The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 132

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XIL God creates the souls of men, and moulds and guides them. In life e.nd death men Ver. 1-ch. xiv. 21.-B. THE SEOO:!l'D work out his purposes (Numb. xvi. 22; Heb; BURDEN. xii. 9). Vera. 1-9.-§ 1. The prophet proceeds Ver. 2.-,-A oup of trembling; a bo1Dl of to announce Israel's conflict with heathen reeling-a. bowl whose contents co.use stag- gering and reeling, ws 1rp&8vpa. <ia.>..<v0~•11a. powers. H osti1e nations gather together "as •tottering porticoes" (Septuagint): against Je'MJJlalem, but shall themsel'!1es be wperliminare crapul!B (Vulgo.te). Thie Oflerlhroom ; for the people and their leaders, Jerome explains to mean the.t any one who trr,sti,,g in the Lord, overcome aU opposition. crosses the threshold of J ernsalem in hostile guise shall totter a.ad fa.II. Jerusalem is Ver. 1.-The burden of the word of the the co.pit.al and type .of the Messianic Lord for (concerning) Ismel This is the theocracy; the hostile powers of the world title of the eecond oracle, corresponding to crowd round her, like thirsting men round e. that o.t the hea.d of eh. ix. Though the bowl of wine; but they find the draught is literal Israel he.s been rejected, ea we se.w fa.to.I to them; they stagger be.ck discomfited in the le.st "burden," e. new ,people of God and destroyed. The figure of the cup and a.rises (Hos. i. 10), the Messianic theocracy, drunkenness is often employed to denote the which is e.lso called Israel, whose fortune& jndgment of God upon tro.nsgressors, which the prophet herein delineates, describing its makes them incapable of defence or escape probation, its contests, triumph, and develop- (com·p. lee.. Ii. 17; Jer. xxv. 15, etc.; Ii. 39, ment. The body is like its Head; as the 57; Ho.b. ii. 16). The people; the peoples good Shepherd, Christ, wea persecut.ed and (so vers. 3, 4, 6). The heathen nations who rejected., so his members, the true Israelites, war ago.inst God's people. When they shall suffer at the hand of the world and Satan, be in the siege, etc. This gives e. good before they e.re finally glorified. Some sense, but the Hebrew will not allow it. critics suppose that " Israel" here is written Septuagint, 'Ev ,,.fi 'Iovlia.('f {na., 1r•p•ox¾ /,rl by mistake for "Jerusalem," e.s posaibly in 'lfpouua.>,.fiµ, "In Judmo. there shall be a J ~r. x.xiiL 6 (see note on eh. i 19). It is blockade against Jerusalem:" Vulgo.t~ best to put a fnll stop after "Israel," and Bed et Jud,a erit in obsidione contra Jeru- begin a new sentence "?th "'Thus saith salem, which may mean that Judah shall the Lord," or "The saymg of Jehovah.'' be among those that besiege Jerusalem, or Whioh 1tretcheth forth the heavens, etc. when Jerusalem is beset Judah shall suffer (comp. Isa. xliL 5; Amos iv. 13). The the same calamity. Pusey and Revised attributes of God are mentioned here Version :render," And upon Juwi.h also shall that all may believe tliat what he has it [i.e. 'the burden'] be in the siege JJromis.,d, that be is e.ble to perform. He agaiust Jerusalem." Oheyno, "And also is 1,ot only the Crea.tor, but alBo the Pre- on [or, 'over'] Judah it [i.e. the protection Server of all things (Pa. ci v. 2--4; Heb. i. and deliverance implied in the first clause of 3). Forme'.h the spirit of man within hi111- the verse] shall be, in the eiege," etc. AJ!y. on. xn. 1-14.J THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH. 135