Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 12:7
The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify [themselves] against Judah.
7. the tents of Judah first ] The meaning seems to be that when the besiegers shall reel back like drunken men from the walls of Jerusalem (Zec 12:2), smitten with panic by God (Zec 12:4), the first to fall upon them and put them to the sword shall be, not the inhabitants of the besieged city by sallying forth from their walls, though they by their gallant and successful defence had rightly been regarded as the bulwark of the whole land (Zec 12:5), but the inhabitants of the open country, who shall have the honour of consuming their adversaries (Zec 12:6), and so of saving first themselves and then the capital, which as the result of their prowess shall be completely delivered.
that the glory, &c.] The human agents are to have each their due share of honour. (Comp. Zec 12:5.) But to God alone the glory really belongs. “I will make,” Zec 12:2-3; Zec 12:6; “I will smite,” Zec 12:4; “Jehovah shall save,” Zec 12:7. Compare “my strength in Jehovah of hosts, their God,” Zec 12:5. “Sensus est, gloriam victi hostis non penes Hierosolymitanos futuram, quippe post superatum demum hostem ex urbe exituros, sed penes Judam, qui supra Zec 12:6 dicebatur ignis instar hostes circumquaque absumturus; aut penes ipsum potius Jovam, qui hostes amentia et ccitate percusserit (Zec 12:4), Judam vero robore induerit ad hostes jamjam confusos ulterius debellandos.” Rosenm.
do not magnify themselves ] be not magnified, R. V.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first – Still it is, the Lord shall save. We have, on the one side, the siege, the gathering of all the peoples of the earth against Jerusalem, the horse and his rider. On the other, no human strength; not, as before, in the prophecy of the Maccabees, the bow, the arrow, and the sword, though in the hand of God Zec 9:13. It is thrice, I will make Zec 9:2-3,; I will smite (Zec 9:4 bis); and now, The Lord shall save. By the tents, he probably indicates their defenselessness. God would save them first; that the glory of the house of David – be not great against or over Judah, may not overshadow it; but all may be as one; for all is the free gift of God, the mere grace of God, that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord Jer 9:24; 1Co 1:31; 2Co 10:17, and both may own that, in both, the victory is the Lords (Jerome).
Lap.: In Christ Jesus is neither Jew nor Greek; neither bond nor free, neither rich nor poor Gal 3:28; but all are one, namely a new creation; yea in Christendom the poor are the highest, both because Christ preached to the poor Luk 4:18, and pronounced the poor blessed Luk 6:20, and He made the Apostles, being poor, nobles in His kingdom, through whom He converted kings and princes, as is written, ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the would to confound the things which fire mighty … 1Co 1:26; and, Hath not God called the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which God has promised to them that love Him? Jam 2:5. The rich and noble have greater hindrances to humility and Christian virtues, than the poor. For honors puff up, wealth and delights weaken the mind; wherefore they need greater grace of Christ to burst their bonds than the poor. Wherefore, for the greater grace shown them, they are bound to give greater thanks unto Christ.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first] This, I suppose, refers to the same thing. The Gospel of Christ shall go from the least to the greatest. Eminent men are not the first that are called; the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And this is done in the wise providence of God, that the “glory of the house of David,” c., that secular influence may appear to have no hand in the matter and that God does not send his Gospel to a great man, because he is such.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Shall save; rescue from the power and rage of the Antiochuses, nay, subdue their armies, and put them to flight before the Jews.
The tents; the unfenced places, the open country, the shepherd-like cottages or tents of Judah.
Of Judah first; before he saveth Jerusalem, before he put Jerusalem into arms, or bring her inhabitants into the field, to fight, and help the country and its inhabitants; first the weaker are saved, next the stronger.
That the glory of the house of David, that the illustrious house of David, and so the glorious citizens of Jerusalem,
do not magnify themselves against Judah; boast of their power, policy, courage, and forwardness, and how much Judah owed to these for their deliverance: this would exasperate Judah, and provoke God, who would do all this: so that all might magnify their God, none think greatly of themselves.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Judah is to be “firstsaved,” because of her meek acknowledgment of dependence onJerusalem, subordinate to Jehovah’s aid.
tentsshifting andinsecure, as contrasted with the solid fortifications of Judah. ButGod chooses the weak to confound the mighty, that all human gloryingmay be set aside.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first,…. That is, the Jews, who will be in other parts of the land encamped in tents, to defend themselves against their enemies; these will be saved out of the hands of them, before the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be saved; and in such a manner, that it will evidently appear that their salvation is of the Lord: and his end in so doing will be,
that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, do not magnify [themselves] against Judah; lest the chief of the family of David, and the principal inhabitants of Jerusalem, should glory over their brethren in other parts of Judea; and say it was owing to them that they were saved and delivered out of the hands of their enemies.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet teaches us again, — that there is no need of helps when God stretches forth his hand to preserve his people; for he is alone abundantly sufficient. And the design of the verse is to show, that the Jews were to learn to acquiesce in God alone, though they might find themselves destitute of every earthly assistance; for when God purposes to save, he needs no help, as we have said; nor does he borrow any, as he by himself is fully sufficient.
