Zechariah 1:18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

It is the comfort and triumph of the church (Isa. 59:19) that when the enemy shall come in like a flood, with mighty force and fury, then the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Now, in this vision (the second which this prophet had), we have an illustration of that, God's Spirit making a stand, and making head, against the formidable power of the church's adversaries. I. We have here the enemies of the church bold and daring, and threatening to be its death, to cut off... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 1:18

Then I lifted up mine eyes ,.... To behold another vision which follows: and saw, and behold four horns ; either iron ones, such as Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made to push the Syrians with, 1 Kings 22:11 or horns of beasts, as the horns of unicorns, to which the horns of Joseph are compared, Deuteronomy 33:17 and signify kingdoms or kings, and these very powerful and mighty; and so the Targum interprets them of "four kingdoms"; and which Kimchi and Abarbinel understand of the four... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 1:18

And behold four horns - Denoting four powers by which the Jews had been oppressed; the Assyrians, Persians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians. Or these enemies may be termed four, in reference to the four cardinal points of the heavens, whence they came: - North. The Assyrians and Babylonians. East. The Moabites and Ammonites. South. The Egyptians. West. The Philistines. See Martin. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 1:18

Verse 18 Now follows another vision, by which God confirms what he had before testified to his Prophet. He then says, that though enemies should on every side rise up against the Church and cause it many troubles, there was yet a remedy in God’s hand, as he would break in pieces all horns by his hammers. He compares the Gentiles, who had been hostile to the Jews, to horns; and he afterwards compares to workmen the other enemies, whose hand and labor God would use for the purpose of breaking... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18

I lifted up mine eyes, and saw. This vision is closely connected with the former. The prophet had been told that the hostile nations should be punished and scattered; he now is shown this threat being executed. Four horns, belching to four beasts but dimly seen or wholly invisible. Horns are symbols of strength and power (comp. Psalms 75:4 , Psalms 75:5 ; Daniel 8:3 ; Amos 6:13 ). Here they mean powers hostile to Israel, and the number "four" (the symbol of completeness) points to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

§ 4. The second vision. the four horns and the four craftsmen. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

A vision of help. "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw," etc. In these verses, and some that follow, certain detached portions of the previous general prophecy seem to be set before us again in greater amplitude and detail—like maps of England, France, and so on, in an atlas, following the general but smaller-scaled map of the whole "quarter" of Europe. In the verses now especially before us, it is the previous message concerning the enemies of God's people ( Zechariah 1:14 , Zechariah... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

The dark and the bright side of things. Prophet depressed. Heart failing for fear. Roused. Vision twofold. Like the mystic pillar of the wilderness, it is dark and lowering towards God's enemies, but bright and cheering towards his friends. I. THE POWERS OF EVIL . Beasts dimly seen. "Horses" indicate the strength and malice of the world powers. The results are terrible. The unity of Israel is broken. Strength dissipated in party conflicts. Gored and tossed and sore oppressed by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

Second vision: four horns and four carpenters. "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem," etc. This is the second vision that the prophet had that night. The "horn" in the Bible is a symbol of power ( Amos 6:13 ). The horns here represent possibly those worldly kingdoms which had been, or were to be, opposed to the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Zechariah 1:18

And I lifted up mine eyes - o. Cyril on Zechariah 2:1 : “Not those of the body (for such visions are invisible to the eyes of the flesh), but rather the inner eyes of the heart and mind.” It seems as though, at the close of each vision, Zechariah sank in meditation on what had been shown him; from which he was again roused by the exhibition of another vision.I saw four horns - The mention of the horns naturally suggests the thought of the creatures which wielded them; as in the first vision... read more

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