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And over all the tribes of Israel:)

he is said to be chap. ii. 4. Upon the whole, this conclusion may be drawn; that, setting aside the doubtful authority of St. Matthew's text, there is nothing else to be found sufficient to invalidate the title of Zechariah to the chapters in question.

"This chapter begins with announcing the fate of the Syrians, Sidonians, and Philistines, contrasted with the better prospects of the Jewish nation. It foretels the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem, and the peace of his kingdom. The restoration of Israel and Judah is afterwards predicted, together with a series of glorious victories and great prosperity, which are set forth at large in this and the following chapter." Blaney.

-Damascus] "The prophecies against Damascus and the Philistines would better befit Jeremy's time, of their destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, than (if of Zachary's time) by Alexander. See the prophecy against Damascus Jer. xlix. 23; against the Philistines xlvii. 2, and Ezek. xxv. 15. For where do we find Damascus destroyed from Zachary's to our Saviour's time? For to come under the hands of new Masters, or suffer some direption or pillaging, doth not seem to satisfy the intent of the prophecy. And for the Philistines, though it be true that Alexander destroyed Gaza, (because it held out long against him, and he was wounded there,) yet it appears not that any such desolation befel Askelon whereby it should not be inhabited, or Ashdod; nor should they seem in Zachary's time to have so well recovered that clades by Nebuchadnezzar, as to be a subject ripe for a new prophecy to that purpose.

That of Tyre, v. 3, I doubt whether it so well befits her that had so lately been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar: Sure not so well as it would the time of Jeremy. See Ezekiel's prophecies thereabout. C. xxvi, xxvii, xxviii." J. Mede Epist. Ixi.

Damascus was betrayed by a Persian governor into the hands of Parmenio, one of Alexander's generals: but, it seems, without bloodshed. Prideaux. P. i. Anno 333. Curt. iii. c. 13. Arrian 1. ii. 15.

Nor could Zechariah prophesy of the Syrian conquests by Pharaoh Necho or Nebuchadnezzar: because in the second year of Darius Hystaspis he is called a youth: [see c. i. 7. ii. 4:} that is, according to Blair, 42 years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar; and probably 50 after his invasion of Syria.

78. Or

-is over man] Houbigant supplies py before may be supplied, or perhaps understood; as the preposition very often is. Thus the sense is agreeable to the ancient versi

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And also on Hamath, which bordereth thereby;
On Tyre, and on Sidon, though she be very wise.

ons, and Chald. where we find, "For the Lord seeth men &c." "For the sons of man are manifest to the Lord, &c." "Or for the eye over man &c. belongs to the Lord. So ó. Ch. Syr." "Ny oculus hominem respiciens. Casus secundus apud Hebræos sæpe objectum denotat. Matth. x. 1. Act. iv. 3. Ġal. iii. 22. Bahrdt in Joelem iii. 19."

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"When towards Jehovah shall be the eyes of men, And of all the tribes of Israel. I cannot conceive how these words can be made to signify, "the eyes of Jehovah over man,' as represented by Houbigant, and the ancient versions. The order of the words leads plainly to our present English translation. And this implies that a time would come, when men, and the tribes of Israel in particular, should turn their eyes toward Jehovah, either in hope of deriving some blessings from him, or in gratitude for favours received." Blaney.

2-on Hamath] ó. have Hua, ed. Vat. probably supplying the preposition from the exigentia loci. I suppose that Hamath, on the river Orontes, is meant.

"That

-which bordereth] "Or, which borders. Michaelis." Secker. "And Hamath also shall be bordered by the enemy." is the enemy shall come and possess himself of her coasts. This sense, which corresponds with what is said of the two Syrian kingdoms, on which the burden should rest, is produced

is used הצר The Hebrew בה צר for בחצר by simply reading

for a foreign invader, chap. viii. 10, and the proposed combination will obviate many difficulties which follow the present reading of the text. It is easy to see how y came to be detached, and considered as meant for Tyre; Tyre and Sidon being frequently named together in scripture. But Sidon is referred to singly in the following context as will appear from the version." Blaney.

And Sidon] "Sidon was the capital of Phænicia, and mother of Tyre. Hence Tyre is called the daughter of Sidon. Is. xxiii. 12." Blancy.

"And Sidon, though she be very wise.

"And hath built Tyre a fortress for herself.

"And hath heaped up silver as dust.

-very wise] See Ezek. xxviii. 3, 4, 5. Acutissimem gentem Pœnos dixisse convenit, Imbecilliorem agrum, quam agricolam, esse debere. Columella.

Y y

3

4

5

Though Tyre hath built her a fortress,
And hath heaped up silver as dust,
And fine gold as the mire of the streets;
Behold, Jehovah will || cast her out,
And will smite her strength in the sea,
And she shall be devoured by fire.

Ashkelon shall see it, and shall fear;
Gaza shall also see it, and shall be greatly pained:
And Ekron shall be pained, because her expecta-
tion is put to shame:

And the king shall perish from Gaza;

Or, dispossess her.

3. Tyre] We have a paronomasia in and np.
-fine gold] Gold cut into ingots, or into coins: from

concidere.

4. strength in the sea] See Ezek. xxvi. 17. "The Sidonians (according to Diordorus Siculus) on the approach of an army sent against them by Ochus King of Persia, first of all destroyed their shipping at sea; and then retiring within the walls of the city, when they found they could hold out no longer, set fire to their houses, and burnt themselves and their effects together. Thus their power in the sea was effectually smitten; and this last act of desperation completely verified the remaining part of the prophecy. No wonder if their neighbours, the Philistines, were struck with consternation at seeing the fate of those on whose assistance they depended."

