The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 133

intorprotation of tho passage which mo.kes Ver, 5.-The governors (chieftain~) of Jud11h join with the enemy in 11t.tacking J'udah she.II se.y in their heart. The leaders Jerusa.lem ie precluded by the very intimate of Judah have a profound, settled conviction union between Judah and Jerusalem de• that Jehovah is on his people's side. The noted in vore. 4-7, and by the hostility of inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be (are) my the nn!ione 11,ga.inst Judah. Cheyne's ex• strength. When they see the enemy dis• plo.nation is hardly o. natural one, however comfited (vers. 2-4) eacl1 of them shall suitable. Lowe (' Hehr. Stud. Comm.') have confidence in the Divine election of renders, '' And also on Judah [shall fall Jerusalem, foregoing their former jealousy, this reeling] during the siege [which is to and see in her success a token of God's ta.ko place] age.inst Jerusalem." It seems protection and their own final victory. best to render, with Alexander, "Also Ver. 6.-A hearth; literally, a pan. The against J uda.h shall it be in the siege victory should be easy and complete. The against J erusa.lem," i.e. not only the mother chieftains of Judah shall be like a chafing• city, but all the country, shall be exposed dish full of fire set among dry faggots to hostile invasion. Thie suite ver. 5, where (comp. Obad. 18; Nab. i. 10). In a the chieftains of Judah a.re represented as . sheaf; among sheaves. Jerusalem shall be trusting in the valour of the inhabitants of inhabited a.gain; rather, Jeru"3r,lem shall yet J eruea.lem when they are incurring the ea.me cgain dwelt Jerusalem is personified as a danger. female. In spite of all the attacks of the Ver. 3.-A burdensome stone, Jerusalem enemy, who tried to destroy and remove shall prove to all the nations that attack it her, she shall remain firm and unshaken in a. weight not only too heavy to lift, but one her own place. In Jerusalem, the centre of which, itself remaining unhurt, shall wound the theocracy where God has eet her. So and injure those who attempt to carry it. against the Church the gates of hell shall Jerome supposes here an e.llueion to a not prevail, and the persecutions which she custom in the towns of Pa.Jestine, which suffers increase her stability and add to her prevailed to hie de.y (and, indeed, in Syria numbers. even now), of placing round stones of great Ver. 7.-Shall save the tents of Judah weight a.t certain distances, by lifting which first. Instead of" first," a. preferable read• the you the tested tlleir bodily strengtll. But ing, supported by the Greek, Latin, and we do not know that this custom existed in Syriac Versions, is "e.s in the beginning," or Zecharia.h'e time; and the nations are not "as in former days." The prophet declares gathered together for amusement or display that the open towns and villages of J uda.h, of strengtll, but for hostile attack. Septua- which can offer no effectua.J. resistance to an gint, >..l9ov 1<<iT<i'll"tiToJµ.€vov, "e. stone trodden enemy like the fortified city J emsalem, shall down," which reminds "one of Luke xxi. be saved by the a.id of God, as so often has 24, 'l€poutr<t>..¾/µ. ltrTa.1 ,r<iTouµ.frr1 &n-b i9viiiv. ho.ppened in old time. If "first " be the Shall be cut in pieces; i.e. by the sharp genuine reading, the meaning is that the edges of the atone, or, as the Revised Ver- cou1try people slla.11 first be so.ved in ord•·~ sion, shall be sore wounded. Though ; to prevent Jernsa.lem glorifying herself at rather, and; Septuagint, 1<a.l lm,ruva.x6-f/trov- their expense. That the glory ... do not Ta.1: Vulga.te, et colligentur. All the people magnify themselves against (be not magni- (peoples) of the earth. Thie indicates fied above) Judah. God will save the chosen that the struggle spoken of is no mere local nation in such a manner that each part conflict, waged in Macce.bea.n or other times, shall have its she.re in the glory an,i but the great battle of the world against the honour. The leaders, represented by "the Churoh, which shall rage in the Messianio house of David" and "the inhabitants of era. J eruse.lem," as the ae.nctnary of God and a Ver. 4.-1 will smite every horse with strongly fortified oity, shall not be able to astonishment (consternation). Cavalry re- exa.J.t themselves as more favoured than the presents the forces of the enemy. Aetouish- rest of the people. By God's help a.I.one is ment, madness, e.nd blindness a.re threateued the victory won, e.nd all a.like share in this. against Israel in Deut. xxviii. 28; here they The expressions in this verse.could not have a.re inflicted ou the enemy. Madness. The been written, as some assert, while the riders should be so pu.uic-strioken that they dynasty of David reigned. knew not what they did, and shall turn Ver. 8.-Re that is feeble (literllol.ly, that their arms ago.inst each other (Hag, ii. 22). stumbleth) among them ... shall be as David. Open mine eyes upon the house of Jude.h ; God shall endue the inhobito.nts of Jerusalem i.e. will regard with favour and protect with marvellous strength and courage, so (Deut. xi. 12; 1 Kings viii. 29; Ps. xxxii. that the weakest among then, shall be a 8). With blindness. 'fhey shall be blinded hero suoh as David, who killed the lion anti. with terror. The previous threat is repeated bear and overcame the giant (comp. Ps. with this emphu.tio addition. xviii. 32). The house of David shElll be u  136 THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAII. [cH. xtr. 1-14.