PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Zechariah
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 90,735 words · 163 reading sections
Zechariah 1:1
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Zechariah 1:1 INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH This book is in the Hebrew copies called "the Book of Zechariah"; in the Vulgate Latin version, "the Prophecy of Zechariah"; and, in the Syriac and Arabic versions, the Prophecy of the Prophet Zechariah. His name, according to Jerom,…
1,330 wordsSECTION 2Zechariah 1:2
Zechariah 1:2 Ver. 2. The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Who lived before and at the time of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and which was manifest by their captivity; all which were occasioned by their sins, with which they provoked the Lord to sore displeasure against them; and this is m…
76 wordsSECTION 3Zechariah 1:3
Zechariah 1:3 Ver. 3. Therefore say thou unto them,.... This is an order from the Lord to Zechariah, to say unto them, in the name of the Lord: thus saith the Lord of hosts; of the hosts above and below, of angels and of men, of heaven and earth, and all that is therein: this is said, that the greater regard might be…
201 wordsSECTION 4Zechariah 1:4
Zechariah 1:4 Ver. 4. Be ye not as your fathers,.... Who lived before the captivity, and misused the prophets and messengers of the Lord, and despised his word, and fell into gross idolatry; the evil examples of parents and ancestors are not to be followed: unto whom the former prophets have cried: such as Hosea, Isa…
182 wordsSECTION 5Zechariah 1:5
Zechariah 1:5 Ver. 5. Your fathers, where [are] they?.... They are not in the land of the living; they perished by the sword of the Chaldeans, or died in captivity: and the prophets, do they live for ever? meaning either the false prophets, as Hananiah and Shemaiah, Jer 28:17 or the true prophets of the Lord; and the…
131 wordsSECTION 6Zechariah 1:6
Zechariah 1:6 Ver. 6. But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets,.... That is, the predictions which he ordered his prophets to declare in his name, that their fathers should die by the sword, or famine, or pestilence, or be carried captive, which he purposed in himself, and threatened th…
192 wordsSECTION 7Zechariah 1:7
Zechariah 1:7 Ver. 7. Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat,.... Called Sabat in the Septuagint version, and in the Apocrypha: "Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking care for the good ordering of them; at which time he came down himself to Jer…
470 wordsSECTION 8Zechariah 1:8
Zechariah 1:8 Ver. 8. I saw by night,.... Or, "that night" {m}; the night of the twenty fourth of Sebat; a proper and usual time for visions; and it may denote the obscurity of the vision, as it was in some respects to the prophet; and the state of the church at this time, it being a night season with it, and in a low…
2,902 wordsSECTION 9Zechariah 1:9
Zechariah 1:9 Ver. 9. Then said I, O my Lord,.... These are the words of the Prophet Zechariah to the angel that showed him this vision: what are these? what is the meaning of this vision? particularly who are meant by the horses, red, speckled, and white, and those upon them? And the angel that talked with me; who …
117 wordsSECTION 10Zechariah 1:10
Zechariah 1:10 Ver. 10. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said,.... And so prevented the angel from giving the account he was about to give; and who was more capable of it, and which to do was great condescension in him, and was doing the prophet a singular honour: these [are they] whom the L…
131 wordsSECTION 11Zechariah 1:11
Zechariah 1:11 Ver. 11. And they answered the Angel of the Lord, that stood among the myrtle trees, and said,.... That is, the ministering angels, signified by the red horses, speckled, and white, replied to what the Angel of the Lord had said concerning them; or rather agreed to and confirmed his account of them; or …
141 wordsSECTION 12Zechariah 1:12
Zechariah 1:12 Ver. 12. Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said,.... The same that was among the myrtle trees in the bottom, Zec 1:8: O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Judah; which were fallen to ruin, and had lain waste for many years. These words are expressi…
189 wordsSECTION 13Zechariah 1:13
Zechariah 1:13 Ver. 13. And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me,.... See Zec 1:9 what was the effect of Christ's intercession for the people of the Jews, was communicated to a ministering angel, and by him to the Prophet Zechariah: [with] good words, and comfortable words; such as would be for the good an…
2,754 wordsSECTION 14Zechariah 2:1
Zechariah 2:1 INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 2 This chapter contains a prophecy of the church under the Gospel dispensation; of the largeness and numbers of it; and of its protection and glory, through the presence of God in it. In this vision a man is seen with a measuring line in his hand, to measure Jerusalem with, Zec…
396 wordsSECTION 15Zechariah 2:2
Zechariah 2:2 Ver. 2. Then said I, Whither goest thou?.... As it showed great freedom and boldness in the prophet to put such a question to the man with the measuring reed, it was great condescension in him to return him an answer, as follows: and he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem; not literally understood, which…
