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Selected Verse: Zechariah 9:2 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Zec 9:2 |
Strong Concordance |
And Hamath [02574] also shall border [01379] thereby; Tyrus [06865], and Zidon [06721], though it be very [03966] wise [02449]. |
| |
King James |
And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise. |
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] |
Hamath--a Syrian kingdom with a capital of the same name, north of Damascus.
shall border thereby--shall be joined to Damascus in treatment, as it is in position; shall share in the burden of wrath of which Damascus is the resting-place. MAURER understands "which"; "Hamath, which borders on Damascus, also shall be the resting-place of Jehovah's wrath" (the latter words being supplied from Zac 9:1). Riblah, the scene of the Jews' sufferings from their foe, was there: it therefore shall suffer (Kg2 23:33; Kg2 25:6-7, Kg2 25:20-21).
Tyrus . . . Zidon--lying in the conqueror's way on his march along the Mediterranean to Egypt (compare Isa. 23:1-18). Zidon, the older city, surrendered, and Abdolonymus was made its viceroy.
very wise--in her own eyes. Referring to Tyre: Zac 9:3 shows wherein her wisdom consisted, namely, in building a stronghold, and heaping up gold and silver (Eze 38:3, Eze 38:5, Eze 38:12, Eze 38:17). On Alexander's expressing his wish to sacrifice in Hercules' temple in New Tyre on the island, she showed her wisdom in sending a golden crown, and replying that the true and ancient temple of Hercules was at Old Tyre on the mainland. With all her wisdom she cannot avert her doom. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And Hamath also shall border thereby - o. Near to it in place and character, it shall share its subdual. After the betrayal of Damascus, Parmenio was set over all Syria. "The Syrians, not as yet tamed by the losses of war, despised the new empire, but, swiftly subdued, they did obediently what they were commanded."
And Zidon - Zidon, although probably older than Tyre , is here spoken of parenthetically, as subordinate. Perhaps, owing to its situation, it was a wealthy , rather than a strong place. Its name is "Fishing-town;" in Joshua, it is called "the great" Jos 11:8; Jos 19:28, perhaps the metropolis; while Tyre is named from its strength Jos 19:29. It infected Israel with its idolatry Jdg 10:6, and is mentioned among the nations who oppressed them and from whom God delivered them on their prayers Jdg 10:12, probably under Jabin. In the time of the Judges, it, not Tyre, was looked to for protection Jdg 18:7, Jdg 18:28. In the times of Ezekiel it had become subordinate, furnishing "rowers" Eze 27:8 to Tyre; but Esarhaddon, about 80 years before, boasts that he had taken it, destroyed its inhabitants, and re-populated it with people from the East, building a new city which he called by his own name . Tyre too had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar . At the restoration from the captivity, Sidon had the first place, Ezr 3:7, which it retained in the time of Xerxes . But Artaxerxes Ochus gained possession of it by treachery, when all Phoenicia revolted from Persia, and, besides those crucified, 40,000 of its inhabitants perished by their own hands , twenty years before the invasion of Alexander, to whom it submitted willingly .
The prophet having named Tyre and Zidon together, yet continues as to Tyre alone, as being alone of account in the days of which he is speaking, those of Alexander.
