Zechariah 12

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:4

Zec 12:4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. Ver. 4. I will smite every horse with astonishment ] Great is the strength of the horse and the rage of his rider: Jehu marched furiously; Bajazet, the Great Turk, of his fierce and furious riding was surnamed Gilderun, or Lightning; but God can make the Egyptians to appear men,... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:5

Zec 12:5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem [shall be] my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. Ver. 5. And the governors of Judah ] The dukes or chieftains ( אלפי ); meaning the Maccabees, who wear not any kingly crown, but were only governors, rulers, commanders-in-chief, such as went before others; like as in the alphabet Aleph is the first letter; so, “ Omega nostrorum Mors est, Mars Alpha malorum, ” saith the poet wittily. Shall say in... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:6

Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, [even] in Jerusalem. Ver. 6. In that day will I make the governors, &c. ] This is the third similitude, whereof the Scripture is full; according to that, I will open my mouth in parables. These are of excellent use to... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:7

Zec 12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify [themselves] against Judah. Ver. 7. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first ] Or, as at first, sc. when they came out of Egypt, and had no strongholds to take to for their defence. "Lord" (saith Moses), "thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations," Psalms 90:1 . He was so of old, and ever will be; the faith whereof... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:8

Zec 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David [shall be] as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. Ver. 8. In that day shall the Lord defend, &c. ] Prosequitur eandem sententiam, saith Calvin. He proceeds in the former argument to assure the feeble Jews (as Sanballat, that proud haughty scorner, called them, Nehemiah 4:2 Pro 21:24 ) of safety and protection. God will bless... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:9

Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. Ver. 9. I will seek to destroy ] I will make inquisition and diligent scrutiny; I will draw them out of their lurking places to execution; as Saul went to seek David upon the rocks of the wild goats, 1 Samuel 24:2 ; those high, steep, and craggy rocks, which could not but be very tedious both to himself and to his soldiers to march in; but he was set upon it, and would... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:10

Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn. Ver. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David ] Pour, as by whole pailfuls; God is no penny father; no small gifts fall from so great a hand; he gives... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:11

Zec 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. Ver. 11. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem ] Magnificabitur luctus (so the Hebrew hath it), their mourning shall be greatened, their heaviness heightened, they shall rise in their repentance above all that is ordinary. The casuists and schoolmen affirm sorrow for sin to be the greatest of all sorrows. 1. In conatu: in the effort, the whole soul... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:12

Zec 12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; Ver. 12. And the land shall mourn ] Not the generality of the Jews (unless it be at their last general conversion, that resurrection from the dead, as it is called, Rom 11:15 ), but the elect according to grace, who are here called the land, because more esteemed by God than all the other Jews besides; for he... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Zechariah 12:14

Zec 12:14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. Ver. 14. All the families that remain ] Out of every family of this people God will have some converts, "A remnant according to the election of grace," Romans 11:5 . A thing so incredible, that to persuade it the prophet may here seem to some profane person to use more words than needeth. read more

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