I will bring them again to place them] I will place them in their houſes as Hoſ. 11.11. The Sept. render it, I will cauſe them to dwell. [non-Latin text not transcribed] compoſ. The Caldee I will gather together their captivity. Some ſpecial mercy is aſſured them by this ſpecial word of a mixt conjugation.

for I have mercy upon I them] Heres a double cauſe alledged, of theſe ſo great and gracious promiſes: and both excluding works. Firſt Gods mere mercy. Secondly his Election of grace, for I am the Lord their God. This latter is the cauſe of the former: for God choſe his people for his love, and then loveth them for his choice. The effects of which love are here ſet down. 1. That he heareth their prayers, I will hear them. 2. That he reaccepteth and reſtoreth them in Chriſt, as if they had never offenced againſt him. They ſhall be as though I had not caſt them off. That was a cutting ſpeech, and far worſe then their captivity Jer. 16.13. When God not onely threateneth to caſt them out of their countrey into a ſtrange land, but that there he would ſlew them no favour. Here he promiſeth to pitty them; and then they muſt needs think deliverance was at next door by.

and they ſhall be as though I had not caſt them off] And this the ſooner, and the rather, becauſe they called them out-caſts, ſaying, This is Zion whom no man ſeeketh after Jer. 30.17. The Jewiſh Nation, ſaith Tully, ſhew how God regards them that have been ſo oft overcome, viz. by Nehuchad-nezzar, Pompey &c. God therefore promiſeth to provide for his own great name, by being fully reconciled to his poor people, whom the world looked upon abjects. for I am the Lord their God And if I ſhould not ſee to their ſafey,Pſal. 119. it would much reflect upon me. This David well knew, and therefore prayes thu, I am thine, Lord ſave me.

and will hear them, Or, I will ſpeak with them: ſpeak to their hearts. It is no more, ſaith One, then if a man were in a fair dining-room with much good company, and there is ſome ſpeciall friend whom he loveth dearly, that calleth him aſide to ſpeak in private of buſineſſe, that neerly concerneth him: and though he go into a worſe room, yet he is well enough pleaſed. So if God, in loſſe of friends, houſes, countrey, comforts whatſoever, will ſpeak with us, will anſwer us, the loſſe will be eaſily made up. Philip Lantgrave of Heſſe being a long time priſoner under Charles 5. was demanded what upheld him all that time? He anſwered, that he had felt the favour of God, and the Divine conſolations of the Martyrs. There be Divine comforts that are felt onely under the croſſe. I will bring her into the wilderneſſe, and there ſpeak to her heart Hoſ. 2.13. Iſrael was never ſo royally provided for, with Manna, Quails, and other cates, as when they were in the wilderneſſe. The croſſe is anointed with comfort, which makes it not onely light, but ſweet: not onely not troubleſome and importable, but deſirable and delightful, ſaith Bernard. Thy preſence O Lord made the very gridiron ſweet to Laurence, ſaith another; How eaſily can God make up our loſſe; and breaches?

Verſe 7. And they of Ephraim ſhall be as a mighty man] The ſame again, and in the ſame words, for more aſſurance; becauſe the return of the ten Tribes might ſeem a thing more incredible, Erant enim quaſi putridum cadaver ſaith Calvin here: they were as rotten carkaſſes, and they had obiter onely heard of theſe promiſes; as if ſome grain of feed ſhould be dropt by the high-way-ſide: for they were now as aliens from the Common-wealty of Iſrael.

and their hert ſhall rejoyce as throught wine] Which naturally exhilarateth Pſal. 104.15. [non-Latin text not transcribed] and is called by Plato one of the Mitigaters of humane miſery See Prov. 31.6. with the Note. Some nations uſe to drink wine freely before they enter the battel to make them undaunted. Some think here may be an alluſion to ſuch a cuſtom. I ſhould rather underſtand it of that generous wine of the ſpirit Eph. 5.18.

yea, their children ſhall ſee it] Therefore they were not to antedate the promiſes, but to wait the accompliſhment which ſhould certainly be, if not them, yet to theirs after them, even a full reſtauration in due ſeaſon.

