Chapter 14

1 The destroyers of Jerusalem destroyed. 4 The coming of Christ, and the graces of his kingdom. 12 The plague of Jerusalem’s enemies. 16 The remnant shall turn to the Lord, 20 and their spoils shall be holy.

1. Behold. Chapter 14 is a description of events in connection with the second coming of the Messiah in terms of how this spectacular event would have come about if the Israelites who returned from captivity had fulfilled their destiny (see p. 30). Inasmuch as they turned again and again from their high privileges and ultimately rejected the Messiah (Acts 3:13–15), God turned from them. He is now accomplishing His purposes through the Christian church (see pp. 35, 36). Care must be exercised when applying the prophecies of Zech. 14 to our day. The principles outlined on pp. 25–38 must be carefully observed in the interpretation of Zech. 14 or else unwarranted conclusions may be drawn. See also on Eze. 38:1.

2. Gather all nations. See p. 30. The picture here is similar to that presented by Joel (see on Joel 3:1, 2). The prosperity of Israel would have excited the enmity of the nations who are here represented as gathered by God against Jerusalem (see Eze. 38:16). However, Zechariah calls attention to a feature of this battle not mentioned by other prophets—the invasion of Judah and Jerusalem would be partially successful.

Not be cut off. The residue not cut off are doubtless the righteous, those brought “through the fire” and refined “as silver” (ch. 13:9). The purpose of permitting the attack to succeed in part seems to be to cut off the sinners from Zion (cf. ch. 13:7–9).

3. Then. That is, after the partial success of the enemy and the removal of the sinners. The picture here parallels that of Joel 3:16 and of Eze. 38:18–23.

4. Mount of Olives. See on Matt. 21:1.

Shall cleave. Verses 4, 5 describe violent physical changes in the earth’s surface to accompany the divine intervention to destroy the enemy nations. The detailed picture is in terms of how these events would have worked out if Jerusalem had stood forever (see PK 46, 564; DA 577; see on v. 1). Certain features will now be fulfilled at the time the New Jerusalem makes its descent at the end of the millennium. However, not all the details must be so applied (see GC 663).

5. Ye shall flee. A change in vowel pointing (see Vol. I, pp. 25, 26) gives the reading “shall be stopped up.” This change has the support of the LXX and the Targums. Either meaning is appropriate to the context.

Mountains. Literally, “my mountains.”

Azal. Heb.Хasal. This place cannot be identified. The LXX reads Iasol, probably to be identified with the wadi Yasuµl flowing into the Kidron. The reading “the side of it” (RSV) for “Azal” requires the addition of the suffix w, “of it,” in the Hebrew. The Heb. Хesel means “side.”

Earthquake. This is most probably the earthquake referred to in Amos 1:1.

Shall come. The coming of Christ is here foretold in terms of the circumstances mentioned in comments on v. 1. See Rev. 21:2; cf. GC 663 for the application of this prophecy to the postmillennial descent of the New Jerusalem.

Saints. Heb. qedoshim, literally, “holy ones.” The word is applied in the OT both to men (Deut. 33:3; etc.) and to angels (see on Job 15:15; cf. Jude 14).

Thee. The LXX and Syriac read “him.”

6. Clear. The Hebrew of this verse is obscure. The LXX reads, “In that day there shall not be light or cold or frost.” A slight change in the Hebrew gives the reading “cold” for the word translated “light.” It appears that the absence of cold is the point of emphasis. A change of climatic conditions seems to be foretold. Blighting frosts are banished.

7. One day. That is, one “continuous day” (RSV). In its application to the future this verse finds fulfillment in the observation, “for there shall be no night there” (Rev. 21:25; see on Zech. 14:1).

8. Living waters. This prophecy parallels that of Eze. 47:1–12 and describes conditions as they might have been (see on Eze. 47:1; Rev. 22:1).

Former sea … hinder sea. That is, the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, respectively (see on Num. 3:23).

9. Shall be king. This was the climactic event toward which ancient prophets and pious men looked with eager anticipation (see Dan. 7:13, 14; Rev. 11:15).

10. As a plain. A prediction of further topographical changes to take place besides those mentioned in v. 4. The region here mentioned had formerly been mountainous.

Geba. A place 53/4 mi. (9.2 km.) northeast of Jerusalem, the modern JebaФ, here used to represent the northern extremity of Judah (see on 2 Kings 23:8).

