+ Hcb- in- bring others into the Church, and ro acquaint them with the Do-
Arine of Chriſt ; and this is here forctold under the Zeal and For-
the wardneſs of the Fews to gather one another , and to aſcend thus
to the Temple. q In going let us go, ſet forth preſently, hold on conſtantly and chearfully, Iſa. 2. 3+ Mic. 4.2. r To call upon his Name, entreat his Favour, or Face, as 'tis Heb. one part of religious Worſhip put for all, and explain'd by ſeeking the Lord for Counſel and Supply, for Grace, Comfort and Glory. s This foretels a rea- dineſs in the inviced, they ſhall with as much Zeal embrace the Motion, as ethers made it, |
22 Yea, many people and ſtrong nations ſhall come to izek the LORD of hoſts in Jeruſalem s, and to pray 7 before the LORD.
This Verſe is both Confirmation and Illuſtration to the former, chere *rwas People, here 'tis many People, and mighty, or great, not the porr, and conreniptible, and few, but People of a greater Figure in the World. The Goſpel firſt ſpread it ſelf chrough the Roman Empire, and triumphed in Rome the Lady of the World. Strong Mrions ſubmitted to the Goſpel. s Literally underftood you have {0 ll Fruits of them mentioned in Affs 2. Io, I1, I2, Myſtically, 7eru:1em is the Church of Chriſt, or the State of it in the times of the Goſpel, Pſalm 110. 2. 1ſa. 2.3. t To perform all Goſpel-Wor- ſip to the Lord.
22 Thus ſaith the LORD of hoſts z, In thoſe days it ſhell come 10 paſs x, that ten men y ſhall take hold 2 out of all languages « of the nations, even ſhall take hold of the $kirt of him that is a Jew 6, ſaying, We will go with you c: for we have heard d * 7hat God e 7s with you f.
The Lord ſeems delighted with the reporting what ſhould be done 17 thoſe Days of the building up his Feruſalem, and therefore he bids his Prophet report it again, as he dothin this laſt verſe of the chap. u Once more the Lord avows this as his Defign, ſo his Work; as his Purpoſe, ſo he would effe& ir. x In the Days which ſhall be the Shadow of better , that ſhall be brought to paſs which ſhall be proportioned to them; thus in the deliverance of the Church trom H.man's Conſpiracy, many in the Provinces of that mighty Kinzdom became Jews but in the Goſpel-days it fhall be more full. y That is, many Men. 2 As Children lay hold on the Nurſe, or Mo- ther's Skirt to go with them. a No Nation any longer excluded. b To whom the Goſpel was firſt preached, nay, who were the firſt Preachers of it, as the Apoſtles and the ſeventy Diſciples. c We will go, that we may learn your Religion, and beof it. d And now ſee, believe and are affured. e The true God, the only true God, whom to kno 15 Life Erernal, is with you, our Gods are Vanity, a BDotrine ct Lies, and a pernicious Cheatz we will caſt them off, and no m2re truft to Lies. f God is with you only,and we muſt he with you, a1d of you, that God the Saviour may be with us too ; having hold on you, we will not let you go without us, we feek your God aud our Gcd.
# R I 4 it
CHAT. 1K
God deftroyeth his enemies, but defendeth his church, x——8. Exhortery Zion to rejoyce at the coming, and her deliverance by Chrift, 9 — 11, promiſeth vifory over her enemies, and all manner of bleſſings, 121 7
HE burden 2 of the word 6 of the LORD; in d
the land of Hadrach e, and * Damaſcus f hall he
the reſt thereof'g : when h the eyes 7 of man, as of all the tribes of Iſrael /ha/! be towards the LORD.
a i.e. The heavy, ſad and grievous, the menacing PrediQion. 0< future Evils coming upon a People ſo Burden in Prophetick Stile Iſa. 13. 1. and Is. I. Nah. 1.1. Hab. 1: 1. fignifieth. 6 In which trom God's own Mouth Zechariah threatneth. This might be read in
the Lord threatneth ſad Affi@ions, they will come as a heavy Burden
they cannot decline without Repentance, nor ſhake off by their own ſtrength. c Of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, who determines what he will do againſt Iſrae!'s Enemies, and none can alter his Purpoſe, d Or on, againſt, Heb. e Not Meſſiah's Land, as ſome; nor the Land of an 1d, called Hadrach, 7. e. the Sun, as others ; nor yet the Land or Countries that lie round about 7udea, as others; nor yet is Arg- bia, here meant as others, but 'tis the Name both of a City in Gels- ſyria, and here ſignifieth the Country alſo. This Town was not far from Damaſcus, and about 25 Miles diſtant from Boſtra, a Sea-Town of Phenicia, which is not far trom Byblos, now called Giblee, or Gibel- letto,fays my Author ; no farther mention is made of it in Scripture, It was likely an Enemy to the Fews, and had finn'd therein, and now muſt account for it, and be puniſhed. f Chief City of thar part of Syria; and whether Abel was ſlain there or no, or whether thar Mur- der gave it the Name, or whether the Etymology be rightly given CDam._) Blood, (Sach._) a Bag, I ſay nor. But 'twas no Friend to God's People, Iſa. 7. and here 'tis threatned among other their Ene- mies, the Country is intended here as well as the City. g This Bur- den ſhall lie long as well as heavy on Damaſcus. h Rather for, Heb, : Eye, Heb. as we read it, it is of ſome difficult Interpretation, bur more eaſe if read, as it may be, thus, For unto the Lord is the Eye of Man, and of the Tribes of Iſrael; i. e. unto the Lord it belongeth to look to, and by his Providence to diſpoſe of all Men as well as of Iſrael, and all Mens Appeals in Caſes of wrong are to Heaven ; ſo they who fave been wrong'd by Syrian Injuſtice, look to Heayen for Right, and to be avenged, and God will do it. ;
2 And Hamath # alſo ſhall border / thereby ; Ty-