Although - Rather, "because she is very wise." Man's own wisdom is his foolishness and destruction, "as the foolishness of God" is his wisdom and salvation. God "taketh the wise in their own craftiness" Job 5:13. "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" Co1 1:21. Of the Hagarenes it is said, they "seek wisdom upon earth; none of these know the way of wisdom, or remember her paths" (Baruch 3:23). The wisdom of Tyre was the source of her pride, and so of her destruction also. "Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man and not God, though thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; behold thou art wiser them Daniel, there is no secret that they can hide from thee. Therefore I will bring strangers upon thee - they shall bring thee down to the pit" Eze 28:2, Eze 28:8. So of Edom Obadiah says, "The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock. Shall I not destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?" Oba 1:3, Oba 1:8. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
| Zac 9:2. "And Hamath also, which borders thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because it is very wise. Zac 9:3. And Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like dust, and gold like dirt of the streets. Zac 9:4. Behold, the Lord will cause it to be taken, and smite its might in the sea, and she will be consumed by fire." Chămâth is appended to Damascus by vegam (and also). Tigbol-bâh is to be taken as a relative clause; and bâh refers to chămâth, and not to 'erets chadrâkh (the land of Hadrach). "Hamath also," i.e., Ἐπιφάνεια on the Orontes, the present Hamah (see at Gen 10:18), which borders on Damascus, i.e., which has its territory touching the territory of Damascus, sc. will be a resting-place of the burden of Jehovah. The relative clause connects Hamath with Damascus, and separates it from the names which follow. Damascus and Hamath represent Syria. Tyre and Sidon, the two capitals of Phoenicia, are connected again into a pair by the explanatory clause כּי חכמה מאד. For although חכמה is in the singular, it cannot be taken as referring to Sidon only, because Tyre is mentioned again in the very next verse as the subject, and the practical display of its wisdom is described. The singular חכמה cannot be taken distributively in this sense, that being wise applies in just the same manner to both the cities (Koehler); for the cases quoted by Gesenius (146, 4) are of a totally different kind, since there the subject is in the plural, and is construed with a singular verb; but צידון is subordinate to צר, "Tyre with Sidon," Sidon being regarded as an annex of Tyre, answering to the historical relation in which the two cities stood to one another, - namely, that Tyre was indeed originally a colony of Sidon, but that it very soon overshadowed the mother city, and rose to be the capital of all Phoenicia (see the comm. on Isaiah 23), so that even in Isaiah and Ezekiel the prophecies concerning Sidon are attached to those concerning Tyre, and its fate appears interwoven with that of Tyre (cf. Isa 23:4, Isa 23:12; Eze 28:21.). Hence we find Tyre only spoken of here in Zac 9:3, Zac 9:4. This city showed its wisdom in the fact that it built itself a fortress, and heaped up silver and gold like dust and dirt of the streets. Zechariah has here in his mind the insular Tyre, which was built about three or four stadia from the mainland, and thirty stadia to the north of Palae-tyrus, and which is called מעוז היּם in Isa 23:4, because, although very small in extent, it was surrounded by a wall a hundred and fifty feet high, and was so strong a fortification, that Shalmaneser besieged it for five years without success, and Nebuchadnezzar for thirteen years, and apparently was unable to conquer it (see Delitzsch on Isaiah, at Isa 23:18). This fortification is called mâtsōr. Here Tyre had heaped up immense treasures. Chârūts is shining gold (Psa 68:14, etc.). but the wisdom through which Tyre had acquired such might and such riches (cf. Eze 28:4-5) would be of no help to it. For it was the wisdom of this world (Co1 1:20), which ascribes to itself the glory due to God, and only nourishes the pride out of which it sprang. The Lord will take the city. Hōrı̄sh does not mean to drive from its possession - namely, the population (Hitzig) - for the next two clauses show that it is not the population of Tyre, but the city itself, which is thought of as the object; nor does it mean to "give as a possession" - namely, their treasures (Calv., Hengst., etc.) - but simply to take possession, to take, to conquer, as in Jos 8:7; Jos 17:12; Num 14:24 (Maurer, Koehler). And will smite in the sea חילהּ, not "her bulwarks:" for חיל, when used of fortifications, neither denotes the city wall nor earthworks, but the moat, including the small outer wall (Sa2 20:15) as distinguished from the true city wall (chōmâh, Isa 26:1; Lam 2:8), and this does not apply to the insular Tyre; moreover, חיל cannot be taken here in any other sense than in Eze 28:4-5, which Zechariah follows. There it denotes the might which Tyre had acquired through its wisdom, not merely warlike or military power (Koehler), but might consisting in its strong situation and artificial fortification, as well as in the wealth of its resources for defence. This will be smitten in the sea, because Tyre itself stood in the sea. And finally, the city will be destroyed by fire. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Hamath - A principal town of Syria. Shall border - Shall be so near the storm, that they shall not quite escape. Very wise - Each of them are subtle, and think by craft to save themselves, but God derides their wisdom. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
And Hamath also shall border thereby - Hamath on the river Orontes; and Tyre and Sidon, notwithstanding their political wisdom, address, and cunning, shall have a part in the punishment.
