Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 8:10
For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither [was there any] peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.
10. these days ] Rather, those days, in which you began to build again.
hire ] i.e. return for his labour. See Hag 1:6; Hag 1:9-11.
the affliction ] Rather, the adversary. Ezr 4:4.
every one against his neighbour ] This was the third evil which prevailed dearth, harassing by their enemies, their own dissensions in those days when the Temple lay neglected.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There was no hire for man – Literally, hire for man came not to pass. It was longed for, waited for and came not. So little was the produce, that neither laborer nor beast of burden were employed to gather it in.
Neither was there peace to him who went out or came in because of the affliction, better, of the adversary – In such an empire as the Persian, there was large scope for actual hostility among the petty nations subject to it, so that they did not threaten revolt against itself, or interfere with the payment of tribute, as in the Turkish Empire now, or in the weak government of Greece. At the rebuilding of the walls, after this time, the Samaritans, Arabians, Ammonites, Ashdodites conspired to fight against Jerusalem, and to slay them Neh 4:7-11. They are summed up here in the general title used here, our adversaries.
For I set – Literally, and I set. Domestic confusions and strife were added to hostility from without. Nehemiahs reformation was, in part, to stop the grinding usury in time of dearth or to lear the kings taxes, through which men sold lands, vineyards, even their children Neh 5:1-12.
(literally) let them loose, each against his neighbor – in that He left them to their own ways and did not withhold them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. For before these days there was no hire for man] Previously to this, ye had no prosperity; ye had nothing but civil divisions and domestic broils. I abandoned you to your own spirits, and to your own ways.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For before these days, for eighteen years together, there was no hire; reward or recompence, no profit by the labour of man or beast, sowing or planting: see Hag 1:6-11; 2:15-17; Mal 3:10,11. Or else, though the poor Jew laboured and received wages, it profiled him not, God blasted it.
Neither was there any peace; no safety, or content, and rest, at home or abroad; nothing prospered as might be hoped, in field or house; if they went out it was trouble to see all unprosperous there, if they came home it was not one whit better: perhaps it may intimate troubles by war, but I incline to interpret as I have done, with respect partly to the Hebrew, partly to the 12th verse.
Because of the affliction; distress, or straitness, and want, through such great barrenness as attended all their labour.
For I; God just and holy.
Set all men every one against his neighbour; let out or took off the restraints which kept men in some order; and when they were thus let out, they did discompose all, fell into seditions, and taking of parties, and breaking their own and others peace.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. before these daysbeforethe time in which ye again proceeded with the building of the temple(Zec 8:9), namely, at the timethat the temple lay neglected.
no hire for man . . .beastthat is, no produce of the field to repay the labor ofman and beast on it (Hag 1:6;Hag 1:9; Hag 1:10;Hag 2:16).
neither . . . peace to himthat went out or came in (2Ch15:5). No one could in safety do his business at home or abroad,in the city or in the country, whether going or returning.
because of the afflictionsosorely pressed were they by the foe outside. MAURERtranslates, “Because of the foe” (Ezr4:1).
every one against . . .neighbourThere was internal discord, as well as foes fromwithout.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For before these days,…. That the temple began to be built:
there was no hire for men, nor any hire for beasts; that turned to any account; the wages earned by the one, and with the other, were as if they were put into a bag with holes, did not prosper with them, or do them any service, Hag 1:6:
neither [was there any] peace to him that went out or came in, because of the affliction; there was no safety in passing to and fro, nor any peaceable enjoyment of what a man had, because of affliction and oppression by the enemy on every side, and from every quarter:
for I set all men everyone against his neighbour; expressive of the internal divisions and contentions among themselves, which are said to be of the Lord, because he permitted them as a chastisement upon them for their sins.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It follows, For before these days there was no hire for man, and no hire for beast, no peace to passengers, because I had sent forth all men, each one against his friend. The Prophet mentions here, as I have already said, evidences of God’s curse, by which the Jews might have learnt that he was displeased with their neglect in disregarding the building of the temple, for while omitting that they paid attention to their domestic affairs. He therefore reminds them of what might have made them to fear, lest they should go on still to provoke God; for they had been taught, to their great loss, not to excite in this manner his displeasure: and Zechariah, no doubt, as well as Haggai and Malachi, had often addressed the people on this subject; for we see how prone is the disposition of us all to relapse into forgetfulness when God in any measure relaxes in his discipline. We presently shake off every fear when exempt from evils. This is the reason why it is needful for us to be often reminded of those judgments of God which we have experienced, according to what is done here by Zechariah.
