47 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Zechariah 8 This chapter contains promises of various blessings to the people of the Jews; and exhortations to each of the duties incumbent on them; and is concluded with a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles. The cause of all the blessings promised is the love of God to them, signified by zeal, or jealousy for them, Zechariah...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Again the word of the Lord of hosts came [to me] saying. The phrase, "to me", is wanting in the Hebrew text; and is the only place it is wanting in, as the Masora observes; though undoubtedly it is to be understood; and therefore is rightly supplied, as it is by the Targum, "with me". Mention being made in the latter part of the preceding chapter...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The work of ministers is rightly to divide the word of truth and to give every one his portion. So the prophet is here instructed to do, in the further answer he gives to the case of conscience proposed about continuing the public fasts. His answer, in the foregoing chapter, is by way of reproof to those that were disobedient and would not obey...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Because they worshipped idols instead of the living God, Jehovah of hosts, who is a jealous God, was very angry with his ancient people, and allowed them to be carried away...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... This prophecy, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, respects time to come; the days of the Messiah, in the war of Gog and Magog, when they shall come up against Jerusalem, and the Lord shall pour out his great wrath upon them; and it seems right to interpret it, not only literally of Jerusalem, but spiritually of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Zion,.... The temple being now building, and almost finished, and the worship of God restored in it. The Targum renders it, "I will return to Zion"; and it may refer to the time of Christ's incarnation, when the Redeemer came to Zion, Isaiah 59:20 or to the time of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day,...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. The first coming or the return of God to a church, or to an individual heart, always promotes holiness; so, unless thy piety is daily growing, do not imagine...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... These words are used at every consolatory promise given, as Kimchi observes, for the confirmation of it: there shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem; signifying that the inhabitants should be very healthful; no sweeping disease or calamity should be among them, but they should live to a...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. It is an indication that there is peace in the city when the children can play in the streets...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls,.... Denoting a large increase of inhabitants, in a literal sense; and may spiritually signify the large numbers of converts, of new born babes, who are regenerated by the grace and Spirit of God, and are accounted of by the Lord for a generation: playing the streets thereof; being in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... This is repeated for the same end as before; [See comments on Zechariah 8:4]: If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days; either in the then present days and time; and the sense is, if it should seem wonderful, incredible, and scarcely possible to the small number of the Jews in...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. This is a very remarkable passage, warning us not to judge of God by ourselves. Though a thing may be difficult to us, there are no difficulties with God. Nay, even if we...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold,.... As being something wonderful, of great importance, and deserving attention: I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; this can not be understood of bringing those Jews that remained in Babylon, and other places, to their own land, for Babylon lay north of Judea; see Zechariah...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. Mark God’s emphatic language, how full it is of “shalls” and “wills.” “I will,” and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And l will bring them,.... To Zion, into the church of God, the Gospel fold, where Christ has engaged to bring his other sheep, that there may be one fold for Jew and Gentile, Jeremiah 3:14 John 10:16: and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: the Gospel church; and be no more foreigners and strangers, but of the household of God, enjoying...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong,.... In going on with the building of the temple, which was typical of the church of God, since so many great and good things were promised by the Lord, Haggai 2:4: ye that hear in these days; such as Zerubbabel the ruler, Joshua the high priest, and the rest of the people of the land: these...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the month of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For before these days,.... That the temple began to be built: there was no hire for men, nor any hire for beasts; that turned to any account; the wages earned by the one, and with the other, were as if they were put into a bag with holes, did not prosper with them, or do them any service, Haggai 1:6: neither [was there any] peace to him that went...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But now I [will] not [be] unto the residue of this people,.... The remnant brought out of captivity, settled in the land, and now rebuilding the temple: as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts; when they neglected the house of the Lord, caring only for their own cieled houses, Haggai 1:2.