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Commentary on Zechariah 9 verses 1–8
After the precious promises we had in the foregoing chapter of favour to God's people, their persecutors, who hated them, come to be reckoned with, those particularly that bordered close upon them.
I. The Syrians had been bad neighbours to Israel, and God had a controversy with them. The word of the Lord shall be a burden in the land of Hadrach, that is, of Syria, but it does not appear why it was so called. That that kingdom is meant is plain, because Damascus, the metropolis of that kingdom, is said to be the rest of this burden; that is, the judgments here threatened shall light and lie upon that city. Those are miserable upon whom the burden of the word of the Lord rests, upon whom the wrath of God abides (Joh 3:36); for it is a weight that they can neither shake off nor bear up under. There are those whom God causes his fury to rest upon. Those whom the wrath of God makes its mark it will be sure to hit; those whom it makes its rest it will be sure to sink. And the reason of this burden's resting on Damascus is because the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel (or rather, even of all the tribes of Israel), are towards the Lord, because the people of God by faith and prayer look up to him for succour and relief and depend upon him to take their part against their enemies. Note, It is a sign that God is about to appear remarkably for his people when he raises their believing expectations from him and dependence upon him, and when by his grace he turns them from idols to himself. Isa 17:7, Isa 17:8, At that day shall a man look to his Maker. It may be read thus, for the Lord has an eye upon man, and upon all the tribes of Israel; he is King of nations as well as King of saints; he governs the world as well as the church, and therefore will punish the sins of other people as well as those of his own people. God is Judge of all, and therefore all must give account of themselves to him. When St. Paul was converted at Damascus, and preached there, and disputed with the Jews, then the word of the Lord might be said to rest there, and then the eyes of men, of other men besides the tribes of Israel, began to be towards the Lord; see Act 9:22. Hamath, a country which lay north of Damascus, and which we often read of, shall border thereby (Zac 9:2); it joins to Syria, and shall share in the burden of the word of the Lord that rests upon Damascus. The Jews have a proverb, Woe to the wicked man, and woe to his neighbour, who is in danger of partaking in his sins and in his plagues. Woe to the land of Hadrach, and woe to Hamath that borders thereby.
II. Tyre and Zidon come next to be called to an account here, as in other prophecies, Zac 9:2-4. Observe here,
1.Tyrus flourishing, thinking herself very safe, and ready to set God's judgments, not only at a distance, but at defiance: for, (1.) She is very wise. It is spoken ironically; she thinks herself very wise, and able to outwit even the wisdom of God. It is granted that her king is a great politician, and that her statesmen are so, Eze 28:3. But with all their wit and policy they shall not be able to evade the judgments of God when they come with commission; there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord; nay, it is his honour to take the wise in their own craftiness. (2.) She is very strong, and well fortified both by nature and art: Tyrus did build herself a strong-hold, which she thought could never be brought down nor got over. (3.) She is very rich; and money is a defence; it is the sinews of war, Ecc 7:12. By her vast trade she has heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets, that is, she has an abundance of them, heaps of silver as common as heaps of sand, Job 27:16. Solomon made silver to be in Jerusalem as the stones of the streets; but Tyre went further, and made fine gold to be as the mire of the streets. It were well if we could all learn so to look upon it, in comparison with the merchandise of wisdom and grace and the gains thereof.
2.Tyrus falling, after all. Her wisdom, and wealth, and strength, shall not be able to secure her (Zac 9:4): The Lord will cast her out of that strong-hold wherein she has fortified herself, will make her poor (so some read it); there have been instances of those that have fallen from the height of plenty to the depth of poverty, and great riches have come to nothing. God will smite her power in the sea; her being surrounded by the water shall not secure her, but she shall be devoured with fire, and burnt down to the ground. Tyrus, being seated in the midst of the water, was, one would have thought, in danger of being some time or other overflowed or washed away by that; yet God chooses to destroy it by the contrary element. Sometimes he brings ruin upon his enemies by those means which they least suspect. Water enough was nigh at hand to quench the flames of Tyre, and yet by them she shall be devoured; for who can put out the fire which the breath of the Almighty blows up?
III. God next contends with the Philistines, with their great cities and great lords, that bordered southward upon Israel.
1.They shall be alarmed and affrighted by the word of the Lord lighting and resting upon Damascus (Zac 9:5); the disgraces of Israel had many a time been published in the streets of Ashkelon, and they had triumphed in them; but now Ashkelon shall see the ruin of her friends and allies, and shall fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron, concluding that their own turns come next, now that the cup of trembling goes round. What will become of their house when their neighbour's is on fire? They had looked upon Tyre and Zidon as a barrier to their country; but, when those strong cities were ruined, their expectations from them were ashamed, as our expectation from all creatures will be in the issue.