Rimmon. Doubtless En-rimmon, 9 mi. (14.4 km.) north by east from Beersheba, the modern Khirbet Umm erРRamaµmйЖn. The place is here used to designate the southern extremity of Judah. Compare 2 Kings 23:8, where Geba and Beersheba are used to designate the northern and southern extremities.

Benjamin’s gate. Probably the same as the Sheep Gate on the northeast corner of the wall (see Jerusalem and Environs in the Time of Jeremiah, and the Jerusalem Region).

First gate. This gate cannot be positively identified. However, the specifications are sufficiently clear without a knowledge of its location.

Corner gate. Mentioned also in 2 Kings 14:13; Jer. 31:38. Believed to be the gate on the northwest corner of the wall. Zechariah thus indicates the eastern and western limits of the city.

Tower of Hananeel. A tower in the northern wall (see Jerusalem and Environs in the Time of Jeremiah, and the Jerusalem Region).

King’s winepresses. These cannot be definitely located, but were doubtless in the southern part of the city, perhaps near the king’s garden in the Kidron (see on Neh. 3:15). The tower of Hananeel and the king’s wine presses thus designate the northern and southern limits of the city. The picture in the latter part of Zech. 14:10 is of a city fully inhabited.

11. No more utter destruction. If the nation had continued to fulfill her God-given destiny, the city would have stood forever (see p. 30; GC 19; cf. DA 577).

12. The plague. The prophet returns to a discussion of the fate of the nations attacking Jerusalem. The attackers will suffer the scourges of a terrible plague, extraordinarily rapid in its destructiveness. The plague creates a state of frenzy and panic resulting in mutual extermination (v. 13).

14. Fight at Jerusalem. This may also be translated “fight against Jerusalem” (see RSV). According to v. 2 Jerusalem had fallen to the enemy. Even though Yahweh was fighting for Jerusalem (vs. 12, 13), the people, too, had a part to play.

15. Plague of the horse. The same plague that fell upon men (vs. 12, 13) would also fall upon the enemies’ beasts of burden and upon their cattle.

16. Shall even go up. The object of the divine blessing upon Israel was to give a demonstration of what God was willing to do for all nations. Overawed by recent happenings and assured of God’s willingness to accept the worship of all men, the survivors from the attacking nations would seek the God of Israel and go up year by year to worship at Jerusalem (see p. 30).

Feast of tabernacles. For a description of this feast see on Lev. 23:34, 40. Zechariah describes a stage in the restoration preliminary to the close of probation and the final eradication of sin and sinners, as events would have come to pass had the Jews been faithful (see pp. 29, 30). The same is true of certain passages in Isaiah (see on Isa. 65:17, 20).

17. Will not come up. This verse supports the observation made in the comments on v. 16, that the prophet describes a preliminary stage in the complete restoration of the earth. There is still danger of rebellion, and those who may be rebelliously inclined are warned of the punishment to follow.

18. Egypt. Probably singled out for mention because of its long history of rebellion against God, or simply as an illustration of the experience of all nations. It had doubtless been among the nations attacking Jerusalem (v. 2), and among its survivors there were now worshipers of Jehovah (v. 16). The land of Egypt depended upon the Nile for its irrigation. Lack of rainfall at the headwaters of the river would mean complete economic disaster for the nation.

20. Bells of the horses. The horses are probably those of the travelers to Jerusalem from all lands. Formerly the horses of other nations approaching Jerusalem were often the signal for war. Now the sounds made by the tinkling of the horses’ ornaments were welcome music, for they told of bands of worshipers making their way to Jerusalem. The inscription, “Holiness to the Lord,” formerly borne on the miter of the high priest (Ex. 28:36, 37), was now the motto of the worshipers.

The pots. The mention of the pots and bowls in vs. 20, 21 seems to refer to the necessity of consecrating a large number of vessels because of the large number of worshippers who would come to Jerusalem.

21. The Canaanite. Heb. kenaФani. The word is translated “merchant” in Job 41:6 and Prov. 31:24 and should probably be so rendered here. In an economy in which members from all nations were welcome no one would be excluded because of his nationality. But merchants of the type that Jesus drove out of the Temple (Matt. 21:12) would not be tolerated.

Ellen G. White comments

4    DA 830; EW 17, 51, 53, 291; SR 417; 1T 67 4, 5 GC 663

7     PP 237

9     GC 663; MB 160; PP 342

12   SR 415

12, 13  GC 657

13        EW 290