English · KJV

Richard Challoner

Reformation and later · AD 1500 onward · d. AD 1781 · 798 passages across 38 books

Commentary

681–700 of 798
Haggai 2:14

Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

By occasion of a soul: That is, by having touched the dead; in which case, according to the prescription of the law, Num. 19. 13, 22, a person not only became unclean himself, but made every thing that he touched unclean. The prophet applies all this to the people, whose souls remained unclean by neglecting the temple of God; and therefore were not sanctified by the flesh they offered in sacrifice: but rather defiled their sacrifices by approaching to them in the state of uncleanness.

Zechariah 1:1

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,

ZACHARIAS began to prophesy in the same year as Aggeus, and upon the same occasion. His prophecy is full of mysterious figures and promises of blessings, partly relating to the synagogue, and partly to the church of Christ.

Zechariah 1:8

I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

A man: An angel in the shape of a man. It was probably Michael, the guardian angel of the church of God.

Zechariah 1:10

And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

These are they: The guardian angels of provinces and nations.

Zechariah 1:12

Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

The seventieth year: Viz., from the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem, in the ninth year of king Sedecias, to the second year of king Darius. These seventy years of the desolation of Jerusalem and the cities of Juda, are different from the seventy years of captivity foretold by Jeremias; which began in the fourth year of Joakim, and ended in the first year of king Cyrus.

Zechariah 1:18

Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.

Four horns: The four horns represent the empires, or kingdoms, that persecute and oppress the kingdom of God.

Zechariah 1:20

And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.

Four smiths: The four smiths, or carpenters (for faber may signify either) represent those whom God makes his instruments in bringing to nothing the power of persecutors.

Zechariah 2:4

And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls: This must be understood of the spiritual Jerusalem, the church of Christ.

Zechariah 3:1

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Jesus: Alias, Josue, the son of Josedec, the high priest of that time.

Zechariah 3:3

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

With filthy garments: Negligences and sins.

Zechariah 3:7

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

I will give thee: Angels to attend and assist thee.

Zechariah 3:8 · 2 passages

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Portending men: That is, men, who by words and actions are to foreshew wonders that are to come.-- Ibid.

My servant the Orient: Christ, who according to his humanity is the servant of God, is called the Orient from his rising like the sun in the east to enlighten the world.

Zechariah 3:9 · 3 passages

For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

One day: Viz., the day of the passion of Christ, the source of all our good: when this precious stone shall be graved, that is, cut and pierced, with whips, thorns, nails, and spear.

The stone: Another emblem of Christ, the rock, foundation, and corner stone of his church.-- Ibid.

Seven eyes: The manifold providence of Christ over his church, or the seven gifts of the spirit of God.-- Ibid.

Zechariah 4:2

And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

A candlestick: The temple of God that was then in building; and in a more sublime sense, the church of Christ.

Zechariah 4:6

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

To Zorobabel: This vision was in favour of Zorobabel: to assure him of success in the building of the temple, which he had begun, signified by the candlestick; the lamp of which, without any other industry, was supplied with oil, dropping from the two olive trees, and distributed by the seven funnels or pipes, to maintain the seven lights.

Zechariah 4:7 · 2 passages

Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Great mountain: So he calls the opposition made by the enemies of God's people; which nevertheless, without an army or might on their side, was quashed by divine providence.-- Ibid.

Shall give equal grace: Shall add grace to grace, or beauty to beauty.

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