2.They shall themselves be ruined and wasted. (1.) The government shall be dissolved: The king shall perish from Gaza, not only the present king shall be cut off, but there shall be no succession, no successor, (2.) The cities shall be dispeopled: Ashkelon shall not be inhabited; the rightful owners shall be expelled, either slain or carried into captivity. (3.) Foreigners shall take possession of their land and become masters of all its wealth (Zac 9:6): A bastard shall dwell in Ashdod; a spurious brood of strangers shall enter upon the inheritances of the natives, which they have no more right to than a bastard has to the estates of the legitimate children. And thus God will cut off the pride of the Philistines, all the strength and wealth which they prided themselves in, and which were the ground of their confidence in themselves and their contempt of the Israel of God. This prophecy of the destruction of the Philistines, and of Damascus, and Tyre, was accomplished, not long after this, by Alexander the Great, who ravaged all these countries with his victorious army, took the cities, and planted colonies in them, which Quintus Curtius gives a particular account of in the history of his conquests. And some think he is meant by the bastard that shall dwell in Ashdod, for his mother Olympia owned him begotten in adultery, but pretended it was by Jupiter. The Jews afterwards got ground of the Philistines, Syrians, and others of their neighbours, took some of their cities from them and possessed their countries, as appears by the histories of Josephus and the Maccabees, and this was foretold before, Zep 2:4, etc.; Oba 1:20.
3.Some among them shall be converted, and brought home to God, by his gospel and grace; so some understand Zac 9:7, as a promise, (1.) That God would take away the sins of these nations - their blood and their abominations, their cruelties and their idolatries. God will part between them and these sins which they have rolled under their tongue as a sweet morsel, and are as loth to part with as men are to part with the meat out of their mouths, and which they hold fast between their teeth. Nothing is too hard for the grace of God to do. (2.) That he would accept of a remnant of them for his own: He that remains shall be for our God. God would preserve a remnant even of these nations, that should be the monuments of his mercy and grace and be set apart for him; and the disadvantages of their birth shall be no bar to their acceptance with God, but a Philistine shall be as acceptable to God, upon gospel-terms, as one of Judah, nay, as a governor, or chief one, in Judah, and a man of Ekron shall be as a Jebusite, or a man of Jerusalem, as a proselyted Jebusite, as Araunah the Jebusite, Sa2 24:16. In Christ Jesus there is no distinction of nations, but all are one in him, all alike welcome to him.
IV. In all this God intends mercy for Israel, and it is in kindness to them that God will deal thus with the neighbouring nations, to avenge their quarrel for what is past and to secure them for the future.
1.Thus some understand the seventh verse, as intimating, (1.) That thus God would deliver his people from their bloody adversaries, who hated them, and to whom they were an abomination, when they were just ready to devour them and make a prey of them: I will take away his blood (that is, the blood of Israel) out of the mouth of the Philistines and from between their teeth (Amo 3:12), when, in their hatred of them and enmity to them, they were greedily devouring them. (2.) That lie would thus give them victory and dominion over them: And he that remains (that is, the remnant of Israel) shall be for our God, shall be taken into his favour, shall own him and be owned by him, and he shall be as a governor in Judah; though the Jews have been long in servitude, they shall recover their ancient dignity, and be victorious, as David and other governors in Judah formerly were; and Ekron (that is, the Philistines) shall be as the Jebusites, and the rest of the devoted nations, who were brought into subjection under them.
2.However, this is plainly the sense of Zac 9:8, that God will take his people under his special protection, and therefore will weaken their neighbours, that it may not be in their power to do them a mischief: I will encamp about my house because of the army. Note, God's house lies in the midst of an enemy's country, and his church is as a lily among thorns; and therefore God's power and goodness are to be observed in the special preservation of it. The camp of the saints, being a little flock in comparison with the numerous armies of the powers of darkness that are set against it round about, would certainly be swallowed up if the angels of God did not encamp about it, as they did about Elisha, to deliver it, Rev 20:9; Psa 34:7. When the times are unusually perilous, when armies are marching and counter-marching, and all bearing ill-will to Zion, then Providence will as it were double its guards upon the church of God, because of him that passes by and because of him that returns, that whether he return a conqueror or conquered he may do it no harm. And, as none that pass by shall hurt them, so no oppressor shall pass through them any more; they shall have no enemy within themselves to rule them with rigour, and to make their lives bitter to them with sore bondage, as of old in Egypt. This was fulfilled when, for some time after the struggles of the Maccabees, Judea was a free and flourishing state, or perhaps when Alexander the Great, struck with an awe of Jaddus the high priest, favoured the Jews, and took them under his protection, at the same time when he wasted the neighbouring countries. And the reason given for all this is, "For now have I seen with my eyes, now have I carefully distinguished between my people and other people, with whom before they seemed to have their lot in common, and have made it to appear that I know those that are mine," This agrees with Psa 34:15, The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous; now his eyes, which run to and fro through the earth, shall fix upon them, that he may show himself tender of them, and strong on their behalf, Ch2 16:9.