Verſe 8. I will hiſſe for them and gather them] As a ſhepheard hiſſeth or whiſtleth for his flock. See Judg. 5.16. where it ſhould not be tranſlated the bleatings of the flocks, but the hiſſings or whiſtlings of the ſhepheards to their flocks, when they would get them together. God, who hath all creatures at his beck and check, can eaſily bring back his haniſhed, gather together his diſperſed with a turn of a hand Zech. 13.7. with a blaſt of his mouth, as here; as if any offer to oppoſe him herein, he can blow them to deſtruction Iob. 4.9. He can frown them to death Pſal. 80.16. He can cruſh them between his fingers, as men do a moth Pſal. 39.11. and crumble them to crattle Pſal. 146.4. Like ſheep they are laid in the grave, death ſhall feed on them: and the upright ſhall have dominion over them in the morning, and their beauty ſhall conſume in the grave from their dwelling. Pſal. 49.14.

For I have redeemed them] I have in part, and that's a pledge of the whole; my hands alſo ſhall finiſh it, as Chap 4.9. God doth not his work to the halves; neither muſt we: but if he ſhall be All in All unto us, we muſt be altogether His, Cant. 2.16. His is a covenant of mercy, ours of obedience: which muſt be therefore full and finall, as Chriſt hath obtained for us an entire, and everlaſting redemption. Heb. 9.12.

and they ſhall increaſe as they have increaſed] By verue of that promiſe to Abraham Gen. 13.16. I will multiply thy ſeed as the duſt of the earth: and Gen 15.5. as the ſtars of heaven. This promiſe was not preſently fulfilled; for when they came into Egypt they were but ſeventy ſouls of them. But under the Egyptian ſervitude, they increaſed abundantly Exod. 1.7. they ſpawned (as the word ſignifies) and bred ſwiftly: ſo that they went thence 600000. ſtrong. Exod. 12.37. So that they ſoon became a mighty and populous nation Dent. 26.5. Judea was not above 200 miles long, and 50 miles broad: not near the half of England by much; yet what huge armies had they, when the two tribes and the other ten met in the field, one againſt another? And even at this day (whatever is become of the ten tribes: whether they be in China, or America) the Jews are a very great and numerous people. It is thought that there is not any one nation under heaven ſo great in number as that is, if the diſperſed Jews might all be gathered together into one place: And who knows what we may (ſome of us) yet live to ſee? The late Clavis Apocalypt[illegible: 1 letter]ica promiſeth great matters to fall out within theſe three or four yeers.

Verſe 9. And I will ſow them among the people] Scatter them indeed, but for an excellent purpoſe, that they may bring forth fruit to God: and be a bleſſed means of bringing in the fulneſſe of the Gentiles harveſt. Some kinde of the knowledge of God was diffuſed by the Jew wherever they came: and when at length the Goſpel was preached by the Apoſtles, they firſt dealt with the Jews (who had their Synagogues in all places) as it was neceſſary Act. 13.46. that as they had been the onely people of God, ſo now they might be the firſt invited gueſt. This invitation when they put from them and ſo judged themſelves unworthy of[illegible: 1 letter]ternal life, what remained but that the halt and the blinde Gentiles ſhoul be fetcht in from the high wayes and hedges, that ſo Gods houſe might be full. So then their deſperſion was a ſemination: and their exile opened a gate for the Goſpel. hence alſo it is called [non-Latin text not transcribed] a diſſemination, or ſcattering: as when a man ſoweth ſeed abroad. 1 Pet 1.1. Iam. 1.1.

and they ſhall remember me in far countries] Saint Paul teſtifieth that the twelve tribes inſtantly ſerved God day and night Act. 26.7. a great deal better, doubtleſſe, then they do at this day; being as reverend in their Synagogues, as grammer-boyes are at ſchool when their Maſter is abſent,Spec. Europ. ſaith an eye witneſſe.

and they ſhall live with their children, and turn again] They or their poſterity ſhal. Gods promiſes bear a long date many times, [non-Latin text not transcribed] and the beleeving Hebrews are told that they had need of patience, or tolerance: that after they had done the will of God, and ſuffered it too, if need be, they might receive the promiſe. Heb. 10.36. And they are further exhorted to run with patience the race that is ſet before them:Heb. 12.1. wherein he that beleeveth maketh not haſt, but can want and wait for what he wiſheth, till God pleaſe: being deſirous rather that God may be glorified then himſelf gratified, if both may not ſtand together.

