Zechariah 8:12 - Exposition

The seed shall be prosperous; literally, ( there shall be ) the seed of peace. The crops sown shall be crops of peace, safe and secure, in contradistinction to the threat in Le 26:16, that the seed should be sown in vain, for it should be devoured by an enemy (Knabenbauer). Or, more generally, all farming labours shall succeed and prosper. Jerome's paraphrase is, "There shall be universal peace and joy;" Septuagint," But I will show forth peace." Another way of understanding the words which has found much favour with modern commentators is to take the clause in apposition with the words immediately following; thus: "The seed ( i.e. growth) of peace, the vine, shall give its fruit." But there is no especial reason why the vine should be called "the seed of peace." It is not peculiar among fruit trees for requiring a time of peace for its cultivation. And the term "seed" is very inappropriate to the vine, which was not raised from seed, but from cuttings and layers. Perowne also points out that such a rendering destroys the balance of the three following clauses, which explain and expand the general statement that agriculture shall prosper. Dr. Alexander takes "the seed of peace" to be that from which peace springs; i.e. that peace should be radically established in the land, and from this fact the results following should ensue. This affords a very good sense; but it is probably a metaphor quite unintended by the prophet. The Syriac reads differently, "The seed shall be safe." The remnant (see on Zechariah 8:11 ). To possess; to inherit; Septuagint, κατακληρονομήσω ( Revelation 21:7 ). This promise recalls the blessings in the old Law (Le 26:4, etc.; Deuteronomy 33:28 ; Psalms 67:6 ).