1 Zechariah's Burdens

ZECHARIAH’S BURDENS |9:1–14:21 (Overview) I. GENERAL THOUGHTS

II. SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS 9–14 A. While chapters 1-8 contain occasional glimpses of future events, chapters 9-14 are very eschatological.

B. Chapters 9–14 of Zechariah contain two oracles: 1. Chapters 9–11 David Baron describes the first oracle as “the judgment through which Gentile world-power over Israel is finally destroyed and Israel is endowed with strength to overcome all their enemies.”

2. Chapters 12–14 Here, the 2nd burden is as Baron states it: “the judgment through which Israel itself is sifted and purged in the final great conflict with the nations and transformed into the holy nation of Jehovah.”2 III. BURDEN #1: THREAT AND DELIVERANCE 9:1-17 A. The “Burden” (masa, tan) 9:1

B. The Historical Situation in Zechariah’s Day

C. Here Come the Greeks! 9:1-8 1. The Big Picture

2. The Movement of the Greeks

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 1 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz Alexander the Great defeated the armies of Darius himself at the decisive battle of Issus in 333 B.C. After that he marched south against Damascus, Tyre, Sidon, and the cities of Philistia, precisely as Zechariah foretells in 9:1–8. (9:13 says specifically that we are speaking about the Greeks.) b. These verses accurately describe the invasions of Syria, Phoenicia, and Judah by Alexander the Great; the destruction of Damascus, Tyre, and Sidon, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, and the contemporaneous and unaccountable sparing of Jerusalem. c. Hadrach 9:1

d. Damascus 9:1

e. Hamat 9:2

f. Tyre and Sidon 9:2–4

g. Tyre 9:2–4 — Why does Zechariah focus primarily on Tyre?

h. Philistia In General 9:5–7

3. God’s Perspective on these Events 9:1 “...for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord…”

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 2 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz D. Here comes the Lord! 9:8–17 1. In 9:1 the eyes of His people were looking to the Lord. Now, in 9:8, the eyes of the Lord are looking to His people. 2. 9:8–9 describes the Lord’s protection over Jerusalem — which did happen because Alexander did not attack the city. See the story from Josephus.

3. The true King is Coming! 9:9 “behold your king” – hinei malkeikhah, lfkn vbv

“is coming to you”

“He is just and endowed with salvation”

“Humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” a. “humble” or “poor” — in contrast to other kings who come with great pomp and riches. b. Donkey: chamor, runj Colt: ‘ir, rhg — a male donkey Foal: ben ‘etonot, ,ubu,g-ic — the son of a pure bred female

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!”

Quoted in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15

5. When will all of this be fulfilled? Several commentators suggest a principle they call: Progressive Fulfilment. This means that the complete fulfilment of this prophecy will happen in stages. a. Stage 1 | 9:8 — Alexander’s Conquests

b. Stage 2 | 9:13–17 — Maccabean Revolt The same thing as stage 1, but at a different time period. 1 Maccabees 4:30–33: Blessed are you, Savior of Israel, who broke the onslaught of the mighty by the hand of your slave David and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and his armor-bearer. Deliver this camp in the hand of your people Israel and let them be disappointed by their infantry and cavalry. Put cowardice in their hearts and cause their bold confidence to melt and let them totter in defeat. Make them fall by the swords of those that love You and let all who know Your name sing hymns of praise to You.

c. Stage 3 | 9:9 — Yeshua’s First Coming A different kind of king is coming to Jerusalem: i. A Different National King

ii. Different Characteristics a) Just (righteous) — Describes His nature b) Given salvation — Describes His Work c) Humble (poor) — Describes how He acted d) He is peaceful:

iii. A Different King

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 4 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz d. Stage 4 | 9:10, 12, 16–17 — Yeshua’s 2nd Coming Before he can reign in peace, he must fully deliver and restore Israel. — The passage is filled with battle terminology:

9:11: A valid translation could be, “Because you are covered by the blood of your covenant…”.

