Zechariah 10:7

Translation
King James Version
And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And they of Ephraim H669 shall be like a mighty H1368 man, and their heart H3820 shall rejoice H8055 as through wine H3196: yea, their children H1121 shall see H7200 it, and be glad H8055; their heart H3820 shall rejoice H1523 in the LORD H3068.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Efrayim's men will be like warriors; their hearts will be cheered as if from wine. Their children will see it and rejoice, their hearts will be glad in ADONAI.
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Berean Standard Bible
Ephraim will be like a mighty man,and their hearts will be glad as with wine.Their children will see it and be joyful;their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
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American Standard Version
And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine; yea, their children shall see it, and rejoice; their heart shall be glad in Jehovah.
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World English Bible Messianic
Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine; yes, their children will see it, and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in the LORD.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And they of Ephraim shall be as a gyant, and their heart shall reioyce as thorowe wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad: and their heart shall reioyce in the Lord.
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Young's Literal Translation
And Ephraim hath been as a hero, And rejoiced hath their heart as wine, And their sons see, and they have rejoiced, Rejoice doth their heart in Jehovah.
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See also
Zechariah 9:15Ephesians 5:18Ephesians 5:19John 16:22Psalms 104:15Habakkuk 3:18Psalms 28:7
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In the KJVVerse 23,024 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Zechariah 10:7 prophesies a future divine restoration and empowerment for the scattered people of Israel, specifically referencing Ephraim as a symbol for the northern tribes. It foretells a time when God's people will be imbued with supernatural strength, likened to a mighty warrior, and experience profound, uninhibited joy that surpasses worldly exhilaration, a joy deeply rooted in their relationship with the Lord. This restoration will be so evident and transformative that it will bless and inspire future generations, solidifying a legacy of God-given strength and delight.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Zechariah 10 is part of a larger prophetic section (chapters 9-14) that shifts from the immediate post-exilic concerns of rebuilding the Temple to broader eschatological and messianic themes. Chapter 9 introduces the coming of the humble King and the defeat of Israel's enemies, leading into a vision of God's future deliverance. Chapter 10 specifically addresses God's intention to gather His scattered people, particularly the "house of Judah" and "house of Joseph" (Ephraim), promising them strength and leadership. This verse, Zechariah 10:7, serves as a powerful declaration of the spiritual and physical revitalization that awaits these restored tribes, setting the stage for further prophecies of their return and triumphant future.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: At the time of Zechariah's prophecy, the northern kingdom of Israel (represented by Ephraim, its dominant tribe) had been dispersed for centuries following the Assyrian captivity (722 BCE). The southern kingdom of Judah had recently returned from Babylonian exile, but the northern tribes remained scattered, seemingly lost to history. Culturally, wine was a common symbol of celebration and joy, often associated with feasts and prosperity. The imagery of a "mighty man" (Hebrew: gibbor) evoked the ideal of a valiant warrior, a figure of strength and courage. Zechariah's prophecy, therefore, speaks to a deeply held hope for national reunification and a return to former glory, drawing on familiar cultural metaphors to convey the magnitude of God's promised intervention.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Zechariah and the broader prophetic literature. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to the Restoration and Reunification of All Israel, promising to bring back even the long-dispersed northern tribes, signifying a complete national healing as seen in Ezekiel 37:15-28. A prominent theme is Divine Empowerment, where God Himself infuses His people with strength, transforming them from weakness to valor, a concept echoed in Isaiah 40:29-31. Furthermore, the verse highlights God-Centered Joy, emphasizing that true and lasting gladness is found not in worldly pleasures but in the Lord, a truth consistently proclaimed throughout the Psalms, such as Psalm 16:11. Finally, it speaks to Generational Blessing and Testimony, indicating that God's work of restoration will be so profound that it will be witnessed and experienced by succeeding generations, reinforcing the enduring nature of His covenant faithfulness.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Ephraim (Hebrew, ʼEphrayim', H669): From a root meaning "double fruit," Ephraim was a son of Joseph and became the dominant tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel. In prophetic literature, "Ephraim" often serves as a metonymy for the entire ten northern tribes, which were scattered by the Assyrians. Its inclusion here signifies God's comprehensive plan to restore and reunite all twelve tribes of Israel, not just the southern kingdom of Judah that returned from Babylonian exile.
  • Mighty (Hebrew, gibbôwr', H1368): This term denotes someone powerful, a warrior, a champion, or a valiant man. It suggests extraordinary strength and prowess, often in a military or heroic context. When applied to Ephraim, it indicates a divine transformation from a state of weakness and dispersion to one of formidable strength and capability, empowered by God for victory and flourishing.
  • Rejoice (Hebrew, sâmach', H8055): This primitive root signifies to brighten up, to be blithe or gleesome, to be glad, or to make joyful. It describes an intense, uninhibited gladness or jubilation. The repetition of this word in the verse underscores the depth and abundance of the joy that God's restored people will experience, a joy that is not fleeting but profoundly satisfying.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And [they of] Ephraim shall be like a mighty [man],": This clause declares a dramatic transformation for Ephraim, symbolizing the scattered northern tribes. From a state of weakness and dispersion, they will be divinely empowered to possess the strength, valor, and effectiveness of a formidable warrior. This is a promise of supernatural enablement, enabling them to overcome obstacles and stand firm.
  • "and their heart shall rejoice as through wine:": This vivid simile describes an overflowing, uninhibited joy. Just as wine can produce exhilaration and a sense of freedom, the joy experienced by God's people will be intense and pervasive, filling their innermost being (the heart). It suggests a deep, profound gladness that is not superficial but transformative.
  • "yea, their children shall see [it], and be glad;": This clause emphasizes the generational impact of God's promised restoration and joy. The blessings and transformation bestowed upon Ephraim will be so evident that future generations will witness them, recognize God's hand in them, and consequently share in the gladness. This speaks to the enduring legacy of God's faithfulness and the visible testimony of His work.
  • "their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.": This concluding phrase clarifies the source and object of their profound joy. Unlike the temporary and potentially destructive joy derived from worldly pleasures (like excessive wine), this joy is pure, lasting, and divinely sourced. The ultimate wellspring of their gladness is the Lord Himself, indicating a deep, covenantal relationship and a profound satisfaction found in His presence and His saving acts.