(Chapter 9, verse 1) The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Adrach, and Damascus shall be his rest: for the Lord hath an eye upon men, and upon all the tribes of Israel. LXX: The assumption of the word of the Lord in the land of Adrach (or Sedrach) and Damascus shall be his sacrifice, for the Lord regards men, and all the tribes of Israel. All this vision or burden of the word of the Lord, as Aquila interpreted it, pertains to the calling of the Gentiles and the rebuilding of the Church. And the order of the words is: Assumption of the word of the Lord, sharp towards sinners, gentle towards the righteous. Adrach (for this name is composed of two whole words: Ad, sharp, Rach, gentle and tender), and not as some read it incorrectly, Sedrach. Some refer Adrach to the Jewish people and Damascus to the calling of the Gentiles. Therefore, the people, or the assumption of the word of the Lord, takes place on the land of Adrach, on which the Lord exercised both severity and mercy (Isaiah XI, 10 in the Septuagint). Austerity towards those who refused to believe: mercy towards those who have returned with the Apostles. However, Damascus is for the rest of the Lord, according to what is written in Isaiah: And his rest shall be honor. For before the child knew how to choose good or evil, and call his father and mother, he received the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria (Isa. VIII, 4). Therefore, Damascus is translated into our language as 'drinking blood' or 'the blood of a hair shirt,' in order to signify the bloody people in the former interpretation; the second interpretation associates it with his cruelty and repentance. And what follows: Because the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel belong to the Lord, thus they have said: Therefore the temple of God must be built by both peoples, that is, by the land of Adrach and by the rest of Damascus: because whoever looks upon God, and hopes in Him, is of the nations, and is of all the tribes of Israel: or, according to the Septuagint, because the Lord equally regards all men, and all the tribes of Israel. Let us speak in another way: in the land of Adrach, the burden of the word of the Lord is heavy and of great weight. But in Damascus, his victims and sacrifices, because the Lord regards the faith of the nations and the unfaithfulness of circumcision without any partiality, and he is equally the God of all: imposing the weight of his own judgment and resting in the seat of others. The Jews say that all these things are to be fulfilled in the coming of Christ, whom they expect in the last times, and that the land of Adrach, and Damascus, and Emath, and Tyre, and Sidon, and Ascalon, and Gaza, and even Accaron and Ashdod and the Philistines, will bow their necks to the most powerful king and serve him who dwells in Jerusalem, and no one shall dare to raise a hand against Israel after they have been pacified throughout the land. Which we spiritually comprehend in the coming of the Lord and in the events of his Church.
Hadrach: Syria.