IV. THE GOOD SHEPHERD 10:1-12 The text gradually shifts images from God being a mighty warrior to that of a caring shepherd. A. A Nation of Shepherds (Literally)

B. The motif of shepherd is therefore used as a tool for God describing the leaders of His flock, Israel.

C. This all helps us to understand a little why Israel as describes as sheep who have gone astray and why Yeshua spoke of Himself as the right kind of Shepherd in John 10.

D. God will have the right kind of shepherd to rule Israel in the end.

A. The right kind of Shepherd “saves” His people. 9:14–17 In each deliverance from the time of the Exodus from Egypt, the action has been referred to as “salvation.” Salvation from Egypt Exodus 14:13 Salvation from Assyrians (of Jerusalem) Isaiah 12 Salvation from Babylonian Captivity Isaiah 43:3, 11; 45:15 | God is the savior. Salvation in the Maccabean Revolt 9:13 Salvation in the Eschatological Future 9:16

C. The right kind of Shepherd cares for his people 10:3–5. A Hebrew word-play: pakad, sep 1. To those who are not His, God visits (pakad, sep) with anger.

2. To those who are His sheep, the Shepherd cares for His sheep. Pakad basically it expresses the conviction that he closely observes them and cares for them, to the extent of intervening in history on their behalf.

D. The right kind of Shepherd transforms His sheep. 10:3–5 Also see: 10:7, 12 The Messiah will come from Judah (cf. Gen 49:10). He is called: “The Cornerstone”

“A Peg”

“The Battle Bow”

E. The right kind of Shepherd gathers His flock 10:6–12 1. Both Judah and Joseph will be brought back. 10:6, 8

2. They will return because of God’s compassion. 10:6

3. There will be great joy. 10:7

4. They will be redeemed 10:8

5. They will be more numerous than before. 10:8

7. They will pass though trouble from people yet come out unharmed. 10:11 — “Sea” is a metaphor for “people.”

8. The pride of the nations that afflicted Israel will fall. 10:11

9. They will be strong and walk in God’s Name (Reputation and character). 10:12

V. THE WRONG KIND OF SHEPHERDS 11:1-17 A. Lament for the Fallen Shepherds of Israel 11:1–3 God is using the image of nature to describe the leadership of Israel and what He intends to do with it. Lebanon God’s House, “which was built with cedars from Lebanon, towering aloft upon a strong summit — the spiritual glory and eminence of Jerusalem, as the Lebanon was of the whole country” (Baron, pp. 378-79, esp. n.) Bashan

The Ga’on of the Jordan a. Gaon (iutd): “thicket” — the area b. Called the “Zor” in Arabic, meaning “pride” c. Refers to a very lush and dense vegetation area on both sides of the Jordan River. d. Very rich in fauna and where lions once roamed. (See Jeremiah 49:19 about the ge’on and the lion.).

e. 11:3 tells us how to understand this imagery: Zechariah 11:3 “There is a sound of the shepherds’ wail, for their glory is ruined; there is a sound of the young lions’ roar, for the 1pride of the Jordan is ruined.”

B. Zechariah Acts Out the Good Shepherd 11:4–14

As a result of their failure to be the right kind of Shepherds, God says that he “will no longer have pity on the people of the land. … I will hand everyone over to his neighbor and his king. They will oppress the land [as in the opening three verses], and I will not rescue them from their hands.” Jeremiah 25:34–38

2. The Disappointment of the Shepherd 11:7–11 a. Zechariah’s Acting as the Good Shepherd 11:7 Pleasantness (no’am, ogub)

Harmony (chovilim, ohkcuj)

b. Rejection of The Good Shepherd 11:8–9

c. Who were these 3 shepherds?

d. The Good Shepherd will dispose of unfit leaders.

e. Zechariah’s shepherding efforts are spurned and in despair he leaves them to their fate. 11:9

f. Pleasantness Staff broken 11:10–11

3. The Shepherd demands his pay. 11:12–14

a. Matthew says he is quoting Jeremiah instead of Zechariah.

b. It is fair to say that the quotation appears to refer to Jeremiah 19:1-13 along with phraseology drawn mostly from Zechariah 11:12-13. Zechariah’s Passage What Zechariah says is slightly different than what happened in Matthew.

