zechariah 9 and 10

Read Zechariah 9 and 10 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Zec 9:1-8 {s} Prophecies against Syria, Damascus, Tyre, Sidon, Philistia
Zec 9:9-10:2 {p} Rejoice Zion! Your king is coming to you/ Judah + Ephraim victorious, war cut off
Zec 10:3-12 {p} From Judah comes the cornerstone/ Judah + Joseph strengthened, they shall return
Zec 11:1-3 {p} Prophecy against Lebanon/ Wail, cypress + oaks, for the cedar has fallen

The chiastic structure of the 5th prophetic message in Zechariah, 9:1-11:3:

1a.1) Zec 9:1-8 {s} Prophecies against Syria, Damascus, Tyre, Sidon, Philistia: YHVH will cut off their pride;
1a.2) Zec 9:9, Rejoice greatly, O Zion! Your king is coming to you, bringing salvation/ lowly + riding on a donkey;

1b) Zec 9:10, Peace + dominion of the Prince of Peace (the sceptor of Zion shall come);

1c) Zec 9:11-12, The blood covenant which sets prisoners free/ I will restore double to you;

1d) Zec 9:13, Bent Judah My bow + fitted with Ephraim (My arrow)/ made you like a mighty man;

1e) Zec 9:14-10:1, YHVH will defend + save them/ His flock victorious, His crown + banner/ goodness of the land;

1f) Zec 10:2a, The idols + diviners speak lies + falsehoods/ comfort in vain;

central axis) Zec 10:2b {p} “Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; they are in trouble because there is no shepherd;

2f) Zec10:3a, My anger is kindled against the shepherds + I will punish the goatherds;

2e) Zec 10:3b-4, YHVH will visit His flock/ Judah His royal battle horse, from whence comes the cornerstone;

2d) Zec 10:5-6a, They shall be like mighty men for YHVH is with them/ strengthen + save Judah + Joseph;

2c) Zec 10:6b-10, I will bring them back + have mercy on them + redeem them/ they shall rejoice;

2b) Zec 10:11-12 {p} He shall afflict the sea/ Pride of Assyria + sceptor of Egypt shall depart;

2a.1) Zec 11:1, Prophecy against Lebanon: his cedars devoured;
2a.2) Zec 11:2-3 {p} Wail, cypress + oaks + sound of wailing shepherds/ the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.

The A and B pairs: the contrast is made between the pride of the nations and the lowliness of the King to whom the sceptor is coming. While Zion and Jerusalem rejoices over Him, Lebanon wails the loss of her pride, the false shepherds wail the loss of their authority.

The C pair: Interesting that the setting of the prisoners free by virtue of their blood covenant – which we know is a prophecy of salvation in Messiah Yeshua – is paired with the return of both Judah and Ephraim/ Joseph to their land. They were scattered from their land because of their sin, and are returned to it because of their salvation – YHVH’s mercy and redemption in the blood of Messiah Yeshua. YHVH will restore double to Judah and Ephraim what they had lost. The days to come will be wonderful!

The D pair: reference is made to the sons of Zion prevailing over the sons of Greece. To me, this is a thematic connection to the prophecy in Dan 11, which was fulfilled when the Maccabees overthrew Grecian rule in Israel – the victory Hanukkah celebrates every year. Interestingly enough, Daniel’s prophecy continues into Dan 12, where the events of the war between Zion and Greece are connected to the present time (“At that time Michael shall stand up …”). I do not think Greece is going to redominate the world. But the history of Israel is prophetic, and the prophecy is of the sons of the earth, the kingdoms of this world, warring against the sons of Zion, believers, of the kingdom of heaven. The citizenship distinction is a spiritual distinction. And notice that Judah and Ephraim are in this fight together! They are the two witnesses of Rom 11 and Rev 11, which I believe are Jews and Christians! They are Messiah’s crown, banner, and royal battle horse!