Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Zechariah 9:12 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Zec 9:12 |
King James |
Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
stronghold--in contrast to the "pit" (Zac 9:11); literally, "a place cut off from access." MAURER thinks, "a height" (Psa 18:33). An image for the security which the returning Jews shall have in Messiah (Zac 9:8) encamped about His people (Psa 46:1, Psa 46:5; compare Isa 49:9; Pro 18:10).
prisoners of hope--that is, who in spite of afflictions (Job 13:15; Psa 42:5, Psa 42:11) maintain hope in the covenant-keeping God; in contrast to unbelievers, who say, "There is no hope" (Jer 2:25; Jer 18:12). Especially those Jews who believe God's word to Israel (Jer 31:17), "there is hope in the end, that thy children shall come again to their own border," and do not say, as in Eze 37:11, "Our hope is lost." Primarily, the Jews of Zechariah's time are encouraged not to be dispirited in building by their trials; secondarily, the Jews before the coming restoration are encouraged to look to Messiah for deliverance from their last oppressors.
even to-day--when your circumstances seem so unpromising; in contrast with the "day of the Lord," when Zion's King shall come to her deliverance (Zac 9:9).
I will render double--Great as has been thy adversity, thy prosperity shall be doubly greater (Isa 61:7). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Turn ye to the stronghold - that is, Almighty God; as the Psalmists so often say, "The Lord is the defense of my life" (Psa 27:1, add Psa 31:5; Psa 37:39; Psa 43:2; Psa 52:9); and Joel, "The Lord shall be a stronghold of the children, of Israel" ; and Nahum, "The Lord is a stronghold in the day of trouble" Nah 1:7; And, David said, "Thou hast been a shelter for me, a strong tower against the enemy" Psa 61:3; "the Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe" Pro 18:10; and again, "Be Thou to me a rock of strength, a house of defense to save me - Bring me forth out of the net that they have laid privily for me; for Thou art my stronghold" . The "stronghold," "cut off" from all approach from an enemy, stands in contrast with the deep dungeon of calamity. The "return" must be a willing return, one in their own power; "return to the stronghold," which is Almighty God, must be by conversion of heart and will. Even a Jewish commentator Kimchi paraphrases, "Turn ye to God; for He is a stronghold and tower of strength."
Ye prisoners of - (the) hope Not, accordingly, any hope, or generally, "hope," but the special hope of Israel, "the hope" which sustained them in all those years of patient expectations, as Paul speaks of "the hope of Israel," for which he says, "I am bound with this chain" Act 28:20. "I stand to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God unto our fathers, unto which promise our twelve tribes, serving God instantly day and night, hope to come; for which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews" Act 26:6-7. And in his Epistles, "the hope laid up for you in heaven" Col 1:5; "the hope of the Gospel" Col 1:23; and, "looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" Tit 2:13. He writes also of "keeping the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" Heb 3:6; of "the full assurance of the hope unto the end" Heb 6:11; of "fleeing to lay hold on the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast" Heb 6:18-19. He does not speak of hope as a grace or theological virtue, but, objectively, as the thing hoped for. So Zechariah calls to them as bound, held fast by "the hope," bound, as it were, to it and by it, so as not to let it go, amid the persecution of the world, or weariness of expectation; as Paul also says, "before faith came, we were guarded, kept in ward, under the law, shut up unto the faith which was about to be revealed" Gal 3:23.
Even to-day - Amid all contrary appearances, "do I declare, that I will render double unto thee;" as He had said by Isaiah, "For your shame ye shall have double" Isa 61:7. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
strong hold
See context, (Zac 9:14). Also, (Jer 16:19). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Turn ye - The prophet exhorts the Jews to hasten to Christ, who is the salvation and high tower of the church. Prisoners of hope - Captives, yet not without hope. Even to - day - In this day of lowest distress. Double - Twice as much good as thou hast suffered evil. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Turn you to the strong hold - Ye who feel your sins, and are shut up under a sense of your guilt, look up to him who was delivered for your offenses, and rose again for your justification. Ye have hope, let that hope lead you to faith, and that faith to the blood of the covenant; and, through that blood, to God, the Father of all.
I will render double unto thee - Give thee an abundance of peace and salvation. |
7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
12 And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
8 And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.