But by the word, Tabernacles, the Prophet means, as I think, sheds, such as afforded but partial protection. It is indeed true that tents are called סחות, sachut, in Hebrew; but the same is often meant by the אעלים, aelim, tents, which afforded a temporary accommodation; for they were not strongly built, as it is evident from many passages. I allow that all houses without any difference are sometimes called tabernacles, אהלים, aelim; but the word properly signifies a tent, built as a temporary convenience; for it is said that the fathers dwelt in tents, when they had no fixed habitation.
Let us now see why the Prophet speaks of tents. He may have alluded to their dwelling in the wilderness; but as this may seem too remote, I consider that he simply refers to the tents in which the Jews dwelt when they had entered the land, after their deliverance from Egypt; for they must have been wonderfully protected by the hand of God, inasmuch as they had provoked all their neighbors and kindled the hatred of all against themselves. There were indeed some fortified cities; but for the most part they lived in villages, and the greatest part of the people were no doubt satisfied with their tents or sheds. Hence as the Israelites then had no defense, the Prophet now reminds them, that they were then protected by God alone, in order that they might believe that they should in future be safe and secure, as God would defend them to the end. There is then here an implied comparison between tents and fortified cities; and the Prophet bids them to consider what their fathers had formerly experienced, for God faithfully defended them, even when they were unprotected and exposed to the attacks of their enemies.
He says first, Jehovah will save the tents, etc.; as though he had said, “Know that your fathers were formerly defended by the hand of God, when they did not, as to the greater part of them, dwell in cities, but lived scattered in villages: since God then had been the preserver of his people many ages before a king was made, believe that he will be the same to you hereafter.” But we must yet remember what we said yesterday, — that the Jews who had returned to their country had a promise of God’s help, in order that the Israelites, who were retained by their own sloth in Babylon, might know that they were justly suffering punishment for their ingratitude, because they had not given glory to God, as they ought to have done, by committing themselves to his protection, and thus relying on his defense, so as not to seek other helps from the world: he will then save them, he says, as at the beginning; for as, the particle of similitude, is to be understood here. (157)
He then adds, And hence boast shall not the honor of the house of David and the honor of the citizen of Jerusalem over Judah. This latter clause is added, I think, by way of explanation; and this is evident from the subject itself for God declares, that he would be the protector of the helpless, so that they would be no less victorious than if they possessed many armed soldiers, and were furnished with money and other necessaries to carry on war. For by comparing here the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem with Judah, he has no doubt a regard to this, — that though there was no kingdom and no fortified cities, there would yet be sufficient protection in him alone, so that he could by himself defend the people, though unarmed, and having no swords, nor power, nor any other requisite means. Boast then shall not the house of David: and this seems to have been mentioned designedly, for while they trusted in their own wealth and power, they did not rest on God as they ought to have done.
As then the Jews had been elated with vain pride, while the dignity of the kingdom remained, and while they possessed wealth and warlike instruments, God here reproves this false confidence; for the Jews had thus obscured his gratuitous favor. For however great might have been the treasures collected by David and Solomon, and however formidable they might have been to their enemies and the neighboring nations, they ought yet to have relied on the protection of God alone. Since then earthly helps had inflated their minds, God now reproves their vain conceit, and shows that the condition of the people would be no less happy, when no king sat on the throne, and no aids enlisted for the protection of the people; and therefore he declares, that though exposed to all evils, they should yet be safe and secure, for God would defend them. This is the reason why the Prophet says, that the royal posterity would not glory against Judah, though dwelling in tents, nor the citizens of Jerusalem, who were then as it were the courtiers: for as the royal seat was at Jerusalem, a sort of vain boasting was made by all the citizens. As then all of them despised the inhabitants of the country, when the condition of the city was illustrious, the Prophet says, the posterity of David and Jerusalem shall not hereafter glory against the people of Judah, scattered in the open fields. It then follows —
(157) So is the rendering of the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Vulgate, and adopted by Dathius and Newcome. But the Hebrew, as it is, has been adhered to by Drusius, Marckius, and Henderson; and this is what the context seems to require: for the following words give the reason why the tents of Judah (which mean here the towns and villages of Judah according to Kimchi and to Grotius) were saved “first,” or at first, or in the beginning; and the reason is, — that the honor or the glory of the house of David and of the citizens of Jerusalem might not be magnified above that of Judah. This is clearly the meaning of the verse. The literal rendering is as follows,—
7. But save shall Jehovah the tents of Judah first, That the honor of the house of David, Even the honor of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, May be not magnified above that of Judah.
