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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zechariah 2:1-5

This prophet was ordered, in God's name, to assure the people (Zech. 1:16) that a line should be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Now here we have that promise illustrated and confirmed, that the prophet might deliver that part of his message to the people with the more clearness and assurance. I. He sees, in a vision, a man going to measure Jerusalem (Zech. 2:1, 2): He lifted up his eyes again, and looked. God had shown him that which was very encouraging to him, (Zech. 1:20), and therefore... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 2:2

Then said I, Whither goest thou ?.... As it showed great freedom and boldness in the prophet to put such a question to the man with the measuring reed, it was great condescension in him to return him an answer, as follows: and he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem ; not literally understood, which was not yet thoroughly built; but the Gospel church, often so called; see Hebrews 12:22 and this measuring of it denotes the conformity of it to the rule of God's word; a profession of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 2:3

And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth ,.... See Zechariah 1:9 and he "went forth" from the place where the prophet was, with whom he had been conversing: and another angel went out to meet him : the same that was seen among the myrtle trees, Zechariah 1:8 and here, with a measuring line in his hand, Zechariah 2:1 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 2:4

And said unto him ,.... That is, the other angel said to the angel that had been talking with the prophet, Run, speak to this young man : meaning Zechariah, who was either young in years, as Samuel and Jeremiah were when they prophesied; or he was a servant of a prophet older than he, and therefore so called, as Joshua, Moses's minister, was, Numbers 11:28 as Kimchi observes: saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls ; this shows that this is not to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 2:5

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about ,..... So that she needs no other wall to secure her, the power of God encompassing her about as the mountains did Jerusalem, Psalm 125:2 and he being as a wall of fire to terrify and destroy her enemies; for our God is a consuming fire, Hebrews 12:29 . Drusius thinks it is a metaphor taken from travellers in some countries, who kindle fires about their tents, to keep off lions, and other beasts of prey; and observes of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 2:4

Run, speak to this young man - Nehemiah must have been a young man when he was sakee , or cup-bearer, to Artaxerxes. As towns without walls - It shall be so numerously inhabited as not to be contained within its ancient limits. Josephus, speaking of this time, says, Wars 5:4:2, "The city, overflowing with inhabitants, by degrees extended itself beyond its walls." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 2:5

I - will be unto her a wall of fire - Her safety shall consist in my defense. I shall be as fire round about her. No adversary shall be permitted to touch her. Much of this must refer to the New Jerusalem. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 2:2

Verse 2 He then asks him where he was going; the answer given is, to measure Jerusalem, to see what was its breadth and its length. The design of the prophecy is then stated, Behold, inhabited shall be Jerusalem throughout all its villages, (29) as it could not contain within its walls so large a multitude of men. God then would so increase his people, that they could not be contained within its walls, but that the limits of the Church would be spacious. Inhabited then shall be Jerusalem... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 2:3

Verse 3 It is said, that the angel went forth, and that another angel met him. It hence appears as from the whole of what the Prophet says, how carefully God provides for the safety of his Church; for he has ever angels as his emissaries, who hasten at his nod, and aid the Church in its necessities. Since then angels thus unite to secure the well-being of the Church, we hence perceive how dear to God are the faithful, in whose favor he thus employs all his angels; and we also see, that it was... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 2:5

Verse 5 He confirms in this verse what I have just mentioned — that Jerusalem would be safe, though without any fortifications; for God alone would be sufficient for walls, for towers, for fortresses, according to what is said by other Prophets: “God will be to thee a wall and a fortress”, (Isaiah 26:1), again, “he will be to thee a stronghold”. It is, therefore, a sentence in accordance with other prophecies when Jehovah testifies, that he would be a wall of fire. We indeed know, that though... read more

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