.ותירא,תרא

5. -see-fear] The words in the original have a similar sound: 7, "Rather, and tremble greatly, or, be greatly afraid. For so the word signifies 1 Chron. xvi. 30 Ps. ii. 11. xcvii. 4. cix. 8. Jer. v. 22: and elsewhere to be in pain as of childbirth. But I know not that it is used of grief: and understanding it of fear suits best with what precedes." Secker.

-put to shame] Confusa est spes ejus. V. I propose wan in Hophal; though the verb does not occur in that form. Perhaps 'N, or TN, may be understood: "because one hath put to shame her expectation;" which form is often rendered passively. See on Jon. iii. 7. See parallel prophecies, Amos i. 6, 7, Š: Zeph. ii. 4, 7: Jer. xlvii." or, it shall be ashamed of its expectation." Secker.

It is true that Alexander the Great took Sidon, Tyre, and Gaza. Jos. Ant. xi. viii. 3. But see, on Amos i. 8, that the prophecy was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar.

-the king] By the title of king any chief ruler may be de

6

And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited:

*

And strangers shall dwell in Ashdod;

* Hebr. a stranger.

signed; so that the plain purport of the passage is, that Gaza should cease to enjoy the benefit of civil government. Accordingly Gaza having suffered severely upon being taken by Alexander the Great, was at length totally destroyed by Alexander Jannæus, one of the Asmonean Kings of Judea; so that we find it spoken of Acts. viii. 26. by the name of Gaza the which is desert.

-inhabited] Read wn, in Niphal.

6. strangers] A strange and spurious race; a despicable race; born of harlots. The root is, and may literally signify ab ali no. The word imports nothus, Deut. xxiii. 2; because, the strange woman, (the woman of a different country from the Israelites, whose law restrained their women from impurity,) is used for a harlot: Prov. v. 3. &c. But here ó. Ar. Syr. J. H. Michaelis, and Houbigant translate simply stranger. "This word is translated in the English version a bastard.' But does not imply an illigitimate offspring, but simply one of foreign extraction; For Ps. Ixix. 8. means only one of another family or kindred. And is one descended from

, so that when it is said shall dwell in Ashdod" it is meant, that the city shall be peopled with strangers, not descended from its present possessors.

"The word occurs only in this place and Deut. xxiii. 2. In the latter we find persons of certain descriptions excluded from entering into map the congregation of the Lord, which there is reason to believe was a public congregation, convened for the purpose of conducting the national business. The first excluded were eunuchs, persons incapable of having posterity, and who could not have any permanent interest in the state. Next follow those to whom the name belongs, and these were excluded to the tenth generation. But if the law had meant a bastard, one born out of lawful wedlock, the whole tribe of Judah would have been at this time excluded, being all with Nahshon their prince, the head of their DN, descended in the fifth, or at farthest the sixth generation, from not only the illegitimate, but the incestuous commerce of Judah and Tamar his daughter in-law. But this could not then be the meaning of the law; and the can only be understood of an alien or foreigner. The reason of the law is obvious, that it would not be safe to admit such persons to all the privileges of natural-born citizens, and especially to a seat in the public councils."

7

And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
And I will take away his blood out of his mouth;
And his abominations from between his teeth:

And he also shall be left for our God,

And shall be as a Ruler in Judah: and Ekron shall be as a Jebusite,

7. his blood] The idolatrous and abominable practices of the Philistines shall cease. The metaphor is taken from beasts of prey, who gorge themselves with blood. "At what time, or from whence, a new colony was brought to dwell in Ashdod, we are not informed. But some years after Azotus, or Ashdod, is enumerated by Josephus among the cities of the Phænicians, which were under the dominion of the Jews; and it is well known that they exacted from all under their authority, a conformity in a certain degree to their religious rites and ceremonies. This will explain what is meant by taking his blood &c. The stranger was required to abstain from eating blood, and from such things as were held in abomination by the Jewish law."

-as a Ruler] Shall be regarded and honoured, "a citizen. Blaney who observes that if i be a stranger, one who on account of his descent, was excluded from the congregation of the Lord, or to use St. Pauls expression απηλοτριωμενος της πολιτείας Ισραελι Eph. ii. 12. 2 will on the contrary signify one, who being a true Israelite by descent or adoption, stood in the foremost rank of citizens, and was entitled to the highest privileges, civil and religious, in the Jewish commonwealth. Hence I con

Numb ראשי אלפי ישראל cieve the princes of the tribes are styled

i. 16. And Mic. v. 1. may be rendered as it is Math. ii. 6. my mas majesty Inda, because, and they only, being privileged to assist and vote in the public assemblies, had an actual share in the government. See also chap. xii. 5. 6. where also I have used the term citizens, as best answering the Hebrew

Here then it is foretold, that the stranger, who should come to dwell in Ashdod, would become a convert to the 'true God,' and , entitled to all the same privileges in that city as a prime citizen enjoyed in Judah. And it may be observed that these terms seem exactly to correspond with those used by St. Paul. Eph. ii. 19." Blaney.

-as a Jebusite] An inhabitant of Jerusalem. Judges i. 21. That many of the Philistines Became proselytes to Judaism, and particularly the cities of Gaza and Ashdod, see Jos. Ant. xiii. xv. 4. "What this means may be collected from what is said before of the stranger being in Ashdod on the same footing

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