Literary Devices

Zechariah 10:7 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey its message of restoration and joy. The most prominent is Simile, seen in "Ephraim shall be like a mighty man" and "their heart shall rejoice as through wine." These comparisons vividly illustrate the transformation and intensity of experience. "Like a mighty man" conveys a shift from weakness to formidable strength, while "as through wine" captures the uninhibited, overflowing nature of their joy. Metonymy is also at play with "Ephraim" representing the entire northern kingdom of Israel, symbolizing the comprehensive scope of God's restoration plan. Furthermore, the verse exhibits Parallelism, particularly in the repetition of "their heart shall rejoice," which serves to emphasize the central theme of joy and its ultimate source. The shift from a general comparison to wine to the explicit declaration of rejoicing "in the LORD" also demonstrates a form of Climax, building to the ultimate and true source of their delight.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Zechariah 10:7 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to the restoration of His people, not merely to their physical land but to a state of spiritual vitality, strength, and profound joy. The prophecy underscores that true power and lasting gladness are divinely sourced, flowing from a covenant relationship with the Lord rather than from human might or worldly pleasures. It speaks to the transformative power of God's grace, capable of turning weakness into strength and sorrow into unbridled delight. This divine empowerment and joy are not insular but are intended to be a visible testimony that impacts future generations, demonstrating the enduring nature of God's faithfulness and the blessed legacy of those who trust in Him.

  • Isaiah 35:10: "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
  • Joel 2:21-27: "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things... And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed."
  • Psalm 16:11: "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Zechariah 10:7 offers a timeless message of hope and encouragement for believers in every age. It reminds us that our true strength does not lie in our own capabilities, resources, or worldly alliances, but in the divine empowerment that God provides. When we feel weak, overwhelmed, or discouraged, we are called to look to the Lord, who promises to make us "like a mighty man" through His Spirit. Furthermore, this verse challenges us to examine the source of our joy. Is it fleeting, dependent on circumstances, or is it a deep, abiding gladness rooted in our relationship with God? The "joy in the LORD" is a profound, spiritual exhilaration that transcends outward conditions, offering stability and peace. Living out this God-centered strength and joy not only transforms our own lives but also serves as a powerful testimony to those around us, especially our children and future generations, inviting them to witness and experience the goodness of God for themselves.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of your life do you feel weak or inadequate, and how can you invite God to empower you to be "like a mighty man"?
  • What are the primary sources of joy in your life? How can you cultivate a deeper, more consistent joy that is rooted "in the LORD"?
  • How might your experience of God's strength and joy serve as a testimony and blessing to your family, community, or future generations?
  • How does the promise of God's restoration for Ephraim encourage you about God's faithfulness to fulfill all His promises, even those that seem long delayed or impossible?

