8<\/strong>. I will hiss for them<\/em> ] “Formerly God had so spoken of His summoning the enemies of His people to chastise them (Isa 7:18-19<\/span>; Isa 5:26-27<\/span>). He would gather them like the countless numbers of the insect creation, which if united would irresistibly desolate life. He would summon them as the bee-owner, by his shrill call, summons and unites his own swarm. Now, contrariwise, God would summon with the same His own people. The fulfilment of the chastisement was the earnest of the ease of the fulfilment of the mercy.” Pusey.<\/p>\n as they have increased<\/em> ] i.e. formerly in Egypt. Exo 1:7<\/span>; Exo 1:12<\/span>. “Multiplicabuntur in exsilio, ut multiplicati fuerunt in gypto.” Jarchi, quoted by Maurer. Comp. Eze 36:10-11<\/span>.<\/p>\n I will hiss for them – <\/B>Formerly God had so spoken of His summoning the enemies of His people to chastise them. It shall be in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly, that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria, and they shall come, and shall rest all of them in. the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns and upon all bushes Isa 7:18-19<\/span>. He will hiss unto them from the ends of the earth, and behold they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary or stumble among them . He would gather them, like the countless numbers of the insect creation, which, if united, would irresistibly desolate life. He would summon them, as the bee-owner, by his shrill call, summons and unites his own swarm. Now, contrariwise God would summon with the same His own people. The fulfillment of the chastisement was the earnest of the ease of the fulfillment of the mercy.<\/P> For I have redeemed them – <\/B>Then they are His, being redeemed at so dear a price. Dionysius: For Christ, as far as in Him lay, redeemed all. God had done this in purpose, as John speaks of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev 13:8<\/span>.<\/P> And they shall increase as they increased – <\/B>Kimchi: As they increased in Egypt, so shall they increase at that time. The marvels of Gods favor in Egypt shall be repeated. The increase there had been promised beforehand. Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation Gen 46:3<\/span>. The fulfillment is recorded, the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them Exo 1:7<\/span>. God appointed that this should be part of their confession at their yearly prosperity, the offering of the basket of first-fruits; A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went into Egypt and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous Deu 26:5<\/span>. The Psalmist dwelt upon it. He increased His people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies Psa 105:24<\/span>. It became then one of the resemblances between the first deliverance and the last. Dionysius: For the Apostles and others converted from Judaism, had more spiritual children, all those whom they begat in Christ, than the synagogue ever had after the flesh.<\/P> <\/p>\n Zec 10:8<\/span><\/p>\n I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them <\/em><\/p>\n Gathering the redeemed<\/strong><\/p>\n The persons. The redeemed. Redeemed in consequence of Gods everlasting love towards them; for had they not been loved of the Father, they would never have been given to Christ, in order to be redeemed by Him. Redeemed from the laws curse; and from all iniquity; from the wrath to come.<\/p>\n The interposition of mercy<\/strong><\/p>\n This passage refers to Gods ancient people, who, for their crimes, had been scattered, but whom He here promises shall be gathered and blessed.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The end proposed. They are to be gathered. This leads us to reflect on their past condition.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>The place of their assembling. They shall come to the Cross of the Saviour, to receive from Him all the blessings they need. They shall come to the bosom of the Church.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>The result of their gathering will be their blessedness and the Divine honour.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>The instrumentality God will employ. I will hiss for them. The allusion is to the shepherds pipe or whistle. It has pleased the Lord, in all ages of time, to gather men by means of human agency.<\/p>\n Verse 8<\/span>. I will hiss for them<\/B><\/I>] eshrekah<\/I>, “I will shriek for them;” call them with such a shrill strong voice<\/I>, that they shall hear<\/I> me, and find that it is the voice of their redemption.