The “inhabitant” is the poetical singular. The word rendered “honor” is [ תפארת ], and in the first instance rendered “[ καύχημα ] — boasting,” by the Septuagint, and in the second, “[ ἔπαρσις ] — elevation,” or exaltation; and the Targum give a word of a similar import. But “glory” is the most common rendering: it is that of Marckius, Newcome, and Henderson. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) First.There is another reading, supported by the LXX. and a few MSS., as in former times. This variant does not materially alter the sense, for in any case the deliverance of Judah is made to take precedence (in importance, if not in time) of that of Jerusalem. Judah seems here to denote the rest of the people, in contradistinction to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the princes of the house of David. The Maccabees were deliverers raised up from the peopleviz., Levi (see Macc. 2:1)not from the royal house.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Jehovah also shall save the tents of Judah first Though the open country is not defended by strong walls, though its villages may be likened to defenseless tents, the outburst of courage to which attention is called in Zec 12:5-6 will result in the freeing of the country from enemies, even before the mighty city is delivered. And this is in accord with the divine purpose, for it will prevent boasting on the part of the city over the country. There may have been at this time a tendency among the inhabitants of the capital to despise the country population; if so, this utterance may be meant to counteract this tendency. Instead of first some Hebrew manuscripts and the most important ancient versions read “as in former days,” which presupposes a change of only one consonant. If this reading is adopted the verse affirms that the deliverance of the future will resemble the wonderful deliverances of the past.
The house of David A phrase used ordinarily to denote the dynasty of David. If so here, it points to a time when a descendant of David occupied a position of prominence in the government. However, it is not impossible that the phrase is used in the more general sense of ruling family or government.
Glory The martial glory bestowed upon the victor.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Zec 12:7. That the glory of the house of David, &c. This may be rendered, That the glorying of the house of David, and the glorying of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, may not exalt itself against Judah.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Zec 12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify [themselves] against Judah.
Ver. 7. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first ] Or, as at first, sc. when they came out of Egypt, and had no strongholds to take to for their defence. “Lord” (saith Moses), “thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations,” Psa 90:1 . He was so of old, and ever will be; the faith whereof made the fathers well content to dwell in tents, Heb 11:13 , and those holy Rochabites, Jer 35:7-8 , till Nebuchadnezzar came up into the land, Zec 12:11 . But here God promiseth to deliver those Jews that dwelt in the open fields, without the city; and then afterwards to deliver Jerusalem itself from the rage of the Antiochi: and so he did (1 Maccab.) in a wonderful manner; they were helped indeed with a little help, Dan 11:34 , to take away boasting; as it followeth.
That the glory of the house of David, &c.
a A figure of speech in which there is an interchange of two elements of a proposition, the natural relations of these being reversed. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
first. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “as at the first”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
save: Zec 4:6, Zec 11:11, Isa 2:11-17, Isa 23:9, Jer 9:23, Jer 9:24, Mat 11:25, Mat 11:26, Luk 1:51-53, Luk 10:21, Joh 7:47-49, Rom 3:27, 1Co 1:26-31, 2Co 4:7-12, Jam 2:5, Jam 4:6
do: Job 19:5, Psa 35:26, Psa 38:16, Psa 55:12
Reciprocal: Jdg 7:2 – too many Job 32:13 – Lest Zec 12:10 – the house Zec 13:1 – the house Mal 2:12 – out 1Co 1:25 – the foolishness
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Zec 12:7. An evil condition so common was for the people to be imposed on by the leaders in Jerusalem, The Lords influence will be to save the tents of Judah (the common people), so that the glory and advantage of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not impose on them. In the government of Christ there will not be any partiality as to true greatness. This was taught bv Him while on earth in Mat 20:25-28.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Zec 12:7. The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first Some MSS. and versions read , as at the first; but the meaning here is, that God would save the tents of Judah first, or previously to any other; and for this the reason immediately follows, that the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem might not be tempted to value themselves too highly on the preference given to them (supposing that had been the case) above the rest of Judah. Blayney. As the house of David were wont to glory in the honour of their being descended from him, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to value themselves above their brethren, because their city was the place of Gods peculiar residence, and the seat of the royal family; therefore, to take away all occasion of any such glorying and emulation, God here promises that he would first appear in behalf of those Jews that should live in the open country, in cottages or tents, in places unfortified. He will first save the weaker and despised, and then the stronger and more honourable. But this promise, which evidently looks forward to gospel times, seems principally to imply, that the conversion of the nation to Christianity will begin among the more poor, low, and obscure Jews, and not among the rich, great, and learned; lest the latter should glory over the others, as if the change among the people had been effected by their power, wisdom, or influence; or should assume any improper ascendency over their inferiors: in other words, that the wise man might not glory in his wisdom, neither the mighty man in his might, nor the rich man in his riches; and that no flesh might glory in Gods presence, but that he that should glory might glory only in the Lord, Jer 9:23.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
12:7 The LORD also shall save the {d} tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not magnify [themselves] against Judah.
(d) The people who are now as it were dispersed by the fields, and lie open to their enemies, will be preserved by my power just as if they were under their kings (which is meant by the house of David), or in their defended cities.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Yahweh would defend the outlying areas of Judah first so the people from David’s line and the residents of Jerusalem would not conclude that they were more important in God’s sight (cf. Jer 9:23-24; 1Co 1:29; 1Co 1:31; 1Co 12:22-26; 2Co 10:17). All the Jews would see that it was the Lord who was responsible for their deliverance. This would evidently end their fighting among themselves (cf. Zec 11:6).