159 wordsSECTION 16Zechariah 2:3
Zechariah 2:3 Ver. 3. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth,.... See Zec 1:9 and he "went forth" from the place where the prophet was, with whom he had been conversing: and another angel went out to meet him: the same that was seen among the myrtle trees, Zec 1:8 and here, with a measuring line in his…
68 wordsSECTION 17Zechariah 2:4
Zechariah 2:4 Ver. 4. And said unto him,.... That is, the other angel said to the angel that had been talking with the prophet, Run, speak to this young man: meaning Zechariah, who was either young in years, as Samuel and Jeremiah were when they prophesied; or he was a servant of a prophet older than he, and therefor…
654 wordsSECTION 18Zechariah 2:5
Zechariah 2:5 Ver. 5. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about,..... So that she needs no other wall to secure her, the power of God encompassing her about as the mountains did Jerusalem, Ps 125:2 and he being as a wall of fire to terrify and destroy her enemies; for our God is a consuming fi…
708 wordsSECTION 19Zechariah 2:6
Zechariah 2:6 Ver. 6. Ho, ho,.... This word expresses a call and proclamation; and is doubled, as Kimchi observes, to confirm it; and so the Targum paraphrases it, "proclaim to the dispersed:'' [come forth], and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord; that is, from Babylon, which lay north of Judea; see Jer…
238 wordsSECTION 20Zechariah 2:7
Zechariah 2:7 Ver. 7. Deliver thyself, O Zion,.... Or make thy escape, you that belong to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, and ought to have your abode there, and not in Babylon: flee from thence, that dwelleth [with] the daughter of Babylon; in any of the antichristian states, who are the daughters of Babylon…
110 wordsSECTION 21Zechariah 2:8
Zechariah 2:8 Ver. 8. For thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... Christ, who is the true Jehovah, and Lord of armies, as appears from his being sent in the next clause: After the glory; which is promised, Zec 2:5 so the Targum and Kimchi; or, "afterwards" shall be "the glory" {l}; or a glorious time and state; that is, af…
877 wordsSECTION 22Zechariah 2:9
Zechariah 2:9 Ver. 9. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them,.... The nations; either the Babylonian, or the antichristian states; meaning, that he would exert his power, and inflict punishment on them, and utterly destroy them; which would be done by the bare shaking of his hand: and they shall be a spoil to …
246 wordsSECTION 23Zechariah 2:10
Zechariah 2:10 Ver. 10. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion,.... Or, "congregation of Zion", as the Targum paraphrases it; the Jewish church, great numbers of that people being converted, and in a church state; or the whole Christian church at this time, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, who are called upon to rejoice…
177 wordsSECTION 24Zechariah 2:11
Zechariah 2:11 Ver. 11. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day,.... The Gospel will be preached in all nations, and multitudes will be converted, and embrace and profess the Christian religion, and join themselves to the churches of Christ, which, in the New Testament, is expressed by being joined to…
176 wordsSECTION 25Zechariah 2:12
Zechariah 2:12 Ver. 12. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land,.... The Lord's people is his portion, and the lot of his inheritance; whom he has chosen, and calls as such, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; but here it seems to mean the believing Jews; who, it is very likely, upon their conversi…
186 wordsSECTION 26Zechariah 2:13
Zechariah 2:13 Ver. 13. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord,.... Be filled with fear, awe, and astonishment, at the wonderful work of God; the destruction of antichrist; the conversion of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles: let them not open their mouths, or dare to say one word against it. The Targum inter…
216 wordsSECTION 27Zechariah 3:1
Zechariah 3:1 INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 3 In this chapter, under the type of Joshua the high priest, is showed the state and condition of the priesthood, and of the church of God, in his times; and in it are various promises concerning the true High Priest, Christ, and of the efficacy and permanency of his priesthood…
1,231 wordsSECTION 28Zechariah 3:2
Zechariah 3:2 Ver. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan,.... The same with the Angel of the Lord, Zec 3:1 having heard the charge brought by him against Joshua, here called Jehovah, being the Son of God, and properly God: The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; these words may be considered, either as the intercession of Jehovah t…
651 wordsSECTION 29Zechariah 3:3
Zechariah 3:3 Ver. 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments,.... Having fallen into sin. The Jewish writers {z} interpret this of the sin of his children in marrying strange wives, Ezr 10:18 or he had married one himself, as Jerom from the Jews, on the place; or a whore, as Justin Martyr {a} suggests; or had bee…
829 wordsSECTION 30Zechariah 3:4