<\/P> <\/p>\n I will hiss for them; though they are now scattered far off, I will cause them to return; I will whistle, as a shepherd, and they, as scattered sheep, shall run with sped back to the flock: I called their enemies so once, and they came, Isa 5:26<\/span>; 7:18<\/span>,19<\/span>; and <\/P> my people will come when thus I call to them. <\/P> And gather them; this shall be enough to bring them together; or it shall be done as soon as spoke, so soon as I whistle they shall return. <\/P> I have redeemed them; I have been at the care and charge of redeeming, I raised Cyrus to do it; I bestowed all nations and kingdoms on him, and afterwards on Darius Hystaspes, to do this, to restore my exiles, to replant Judah, to rebuild the city and temple; and I will do this also, which is much less, I will, as a shepherd with his pastoral whistle, call them in. <\/P> They shall increase as they have increased; a promise made Jer 33:22<\/span>, and Eze 36:1<\/span>,11<\/span>,37<\/span>,38<\/span>, which see. <\/P> <\/p>\n 8. hiss for them<\/B>Keepers ofbees by a whistle call them together. So Jehovah by the mere word ofHis call shall gather back to Palestine His scattered people (Zec 10:10<\/span>;Isa 5:26<\/span>; Eze 36:11<\/span>).The multitudes mentioned by JOSEPHUS[Wars of the Jews,<\/I> 3:2], as peopling Galilee two hundred yearsafter this time, were a pledge of the future more perfect fulfilmentof the prophecy. <\/P> for I have redeemedthem<\/B>namely, in My covenant purpose “redeemed” bothtemporally and spiritually. <\/P> as they have increased<\/B>informer times.<\/P><\/p>\n I will hiss for them<\/strong>,…. Or “whistle for them” p; the word signifies, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, the motion of the lips with the voice, and is a sign of calling; and so the Targum renders it, I will cry or call for them; and it denotes the call of them by the Gospel, which is the voice of Christ, which is soft, sweet, and melodious; is a sound of love, grace, and mercy; of peace, pardon, life, and salvation: the allusion seems to be to the shepherd gathering his sheep together with his pipe or whistle, and which was a reed; and so may denote the weakness of the instrument, the ministry of the word in itself, which is made the power of God unto salvation:<\/p>\n and gather them<\/strong>; from the places where they are scattered, into their land; or, by effectual calling, out from the state and condition in which they are, and from among the men of the world, to the Lord himself, as their Redeemer and Saviour; and to him for pardon and righteousness; and into his churches, and communion with him there: Kimchi observes, that some interpret this verse of future time; and Jarchi says it relates to it; and in the Talmud q it is applied to the times of the Messiah; where they speak of a bird called “racham”, which we translate the gier eagle, De 14:17<\/span> and they say it is so called, because, when that comes, mercies come into the world, which this word signifies. R. Bibi bar Abi says, when it sits, it makes a whistling or hissing, from whence it is called “sarakrak”, a word derived from what is here used; and when it sits on the ground, and hisses or whistles, the Messiah will come, as it is said, “I will hiss for them”, c. the gloss is, when it stands not, but sits and chirps, it is a sign of good news. The design, seems to be to show, that the Messiah’s coming is owing mercy, and would be good news, which the Gospel publishes.<\/p>\n For I have redeemed them<\/strong>; from sin, Satan, the law, death, and hell, and every enemy, by his precious blood, and the sacrifice of himself when here on earth; and this is the foundation of the effectual calling of any and every sinner; and will be the reason of the conversion and ingathering of the Jews in the latter day; they being a people redeemed and purchased by the blood of Christ, Isa 43:1<\/span>:<\/p>\n and they shall increase as they have increased<\/strong>; either when in Egypt, or in the days of Solomon; their number shall be as the sand of the sea, Ho 1:10<\/span> a nation shall be born at once; they shall be multiplied, and not be few, and glorified, and not be small; yea, the place shall be too strait for them to dwell in, Jer 31:18<\/span>.<\/p>\n p “sibilabo”, i. e. “fistula pastorali”, Grotius, Burkius. q T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 63. 1.<\/p>\n In order to remove all doubt as to the realization of this promise, the deliverance of Ephraim is described still more minutely in Zec 10:8-12<\/span>. Zec 10:8<\/span>. “I will hiss to them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they will multiply as they have multiplied.<\/em> Zec 10:9<\/span>. And I will sow them among the nations: and in the far-off lands will they remember me; and will live with their sons, and return.