These prophecies are more suitable to the days of Jeremiah than to those of Zechariah; for there is no evidence - although Alexander did take Damascus, but without bloodshed - that it was destroyed from the times of Zechariah to the advent of our Lord. And as Tyre and Sidon were lately destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, it is not likely that they could soon undergo another devastation. |
17 Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Art thou he of whom I have spoken [01696] in old [06931] time [03117] by [03027] my servants [05650] the prophets [05030] of Israel [03478], which prophesied [05012] in those days [03117] many years [08141] that I would bring [0935] thee against them?
12 To take [07997] a spoil [07998], and to take [0962] a prey [0957]; to turn [07725] thine hand [03027] upon the desolate places [02723] that are now inhabited [03427], and upon the people [05971] that are gathered [0622] out of the nations [01471], which have gotten [06213] cattle [04735] and goods [07075], that dwell [03427] in the midst [02872] of the land [0776].
5 Persia [06539], Ethiopia [03568], and Libya [06316] with them; all of them with shield [04043] and helmet [03553]:
3 And say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog [01463], the chief [07218] prince [05387] of Meshech [04902] and Tubal [08422]:
3 And Tyrus [06865] did build [01129] herself a strong hold [04692], and heaped up [06651] silver [03701] as the dust [06083], and fine gold [02742] as the mire [02916] of the streets [02351].
20 And Nebuzaradan [05018] captain [07227] of the guard [02876] took [03947] these, and brought [03212] them to the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] to Riblah [07247]:
21 And the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] smote [05221] them, and slew [04191] them at Riblah [07247] in the land [0776] of Hamath [02574]. So Judah [03063] was carried away [01540] out of their land [0127].
6 So they took [08610] the king [04428], and brought him up [05927] to the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] to Riblah [07247]; and they gave [01696] judgment [04941] upon him.
7 And they slew [07819] the sons [01121] of Zedekiah [06667] before his eyes [05869], and put out [05786] the eyes [05869] of Zedekiah [06667], and bound [0631] him with fetters [05178] of brass [05178], and carried [0935] him to Babylon [0894].
33 And Pharaohnechoh [06549] put him in bands [0631] at Riblah [07247] in the land [0776] of Hamath [02574], that he might not reign [04427] in Jerusalem [03389]; and put [05414] the land [0776] to a tribute [06066] of an hundred [03967] talents [03603] of silver [03701], and a talent [03603] of gold [02091].
1 The burden [04853] of the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] in the land [0776] of Hadrach [02317], and Damascus [01834] shall be the rest [04496] thereof: when the eyes [05869] of man [0120], as of all the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478], shall be toward the LORD [03068].
8 Shall I not in that day [03117], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], even destroy [06] the wise [02450] men out of Edom [0123], and understanding [08394] out of the mount [02022] of Esau [06215]?
3 The pride [02087] of thine heart [03820] hath deceived [05377] thee, thou that dwellest [07931] in the clefts [02288] of the rock [05553], whose habitation [03427] is high [04791]; that saith [0559] in his heart [03820], Who shall bring me down [03381] to the ground [0776]?
8 They shall bring thee down [03381] to the pit [07845], and thou shalt die [04191] the deaths [04463] of them that are slain [02491] in the midst [03820] of the seas [03220].
2 Son [01121] of man [0120], say [0559] unto the prince [05057] of Tyrus [06865], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Because thine heart [03820] is lifted up [01361], and thou hast said [0559], I am a God [0410], I sit [03427] in the seat [04186] of God [0430], in the midst [03820] of the seas [03220]; yet thou art a man [0120], and not God [0410], though thou set [05414] thine heart [03820] as the heart [03820] of God [0430]:
21 For [1063] after [1894] that in [1722] the wisdom [4678] of God [2316] the world [2889] by [1223] wisdom [4678] knew [1097] not [3756] God [2316], it pleased [2106] God [2316] by [1223] the foolishness [3472] of preaching [2782] to save [4982] them that believe [4100].