Before these days, he says, there was no hire for man, and no hire for beast; that is, there was no profit from the labor of men or of beasts. He takes it as granted, that men were not tardy in their work, and that beasts performed their labors, but that no fruit appeared. And whence was it the labor of men and of beasts was unprofitable, except from God’s curse, as the law testifies? (Deu 28:8.) For when the Prophets speak of God’s curse they refer to the law, and only apply to their present purpose what is stated generally in the law. As then God declares in the law that he will bless the work of the hands, Zechariah draws this inference that God was displeased when men and beasts toiled laboriously without any advantage.
He then adds, There was no peace. When men labor in vain, thirst and want of all things must follow; for though the labor of man, we know, is of itself of no value, yet when blessed by God it is the means of promoting fertility, so that the earth may supply us with food. On the other hand, when the labor of man is barren, even the earth itself refuses to bring forth fruit. It was then no light calamity when God visited the people with poverty and famine. But another evil is added, no less dreadful and even more grievous that the land was so harassed by enemies that no travelling was safe. Hence he says, that there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in; that is, there was no free or peaceable travelling, but they were exposed to pillage and plunder. In a word, Zechariah teaches us here, that the Jews were under a curse both within and without, for the land disappointed those who cultivated it, as it yielded no fruit, and then they were exposed to hostile assaults.
With regard to the words, מן הצר, men etsar, some render them, on account of distress, “there was no peace on account of distress.” But we may retain the proper meaning of the preposition מן, mem, “there was no peace from distress;” that is, there were none safe from inconvenience and molestation. (85)
The reason is added, Because God had sent forth all men, each one against his neighbor. The Prophet designedly subjoined this, that the Jews might know that these evils could not be ascribed to fortune, as though men did rise up thoughtlessly one against another. Hence he reminds them that their quietness was disturbed by the just and hidden judgment of God, for he can turn as he pleases the hearts of men; he now inclines them to humanity or to mercy, and then he turns them to madness and ferocity. That the Jews might know that they had to do with God, the Prophet declares here that men had been sent forth, that they might mutually rage and assault one another.
Hence they who use the word permit, not only take away from what the Prophet means, but wholly pervert his doctrine and extinguish its light altogether: for God does not say here that he was still when the Jews ill-treated one another; but he meant to have this attributed to his judgment. For when almost the whole world was hostile to a few men, and those related to one another, they ought surely to have been united among themselves; for necessity conciliates even the most alienated, and even pacifies those who have been previously the most violent enemies. Since, then, the Jews were assailed by foreign enemies, they ought to have been friends among themselves, or at least to have been so softened as not to be so hostile towards one another. As then they raged against their own bowels, so that no one spared his own friends, God more fully shows by this circumstance that he was the author of these confusions. And how God kindles the hearts of men to ferocity, and is yet free from all blame, has been explained elsewhere. God indeed executes his righteous judgments, when he sets men one against the other; and if we inquire into the cause and the end, we shall find that men are in this way justly punished. As then in God’s judgments there ever shines forth the highest equity, there is no reason for men to try to implicate him in their own perdition, or to devolve on him a part of the blame. God then justly excites the hearts of men into madness, and yet men themselves bear the whole blame, though God draws them here and there against their will, and makes use of them as his instruments; for the hidden purpose of God does not excuse them, while nothing is less their object than to obey his word, though they are guided by his hidden operation. We know that no work pleases God, but when there is a willing obedience, which none of the reprobate ever render; and we also know that all works are to be judged according to the end designed. We must therefore consider what was the reason that God thus set men against one another, and what end he had in view. But we have elsewhere discussed this subject at large.
Let us then now, in short, bear this in mind, that the Jews mutually harassed and distressed one another, not by chance, but because the Lord, who was their enemy and whose wrath they had provoked, had sent them forth as enemies among themselves.
(85) Calvin has in this instance followed the Septuagint, and so has Newcome; but the Targum has “ propter hostem — on account of the enemy;” and the same is the most common meaning of the Hebrew; and such is the rendering of Drusius, Marckius, Dathius, and Henderson. We may give this literal version of the whole verse,—
10. For before those days, The hire of man, it was nothing; And the hire of beast, not any; And to the goer and the comer, No peace from the enemy; And I sent forth every man, Each one against his neighbor.