FAQ

What is the significance of "Ephraim" in this verse, considering the historical context?

Answer: In Zechariah 10:7, "Ephraim" is highly significant because it represents the ten northern tribes of Israel, which had been dispersed and seemingly lost after the Assyrian captivity in 722 BCE. While the southern kingdom of Judah had returned from Babylonian exile, the fate of the northern tribes remained a poignant concern for many prophets. Zechariah's mention of Ephraim here is a powerful prophetic declaration that God has not forgotten these scattered tribes. It signifies His comprehensive plan for the full restoration and reunification of all Israel, bringing together both the "house of Judah" and the "house of Joseph" (Ephraim) under His divine leadership. This promise of a complete national restoration underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant with all of Jacob's descendants, as also prophesied in Ezekiel 37:15-28.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Zechariah 10:7 speaks directly to the restoration of physical Israel, its profound themes of divine empowerment, spiritual joy, and generational blessing find their ultimate and spiritual fulfillment in Jesus Christ and His New Covenant work. The "mighty man" imagery, representing strength and victory, is supremely realized in Christ, who is the true Warrior and Champion, conquering sin and death through His cross and resurrection. Believers, through union with Christ, are empowered by His Spirit, becoming spiritually strong and capable of overcoming the world, as Paul declares in Ephesians 3:16 that God would grant us "to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." The "joy as through wine" finds its purest expression in the New Covenant, where the Holy Spirit fills believers with "joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17), a joy that is not dependent on earthly circumstances but flows from the presence of Christ and the assurance of salvation. This deep, abiding joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and Jesus Himself promised His disciples a fullness of joy that no one could take from them (John 16:22). Furthermore, the generational blessing is fulfilled in the expansion of God's kingdom through the Church, where the good news of Christ's victory and the joy of salvation are passed down through the ages, creating a spiritual legacy that transcends ethnic boundaries, as foretold in Revelation 7:9-10.

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Commentary on Zechariah 10 verses 5–12

Here are divers precious promises made to the people of God, which look further than to the state of the Jews in the latter days of their church, and have certain reference to the spiritual Israel of God, the gospel-church, and all true believers.

I. They shall have God's favour and presence, and shall be owned and accepted of him. This is the foundation of all the rest: The Lord is with them, Zac 10:5. He espouses their cause, takes their part, is on their side; and, if he be for them, who can be against them? Again (Zac 10:6), I have mercy upon them. All their dignity and joy are owing purely to God's mercy; and mercy, as it supposes misery, so it excludes merit. They had been cast off, the effect of which could not but be misery; they had been justly cast off, and therefore could pretend to merit nothing at God's hand but wrath and the curse; yet it is promised, They shall be as though I had not cast them off. The transgressions of their fathers, for which they had been rejected, shall not only not be visited upon them, but shall not be so much as remembered against them. God will be as perfectly reconciled to them as if he had never contended with them, and the falling out of these lovers shall rather be the renewing than the weakening of love. They shall have such a full assurance of God's being reconciled to them, and upon that shall be so well reconciled to themselves, that they shall be as easy as if they had never been cast off; and their condition, after their restoration to the divine favour, shall be so very happy that there shall not remain the least scar from the wounds which were given them by their being cast off. Such favour does God show to returning repenting sinners, who were by nature at a distance, and children of wrath; such fellowship are they admitted into, and such freedom does he use with them, that they are as though they had never been cast off. 1. The covenant they are admitted into is the same that ever it was: I am the Lord their God, according to the original contract, the covenant made with their fathers. 2. The communion they are admitted into is the same that ever it was: I will hear them. They shall be as welcome as ever to speak to him, and as sure as ever to receive from him an answer of peace; for, as he never did, so he never will, say to Jacob's seed, Seek you me in vain.