13 He taketh [03920] the wise [02450] in their own craftiness [06193]: and the counsel [06098] of the froward [06617] is carried headlong [04116].
7 They gave [05414] money [03701] also unto the masons [02672], and to the carpenters [02796]; and meat [03978], and drink [04960], and oil [08081], unto them of Zidon [06722], and to them of Tyre [06876], to bring [0935] cedar [0730] trees [06086] from Lebanon [03844] to the sea [03220] of Joppa [03305], according to the grant [07558] that they had of Cyrus [03566] king [04428] of Persia [06539].
8 The inhabitants [03427] of Zidon [06721] and Arvad [0719] were thy mariners [07751]: thy wise [02450] men, O Tyrus [06865], that were in thee, were thy pilots [02259].
28 And there was no deliverer [05337], because it was far [07350] from Zidon [06721], and they had no business [01697] with any man [0120]; and it was in the valley [06010] that lieth by Bethrehob [01050]. And they built [01129] a city [05892], and dwelt [03427] therein.
7 Then the five [02568] men [0582] departed [03212], and came [0935] to Laish [03919], and saw [07200] the people [05971] that were therein [07130], how they dwelt [03427] careless [0983], after the manner [04941] of the Zidonians [06722], quiet [08252] and secure [0982]; and there was no magistrate [03423] [06114] in the land [0776], that might put them to shame [03637] in any thing [01697]; and they were far [07350] from the Zidonians [06722], and had no business [01697] with any man [0120].
12 The Zidonians [06722] also, and the Amalekites [06002], and the Maonites [04584], did oppress [03905] you; and ye cried [06817] to me, and I delivered [03467] you out of their hand [03027].
6 And the children [01121] of Israel [03478] did [06213] evil [07451] again [03254] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], and served [05647] Baalim [01168], and Ashtaroth [06252], and the gods [0430] of Syria [0758], and the gods [0430] of Zidon [06721], and the gods [0430] of Moab [04124], and the gods [0430] of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983], and the gods [0430] of the Philistines [06430], and forsook [05800] the LORD [03068], and served [05647] not him.
29 And then the coast [01366] turneth [07725] to Ramah [07414], and to the strong [04013] city [05892] Tyre [06865]; and the coast [01366] turneth [07725] to Hosah [02621]; and the outgoings [08444] thereof are at the sea [03220] from the coast [02256] to Achzib [0392]:
28 And Hebron [05683], and Rehob [07340], and Hammon [02540], and Kanah [07071], even unto great [07227] Zidon [06721];
8 And the LORD [03068] delivered [05414] them into the hand [03027] of Israel [03478], who smote [05221] them, and chased [07291] them unto great [07227] Zidon [06721], and unto Misrephothmaim [04956], and unto the valley [01237] of Mizpeh [04708] eastward [04217]; and they smote [05221] them, until they left [07604] them none remaining [08300].
4 With thy wisdom [02451] and with thine understanding [08394] thou hast gotten [06213] thee riches [02428], and hast gotten [06213] gold [02091] and silver [03701] into thy treasures [0214]:
5 By thy great [07230] wisdom [02451] and by thy traffick [07404] hast thou increased [07235] thy riches [02428], and thine heart [03824] is lifted up [01361] because of thy riches [02428]:
8 The LORD [03068] hath purposed [02803] to destroy [07843] the wall [02346] of the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726]: he hath stretched out [05186] a line [06957], he hath not withdrawn [07725] his hand [03027] from destroying [01104]: therefore he made the rampart [02426] and the wall [02346] to lament [056]; they languished [0535] together [03162].
1 In that day [03117] shall this song [07892] be sung [07891] in the land [0776] of Judah [03063]; We have a strong [05797] city [05892]; salvation [03444] will God appoint [07896] for walls [02346] and bulwarks [02426].