The word [ צר ] is perhaps more strictly an oppressor than an enemy, though it be often rendered by the latter word. The verb means to straiten, to confine, and thus to distress, to afflict, or to oppress. Not a foreign but a domestic enemy is here meant, as intimated in the two last lines. The “sending forth” shows that these enemies were robbers; and this is also evident from the statement that “goers” and “comers” were not safe. Hence our version and that of Newcome are wrong, in which “I set” is found instead of “I sent forth,” the proper meaning of the verb used here. “I sent” of Henderson is not quite correct, for the idea is not fully expressed. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Before . . . there was no hire for man, or cattle, because the land was so unproductive (Hag. 1:6, Hag. 1:9-11); but from the day that the foundation of the Lords temple was laid . . . from this day will I bless you (Hag. 2:18-19). LXX., . . . , the hire . . . would not be profitable, reading the Hebrew verb, was not, as an Aramaic future, will not be profitable.
The affliction.Better, the enemy. Not only were they oppressed by their neighbouring adversaries, but also during the time previous to their energetic resumption of the work of re-building, there took place the expedition of Cambyses against Egypt, when the march of the Persian hosts southwards through Palestine must have caused much distress to the Jews in their narrow circumstances.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Another ground for being of good courage may be found in the improvement in conditions which has taken place since the people began in earnest the rebuilding of the temple. How different is the present from the past.
Before these days Better, R.V., “those.” Before the resumption of building operations.
No hire for man, for beast No returns were had from labors expended in the cultivation of the soil; there was not enough grown for fodder.
To him that went out or came in In following his daily occupation (Deu 28:6; Psa 121:8).
Neither any peace From within or without. The last clause indicates that the prophet is thinking of troubles and dissensions within the community as well as of attacks from without (compare Ezr 4:4; Neh 6:1 ff.).
Affliction R.V., “adversary.” A.V. is to be preferred. The affliction is the calamity described in Hag 1:6; Hag 1:9-11; Hag 2:16-17, and the troubles and dissensions mentioned in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
11ff. A marvelous transformation is at hand, for Jehovah is about to change his attitude into one of mercy and loving-kindness (compare Zec 8:2-3).
The residue of this people R.V., “the remnant.” As in Zec 8:6; or perhaps equivalent to this remnant of the people, that is, those who have escaped from exile.
The former days Not the days before the exile, but the days before the resumption of the building enterprise (compare Zec 8:10). 12.
The seed shall be prosperous An impossible rendering of the Hebrew. R.V., “there shall be the seed of peace.” Since peace implies prosperity, and since seed is sometimes equivalent to seedtime or sowing (Gen 8:22) or even to produce or harvest (Job 39:12), Perowne suggests as a free rendering, “the processes of agriculture shall prosper.” That this is the thought the prophet desired to express is not improbable; it seems doubtful, however, that he would express it in this ambiguous and obscure manner. This difficulty has been felt by many, and it has been proposed to take the words in apposition to “the vine,” which immediately follows “the seed of peace, the vine, shall give its fruit,” equivalent to “the vine, which is the seed or plant of peace, shall give its fruit” (Jer 2:21; Eze 17:5-6). The vine is thought to be called the seed of peace because it can “flourish only in peaceful times and not when the land is laid waste by enemies” (1Ki 4:25; Mic 4:4). This translation also is not without its difficulties; it would certainly be unusual to have the appositional clause precede its noun; hence many commentators question the accuracy of the text. Klostermann emends it by transposing one letter from the beginning of the second word to the close of the first, by which he secures the following reading: “her seed shall be prosperous,” that is, the seed planted by the remnant (in Hebrew a feminine noun). The promise, then, means that the seed will no longer dry up in the ground, but will spring up and bear abundant fruit. Others, following LXX., read, “I will sow prosperity,” and they understand the rest of the verse as explaining how the prosperity is to be brought about. Whatever the exact meaning of the first clause, Zec 8:12 contains a promise of the restoration of the divine blessing. For the rest of the verse see on Hos 2:21-22 (compare Hag 1:10; Hag 2:19). Future abundance will compensate for the scarcity of the past, and all will be for the remnant of this people.
Dew See on Hag 1:10.
13. As ye were a curse On account of their afflictions they were regarded as cursed of God, and so they became objects of reproach and curses among the nations (compare Joe 2:17; Jer 24:9; Jer 25:9).
So will I save you From the calamity and distress which made them a byword among the nations.
Ye shall be a blessing The restoration of the prosperity will be an evidence of the divine favor, hence the people who in the hour of calamity cursed them will call them blessed. In both cases the noun is used in the place of the adjective for the sake of emphasis (G.-K., 141c). A somewhat different interpretation of the promise is suggested by Jer 29:22; Gen 48:20, namely, that while at one time their name served as a formula of cursing, in the future it will be used as a formula of benediction.