<\/em> Zec 10:10<\/span>. And I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Asshur, and bring them into the land of Gilead and of Lebanon; and room will not be found for them.” <\/em> That these verses do not treat of a fresh (second) dispersion of Ephraim, or represent the carrying away as still in the future (Hitzig), is evident from the words themselves, when correctly interpreted. Not only are the enticing and gathering together (Zec 10:8<\/span>) mentioned before the sowing or dispersing (Zec 10:9<\/span>), but they are both expressed by similar verbal forms ( and ); and the misinterpretation is thereby precluded, that events occurring at different times are referred to. We must also observe the voluntative form , “I will (not I shall) hiss to them, i.e., entice them” ( sharaq <\/em> being used for alluring, as in Isa 5:26<\/span> and Isa 7:18<\/span>), as well as the absence of a copula. They both show that the intention here is simply to explain with greater clearness what is announced in Zec 10:6<\/span>, Zec 10:7<\/span>. The perfect is prophetic, like in Zec 10:6<\/span>. The further promise, “they will multiply,” etc., cannot be taken as referring either merely to the multiplication of Israel in exile (Hengst., Koehler, etc.), or merely to the future multiplication after the gathering together. According to the position in which the words stand between and , they must embrace both the multiplication during the dispersion, and the multiplication after the gathering together. The perfect points to the increase which Israel experienced in the olden time under the oppression of Egypt (Exo 1:7<\/span>, Exo 1:12<\/span>). This increase, which is also promised in Eze 36:10-11<\/span>, is effected by God’s sowing them broadcast among the nations. does not mean to scatter, but to sow, to sow broadcast (see at Hos 2:23<\/span>). Consequently the reference cannot be to a dispersion of Israel inflicted as a punishment. The sowing denotes the multiplication (cf. Jer 31:27<\/span>), and is not to be interpreted, as Neumann and Kliefoth suppose, as signifying that the Ephraimites are to be scattered as seed-corn among the heathen, to spread the knowledge of Jehovah among the nations. This thought is quite foreign to the context; and even in the words, “in far-off lands will they remember me,” it is neither expressed nor implied. These words are to be connected with what follows: Because they remember the Lord in far-off lands, they will live, and return with their children. In Zec 10:10<\/span><\/em> the gathering together and leading back of Israel are more minutely described, and indeed as taking place out of the land of Asshur and out of Egypt. The fact that these two lands are mentioned, upon which modern critics have principally founded their arguments in favour of the origin of this prophecy before the captivity, cannot be explained “from the circumstance that in the time of Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser many Ephraimites had fled to Egypt” (Koehler and others); for history knows nothing of this, and the supposition is merely a loophole for escaping from a difficulty. Such passages as Hos 8:13<\/span>; Hos 9:3<\/span>, Hos 9:6<\/span>; Hos 11:11<\/span>; Mic 7:12<\/span>; Isa 11:11<\/span>; Isa 27:13<\/span>, furnish no historical evidence of such thing. Even if certain Ephraimites had fled to Egypt, these could not be explained as relating to a return or gathering together of the Ephraimites of Israelites out of Egypt and Assyria, because the announcement presupposes that the Ephraimites had been transported to Egypt in quite as large numbers as to Assyria, – a fact which cannot be established either in relation to the times before or to those after the captivity. Egypt, as we have already shown at Hos 9:3<\/span> (cf. Zec 8:13<\/span>), is rather introduced in all the passages mentioned simply as a type of the land of bondage, on account of its having been the land in which Israel lived in the olden time, under the oppression of the heathen world. And Asshur is introduced in the same way, as the land into which the ten tribes had been afterwards exiled. This typical significance is placed beyond all doubt by Zec 10:1<\/span>, since the redemption of Israel out of the countries named is there exhibited under the type of the liberation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt under the guidance of Moses. (Compare also Delitzsch on Isa 11:11<\/span>.) The Ephraimites are to return into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; the former representing the territory of the ten tribes in the olden time to the east of the Jordan, the latter that to the west (cf. Mic 7:14<\/span>). , there is not found for them, sc. the necessary room: equivalent to, it will not be sufficient for them (as in Jos 17:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n