15 And they came [0935] and besieged [06696] him in Abel [059] of Bethmaachah [01038], and they cast up [08210] a bank [05550] against the city [05892], and it stood [05975] in the trench [02426]: and all the people [05971] that were with Joab [03097] battered [07843] the wall [02346], to throw it down [05307].
24 But my servant [05650] Caleb [03612], because [06118] he had another [0312] spirit [07307] with him, and hath followed [0310] me fully [04390], him will I bring [0935] into the land [0776] whereinto he went [0935]; and his seed [02233] shall possess [03423] it.
12 Yet the children [01121] of Manasseh [04519] could [03201] not drive out [03423] the inhabitants of those cities [05892]; but the Canaanites [03669] would [02974] dwell [03427] in that land [0776].
7 Then ye shall rise up [06965] from the ambush [0693], and seize [03423] upon the city [05892]: for the LORD [03068] your God [0430] will deliver [05414] it into your hand [03027].
20 Where [4226] is the wise [4680]? where [4226] is the scribe [1122]? where [4226] is the disputer [4804] of this [5127] world [165]? hath [3471] not [3780] God [2316] made foolish [3471] the wisdom [4678] of this [5127] world [2889]?
4 With thy wisdom [02451] and with thine understanding [08394] thou hast gotten [06213] thee riches [02428], and hast gotten [06213] gold [02091] and silver [03701] into thy treasures [0214]:
5 By thy great [07230] wisdom [02451] and by thy traffick [07404] hast thou increased [07235] thy riches [02428], and thine heart [03824] is lifted up [01361] because of thy riches [02428]:
14 When the Almighty [07706] scattered [06566] kings [04428] in it, it was white as snow [07949] in Salmon [06756].
18 And her merchandise [05504] and her hire [0868] shall be holiness [06944] to the LORD [03068]: it shall not be treasured [0686] nor laid up [02630]; for her merchandise [05504] shall be for them that dwell [03427] before [06440] the LORD [03068], to eat [0398] sufficiently [07654], and for durable [06266] clothing [04374].
4 Be thou ashamed [0954], O Zidon [06721]: for the sea [03220] hath spoken [0559], even the strength [04581] of the sea [03220], saying [0559], I travail [02342] not, nor bring forth children [03205], neither do I nourish up [01431] young men [0970], nor bring up [07311] virgins [01330].
4 Behold, the Lord [0136] will cast her out [03423], and he will smite [05221] her power [02428] in the sea [03220]; and she shall be devoured [0398] with fire [0784].
3 And Tyrus [06865] did build [01129] herself a strong hold [04692], and heaped up [06651] silver [03701] as the dust [06083], and fine gold [02742] as the mire [02916] of the streets [02351].
21 Son [01121] of man [0120], set [07760] thy face [06440] against Zidon [06721], and prophesy [05012] against it,
12 And he said [0559], Thou shalt no more [03254] rejoice [05937], O thou oppressed [06231] virgin [01330], daughter [01323] of Zidon [06721]: arise [06965], pass over [05674] to Chittim [03794]; there also shalt thou have no rest [05117].
4 Be thou ashamed [0954], O Zidon [06721]: for the sea [03220] hath spoken [0559], even the strength [04581] of the sea [03220], saying [0559], I travail [02342] not, nor bring forth children [03205], neither do I nourish up [01431] young men [0970], nor bring up [07311] virgins [01330].
18 And the Arvadite [0721], and the Zemarite [06786], and the Hamathite [02577]: and afterward [0310] were the families [04940] of the Canaanites [03669] spread abroad [06327].
4 Behold, the Lord [0136] will cast her out [03423], and he will smite [05221] her power [02428] in the sea [03220]; and she shall be devoured [0398] with fire [0784].
3 And Tyrus [06865] did build [01129] herself a strong hold [04692], and heaped up [06651] silver [03701] as the dust [06083], and fine gold [02742] as the mire [02916] of the streets [02351].
2 And Hamath [02574] also shall border [01379] thereby; Tyrus [06865], and Zidon [06721], though it be very [03966] wise [02449].