Chapter Note Matthew Henry Commentary (Complete)
Z E C H A R I A H.
CHAP. IX.
At this chapter begins another sermon, which is continued to the end of Zechariah 11:1 - 17Zechariah 11:1 - 17 It is called, "The burden of the word of the Lord," for every word of God has weight in it to those who regard it, and will be a heavy weight upon those who do not, a dead weight. Here is, I. A prophecy against the Jews' unrighteous neighbours--the Syrians, Tyrians, Philistines, and others Zechariah 9:1 - 6 ), with an intimation of mercy to some of them, in their conversion Zechariah 9:7 ), and a promise of mercy to God's people, in their protection, Zechariah 9:8 . II. A prophecy of their righteous King, the Messiah, and his coming, with a description of him Zechariah 9:9 ) and of his kingdom, the nature and extent of it, Zechariah 9:10 . III. An account of the obligation the Jews lay under to Christ for their deliverance out of their captivity in Babylon, Zechariah 9:11 ; Zechariah 9:12 . IV. A prophecy of the victories and successes God would grant to the Jews over their enemies, as typical of our great deliverance by Christ, Zechariah 9:13 - 15 . V. A promise of great plenty, and joy, and honour, which God had in reserve for his people Zechariah 9:16 ; Zechariah 9:17 ), which was written for their encouragement.
Book Note Matthew Henry Commentary (Complete)
AN
EXPOSITION,
W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E R V A T I O N S,
OF THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
Z E C H A R I A H.
T HIS prophet was colleague with the prophet Haggai, and a worker together with him in forwarding the building of the second temple Ezra 5:1 ); for two are better than one. Christ sent forth his disciples two and two. Zechariah began to prophesy some time after Haggai. But he continued longer, soared higher in visions and revelations, wrote more, and prophesied more particularly concerning Christ, than Haggai had done; so the last shall be first: the last in time sometimes proves first in dignity. He begins with a plain practical sermon, expressive of that which was the scope of his prophesying, in the Zechariah 1:1 - 5 ; but afterwards, to the end of Zechariah 6:1 - 15Zechariah 6:1 - 15 , he relates the visions he saw, and the instructions he received immediately from heaven by them. At Zechariah 7:1 - 14Zechariah 7:1 - 14 , from an enquiry made by the Jews concerning fasting, he takes occasion to show them the duty of their present day, and to encourage them to hope for God's favour, to the end of Zechariah 8:1 - 23Zechariah 8:1 - 23 , after which there are two sermons, which are both called burdens of the word of the Lord (one begins with Zechariah 9:1 - 17Zechariah 9:1 - 17 , the other with Zechariah 12:1 - 14Zechariah 12:1 - 14 ), which probably were preached some time after; the scope of them is to reprove for sin, and threaten God's judgments against the impenitent, and to encourage those that feared God with assurances of the mercy God had in store for his church, and especially of the coming of the Messiah and the setting up of his kingdom in the world.
