Zechariah 9:16-17

16. Save Victory will come, because Jehovah will be the deliverer of his people.

In that day The day of battle described in Zechariah 9:13-15.

As the flock of his people Better, like a flock his people. His people is the object of the verb to be supplied from the preceding; the thought of the whole being, “He will deliver his people as a shepherd delivers his flock from the ravages of wild beasts.”

As the stones of a crown The Israelites will trample under foot the stones hurled by the enemies (Zechariah 9:15), and the enemies themselves will suffer a similar fate, but Israel will be guarded and cared for tenderly, like a precious stone in the royal diadem (compare Haggai 2:23).

Lifted up as an ensign R.V., “lifted on high.” The meaning of the Hebrew verb nasas is not quite certain; of the two meanings suggested the context favors the one in margin R.V., “glittering.” Israel shall sparkle or glitter like a precious stone. A picture of the glory to which the Jews will be exalted.

His land The land of Jehovah. Some of the constructions in this verse are very peculiar. To remove these peculiarities various emendations, involving alterations, omissions, and additions, have been suggested. Nowack, for example, reads, “And Jehovah their God will save them in that day; like a flock he will pasture his people upon his land.”

Zechariah 9:17 describes further the glories to be showered upon the restored nation.

His Not Jehovah’s, but the people’s.

Goodness Not moral goodness, but goodly appearance, equivalent to prosperity (so margin R.V.).

Beauty Expresses practically the same idea as the preceding. In the restoration the land will be pleasant to look upon.

Corn… wine Though the prophet has in mind general prosperity, he mentions specifically two of the chief products of Palestine (see on Joel 1:10); and though all the inhabitants will be benefited by the new prosperity, he singles out two classes who would show in the most marked manner the renewal of energy and vigor, the young men and the young women. Between these two he distributes rhetorically the two blessings specified.

New wine See on Joel 1:10. In making temporal prosperity a part of the Messianic promise this prophet agrees with many of his predecessors (see on Hosea 2:21-22; Amos 9:13; Isaiah 4:2).