Jeremiah’s Passage Jeremiah 19:1–13 is the source of the quotation augmented with various phrases drawn from Zechariah 11:12–13 — If taken at face value, thirty pieces (shekels) of silver was worth about two and a half years’ wages for a common laborer.

4. The Harmony of the people is broken. 11:14

C. The Worthless Shepherd 11:15–17 1. Characteristics of a foolish shepherd: He will not:

2. Consequences of a foolish shepherd

D. When Will All This Take Place? Rabbi David Kimchi (1160–1235) regards the prophecy as Messianic.

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 9 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz 3. Fulfillment in 1st Century There is nothing in the history of the people that a comprehensive destruction of the land can refer to prior to the terrible destruction ordered by Vespasian and his successor, Titus. 11:5 | At least part of the fulfillment came in 70 CE and after.

11:9 | Sseems to describe the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem:

11:11 | May be a specific prophecy of an unusual event that took place during this siege.

11:14 |

11:11 | “So the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord.”

E. The Conclusion of Judgment

VI. ISRAEL’S FUTURE (THE 2ND BURDEN/ORACLE) 12:1–13 END IMPORTANT FEATURES — The oracle basically revolves around two scenes: the final siege of Jerusalem and the Messiah’s return to defeat Israel’s enemies and to establish his kingdom fully. 2. “On that day,” found frequently: 12:3–4, 6, 8–9, 11; 13:1–2, 4; and 14:4, 6, 8–9, 13, 20–21.

4. The frequent reference to Jerusalem: 23x

THE RESCUING OF ISRAEL 12:1–9 — What we can learn about Jerusalem — A. Jerusalem will be “a cup that causes reeling.” 12:2

B. Jerusalem will be “a heavy stone.” 12:3

C. Jerusalem will a strong support for Judah. 12:5

D. Jerusalemites will again dwell on their own places. 12:6

E. The glory of the Jerusalemites will not be magnified above Judah. 12:7

F. The Lord will defend even the weakest the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 12:8

H. God will pour out the Spirit of grace and of supplication. 12:10 1. Jewish and Liberal Interpretation For a good summary of Jewish interpretation, see Baron’s commentary, pages 438–444. Baron summarizes it by saying that they have “tried their utmost to divert this scripture from Him whose rejection and suffering unto death, and yet future recognition and penitent reception on part of His own nation it foretells.” (B, 438)

2. The Plain Understanding “I will pour out” – shafachti, h,fpa

— Apparently, there will be another even glorious pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the future! “on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem”

“the Spirit of grace and of supplication” ruach chen v’tachanunim, ohbubj,u ij jur

“so that they will look on Me” uyhcv ֵ א ַ ל י hivitu ela et asher rat ,t The NET has an important note: “Because of the difficulty of the concept of the mortal piercing of God, the subject of this clause, and the shift of pronoun from “me” to “him” in the next, many ʾale ʾet ʾasher, “to the one) לאַ ֵ י ֵ א ת ֲ א ֶ שׁ ר MSS read ʾela ʾet) ֵ א ַ ל י ֵ א ת ֲ א ֶ שׁ ר whom,” … rather than the MT’s ʾasher, “to me whom”).

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 12 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz The reasons for such alternatives, however, are clear — they are motivated by scribes who found such statements theologically objectionable — and they should be rejected in favor of the more difficult reading…of the MT.”