Zechariah 3:4 Ver. 4. And he answered, and spake,.... That is, the Angel of the Lord, before whom Joshua stood, answered to the accusations of Satan, and the entreaties of Joshua: and spake unto those that stood before him; not the fellows that sat before Joshua, Zec 3:8 for the priests, who were Joshua's fellows, co…
1,102 wordsSECTION 31Zechariah 3:5
Zechariah 3:5 Ver. 5. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head,.... These are either the words of Jehovah the Father, who has all the angels at his command, and can order them to do what he pleases; always regards the intercession of Christ; is ever well pleased with his righteousness, and with his people, …
1,206 wordsSECTION 32Zechariah 3:6
Zechariah 3:6 Ver. 6. And the Angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying. He not only gave his word, but annexed his oath; he called as it were heaven and earth to witness; and this he did to confirm the faith of Joshua in the promises he was about to make, as well as in the blessings of grace bestowed upon him; …
79 wordsSECTION 33Zechariah 3:7
Zechariah 3:7 Ver. 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... For this Angel was no other than the Lord of armies in heaven and in earth: If thou wilt walk in my ways; prescribed in the word of God, moral, ceremonial, and evangelical; in Christ the grand way, and indeed the only way of salvation; and in the paths of faith,…
389 wordsSECTION 34Zechariah 3:8
Zechariah 3:8 Ver. 8. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest,.... What he was about to say further concerning the bringing forth of the Messiah, the antitype of him, and of all the priests: thou and thy fellows, that sit before thee; the Jews interpret {w} these of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, for whom wonders were wr…
1,039 wordsSECTION 35Zechariah 3:9
Zechariah 3:9 Ver. 9. For, behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua,.... Not the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; nor the first and foundation stone of the temple laid by him in the presence of Joshua; but Christ the Stone of Israel, whom the builders refused, the foundation and corner stone of the spiritual…
1,903 wordsSECTION 36Zechariah 3:10
Zechariah 3:10 Ver. 10. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts,.... The Gospel dispensation, which began with the incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, and still continues; called sometimes the day of salvation, the acceptable time, and year of the redeemed:shall ye call every man his neighbour und…
283 wordsSECTION 37Zechariah 4:1
Zechariah 4:1 INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 4 In this chapter are contained the vision of a golden candlestick, and of two olive trees by it, and the explanation thereof. The preparation to this vision, which is the awaking of the prophet, as of a man out of sleep, is in Zec 4:1. The vision of the candlestick, and olive …
268 wordsSECTION 38Zechariah 4:2
Zechariah 4:2 Ver. 2. And said unto me, What seest thou?.... That is, after he was awake, and had looked about him: And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all [of] gold; such an one as was in the tabernacle of Moses, only with this difference; that had no bowl on the top, nor seven pipes to it, nor two o…
1,410 wordsSECTION 39Zechariah 4:3
Zechariah 4:3 Ver. 3. And the two olive trees by it,.... Which are explained in, See Gill on "Zec 4:14": one upon the right [side] of the bowl, and the other upon the left [side] thereof; in Zec 4:11 they are said to be on the right and left sides of the bowl or candlestick, which is the same; for the situation of th…
147 wordsSECTION 40Zechariah 4:4
Zechariah 4:4 Ver. 4. So I answered, and spake to the angel that talked with me,.... The same that awoke him out of sleep, and asked him what he saw: saying, What [are] these, my lord? that is, what do they signify? what do they represent? or what are they emblems of? for he knew what they were; that they were a cand…
80 wordsSECTION 41Zechariah 4:5
Zechariah 4:5 Ver. 5. Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me,.... Either to upbraid him with his ignorance and stupidity; or rather to quicken his attention, and that of others, to the interpretation of it he was about to give him: Knowest thou not what these be? art thou ignorant of the design …
98 wordsSECTION 42Zechariah 4:6
Zechariah 4:6 Ver. 6. Then he answered, and spake unto me, saying,.... In great condescension, in order to instruct him into the true meaning of the vision: This [is] the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel; this signifies what was said by the Lord to Zerubbabel, by some one of the prophets sent unto him: saying, Not b…
703 wordsSECTION 43Zechariah 4:7
Zechariah 4:7 Ver. 7. Who art thou, O great mountain?.... This is said in reference to those who opposed the building of the temple, as Sanballat, and others; or the Persian monarchy, and Babylon the capital of it; a mountain being a symbol of a kingdom, or capital city; so Babylon is called, Jer 51:25 hence the Targu…
1,416 wordsSECTION 44Zechariah 4:8
Zechariah 4:8 Ver. 8. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. As follows; which is a confirmation of the angel's interpretation of the vision.…
28 wordsSECTION 45Zechariah 4:9
Zechariah 4:9 Ver. 9. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house,.... The temple at Jerusalem, which was laid, or however renewed, after it had been long neglected, even the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, two months before this vision and prophecy, Hag 2:18 compared with Zec 1:7: his h…
