Judgment on Israel's Enemies

Zec. 9:1 The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

The anointed King rejected

The Intervening Judgments on Nations Surrounding Israel

The NIV regards the term “An oracle” (“burden,” KJV) as a heading separated from Zec. 9:1, which begins with, “the word of the Lord” (cf. Zec. 12:1). This is probably more accurate than the redundant translation of the KJV, “The burden of the word of the Lord.” The Hebrew word maśśā' (“oracle”) is derived from the verb nāśā' which has two meanings - ”to bear” and “to lift up.” Though some translations (KJV, ASV) and scholars (e.g., Baldwin, Zechariah, pp. 162-3) have understood the word maśśā' to mean “burden,” an ominous message of judgment which was borne by the prophetic messenger, the word is more likely based on the other nuance of the verb - ”to lift up (the voice)” (cf. Jdg. 9:7, “shouted”; Isa. 3:7; 42:2, “cry out”). The noun is used this way (“oracle,” not “burden”) in Num. 23:7; 24:3, 24:15-16. So the noun in Zec. 9:1 and Zec. 12:1 should be translated “oracle” - what is lifted up (by the voice), whether a threat or a promise. In this context in Zechariah the two oracles are primarily promises of salvation.

The 14th prophecy in Zechariah (Zec. 9:1-17; 9:9 fulfilled; Zec. 9:1-8, 9:10-17 unfulfilled).

The burden...

משּׂא

maśśâ'

Definition:

Massa = “burden”

1) load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting (noun masculine)

1a) load, burden

1b) lifting, uplifting, that to which the soul lifts itself up

1c) bearing, carrying

1d) tribute, that which is carried or brought or borne

2) utterance, oracle, burden (noun masculine)

3) a son of Ishmael (noun proper masculine)

Part of Speech: see above in Definition

of the word...

דּבר

dâbâr

Definition:

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner

Part of Speech: noun masculine

of the Lord (Father)...

יהוה

yehôvâh

Definition:

Jehovah = “the existing One”

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointing of the Lord

Part of Speech: noun proper deity

in the land...

ארץ

'erets

Definition:

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

Part of Speech: noun feminine

Most conservative commentators regard Zec. 9:1-8 as a prophecy of the conquests of Alexander the Great throughout the area of Palestine after the battle of Issus in 333 b.c. Zechariah, living in the days of the Medo-Persian Empire, predicted the coming Grecian Empire (Zec. 9:1-8, 9:13), the Roman Empire (Zec. 11:4-14), and Israel’s future in the last days (chaps. 12-14).

Alexander the Great was probably the human cause of the destruction set forth in these and the following verses (the order of the cities seems to correspond generally with Alexander’s line of march). But his involvement is bypassed in this prophecy to stress the ultimate divine cause of the judgment on certain cities and countries beginning north of Israel. The northernmost location, Hadrach, was probably Hatarikka, a city and country lying north of Hamath and mentioned in Assyrian cuneiform inscriptions.

of Hadrach,...

חדרך

chadrâk

Definition:

Hadrach = “dwelling”

1) a city of Syria (mod Lebanon)

Part of Speech: noun proper locative

Damascus was the capital of Aram (Syria).

and Damascus...

דּרמשׂק / דּוּמשׂק / דּמּשׂק

dammeśeq / dûmeśeq / darmeśeq

Definition:

Damascus = “silent is the sackcloth weaver”

1) an ancient trading city, capital of Syria, located in the plain east of Hermon, 130 (205 kilometers) miles northeast of Jerusalem

Part of Speech: noun proper locative

shall be the rest...

מנחה / מנוּחה

menûchâh

Definition:

1) resting place, rest

1a) resting place

1b) rest, quietness

Part of Speech: noun feminine

thereof: when...

כּי

kı̂y

Definition:

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

Part of Speech: conjunction

The words, the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord indicate the awe of all peoples at the divine judgment brought on their cities. Hamath was an Aramean (Syrian) city north of Damascus on the Orontes River. Westward on the coast were the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon.

the eyes...

עין

‛ayin

Definition:

1) eye

1a) eye

1a1) of physical eye

1a2) as showing mental qualities

1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (figuratively)

2) spring, fountain

Part of Speech: noun feminine or masculine

of man,...

אדם

'âdâm

Definition:

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

Part of Speech: noun masculine

as of all...

כּול / כּל

kôl / kôl

Definition:

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Part of Speech: noun masculine

the tribes...

שׁבט

shêbeṭ

Definition:

1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe

1a) rod, staff

1b) shaft (of spear, dart)

1c) club (of shepherd’s implement)

1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)

1e) clan, tribe

Part of Speech: noun masculine

of Israel,...

ישׂראל

yiśrâ'êl

Definition:

Israel = “God prevails”

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

2b) the name used and given to the northern kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam; the southern kingdom was known as Judah

2c) the name of the nation after the return from exile

Part of Speech: noun proper masculine

shall be toward the Lord... see of the Lord above.

Thirty Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. The burden of Hadrach and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of all Jews and Gentiles shall be toward the Lord (Zec. 9:1).

2. The Lord will cast out Tyrus and smite her power in the sea (Zec. 9:4).

3. She shall be devoured by fire.

4. Ashkelon shall see it, and fear (Zec. 9:5).

5. Gaza shall see it, and be very sorrowful.

6. Ekron shall be ashamed of her expectation.

7. The king shall perish from Gaza.

8. Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

9. A bastard shall not dwell in Ashdod (Zec. 9:6).

10. I will cut off the Philistine pride.

11. I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth (Zec. 9:7).

12. The one that remains shall be for our God.

13. He shall be as governor in Judah.

14. Ekron shall be as the Jebusite.

15. I will encamp about My house because of the army, because of Him that passes by, and because of him that returns (Zec. 9:8).

16. No oppressor shall pass through them anymore.

17. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem (Zec. 9:10).

18. The battle bow shall be cut off.

19. He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

20. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

21. I will render double unto you (Zec. 9:12).

22. I will raise up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you as the sword of a mighty man (Zec. 9:13).

23. The Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning (Zec. 9:14).

24. God shall blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds of the south.

25. The Lord shall defend them (Zec. 9:15).

26. They shall devour and subdue with sling stones.

27. They shall drink, and make a noise through wine.

28. They shall be filled like bowls, and as corners of the altar.

29. God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people (Zec. 9:16).

30. The young men and women shall be happy (Zec. 9:17).