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SUMMARY
Zechariah 9:1 introduces a pivotal prophetic oracle, a "burden of the word of the LORD," that shifts the focus of the book from post-exilic restoration to future judgments upon surrounding Gentile nations, particularly Hadrach and Damascus, and ultimately culminates in a universal turning of "the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel," toward the LORD. This verse sets the stage for a series of prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah, the ingathering of Israel, and the establishment of God's kingdom, underscoring divine sovereignty over both the nations and His chosen people.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Zechariah 9:1 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. The phrase "The burden of the word of the LORD" utilizes Metaphor, portraying God's prophetic message as a heavy load, emphasizing its solemnity, weight, and the inevitable impact it will have. This is a common prophetic idiom, signifying a divine oracle, often one of judgment. The mention of "the eyes of man... shall be toward the LORD" uses Synecdoche, where "eyes" represent the whole person's attention, focus, and spiritual orientation. It vividly depicts a turning of the heart and mind towards God, signifying a shift in allegiance and expectation. Furthermore, the entire verse functions as Foreshadowing, setting the stage for the eschatological prophecies that follow in Zechariah 9-14. It hints at future divine judgments on nations and, more significantly, the ultimate spiritual awakening and turning of both Gentiles and Israel to the LORD, anticipating the Messianic era.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Zechariah 9:1 powerfully articulates God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and history. It demonstrates that His divine word is not confined to Israel but extends its reach to the most formidable Gentile powers, bringing about His purposes. The "burden" signifies a weighty divine decree, often leading to judgment, but ultimately serving God's larger redemptive plan. The prophecy's climax, where "the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD," speaks to a future eschatological hope: a universal recognition of God's authority and a turning of humanity, especially Israel, in expectant faith and allegiance toward Him. This points to the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant promises, where His glory will be revealed to all the earth and His people will finally acknowledge Him as their true King and Deliverer.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Zechariah 9:1 offers profound encouragement and a call to spiritual vigilance for believers today. It reminds us that God is actively involved in the affairs of all nations, not just our immediate circumstances or communities. His prophecies are certain, and His sovereign hand guides history toward His ultimate purposes, even amidst geopolitical turmoil and seemingly insurmountable challenges. Just as Hadrach and Damascus were subject to His word, so too are all powers and principalities. This truth invites us to cultivate an unwavering trust in God's control, knowing that His plans will prevail. Furthermore, the phrase "when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, [shall be] toward the LORD" serves as a powerful call to personal and collective spiritual focus. In a world filled with distractions and competing allegiances, we are exhorted to fix our gaze, our hope, and our expectation solely upon the LORD, anticipating His future interventions and seeking His will in all things. This verse fuels our hope for a day when all humanity will acknowledge God's rightful place, a hope that inspires our prayers and missions.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is meant by "the burden of the word of the LORD"?
Answer: The phrase "the burden of the word of the LORD" (Hebrew: massâʼ dābār YHWH) is a technical prophetic term. "Burden" (massâʼ) literally means a heavy load or something lifted. In prophetic contexts, it refers to a weighty, solemn, and authoritative divine utterance or oracle, often one foretelling judgment or a significant divine pronouncement. It emphasizes the gravity, certainty, and divine origin of the message. It's not a burden on the prophet, but a burden from the Lord, a message that carries significant weight and consequence for its recipients. This usage is found in other prophetic books, such as Isaiah 13:1 or Nahum 1:1.
Why are Hadrach and Damascus specifically mentioned in this prophecy?
Answer: Hadrach and Damascus are mentioned because they represent significant geopolitical powers in the ancient Near East, particularly to the north of Israel. Damascus was the capital of Aram (Syria), a long-standing adversary and often an oppressor of Israel throughout its history. Hadrach was likely a region or city in northern Syria, possibly a strategic location. By naming these specific Gentile entities, the prophecy underscores God's universal sovereignty. It demonstrates that His divine word and judgment extend beyond the borders of Israel to encompass all nations, even those that seemed formidable or hostile. Their inclusion signifies that God's plan involves the wider world and that even these powers will ultimately be subject to His will, paving the way for the greater purposes of His kingdom.
What does "when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, [shall be] toward the LORD" signify?
Answer: This phrase points to a future, eschatological event or state of being. It signifies a profound spiritual turning and a universal recognition of God's sovereignty. "The eyes of man" suggests humanity at large, while "all the tribes of Israel" specifically highlights the chosen people. To have their "eyes toward the LORD" means that their attention, hope, expectation, and allegiance will be fixed upon God. This implies a period of spiritual awakening, repentance, and a longing for divine intervention. It anticipates a time when both Gentiles and, crucially, the nation of Israel, will acknowledge God's rightful place and look to Him as their ultimate source of salvation and hope, a theme further developed in later chapters of Zechariah, particularly in Zechariah 12:10.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Zechariah 9:1, with its declaration of a divine "burden" upon nations and the ultimate turning of "the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, [toward] the LORD," finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The judgment upon Hadrach and Damascus foreshadows Christ's ultimate authority over all earthly powers and kingdoms, as He is the one to whom "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given" (Matthew 28:18). The subsequent prophecies in Zechariah 9-14 explicitly point to the Messiah, including His humble entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9), His betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13), and His piercing (Zechariah 12:10). The universal turning of "the eyes of man" toward the LORD is fulfilled in the gospel's global reach, inviting people from every nation to turn to Jesus, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Furthermore, the specific turning of "all the tribes of Israel" toward the LORD anticipates a future day when Israel, as a nation, will recognize Jesus as their Messiah, looking upon Him whom they have pierced and mourning for Him (Romans 11:25-27). Thus, Zechariah 9:1 sets the stage for the coming of the King who will establish His reign over all the earth, drawing all people to Himself, both Jew and Gentile, in a unified gaze of worship and dependence.