II. They shall be victorious over their enemies, that would draw them from either their duty to God or their comfort in God (Zac 10:5): They shall be as mighty men, that are both strong in body and bold in spirit, men of vigour, men of valour, effective men. Those of Ephraim, as well as those of Judah, shall be like a mighty man (Zac 10:7), that dares to go about a difficult enterprise and is able to go through with it. They shall, as mighty men, tread down their enemies in the battle, as the dirt that is thrown out of the houses is trodden with other dirt in the mire of the streets. And they shall therefore fight, because the Lord is with them. Some would argue that they may therefore sit still, and do nothing, because the Lord is with them, who can and will do all. No; God's gracious presence with us to help us must not supersede, but quicken and animate, our endeavours to help ourselves; and we must therefore work out our salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God that works in us both to will and to do. They shall fight with readiness and resolution because, if God be with them, they are sure to be conquerors, more than conquerors. For then the riders on horses shall be confounded. The cavalry of the enemies shall be routed, and put into disorder, by the infantry of the Jews. The preachers of the gospel of Christ went forth to war a good warfare; they charged bravely, because God was with them; and the riders on horses that opposed them were confounded, for God chose the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty. But whence have they all this might? How come they to be so able, so active? It is in the Lord, and in the power of his might, that they are so (Zac 10:6): I will strengthen the house of Judah, and so I will save the house of Joseph. Note, God saves us by strengthening us, and works out our happiness by working in us to do our duty. And thus we are engaged to the utmost diligence in using the strength God gives us; and yet, when all is done, God must have the glory of all. God is our strength, and so becomes both our song and our salvation.

III. Those of them that are dispersed shall be gathered together into one body (Zac 10:6): I will bring them again to place them, bring them from other lands to place them in their own land. This was a token of their being perfectly restored to all their other ancient privileges - they shall be restored to the possession of their own land. This was fulfilled when the children of God that were scattered abroad were by faith in Christ incorporated in the gospel-chruch, and Jews and Gentiles became one fold, Joh 10:16. In order to this (Zac 10:8) I will hiss for them, or, rather, whistle for them, as the shepherd with his pipe calls his sheep together, that know his voice; and so I will gather them. The preaching of the gospel was, as it were, God's hissing for souls to come to Jesus Christ, his calling in his scattered sheep to the green pastures. I will gather them, for I have redeemed them. Note, Those whom Christ has redeemed by his blood God will gather by his grace, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. This promise is enlarged upon Zac 10:10, I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt. Some think this was literally fulfilled when Ptolemaeus Philadelphus king of Egypt sent 120,000 Jews out of his country into their own land, as was the promise of gathering them out of Assyria by Alexander the son of Antiochus Epiphanes. But it has its spiritual accomplishment in the gathering in of precious souls out of a bondage worse than that in Egypt or Assyria, and the bringing of them into the glorious liberties of the children of God and their enjoyments, which are as the beautiful fruitful pastures in the land of Gilead and Lebanon. All the land of promise is theirs, even Gilead, the utmost border of it eastward, and Lebanon, the utmost border northward. But how shall this be? How shall a people so dispersed be got together? How shall those that are set at such a distance from their own country be brought to it again? It is true the difficulties seem insuperable, but they shall be got over as easily, as effectually as those that lay in the way of their deliverance out of Egypt and their entrance into Canaan: He shall pass through the sea with affliction, as of old through the Red Sea, to the sore affliction of Pharaoh and his hosts, or to the sore affliction of the sea, the waves whereof he shall smite, so that it shall be driven back, as when the sea saw and fled, Psa 114:3. And all the deeps of the river (all the rivers, though ever so deep) shall dry up, as Jordan did, to make way for Israel's passage into that good land which God had given them. Does the pride of Assyria stand in the way of their deliverance? He shall give check to it who sets bounds to the proud waves of the sea, and it shall be brought down. Does the sceptre of Egypt oppose it? That shall depart away, so that it shall not be able to obstruct the gathering in of God's Israel when his time shall come for the doing of it. When the gospel-chruch was to be gathered out of all nations by the preaching of the gospel great opposition was given to it by the enraged combined powers of earth and hell. Insuperable difficulties seemed to be in the way of it. But, by a divine power going along with the doctrine of Christ, it became mighty to the pulling down of strong holds, and the conversion and salvation of thousands. Then the sea fled, and Jordan was driven back at the presence of the Lord.