443 wordsSECTION 46Zechariah 4:10
Zechariah 4:10 Ver. 10. For who hath despised the day of small things?.... This literally refers to the building of the second temple, which was contemptible to the enemies of Judah, Sanballat, and others; and little in the eyes of many of the Jews themselves, who had seen the former temple; yet not in the eyes of the…
1,366 wordsSECTION 47Zechariah 4:11
Zechariah 4:11 Ver. 11. Then answered I, and said unto him,.... To the angel that talked with him, Zec 4:1: What [are] these two olive trees upon the right [side] of the candlestick, and upon the [left] side thereof? in Zec 4:2 they are said to be on each side of the bowl. The mystery of the candlestick being explain…
100 wordsSECTION 48Zechariah 4:12
Zechariah 4:12 Ver. 12. And I answered again, and said unto him,.... Before he could have an answer to the former question, he puts the following, as being of the same import: What [be these] two olive branches; which grew upon the olive trees, and were nearest to the candlestick, and the pipes that were to the lamps…
1,166 wordsSECTION 49Zechariah 4:13
Zechariah 4:13 Ver. 13. And he answered me, and said,.... That is, the angel answered to the prophet's questions: Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord; See Gill on "Zec 4:5".…
38 wordsSECTION 50Zechariah 4:14
Zechariah 4:14 Ver. 14. Then said he, These [are] the two anointed ones,.... Or "sons of oil" {t}. Some think the gifts and graces of the Spirit are meant, which come from the God of all grace, remain with Christ, are given freely by him to the sons of God, and are always for the service of the church, and sufficient …
736 wordsSECTION 51Zechariah 5:1
Zechariah 5:1 INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 5 This chapter treats of the judgments of God upon the wicked Jews for their sins and impieties, the measure of which was filled up, and of the execution of them, which are represented in two visions: the first is of a flying roll, which signifies the curse of God, and is descr…
301 wordsSECTION 52Zechariah 5:2
Zechariah 5:2 Ver. 2. And he said unto me,.... That is, the angel: What seest thou? and I answered, I see a flying roll, the length whereof [is] twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits; so that it was a very large one, a volume of a very uncommon size, especially it may so seem to us; but in other nations t…
342 wordsSECTION 53Zechariah 5:3
Zechariah 5:3 Ver. 3. Then said he unto me, This [is] the curse,.... So the law of Moses is called, because it has curses written in it, De 27:15 which curse is not causeless, but is according to law and justice; it is from the Lord, and is no other than the wrath of the Almighty; and, wherever it lights, it will rema…
381 wordsSECTION 54Zechariah 5:4
Zechariah 5:4 Ver. 4. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts,.... The roll was come forth, and was flying abroad; but the curse and wrath of God, signified by it, is what God would bring forth out of his treasures, according to his purposes and declarations, and execute upon sinners; which shows the certainty …
299 wordsSECTION 55Zechariah 5:5
Zechariah 5:5 Ver. 5. Then the angel that talked with me went forth,.... From the place where he was, and had been interpreting the vision of the flying roll, unto another more convenient for showing and explaining the following one; and, as it should seem, took the prophet along with him: and said unto me, Lift up n…
87 wordsSECTION 56Zechariah 5:6
Zechariah 5:6 Ver. 6. And I said, What [is] it?.... After he had lifted up his eyes and seen it, he desires to know both what it was, and what was the meaning of it: and he said, This [is] an ephah that goeth forth; which was a measure much in use with the Jews, Ex 16:36 it is the same with the "bath", and held above…
269 wordsSECTION 57Zechariah 5:7
Zechariah 5:7 Ver. 7. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead,.... By the angel; since he is afterwards said to cast it upon the mouth of the "ephah". A cicar, or talent of silver, with the Jews, was equal to three thousand shekels, as may be gathered from Ex 38:24 and weighed a hundred and twenty five pound…
495 wordsSECTION 58Zechariah 5:8
Zechariah 5:8 Ver. 8. And he said, This [is] wickedness,.... A representation of wicked men, who are wickedness itself, as their inward part is, Ps 5:9 and particularly of the wicked one, the man of sin and son of perdition, the Roman antichrist and apocalyptic beast; who, though he is called by this title, "his Holin…
344 wordsSECTION 59Zechariah 5:9
Zechariah 5:9 Ver. 9. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked,.... This is not a new vision, but a continuation of the former, as appears from the "ephah" seen in it: and, behold, there came out two women; out of the same place the "ephah" did. The Targum explains these "two women" by two provinces; and Kimchi interpr…
1,009 wordsSECTION 60Zechariah 5:10
Zechariah 5:10 Ver. 10. Then said I to the angel that talked with me;.... This the prophet said after he had seen the "ephah" come forth; the woman, wickedness, cast into it, and the talent of lead upon her; and the two women lifting up the ephah between heaven and earth: Whither do these bear the ephah? he neither a…
79 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.