Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 8:8
And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
8. in truth and in righteousness ] “These are the conditions of the covenant on both sides.” Speak. Comm.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem – Not the literal Jerusalem; for this would not contain the Jews from all quarters of the world, whom, as they multiplied, the whole land could not contain; but the promised Jerusalem, the Jerusalem, which should be inhabited as towns without walls, to which the Lord should be a wall of fire round about.
And they shall be My people – He promises this as to those who were already His people; I will save My people – and will bring them, and they shall dwell – and they shall be My people. And this they were to be in a new way, by conversion of heart, as Jeremiah says, I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart (Jer 24:7; add Jer 30:22), and, This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and will write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people Jer 31:33.
Osorius: The circuit of one city will not contain so great a multitude. But one confession of faith, one conspiration of sanctity, one communion of religion and righteousness, can easily enfold all born of the holy fathers, united to them in faith and piety. And God is specially called the God of all these. For He specially consults for these, loads them with benefits, fences them in with most strong protection, illumines them with His light, crowns them, when confirmed in the image of His beauty, with glory immortal and divine.
In truth and in righteousness – This too is on account of their former relation to God. Isaiah had upbraided them for a worship of God, not in truth and righteousness Isa 48:1. Jeremiah had said, Thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness Jer 4:2. God should be their God in truth and righteousness; Ribera: truth in fulfilling His promises; righteousness in rewarding every man according to his works.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
I will bring them; though many things interpose to hinder, none shall keep them from returning; I will lead the way, I will guard them in it, I will supply their necessities, I will give strength to the weak and cheer up the dejected, I will gather and carry too.
They shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; settle their habitation in Jerusalem. They shall be my people; a peculiar people to obey and honour me; it contains very much, Jer 30:22; 31:33; 32:37,38; Eze 11:20.
I will be their God; I will own them, perform all my promises to them.
In truth and in righteousness, both on Gods part and on their part; on Gods in truth, on theirs in righteousness, in obedience to Gods righteous law.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. in truthin good faith,both on their side and Mine: God being faithful to His everlastingcovenant and enabling them by His Spirit to be faithful to Him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And l will bring them,…. To Zion, into the church of God, the Gospel fold, where Christ has engaged to bring his other sheep, that there may be one fold for Jew and Gentile, Jer 3:14
Joh 10:16:
and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: the Gospel church; and be no more foreigners and strangers, but of the household of God, enjoying all the immunities and privileges of the Jerusalem that is above, the mother of us all:
and they shall be my people; appear to be so by effectual calling; which makes those manifest to be the people of God, to be in the covenant of his grace, who before were not known to be so, either by themselves or others, 1Pe 2:10:
and I will be their God, in truth, and in righteousness; according to the covenant of his grace, which will now in a very open manner be truly and faithfully fulfilled; and they, in consequence of the grace bestowed on them, will worship God in sincerity and truth, being justified by the righteousness of Christ, and so will have no dependence on their own for their acceptance with God; see Ho 2:19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He then adds, I will restore them, and they shall dwell, he says, in the midst of Jerusalem. He again confirms what I have already stated, — that their return would not be in vain, though many said, that the Jews had done foolishly in having returned so quickly into their own country; and they condemned their determination, as though they had been suddenly carried away by extreme ardor. Hence the Prophet, in order to show that God had dealt faithfully with his people, promises them here a safe and a perpetual habitation at Jerusalem. They shall dwell, he says; that is, “As you now see that you have been gathered, so expect that God will be your protector, so as to render you safe, and to make Jerusalem to be again inhabited, as it had been formerly.”
He afterwards adds, They shall be to me for a people, and I shall be to them for a God. By these words the Prophet confirms what he has hitherto taught, when he now speaks of the renewal of the covenant; for the whole hope of the people depended on this one thing, — that God remembered the covenant which he had made with them. This covenant had indeed been broken, according to the usual language of Scripture; for the people, when removed into exile, thought that they were cast away and forsaken by God. As then the memory of this covenant had been buried as to the effect, or as they say, apparently, the Prophet, in order to confirm what he has already said, expressly declares, that they would be God’s people, and that he would be their God. We now then understand why he adds, “I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”.
In the last place he says, in truths and righteousness; that is, “settled and permanent shall be this felicity”: for when God shows that he cares for his people, then follow outward blessings, which are evidences of his favor. The Prophet adds, that this shall be in truth and righteousness; for God will not be propitious and kind to his people only for a short time, but will continue his favor to them to the end. As then God intended to establish the safety of the city, he testifies that he would be its God in righteousness, even in sincerity, in good faith, and without dissimulation, and also without any danger of changing. (83) And how this was to be fulfilled we shall hereafter see.
(83) Blayney and Henderson consider these words, “truth” and “righteousness,” as belonging as equally to the two foregoing sentences, as applying to the people as well as to God. But they seem more properly as applying to God, as truth connected with righteousness refers to his faithfulness, confirmed by his justice in the performance of his promise. God is true or faithful, and further, he is righteous or just, so that what he has promised will surely be fulfilled. See 1Jo 1:9. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) See Notes on Zec. 10:8-12.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Zec 8:8. And I will bring them A most respectable Hebrew manuscript and the Arabic version add into their land.
And I will bring them into their land, And they shall dwell in Jerusalem, &c. Archbishop Newcome.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Zec 8:8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
Ver. 8. And I will bring them ] And then they are sure to be brought. For who hath resisted his will? he will breathe life into those dead bones, and flesh shall cover them; he will make up those two sticks into one, and David his servant shall be king over them for ever, Eze 37:24 .
And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God
In truth and righteousness
in truth
And they shall be my people in righteouness
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
they shall be, &c. Ref to Pentateuch (Exo 6:7). App-92.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and they shall dwell: Jer 3:17, Jer 3:18, Jer 23:8, Jer 32:41, Eze 37:25, Joe 3:20, Amo 9:14, Amo 9:15, Oba 1:17-21, Zep 3:14-20
they shall be my: Zec 13:9, Lev 26:12, Jer 4:2, Jer 30:22, Jer 31:1, Jer 31:33, Jer 32:38, Jer 32:39, Eze 11:20, Eze 36:28, Eze 37:27, Hos 2:19-23, 2Co 6:16-18, Rev 21:3, Rev 21:7
in truth: Jer 4:2
Reciprocal: Exo 3:6 – I am Deu 30:3 – gather thee Isa 1:26 – thou shalt Isa 14:3 – General Isa 51:16 – Thou art Jer 11:4 – ye be Jer 24:7 – and they Eze 36:33 – cause Zec 8:11 – General Zec 14:11 – shall be safely inhabited Heb 8:10 – I will be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Zec 8:8. Be my people does not mean they will have to become Jews, for they have always been that. It means they will be a part of a people as an organized nation with Jerusalem as its capital.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Zec 8:8. And I will bring them Though many things interpose to hinder, none shall prevent their returning; I will lead the way, guard them in it, supply their necessities, give strength to the weak and support to the dejected, and bring them safe to the end of their journey. And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem They shall inhabit their capital city as in old times. And they shall be my people, &c. They shall duly perform their duty to me, and I will perform my promises to them; they shall truly worship me, and I will protect and bless them. In truth and in righteousness If we refer these words to God only, the word righteousness is equivalent to mercy, as it is often used; and, joined with truth, implies Gods faithfulness in performing his gracious promises. Or, this may be understood of the people, implying that, as God was faithful to them, so they should live in obedience to him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:8 And I will bring them, and they shall {e} dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
(e) So that their return will not be in vain: for God will accomplish his promise, and their prosperity will be sure and stable.