IV. They shall greatly multiply, and the church, that new world, shall be replenished (Zac 10:8): They shall increase as they have increased formerly in Egypt, and great additions shall be made to their numbers, as in the days of David and Solomon. When God gathers his redeemed ones to himself they shall help to gather in others with them, and their motion homeward shall be like that of a snow-ball. Crescit eundo - The further it goes the larger it grows by accretion. I will gather them, and they shall increase. Note, The church of Christ is a growing body, as long as it is in the present state of minority, till it comes to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. There are added to it daily such as shall be saved. 1. It shall spread to distant places. It shall fill Canaan, even to the lands of Gilead and Lebanon, so that no more place, no more room, shall be found for it there, Zac 10:10. In Judah only God had been known, and his name was great in Israel only; here only he revealed his statutes and judgments. But in gospel-times that place shall be much too strait; the church's tent must be enlarged, and its cords lengthened: Then I will sow them among the people, Zac 10:9. Their scattering shall be like the scattering of seed in the ground, not to bury it, but to increase it, that it may bring forth much fruit. The Jews are said to be dispersed into every nation under heaven (Act 2:5); and, as it was their troubles that dispersed some of them, so perhaps others transplanted themselves into colonies because the land of Israel was too strait for them; and many were natives of other nations, but proselyted to the Jewish religion. Now these were sown among the people, Hos 2:23. And this contributed very much to the spreading of the gospel. The Jews that came from all parts to worship at Jerusalem fetched thence the gospel light and fire to their own countries, as those Acts 2, and the eunuch, Acts 8. And their own synagogues in the several cities of the Gentiles were the first receptacles of the apostles and their preaching, wherever they came. Thus when God sowed them among the people, that they might not get hurt by the Gentiles, but do good to them, he took care that they should remember him, and make mention of his name in far countries; and, by keeping up the knowledge of God among them as he had revealed himself in the Old Testament, they would be the more ready to admit the knowledge of Christ as he has revealed himself in the New Testament. 2. It shall last to future ages. The church shall not be res unius aetatis - a temporary thing, but a seed in it shall serve the Lord, Zac 10:7. Yea, their children shall see it and be glad; and they shall live with their children, and turn again, Zac 10:9. Converts to Christ shall have their children about them, whom they shall teach the knowledge of the Lord, and bring with them when they turn again to the holy land and the way of holiness. It was said to those to whom the gospel was first preached, The promise is to you and to your children, Act 2:39. They shall be so sown among the people as never to be extirpated. Christ's family upon earth shall never be extinct, nor his purchased possession lost for want of heirs.

