Zechariah 9

General context

The chapter opens as a burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place, and takes in Hamath, Tyrus and Zidon. Tyrus built a strong hold and heaped silver like dust and fine gold like street mire, and the Lord will cast her out, smite her power in the sea and give her to fire. Ashkelon will see it and fear, Gaza will be sorrowful and lose her king, Ekron's expectation will be ashamed, a bastard will dwell in Ashdod, and the pride of the Philistines will be cut off. Blood is taken out of the mouth and abominations from between the teeth, and the one who remains will be for our God, as a governor in Judah, with Ekron as a Jebusite. The Lord says he will encamp about his house against the army and against those who pass by and return, so no oppressor passes through again, for now he has seen with his eyes. The daughter of Zion is told to rejoice greatly and the daughter of Jerusalem to shout, because her King comes to her, just, having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Chariot, horse and battle bow are cut off, he speaks peace to the heathen, and his dominion runs from sea to sea. Prisoners are sent out of a waterless pit by the blood of the covenant, and prisoners of hope are told to turn to the strong hold and promised double. Judah is bent like a bow and Zion's sons raised against Greece; the Lord is seen over them with arrow, trumpet and whirlwinds, and saves them as the flock of his people.

Cited passages: Zechariah 9:1, Zechariah 9:2, Zechariah 9:3, Zechariah 9:4, Zechariah 9:5, Zechariah 9:6, Zechariah 9:7, Zechariah 9:8, Zechariah 9:9, Zechariah 9:10, Zechariah 9:11, Zechariah 9:12, Zechariah 9:13, Zechariah 9:14, Zechariah 9:15, Zechariah 9:16, Zechariah 9:17

Zechariah 9 (KJV)

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Historical context

No date and no prophet's name appears here or anywhere in chapters 9 to 14; the last dated word stands at 7:1, in the fourth year of Darius. The chapter is introduced only as "The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach," and Hadrach is given no description at all. The places named are Damascus, Hamath, Tyrus, Zidon, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Ashdod and Greece, with no ruler named except that "the king shall perish from Gaza." The king who comes in verse 9 is described but not named: "just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." The chapter does not say when he comes or who he is. Later books cite the line: Matthew 21:5 reads, "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass," and John 12:15 reads, "Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt." Those are later citations and do not change what Zechariah's own verses state. The war against Greece in verse 13 is given no occasion or outcome beyond the images that follow.

Cited passages: Zechariah 9:1, Zechariah 9:5, Zechariah 9:9, Zechariah 9:13, Zechariah 7:1, Matthew 21:5, John 12:15, Zechariah 9:2, Zechariah 9:6, Zechariah 9:10

Literary context

The burden sweeps by place names before it settles anywhere: inland to Hadrach, Damascus and Hamath, out to the wealthy coast, then down the Philistine cities one after another. Tyrus is described by what she built and heaped, then undone in a single verse. The Philistine oracle ends not in ruin but in absorption, the remainder becoming a governor in Judah and Ekron as a Jebusite. Verse 8 moves the camp to the Lord's own house and turns the marching route into a place no oppressor crosses. The king's entry in verse 9 is announced with two shouts and four descriptions, and the weapons cut off in verse 10 are his own people's chariot, horse and bow, not the enemy's. The second half runs on paired opposites: a pit with no water against a strong hold, prisoners against prisoners of hope, a bow bent out of Judah against Zion's own sons. The closing images are agricultural and bodily, sling stones and bowls, corn and new wine, so the war ends in a meal.

Cited passages: Zechariah 9:1, Zechariah 9:2, Zechariah 9:3, Zechariah 9:4, Zechariah 9:5, Zechariah 9:7, Zechariah 9:8, Zechariah 9:9, Zechariah 9:10, Zechariah 9:11, Zechariah 9:12, Zechariah 9:13, Zechariah 9:15, Zechariah 9:17

Key moments

1. A burden in Hadrach (Zechariah 9:1). The word of the Lord comes as a burden over Hadrach and Damascus.
2. Tyrus cast out (Zechariah 9:4). The Lord smites the power of the city that heaped silver like dust.
3. The pride of the Philistines (Zechariah 9:6). Ashdod and the Philistine cities lose king and pride.
4. No oppressor shall pass (Zechariah 9:8). The Lord encamps about his house against armies passing by.
5. Thy King cometh unto thee (Zechariah 9:9). Zion is told to rejoice at a king who is lowly and riding an ass.
6. Weapons cut off (Zechariah 9:10). Chariot, horse and battle bow are removed and peace is spoken to the heathen.
7. Prisoners of hope (Zechariah 9:12). Prisoners are called out of a waterless pit and promised double.

For reflection

The king who is told to come is lowly and riding an ass, and the first thing cut off after his arrival is his own side's chariot, horse and battle bow. What does that order of events ask a reader to expect of him?

People in this chapter

• Judah
• Jacob

Also indexed here:

• Ephraim