Verſe 10. I will bring them again alſo out of the land of Egypt] whither they fled for fear of the Babylonians Jer. 44. Antiq. l. 11. Chap. 2. and where it ſeems they became a mighty people, if that be true which Ioſephus writeth, viz. that Ptolomic Philadelph ſent back an hundred and twenty thouſand of them into Judea, and by that royall beneficence obtained the ſeventy Seniours to be ſent by Eleazar the High-prieſt,Gualther: praelat. in Com. in Ma[illegible: 1 letter]e. for the tranſlating of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. His ſucceſſour Ptoiomaeus Lathurus was nothing ſo courteous: for he ſlew 30000. of them with unheard-of cruelty: and made the living devour the dead.

and gather them out of Aſſyria] whither the ten tribes were carried captive, and ſcattered all abroad through the one hundred twenty and ſeven province, as Haman ſuggeſted to the king Eſth. 3.8.

and I will bring them into the land of Gilcad and Lebanon] that is, into Judea (the bounds whereof were Lobanus and Gilead) a figure of the Church, that land of delights. See Cant. 4.1, 8. Gods Hephſibah Iſa. 62.4. O praeclaram illam dieculam? when ſhall it once be? The comfort is, God can make a nation conceive and bring forth, both in one day Eſay 66.8. O pray, pray, pray, as Pſal. 14.7. and as the poor Jews pray at this day, Let thy kingdome come ſpeedily, Bimherah bejamenu. and even in our dayes.

Verſe 11. And he ſhall paſſe thorough the ſea &c.] who ſhall? The people for want of roome, ſaith Junius: they ſhall enlarge their quarters into Egypt,Tranſiens per mare angu[illegible: 4 letters]s. Aſſyria and other nations ſubduing them to Chriſt. God ſhall (ſay others, and I think better) he ſhall fright the ſea, and miraculouſly deliver his people, as once he did at the red ſea, which threatened to ſwallow them, but God made it to preſerve them. He will remove all rubs and Remora's, all obſtacles and impediments: Neither Egypt, nor Aſſyria ſhall be able to hinder what God will have done. See Iſa. 11.15. The miſunderſtanding of this and the like texts to this, might haply occaſion that unhappineſſe that befell the Jews in Creet Anno 434, The devill under the name of Moſes (whom he perſonated) perſwaded thoſe poor creatures, that he was ſent from God, to bring them home againe to their own countrey. This they ſoon beleeved (as they are wondrous apt to work themſelves into the fooles paradiſe of a ſublime dotage) and leaving all their good to others, followed this ſeducer (who had ſpent a whole yeer in travelling over the countrey for the purpoſe) together with their wives and children to the top of a ſteep rock that hung over the ſea. Thither when they were come, this mo[illegible: 2 letters] Moſes commanded them to wrap their heads in their upper garments, and ſo to th[illegible: 3 letters] themſelves from the rock toward the ſea, aſſuring them of a ſafe paſſage. They readily obeyed him: and in that ſort periſhed a great many of them. And more had followed, but that (as God would have it) ſome Chriſtian fiſhermen, being there at that inſtant, took up ſome of them as they were ſ[illegible: 1 letter]oting upon the waves, and ready to periſh: who afterwards returning to the reſt of the Jews, told them how they had been cheated, and how nar[illegible: 1 letter]owly they had eſcaped:Funcc. Chron. whereupon they being all enraged (as they had reaſon) ſought for this Seducer to put him to death. But when he could not poſſibly be found any where, they ſoon concluded that it was the very devill that old man-ſlayer: and diverſe of them, moved by this calamity, became Chriſtians. The Jews generally beleeve that their Meſſias when he commeth ſhall do ſuch miracles as Moſes wrought at the red ſea.Hieron. Remig. Huge. They tell us alſo that in the time of the Maccabees, diverſe Jews that had ſled into Greece paſſed through the narrow ſea of Propontis, that runs betwixt Chalcedon and Conſtantinople, to go back into their own countrey.

and all the deepes of the rivers ſhall dry up] As once Iordan did before Joſhuah and the people: and as Rev. 16.12. Euphrates ſhall do before thoſe kings of the Eaſt, which ſome make to be the Eaſtern Jews: and the drying up of Euphrates, to be the downfall of the Turkiſh Empire. Event will be the beſt interpreter, when all's done.

Verſe 12. And I will ſtrengthen them in the Lord] that is, in Chriſt the head of the Churches: for by his own ſtrength ſhall no man prevaile, ſaith holy Hannah 1 Sam. 2.9. and without me ye can do nothing, ſaith Chriſt the true vine,Ioh. 15.5. from whom we have both the bud of good deſires, the bloſſom of good reſolutions, and the fruit of good actions. Only we muſt fetch our ſtrength by faith from Chriſt: and pray as Eſay 51.9. Awake, awake, put on ſtrength, O arm of the Lord.

and they ſhall walk in his name] i. e. in his ſtrength and to his glory. See that ſweet promiſe Iſa. 40.29, 30, 31. See alſo the Note above on verſe 6.