“Me, whom they have pierced” ֵ א ַ ל י elai et asher dakaru ures-rat ,t a. “Pierced” — the same word used in Numbers when Pinchas drove a spear through the couple who were sinning. b. The LXX translated the Hebrew as “insulted, treated spitefully. But this has no textual grounds in the Hebrew. We do not know how the LXX came up with this reading. c. Rabbinic interpretation favours the messianic understanding as messiah is the one who they have pierced. (See Cohen, Twelve Prophets, 321–322.) d. Without a Messianic interpretation, Zechariah 12:10 presents a very serious problem. e. It is clear that the text indicates that it is God whom they have pierced “as one mourns for an only son” K’misped ‘al hayachid Sshjhv-kg spxnf a. The word yachid (shjhv) means only or unique. b. Sometimes yachid is translated as the one uniquely “loved” or “the covenant partner.” This is how it is used in Genesis 22 in regard to Isaac. Abraham had another son, Ishmael, so Isaac was not his only. Yet Isaac was the one who would inherit the covenant. — The text in Genesis also states that Isaac is the one whom Abraham loves. This is another indication that the text is speaking covenantally. c. We should note that Greek uses the term monogeneis (monogenhiVs) to render yachid. John 1:14 refers to Yeshua as “monogeneis” of the Father. Perhaps this is yet another way of commenting on who they are mourning for in Zechariah 12:10.

v. 11 like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo a. Hadad Rimmon might be a place name, especially when coupled with the word Megiddo. b. Perhaps it is a reminder of the tragic death the beloved Josiah in battle against the Egyptians. The national mourning is described in 2 Chronicles 35:21–25. This loss was felt so deeply that a customary day of mourning was instituted.

I. Who Will Mourn? 12:11–14

John 19:37 1. The context is speaking about Yeshua’s crucifixion. 2. Zechariah 12:10 is quoted as having been fulfilled by the event. 3. However, it is described as being fulfilled right after John speaks about the Roman soldier piercing Yeshua. 4. Hence, who are the ones’ piercing Him? — Jews? Gentiles? or Both? —

J. A Cleansing Fountain 13:1

See Hebrews 9:13–14 —

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 14 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz K. The Refining of Israel 13:2–13:9 As Israel repents, God will cleanse the nation of the things that have hindered them: Zechariah 13:2 • The Prophets • The Idolaters • The Unclean Spirits 1. Note the emphasis on cleaning Israel of prophets in 13:3–6

2. The Refining in 13:8–9 The Refined Israel • They will call on My name. • And I will answer them. • They are My people,’ • And they will say, “The Lord is my God.”

3. The Scattering of the Sheep 13:7–9

— In 12:10-14 the Messiah’s death is presented as an act of Israel, in John 12 it is presented as an act of the gentiles. Here in 13:7 it is the sovereign act of God: “It pleased the Lord to crush Him” (Isaiah 53:10).

Matthew 26:31 It is likely that Yeshua drew on this passage merely to make the point that whenever shepherds are incapacitated, sheep will scatter.

2. “All nations” 14:2

3. God will instigate the war: “I will gather.” 14:2

4. The Casualties

5. The Lord Enters the Battle 14:4–5

B. The Unique Events 14:6–11 1. Changes in the Heavens 14:6–7

2. Changes in the Topography 14:8, 10 A new ‘aravah will be created from Geba, north of Jerusalem to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem all with the purpose of enhancing Jerusalem. “arvah, vcrg – a dry, infertile region; an isolated region; an arid plain or steppe

The expression from Geba to Rimmon is a way of indicating the extent of all Judah from north to south. means “hill” and Rimmon resembles the ( ֶ גּ ַ ב ע) Since Geba ramah), this could be a play on , ָ ר ָ מ ה) word for height words suggesting that all the high country will be made low, like the great Arabah valley.

3. Changes in “the curse” 14:11 a. Once again, “curse” should not be translated “curse.” b. It is the word, “cherem,” orj — “ban.”