The same is the object of this verse. By the word whistle, Zechariah means what it imports in other passages, — that it will not be an arduous world for God; for we are wont to measure his works by what our flesh understands. Since then the Jews might have easily raised this objection, — that their brethren were dispersed through various countries and among many nations, so that the assembling of them was incredible, the Prophet meets this objection and says, that God was able by mere whistling or by a single nod to restore them to their country. God is sometimes said to whistle for the wicked, when he constrains them unwillingly to do him service, and employs them as instruments to execute his hidden purposes; for when great armies daily assemble, it is no doubt through the secret appointment of God. When therefore trumpets sound and drums beat, the Lord whistles from heaven, to lead the reprobate here and there as it pleases him. But in this passage the Prophet simply means, that though God may not have many heralds nor an equipped army to open a way for his people, he will be satisfied with whistling only; for when it should please him, a free passage would be made for captives, though the whole world were to hinder their return. These two words then are to be joined together, I will whistle for them and gather them; as though Zechariah had said, that the nod of God would alone be sufficient, whenever he designed to gather the people. (124) <\/p>\n He then adds, For I have redeemed them. Here also I retain the past time, as the verb is in the past tense: for God speaks of redemption already begun, as though he had said, “I have promised that your exile would only be for a time; I have already appeared in part as your Redeemer, and I will not discontinue my work until it be completed.” God then no doubt confirms here what I have stated, — that as he had begun in some measure to redeem his people, a complete redemption was to be expected, though the distressed could hardly believe this. But they ought to have felt assured, that God, as it is said in Psa 138:1<\/span>, would not forsake the work of his hands. Hence by the consideration of what had commenced he encourages the Jews here to entertain confidence, so that they might with composed minds look for the end, and doubt not but that the whole people would be saved; for the Lord had already proved himself to be their Redeemer. (125) It is indeed true that this had not been fulfilled as to all the Israelites: but we must ever remember, that gratuitous election so existed as to the whole people, that God had notwithstanding but a small flock, as Paul teaches us. (Rom 11:5<\/span>.) The Prophet at the same time intimates that Christ would be the head of the Church, and would gather from all parts of the earth the Jews who had been before scattered; and thus the promised restoration is to be extended to all the tribes. It afterwards follows — <\/p>\n (124) The word rendered here “whistle,” is rendered “hist,” by Lowth, in Isa 5:26<\/span>; and he quotes Cyril, who says, “it is a metaphor taken from the practice of those who keep bees; who draw them out of their hives into the fields, and lead them back again by a hiss or a whistle.” This is probable, for it is connected in Isa 7:18<\/span> with the fly and the bee. Grotius takes the metaphor from the whistle of the shepherd, by which he collects his sheep. — Ed. <\/p>\n (125) The verb for “redeem” is in the past time, preceded by [ כי ], for, because, or when. The Septuagint give the future time, “because I shall redeem them.” Jun. and Trem., and Piscator read thus, “when I shall redeem them.” There is a similar phrase in verse 6, and in a like manner connected, which may be rendered in the same way, “when I shall pity them,” instead of, “for I have pitied them:” for [ כי ], as well as [ ו ], has sometimes a conversive power, at least it turns the past to a future time. — Ed. <\/p>\n CRITICAL NOTES.]<\/strong> <\/p>\n Zec. 10:8<\/span><\/strong>. Hiss<\/strong>] Whistle as bee-keepers call back swarms to the hive. The extraordinary increase of Jews after this is a familiar fact of history (cf. Josephus Wars<\/em>, Bk. 3 ch. 3. 2). <\/p>\n Zec. 10:9<\/span><\/strong>. Sow<\/strong>] broadcast, with a design to multiply (Hos. 2:2-5<\/span>; Jer. 31:27<\/span>). Remember<\/strong>] Return to right mind (cf. Luk. 15:17<\/span>; Psa. 22:27<\/span>). Live<\/strong>] in political and spiritual life. <\/p>\n Zec. 10:10<\/span><\/strong>. Egypt<\/strong>] the house of bondage, and Assyria<\/strong>] the scene of captivity, represent all lands in which they are now scattered. Gilead and Lebanon<\/strong>] Their old dwellings east and west of Jordan. This territory, though fertile and large, should not be able to support them. <\/p>\n Zec. 10:11<\/span><\/strong>. The sea<\/strong>] personified, shall not hinder their return. God will march at their head, trample down all its proud waves, and the depths shall become dry. Assyrias pride<\/strong>] and Egypts sceptre<\/strong>] (rod of task-master), shall be smitten. <\/p>\n Zec. 10:12<\/span><\/strong>. I<\/strong>] God will strengthen Ephraim. They will walk<\/strong>] in his name, and enjoy his protection; find the past a pledge of the future, and see the Divine perfections more illustrious than ever.