1
The word of the LORD of Armies came to me.
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OLD TESTAMENT
All chapters Zechariah 8
The Holy Bible · EnglishOpen an explanation beneath verses with notes. Your notes and highlights stay on this device.
2
The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. Jealous for her, treating her as a spouse, ( Calmet.) and not neglecting her as one incorrigible. Bible.
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3
The LORD says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of the LORD of Armies, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 3. Truth. Idols and infidelity shall reign there no more. The Jews were more faithful after the captivity. But the Church of Christ is alone perfectly chaste. Calmet.
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4
The LORD of Armies says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of their old age.
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5
The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”
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6
The LORD of Armies says: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Armies.
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 6. Days. If no prospect of such happiness now appear, is any thing difficult to Omnipotence? Bible. Lu. 1:37.
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7
The LORD of Armies says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country.
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 7. Sun, from Chaldea and the islands. This chiefly regards the Christian Church. Calmet.—Assyria and Chaldea lay to the north. The promises are too great for the synagogue. Worthington.
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8
I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 8. Justice. I will fulfil my promises, if they adhere to virtue. Calmet.
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9
The LORD of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.
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10
For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 10. Hire, or “reward;” merces. Bible.—All their toils proved useless: ( Calmet.) the land would not yield her fruit. Bible. See Agg. 2:16.—The temple had now been building two years, and then God sent his prophets and many blessings.—Neighbour. Civil broils and the enemy rendered all wretched. 1 Ezra 4.
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11
But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the LORD of Armies.
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12
“For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
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13
It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 13. Blessing. As the nations could wish no greater curse than what you have experienced, so you shall now be regarded as a most happy people.
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14
For the LORD of Armies says: “As I thought to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I didn’t repent,
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15
so again I have thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.
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16
These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 16. Of peace, or perfect. Shew no partiality.
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17
and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says the LORD.
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 17. Friend means every neighbour, or all mankind. Lu. 10:27. 36. Even thoughts must be guarded. Calmet.
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18
The word of the LORD of Armies came to me.
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19
The LORD of Armies says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 19. Fast. They fasted on the ninth day of the fourth month, because on that day Nabuchodonosor took Jerusalem. Jeremiah 52:6. On the tenth day of the fifth month, because on that day the temple was burnt. Jeremiah 52:12. On the third day of the seventh month, for the murder of Godolias. Jeremiah 41:2. And on the tenth day of the tenth month, because on that day the Chaldeans began to besiege Jerusalem. 4 Kennicott. 25:1. All these fasts, if they will be obedient for the future, shall be changed (as is here promised) into joyful solemnities. Challoner.—They had only inquired about the fasts of the fifth and seventh months but the two others were also to be omitted in times of joy. Worthington.—The Jews still observe all four. Basnage verse 16.—They fast on the seventeenth of the fourth month, because the breach was then made in the walls, ( Calmet.) and Moses broke the tables of the law, according to the Jews, in Saint Jerome The ninth of the fifth month is also kept instead of the tenth, on which day the city was taken by the Chaldees; ( Calmet.) and the Romans burnt the temple in the same month, as the Israelites had then formerly been sentenced to wander in the desert. Saint Jerome—It would be difficult for the Jews to prove all these assertions.
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20
The LORD of Armies says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.
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21
The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of Armies. I will go also.’
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22
Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 22. Lord. Many were converted in the days of Esther, (8:17) and the Pharisees were eager to make proselytes in all parts, when Christ preached. Matthew 23:15. Acts 2:11. Yet we must go to the Church to see this fully accomplished. Calmet.
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23
The LORD of Armies says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 23. Ten men, and so forth Many of the Gentiles became proselytes to the Jewish religion before Christ; but many more were converted to Christ by the apostles and other preachers of the Jewish nation. Challoner.—Skirt, or hem, by which the Jews were distinguished. Numbers 15:38. Matthew 9:20. Calmet.
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