The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 93

mea.ne ( eh. xii. 5, 6). It is used of the all hostile attacks. The phrase, "him thl\t chiefs of Eclom in Gen. xxxvi. 16, 16, paeseth by e.nd him that rcturneth,'' is used cto., whoro the Authorized Version gives of an enemy making incursions, or attack-in~ "dukes." 'l'he tribes of Israel were divicled at various points (see note on eh. vii. 14). into thousands, consisting of families, each The Vnlgate gives the whole clause thus: of which was held together by closer e.ffinities Circumdabo domum meam ez his, qui militant thl\n tho mere tribal bond (see note on Micah mihi euntea et Te'llerlentea, "I will defend my v. 2). Tho mea.ning is that the Philistine house with a guard chosen from those who sha.11 bo aJmittcd into the commonwee.lth of serve me and do my will," i.e. angels. But Israel as one of her chiefs. Ekron aa a this seems far from the signification of the Jebueite. ' "Ekron" is equivalent to "the Hebrew. Pusey restricts the meaning to Ekron i te," who again stands in the place the proceedings of Alexander, who passed of nil the Philistines. The Jebusites were by Judrea on hie way to Egypt, and returned the ancient possessors of Zion, who held by the same route, without doing any injury their position till the days of David, and, to Jerusalem. Here comes in the Talmudic when at last conquered by him (2 Sam. story related by Josephus (' Ant.,' xi. 8). v. 6, eto.), were incorporated into his nation, The Jews "repaid the protection of Persia and, as we may infer from Araunah's conduct, with a devoted loyalty, which prompted adopted his religion (2 Sam. xx.iv. 22; them to refuse the demand of submission I Chrou. xxi. 23). God promises here that ma.de by Alexander during- the siege of the Philistines, like the J ebusites, shall be Tyre. He marched to chastise them after absorbed into the Jewish Church. Mr. the fall of Gaza, and the beautiful city had Drake (' Speaker's Commentary,' i1' loc.) already risen before his view on the hill of curiously renders, "He shall be as Eleph Zion, when he found the h.igh priest Jadclua. (Josh. xviii. 28) in Judah, and Ekron as waiting his approach a.t the watch-station Jebusi," explaining that the cities of Philistia of Sapha, clad in his robes of gold and were to be incorporated into Judrea. The purple, and followed by a train of priests conquests of Alexander conduced to the con- and citizens in pure white. The conqueror version of the heathen and their reception bowed in reverence to the Holy Name upon into the Church of God; and the general the high priest's frontlet; and, being asked principle enunciated by all the prophets by Parmeuio the reason of h.is cond net, said was thus abundantly confirmed. But it is that in a dream at Dinm, he had seen the not easy to discover the exact historical God of Jaddua, who encouraged him to pass fulfilment of the latter part of this prophecy, over into Asia, and promised him success. concerning the merging of the Philistines Then entering Jerusalem, he offered sacrifice in the Jewish nation. Josephus (' Ant.,' in the temple, heard the prophecy of Daniel xiii. 15. 4) tells us that, about B.o. 100, the about himseU, and granted certain privileges Jews held most of their cities, destroying to all the Jews throughont hii empire. The some whose inhabitants refused to become desire to honour :i. shrine so celebrated as proselytes. In the time of our Lord, by the Jewish temple is quite in accordan~e reason of intermarriage and social inter- with the conduct of Alexander at Ilium and course, the Philistines had ceased to be Ephesus, Gordium and Tyre. The privileges regarded as a separate nation; and a little he is said to have conferred upon the Jews Inter Philistia, fur from being considered as were enjoyed under his successors, and alien and hostile, under the form Palestine, some minor matters have been adduced in gave its name to the whole country. Uhristi- confirmation of the story. On the other anity, too, made rapid progress in this dis- hand, the classical writers are entirely trict, so that the pe:i.lmist's words received silent on the subject, and the details of herein 11 fulfilment,'' Behold Ph.ilistia, and Josephus involve grave historical incon- Tyre, with Cush; this one was born there" sistencies. It seems not an unreasonable (Ps. lxxxvii. 4). conjecture that the story is an embellish- Ver. 8.-While the heathen world suffers ment of some incident that occurred when the judgment of God, he protects his own the high priest came to Gaza to teuder the people. I will encamp about (/or the submission of the Jews. But we must not protection of) my house. God's house, or dismiss it without a remark on tile ve.st family, is the kingdom and Chlll'ch of Israel, influence which the conquests of Alexander as Hos. viii. 1. Septuagint, '"f11o<TTf/<Toµ.a, T<p had in bringing the Jows iuto closer relations oY,cq, µ.ou avcl.uT71µ.a, "I will erect a fortifica- with the !'est of Asia., and so preparing them tion for my house." Because of the army. to fulfil their ultimo.to destiny as Christiuus" It may also be translllted " against," or (P. Smith, 'History of tho Worhl,' i. 60, "from;" i.e. to defend it from the hostile etc.). Oppressor. The word is u:;ed for 11,rmy. Others, pointing differently, render, "taekmllBter" in Exod. iii. 7. Srptmigiut, "ns a garrison,'' or "mm part." Because of l(Ei\av,..,v, "one who drives away;" Vul- (aycifoBt) him that pnsseth by, otc. Ago.inst g11te, e:i;actor. This hitter rendering w,,uld 92 THE BOOK OF ZECliARIAlI. tOIJ, tx, 1-1'/.