5. Worshipping the King 14:9, 16–21

6. Celebrating Sukkot 14:16–21 — Why Sukkot? — 1. A mo’ed of the greatest joy 2. A mo’ed remembering the Pesach — and we just had the greatest Pesach deliverance for Israel. 3. A mo’ed that comes after Yom Kippur, seen in chapter 12. 4. It is the crowning mo’ed of them all, the great climax of the redemption story. 5. Offerings were traditionally brought for the nations.

7. Egypt and Sukkot 14:18 Friedman suggests: “Perhaps Egypt is specifically mentioned here because rainfall was not important there as it was the overflow of the Nile River that was crucial to their national life. “ 8. Israel and Jerusalem Israel and a restored Jerusalem will be at the center of future activity.

D. and B. Friedman write: The world today has a choice, whether to stand with Israel fulfilling this calling, or to oppose it. Zechariah foresees the day in which all nations of the world will attack Israel, seeking to end our ability to function as bringers of the Torah and messengers of Messiah’s light to the world. Only God Himself will be able to prevent our destruction, and in Zechariah’s visions, He saw that the One True God will indeed prevent any evil ending to Israel. We may find ourselves in a generation that will experience the future events that Zechariah foretold. If so, let us remember that no matter how much darkness surrounds us, no matter how much despair grips us, that God inspired the prophet Zechariah. And, he saw that the end of events will emerge with Israel in peace, fulfilling the magnificent calling that God has given to her.

Baldwin, Joyce G. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary – Tyndale Commentaries, Vol. 28. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, UK, 2010. This is a helpful work because it deals with the text honestly. It is Christian in that it places little emphasis on the application of Zechariah to the people of Israel today. Yet because it does seek to work with the text, I use it and recommend it. Barker, Kenneth L. Zechariah – Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990. See the comments above, although I think it is more user-friendly and friendlier to Israel today. Baron, David. Zechariah: A Commentary on His Visions and Prophecies. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2007, Reprint of the 1989 edition published by the Hebrew Christian Testimony to Israel. This is my favorite commentary on Zechariah. David Baron was s a Jewish believer who flourish around the turn of the 20th century and was trained in Hebrew as well as Jewish literature. Yet, he was not biased toward this traditional literature in that he tried to be fair to the text and the literal meaning of the text. Boice, James Montgomery. Zechariah: Boice Expositional Commentary – The Minor Prophets, Volume 2, Micah – Malachi. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002. Boice was the main teaching elder of a congregation we attended about 40 years ago in Philadelphia! He stands as one of the best Bible teachers we have ever had. In addition to his friendliness to Israel, he is great at verbal illustrations and practical applications of the Bible. Brown, Francis; Driver S.R.; and Briggs, Charles A. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974. This is one of the standard Hebrew-English lexicons. This and the other one I will list later are essential for studying the meaning of Hebrew words in the Hebrew Scriptures. Fishbane, Michael. The JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2002. While I love the JPS commentaries as our favorite Jewish commentary, I am disappointed in the paucity of material on Zechariah. However, we need to understand that it is a commentary on all of the Haftarot and not just on the entire book of Zechariah. Still, we wish there was more! Friedman, David with Friedman, B.D. Redemption: A New Translation and Commentary on the Book of Zechariah. Create Space Publishing, 2018. The authors are our personal friends and Israelis. I wish they were more thorough and comprehensive; their Zechariah commentary is far too brief. Yet what they do write is helpful and recommended.