V. God himself will be both their strength and their song. 1. In him they shall be comforted, and shall have abundant satisfaction (Zac 10:7): Their heart shall rejoice as through wine; for Christ's love, which is their joy, is better than wine. They shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice. When we resolutely resist, and so overcome, our spiritual enemies, then our hearts shall rejoice. But we ruin our own joy if our resistance be feeble and we yield to the temptations of Satan. Their heart shall rejoice, and then they shall be as a mighty man; for the joy of the Lord will be our strength. And with their graces their joys shall be propagated: Their children shall see it and be glad, and their hearts also shall rejoice in the Lord. It is good to acquaint children betimes with the delights of religion, and to make the services of it as pleasant as may be to them, that, learning betimes to rejoice in the Lord, they may with purpose of heart cleave to him. 2. By him they shall be carried on with vigour, and enlargement of heart, in his service (Zac 10:12): I will strengthen them in the Lord, strengthen them for their walk and work, as well as for their warfare. It is the God of Israel that gives strength and power unto his people, that strengthens all their powers and faculties for spiritual performances, above what they are by nature and against what they are by the corruption of nature. Now observe, (1.) How they are thus enabled and invigorated for their duty: I the Lord will strengthen them in the Lord, in the Messiah, who is Jehovah our strength, as well as Jehovah our righteousness. Strength is treasured up for us in Christ, and from him it is communicated to us. It is through Christ strengthening us that we can do all things, and without him we can do nothing. His strength is commanded him for this purpose, Psa 68:28. (2.) What good use they shall make of this strength given unto them: They shall walk up and down in his name. If God strengthen us, we must bestir ourselves, must walk up and down in all the duties of the Christian life, must be active and busy in the work of God, must walk up and down as industrious men do, losing no time, and letting slip no opportunity. But still we must walk up and down in the name of Christ, must do all by warrant from him and in dependence on him, with an eye to his word as our rule and his glory as our end. To us to live must be Christ; and, whatever we do in word or deed, we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, that we receive not the strengthening grace of God in vain. See Psa 80:17, Psa 80:18.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–12. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Zechariah
(Vers. 6, 7.) And the riders on horses will be put to shame, and I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them. They shall be like mighty warriors of Ephraim, and their hearts shall rejoice as with wine. Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall exult in the Lord. LXX: And the riders on horses will be put to shame, and I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will cause them to dwell, for I have loved them. And they shall be as when I had not cast them off, for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them: and they shall be as valiant men in battle, and their heart shall rejoice as with wine, and their children shall see it and be glad, and their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. And they have expounded these things twice according to the higher sense, so as to either relate them as already done under the Maccabees, or as about to be transacted under Christ in the last age. And the sense is this: When Judas, who was set as a goodly horse in battle, shall tread down the adversaries as mire, and with the Lord fighting with him shall overcome: then all the horsemen of Greece shall fall, and the house of Juda and the house of Israel shall be saved together, (for he calls that the house of Joseph, that is, of the ten tribes) and I will convert them out of their captivity, wherein they were, and they shall be as they were before, when I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them calling upon me. And Ephraim, who are now held captive, will later be released, and they will come to such great joy that you would think they are drunk with wine. And their children will witness the triumphs of their fathers, and they will rejoice in the Lord, for it is through Him that they have achieved victory. Let us look for the history of when Judah and Israel fought together against the Greeks, or when Ephraim returned from captivity in Assyria, when, according to Ezekiel (Chapter 37), the two rods, that is, Judah and Ephraim, were joined together and united as one staff. Which can be explained according to the tropology. When the Almighty Lord visits his flock, the house of Judah, then the riders of the horses will be confounded, of whom it is written: Let us sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea (Exodus 15:1). It is also sung by the voice of the Psalmist: At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse fell asleep (Psalm 76:7). And the choir of saints repeats: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of our God. They are bound, and have fallen: but we are risen, and are set upright (Ps. XIX, 8, 9). The Egyptian king relied on this cavalry; and he was thrown into the sea, like lead immersed in the depths (Exod. XV), and by his example he learned that what is written is true: A deceitful horse leads to salvation (Ps. XXXII, 17). We have interpreted these chariots and charioteers as representing the four disturbances that, unless controlled by the good reins, the charioteers are led to precipices. But there is another charioteer, of whom Elisha speaks: 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its charioteer' (2 Kings 2:12). Then God says to strengthen the house of Judah and the house of Joseph (1 Kings 12:16), so that, just as they were divided during the reign of Jeroboam, they will be united under the rule of Christ, and there will be one shepherd and one flock. And Judas and Joseph are given different names because they both represent a single understanding of the Savior, since Joseph provided grain to the hungry people in Egypt (Gen. XLII seqq.): and the Lord satisfied the hunger of the world with his presence. And he will convert them and have mercy on them, and they will be one as they were before he cast them out. Take all of this as a lesson in persecution, when, with all hope lost, the Lord heard his servants. And they shall be like the strong ones of Ephraim, who at first were weak and feeble, but later became strong and worthy of their name. For Ephraim means abundance. And their hearts shall rejoice when they drink the wine that is pressed from the vine of Sorec. And their children, of whom the Apostle Paul speaks, my little children, for whom I am in labor again until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19). And Peter, the chief of the apostles, says: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former ways (1 Peter 1:14). And in the Psalm we read: Come, children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord (Ps. 33:12). Therefore, these children will rejoice and be glad, and their heart will rejoice in the Lord.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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