Zechariah 9:2

Zac 9:2. "And Hamath also, which borders thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because it is very wise. Zac 9:3. And Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like dust, and gold like dirt of the streets. Zac 9:4. Behold, the Lord will cause it to be taken, and smite its might in the sea, and she will be consumed by fire." Chămâth is appended to Damascus by vegam (and also). Tigbol-bâh is to be taken as a relative clause; and bâh refers to chămâth, and not to 'erets chadrâkh (the land of Hadrach). "Hamath also," i.e., Ἐπιφάνεια on the Orontes, the present Hamah (see at Gen 10:18), which borders on Damascus, i.e., which has its territory touching the territory of Damascus, sc. will be a resting-place of the burden of Jehovah. The relative clause connects Hamath with Damascus, and separates it from the names which follow. Damascus and Hamath represent Syria. Tyre and Sidon, the two capitals of Phoenicia, are connected again into a pair by the explanatory clause כּי חכמה מאד. For although חכמה is in the singular, it cannot be taken as referring to Sidon only, because Tyre is mentioned again in the very next verse as the subject, and the practical display of its wisdom is described. The singular חכמה cannot be taken distributively in this sense, that being wise applies in just the same manner to both the cities (Koehler); for the cases quoted by Gesenius (146, 4) are of a totally different kind, since there the subject is in the plural, and is construed with a singular verb; but צידון is subordinate to צר, "Tyre with Sidon," Sidon being regarded as an annex of Tyre, answering to the historical relation in which the two cities stood to one another, - namely, that Tyre was indeed originally a colony of Sidon, but that it very soon overshadowed the mother city, and ros…

At this chapter begins another sermon, which is continued to the end of ch. 11. 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 (Zac 9:1-6), with an intimation of mercy to some of them, in their conversion (Zac 9:7), and a promise of mercy to God's people, in their protection (Zac 9:8). II. A prophecy of their righteous King, the Messiah, and his coming, with a description of him (Zac 9:9) and of his kingdom, the nature and extent of it (Zac 9:10). III. An account of the obligation the Jews lay under to Christ for their deliverance out of their captivity in Babylon (Zac 9:11, Zac 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 (Zac 9:13-15). V. A promise of great plenty, and joy, and honour, which God had in reserve for his people (Zac 9:16, Zac 9:17), which was written for their encouragement.

9:2 Hamath, a fortress city on one of the southern trade routes from Asia Minor, was on the northern boundary of Israel (see Num 13:21; Josh 13:5). • The twin port cities of Tyre and Sidon were independent Phoenician kingdoms located on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel (modern-day Lebanon); they are often paired in biblical texts (e.g., Ezra 3:7; Joel 3:4; Luke 10:13-14). The cities were legendary for their maritime trade wealth, but Old Testament prophets condemned their pride and oppressive policies and predicted their destruction (Isa 23; Ezek 26:3-14; Amos 1:9-10).