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 19 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz Keil, C. F. and Delitzsch, F. Zechariah: Commentary on the Old Testament, 10 volumes. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1996. Reprinted from the English edition originally published by T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1866-91. Keil and Delitzsch always seek to explain the plain meaning of the text and are always helpful in their linguistic comments. Koehler, L. and Baumgartner, W. eds. Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Unabridged 2-Volume Study Edition). 2 vols.; trans. M. E. J. Richardson; Brill, 2002. As stated above under the previous Hebrew lexicon, this one is also essential for studying the Hebrew words — even more so that the previous one I listed. I use both all of the time, this one being used much more. McCaul, A., translator, Rabbi David Kimchi’s Commentary on Zechariah. London, England: Duncan Publishers, 1837. Rabbi David Kimchi, a.k.a.“The Radak, died in 1235,” was a French-Jewish commentator and teacher. I did not especially use his commentary, yet almost all of the commentaries we used sometimes refer to him. Rainey, Anson F. and Notley, R. Stephen. The Sacred Bridge. Carta: Jerusalem, 2006. The Sacred Bridge is a very thorough Bible atlas as work on Biblical historical geography. It is small print but considered one of the best books in the field. Ritmeyer, Leen and Kathleen. Jerusalem in the Time of Nehemiah. Jerusalem: Carta, 2014. Any work by the Ritmeyers is extremely helpful to own and to use. They are experts in the archaeology, geography, and architecture of biblical Jerusalem. Their books always come with their famous architectural drawings and sketches as well as maps and other visual aids. This one in particular provides valuable background material on the early Second Temple Period in Jerusalem. Ryken, Leland; Wilhoit, James C.; Longman, Tremper III, General Editors. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 1998. Another helpful volume providing background information. Highly recommended. Sanchez, Steven H. Zechariah: The NET Bible First Edition Notes. Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C, 1996-2005. This work is a different concept of commentary writing. It is translation notes associated with the New English Translation of the Bible. We find this work extremely helpful, especially with difficult Hebrew (and Greek) matters and use it frequently. It is easy to use and to read but can be a little technical for non-Hebrew (and Greek) readers. Targum Jonathan to Zechariah. http://clasweb. uncc.edu/religiousstudies/jcreeves/targum_zechariah.htm

TORAH RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL 20 © 2018 Ariel & D’vorah Berkowitz Walton, John H.; Matthews, Victor H.; and Chavalas, Mark W. IVP OT Background Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000. The strength of this work is the historical background information they provide. That makes this an essential work for any Bible study, including study on Zechariah. I use it frequently. The authors also wrote a companion volume for the New Testament. Yamauchi, Edwin M. Persia and the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1990. Yamauchi, a committed scholarly believer, is a very thorough researcher and writer who provides all of the historical background information one might want to know about the Persians during the time of Zechariah. This work in invaluable for one studying Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

OTHER HELPFUL MATERIALS Accordance, published by Oak Tree Software. 498 Palm Springs Dr., Suite 100, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701. This is a fantastic software program designed particularly for MAC owners but there is now a version for PC users. It specializes on biblical language research and study. The Accordance user can also purchase quality commentaries by IVP, Expositors, Tyndale, as well as issues by BAR, and more, including some Jewish commentaries! Although it is pricy, it is also highly recommended. Accordance is the Bible study tool used my many biblical scholars, even those in Israeli universities. For those who wish to have a mobile, portable Biblical research library, I do not think Accordance can be beat! You can even design your own high-quality Biblical maps! It is designed for scholars, but usable for us “normal people”! Note: Do not confuse Accordance with the word “concordance.” Accordance is a digital Bible study software. A concordance is a book, such as Young’s or Strong’s that someone can use to find verses in the Bible about certain topics and words. (Accordance does contain a valuable concordance, but they are separate items!) BibleWorks (Hermeneutica Logos) For those who cannot afford Accordance, this is the second best and more affordable. On Line Bible and PC Study Bible We have heard excellent reviews from those who use both of the above programs. They are a lot more affordable that Accordance and Hermeneutica Associates for Biblical Research www.biblearchaeology.org/ — This is the address for the website of The Associates for Biblical Research (Dr. Bryant Wood, and associates). This highly respected evangelical think-tank provides excellent research and articles on a wide variety of biblical issues, mostly archaeology and biblical history. The Biblical Archaeology Society www.biblicalarchaeology.org — This website is for the Biblical Archaeology Society, the home of Biblical Archaeology Review, a periodical about the very broad topic of “biblical” archaeology from both a conservative and liberal perspective.