Verse 10
Yahweh would bring the Israelites back from the land of Egypt to Israel’s south, where they had been slaves, and from the land of Assyria to its north, where they had been exiles, namely, from all over the world (cf. Isaiah 11:11-16; Isaiah 19:23; Hosea 11:10). Probably Zechariah used Assyria as his example of a northern enemy rather than Babylonia because Assyria, and Egypt, were Israel’s most persistent and hostile enemies historically. He would bring the Israelites back into the fruitful Promised Land, into Gilead with its rich pastures east of the Jordan River and Lebanon with its mighty forests west of the Jordan. Again, the whole land is in view.
"The Lebanon . . . is referred to in the Old Testament as a symbol of strength, dignity and splendour (e.g., 2 Kings 19:23; Isaiah 35:2), as are the mountains of Gilead. Hence the two are sometimes also mentioned together to denote power and pride . . . (Jeremiah 22:6). In our verse too this combination may be intended to demonstrate the future power and glory of the Messianic kingdom of Israel." [Note: The Illustrated . . ., 8:95.]
Eventually there would be no more room because so many blessed Israelites would live there (cf. Isaiah 49:19-21; Isaiah 54:2-3).
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