Judah Israel The future prosperity is not to be confined to the southern kingdom; all the tribes are to share it. Convinced that these glorious prospects will soon be realized, the prophet repeats his exhortation to be of good courage (Zec 8:9).
Zec 8:14-15 emphasize once more the change in the divine purpose, Zec 8:16-17 call attention to the conditions which must be met, in order to realize the blessings which are the result of this change of attitude on the part of Jehovah.
Punish R.V., “do evil.” Not moral evil, but calamity (see on Amo 3:6). Jehovah determined to send calamities as punishment for their sins (Jer 31:28).
You The houses of Israel and Judah (Zec 8:13). Primarily the reference cannot be to the contemporaries of the prophet, since the judgment is said to have been called forth by their fathers’ sins. The prophet has in mind the calamity of the exile, from which his contemporaries had not yet fully recovered.
I repented not I allowed the judgment to take its course (see on Joe 2:13; compare Jer 4:28). As Jehovah purposed to execute judgment and firmly adhered to his purpose, so he purposes now to restore his favor, and he will just as firmly adhere to the new purpose.
Do well The very opposite of do evil (Zec 8:14); he will restore blessing and prosperity.
Jerusalem Judah Though the blessings will reach all (Zec 8:13), the prophets always represent Jehovah as sustaining a peculiarly close relation to Jerusalem and Judah (compare Zec 1:17; Zec 2:12).
Fear ye not With the divine good will assured, no one can harm them.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Zec 8:10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither [was there any] peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
Ver. 10. For before these days ] sc. During those forty and four years, wherein they ceased from the work, minding only their own houses and managing their own affairs, their labour was unprofitable, their state unquiet through foreign foragers and homebred malcontents.
There was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast
“ Ludit qui sterili semina mandat humo ”( Ovid).
They sowed much, and brought in little; they earned money, but put it into a bottomless bag, Hag 1:6 ; See Trapp on “ Heb 1:6 “ the gains did not countervail the pains, the wages the work.
Neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in
For I set all men, every one against his neighbour
“ Omega nostrorum Mars est, Mars Alpha malorum. ”
But is there evil in a city, and I have not done it? Amo 3:6 . He (for a punishment) sent an evil spirit of division and discord between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, Jdg 9:23 , not by instilling any evil motions into their minds, but in a way of just revenge for their treachery and cruelty to Gideon’s family. This God doth, 1. By letting loose Satan upon them (that great coal kindler and mischief maker of the world) to raise jealousies, heart burnings, and discontents between them. 2. By giving them up to the lusts and corruptions of their own wicked hearts. 3. By giving occasions of enraging them more and more one against another. And here the wickedness of these factions and fallings out is wholly from their lusts that war in their members, Jas 4:1 , and not at all of God, though his Providence do concur, like as the stench of the dunghill riseth not from the sun, though the sunshine upon it be the occasion of it.
Every one against his neighbour
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
these = those.
hire = wages.
man. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
men. Hebrew. ‘adam:. App-14.
every one. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
set = sent.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
before: Hag 1:6-11, Hag 2:16-18
there was no hire for man: or, the hire of man became nothing, etc
neither: Jdg 5:6, Jdg 5:7, Jdg 5:11, 2Ch 15:5-7, Jer 16:16
for: Isa 19:2, Amo 3:6, Amo 9:4, Mat 10:34-36
Reciprocal: Exo 22:15 – it came for his hire Jer 16:5 – I have Lam 3:17 – thou Zec 11:6 – deliver
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Zec 8:10. An observation that should encourage the people now is that previously the times were hard. There was internal strife and incomes were small and scarce.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
8:10 For before these days there was no hire for {g} man, nor any hire for beast; neither [was there any] peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
(g) For God cursed your work, so that neither man nor beast had profit from their labours.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Before the returnees began to rebuild in earnest, there was severe unemployment, so there were no wages for many of the people (cf. Hag 1:6). Even the animals were not earning their keep. There was also no peace because the enemies of the Jews oppressed them (cf. Ezr 4:1-5; Hag 1:6-11; Hag 2:15-19). The Lord Himself was ultimately responsible for the antagonism that existed then.
"This verse presents a contrast of the present, when they had begun to obey the Word of God, with the past, when they did not." [Note: Unger, p. 140.]