9 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Let your hands H3027 be strong, H2388 ye that hear H8085 in these days H3117 these words H1697 by the mouth H6310 of the prophets, H5030 which were in the day H3117 that the foundation H3245 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 was laid, H3245 that the temple H1964 might be built. H1129
Then shalt thou prosper, H6743 if thou takest heed H8104 to fulfil H6213 the statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 which the LORD H3068 charged H6680 Moses H4872 with concerning Israel: H3478 be strong, H2388 and of good courage; H553 dread H3372 not, nor be dismayed. H2865
Then the prophets, H5029 Haggai H2292 the prophet, H5029 and Zechariah H2148 the son H1247 of Iddo, H5714 prophesied H5013 unto H5922 the Jews H3062 that were in Judah H3061 and Jerusalem H3390 in the name H8036 of the God H426 of Israel, H3479 even unto H5922 them. Then H116 rose up H6966 Zerubbabel H2217 the son H1247 of Shealtiel, H7598 and Jeshua H3443 the son H1247 of Jozadak, H3136 and began H8271 to build H1124 the house H1005 of God H426 which is at Jerusalem: H3390 and with them H5974 were the prophets H5029 of God H426 helping H5583 them.
Be strong H2388 and of a good courage: H553 for unto this people H5971 shalt thou divide for an inheritance H5157 the land, H776 which I sware H7650 unto their fathers H1 to give H5414 them.
This book H5612 of the law H8451 shall not depart H4185 out of thy mouth; H6310 but thou shalt meditate H1897 therein day H3119 and night, H3915 that thou mayest observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all that is written H3789 therein: for then thou shalt make H6743 thy way H1870 prosperous, H6743 and then thou shalt have good success. H7919
And David H1732 said H559 to Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 Be strong H2388 and of good courage, H553 and do H6213 it: fear H3372 not, nor be dismayed: H2865 for the LORD H3068 God, H430 even my God, H430 will be with thee; he will not fail H7503 thee, nor forsake H5800 thee, until thou hast finished H3615 all the work H4399 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
In the second H8147 year H8141 of Darius H1867 the king, H4428 in the sixth H8345 month, H2320 in the first H259 day H3117 of the month, H2320 came the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 by H3027 Haggai H2292 the prophet H5030 unto Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 governor H6346 of Judah, H3063 and to Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Josedech, H3087 the high H1419 priest, H3548 saying, H559
Then Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 and Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Josedech, H3087 the high H1419 priest, H3548 with all the remnant H7611 of the people, H5971 obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and the words H1697 of Haggai H2292 the prophet, H5030 as the LORD H3068 their God H430 had sent H7971 him, and the people H5971 did fear H3372 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
Yet now be strong, H2388 O Zerubbabel, H2216 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 and be strong, H2388 O Joshua, H3091 son H1121 of Josedech, H3087 the high H1419 priest; H3548 and be strong, H2388 all ye people H5971 of the land, H776 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and work: H6213 for I am with you, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 According to the word H1697 that I covenanted H3772 with you when ye came H3318 out of Egypt, H4714 so my spirit H7307 remaineth H5975 among H8432 you: fear H3372 ye not. For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Yet once, H259 it is a little while, H4592 and I will shake H7493 the heavens, H8064 and the earth, H776 and the sea, H3220 and the dry H2724 land; And I will shake H7493 all nations, H1471 and the desire H2532 of all nations H1471 shall come: H935 and I will fill H4390 this house H1004 with glory, H3519 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 The silver H3701 is mine, and the gold H2091 is mine, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 The glory H3519 of this latter H314 house H1004 shall be greater than H1419 of the former, H7223 saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 and in this place H4725 will I give H5414 peace, H7965 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
Speak H559 to Zerubbabel, H2216 governor H6346 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 I will shake H7493 the heavens H8064 and the earth; H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Zechariah 8
Commentary on Zechariah 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
The work of ministers is rightly to divide the word of truth and to give every one his portion. So the prophet is here instructed to do, in the further answer he gives to the case of conscience proposed about continuing the public fasts. His answer, in the foregoing chapter, is by way of reproof to those that were disobedient and would not obey the truth. But here he is ordered to change his voice, and to speak by way of encouragement to the willing and obedient. Here are two words from the Lord of hosts, and they are both good words and comfortable words. In the former of these messages (v. 1) God promises that Jerusalem shall be restored, reformed, replenished (v. 2-8), that the country shall be rich, and the affairs of the nation shall be successful, their reputation retrieved, and their state in all respects the reverse of what it had been for many years past (v. 9-15); he then exhorts them to reform what was amiss among them, that they might be ready for these favours designed them (v. 16, 17). In the latter of these messages (v. 18) he promises that their fasts should be superseded by the return of mercy (v. 19), and that thereupon they should be replenished, enriched, and strengthened, by the accession of foreigners to them (v. 20-23).
Zec 8:1-8
The prophet, in his foregoing discourses, had left his hearers under a high charge of guilt and a deep sense of wrath; he had left them in a melancholy view of the desolations of their pleasant land, which was the effect of their fathers' disobedience; but because he designed to bring them to repentance, not to drive them to despair, he here sets before them the great things God had in store for them, encouraging them hereby to hope that their case of conscience would shortly determine itself and that God's providence would as loudly call them to joy and gladness as ever it called them to fasting and mourning. It is here promised,
All these precious promises are here ratified, and the doubts of God's people silenced, with that question (v. 6): "If it be marvellous in the eyes of this people, should it be marvellous in my eyes? If it seem unlikely to you that ever Jerusalem should be thus repaired, should be thus replenished, is it therefore impossible with God?' The remnant of this people (and God's people in this world are but a remnant), being few and feeble, thought all this was too good news to be true, especially in these days, these difficult days, these cloudy and dark days. Considering how bad the times are, it is highly improbable, it is morally impossible, they should ever come to be so good as the prophet speaks. How can these things be? How can dry bones live? But should it therefore appear so in the eyes of God? Note, We do both God and ourselves a deal of wrong if we think that, when we are nonplussed, he is so, and that he cannot get over the difficulties which to us seem insuperable. With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible; so far are God's thoughts and ways above ours.
Zec 8:9-17
God, by the prophet, here gives further assurances of the mercy he had in store for Judah and Jerusalem. Here is line upon line for their comfort, as before there was for their conviction. These verses contain strong encouragements with reference to the difficulties they now laboured under. And we may observe,
Zec 8:18-23
These verses contain two precious promises, for the further encouragement of those pious Jews that were hearty in building the temple.