Zechariah 14:18

Zechariah 14:19 concludes the section with a reiteration of the threat.

Punishment Literally, sin; here equivalent to punishment for sin (Numbers 32:23).

Jerusalem and Judah holy unto Jehovah, 20, 21.

From the description of the destiny of the hostile nations the prophet returns to complete the description of the glory of the city and land of Jehovah; Zechariah 14:20-21, therefore, are in a sense the continuation of Zechariah 14:11. Jerusalem and Judah will be freed from everything that is unclean and, with all their contents, will be holy unto Jehovah.

Bells of the horses The reference may be to bells worn by the horses or to metal plates which would make a tinkling sound when the horses moved upon which was inscribed the name of the owner. Horses are frequently mentioned by the prophets as beasts of war and splendor (compare Zechariah 9:10; Zechariah 10:5); in the new age they will no longer be used for warlike enterprises, they will be devoted exclusively to the service of Jehovah, whose name will be inscribed upon the bells or plates as that of the owner.

Holiness R.V., “Holy.” The noun is used in the Hebrew in the place of the adjective for the sake of emphasis (G.-K., 141c).

Unto Jehovah The same inscription was found upon a gold plate in the mitre of the high priest (Exodus 28:36; Exodus 28:38), to designate him as a person consecrated to the service of Jehovah. This is the meaning here as in Zechariah 14:21. “When it [the word holy ] is applied to things it expresses the idea that they belong to Jehovah, are used in his service or dedicated to him, or are in some special way his property” (A.B. Davidson, The Theology of the Old Testament, p. 253; see on Joel 2:1).

The pots in Jehovah’s house The earthen vessels in which the flesh of the sacrifice was cooked for priests and laymen (1 Samuel 2:14; 2 Chronicles 35:13), whose use was therefore semi-secular.

Shall be like the bowls before the altar The vessels serving semi-secular and unimportant purposes will in the new era be as sacred and holy as the bowls in which is caught the blood of the sacrificial animals (Numbers 4:14; compare Zechariah 9:15). These bowls possessed a special degree of sanctity, because the blood was considered peculiarly sacred by the Hebrews. Some see the point of comparison not in the sanctity but in the size; but this is less probable.

In Zechariah 14:21 the prophet goes even further. The whole land will be Jehovah’s (Zechariah 14:9-11); by that very fact it will be made holy unto him (see on Zechariah 14:20; Joel 2:1), and this holiness will attach to everything found in the land.

Every pot Not only the vessels in the temple, but also those used in private homes for secular purposes; they will possess in the new age the same sanctity as the former.

They that sacrifice Strangers from the distance, who cannot carry with them sacrificial implements, but have to secure them after their arrival in the city.

Take of them As many as they need, without fear that they will secure an unclean vessel.

Canaanite Some take this word in a commercial sense, merchant, trafficker (see on Hosea 12:7), and they interpret the passage as meaning that, since any vessel the worshiper may lay his hand on will serve his purpose, there will be no further need of merchants selling these wares in the temple (compare Matthew 21:12; John 2:14). Others take the word literally of the inhabitants of Canaan, and they think that it refers to the Canaanites employed to perform the lowest duties in the temple. Still others expand the application of the term so as to include all unclean persons, whether Jews or foreigners. All such will disappear, for both men and things throughout Judah and Jerusalem will be holy unto Jehovah. Between these interpretations it is difficult to choose. With the second may be compared Ezekiel 44:9; but the context favors the first.