<\/p>\n HOMILETICS<\/em><\/p>\n THE RESTORATION, SETTLEMENT, AND INCREASE OF GODS PEOPLE.Zec. 10:8-12<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n To remove all doubt concerning the promises just given the restoration is more minutely described.<\/p>\n I. The restoration of Gods people<\/strong>. I will gather them. <\/p>\n 1. From different places<\/em>. From the land of Egypt<\/em>, a type of all lands of bondage. Out of Assyria<\/em>, a type of all lands of exile. They shall be sought and found in all quarters of the world. <\/p>\n 2. By Divine call<\/em>. I<\/em> will hiss for them and gather them. As bee-keepers whistle back the bees to the hive, or as sheep flock together at the well-known call of the shepherd, so God will bring them back to himself and their inheritance. He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly (Isa. 5:26<\/span>). <\/p>\n 3. Without hindrance<\/em>. (a<\/em>) Distance<\/em> shall not keep them back. Out of lands far and near. (b<\/em>) Distress<\/em> shall not hinder them. At the Red Sea Israel thought they were lost. The sea of affliction shall be opened up. Its smitten waves shall overwhelm the foe, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians (Exo. 14:24-25<\/span>); or sink into silence at the command of its Maker and Ruler. All the deeps of the river shall dry up. (c<\/em>) Enemies<\/em> shall not impede them. The pride of Assyria shall be brought down. The rod of Egypt shall be broken. The wonders of old shall be repeated, and the first deliverance shall be eclipsed by the last. <\/p>\n II. The settlement of Gods people<\/strong>. I will bring them into the land of Gilead beyond Jordan, the eastern, and Lebanon, the northern, boundary. <\/p>\n 1. Settled them in Divine strength<\/em>. I will strengthen them in the Lord. Strengthen them to resist temptation, discharge duty, and endure trial. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. <\/p>\n 2. Settled them in delightful freedom<\/em>. I have redeemed them (Zec. 10:8<\/span>): spiritually and temporally, the type of the true Israel. I gave Egypt for their ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. <\/p>\n III. The increase of Gods people<\/strong>. And they shall increase as they have increased. <\/p>\n 1. Increase by sowing them in other nations<\/em>. As seed sown in the ground they were scattered, not merely to spread the knowledge of God, but to be quickened in themselves, and to quicken others. The word is<\/strong> used of sowing to multiply, says Pusey, never of mere scattering. A rich harvest was to spring from them. I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. <\/p>\n 2. Increase with unparalleled degree<\/em>. Place shall not be found for them. A promise of such increase is a promise that includes much more than it expresses. It implies in it all that contributes to such rapid multiplication. The children of thy bereaved estate shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place, that I may dwell. <\/p>\n 3. Increase in permanent duration<\/em>. They shall live with their children and turn again. The gift would be a continual gift. They and their children, and their childrens children for ever (Eze. 37:14<\/span>). The blessing would not be transient, but abiding; the chartered privileges would be as before the dispersion. The promise is unto you and to your children.<\/p>\n HOMILETIC HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS<\/em><\/p>\n Zec. 10:9<\/span>. Here we seem to have their dispersions<\/em>, their penitent recognition of God<\/em>, and their consequent preservation<\/em> and return<\/em> [Wardlaw<\/em>]. Sow them<\/em>, partly to keep them as winter seed in the ground till the spring-time of their conversion and restitution; and partly making them seed to bring in an increase of the fulness of the Gentiles at their conversion. Further, the Lord promiseth that scattering should not hinder their conversion, for the veil shall be taken away, and they shall remember the Lord, and they and their children being preserved shall return to God [Hutcheson<\/em>].<\/p>\n They shall remember me<\/em><\/p>\n 1. May be applied to the Jews; and 2. That true conversion is a turning again to God in humility and duty. A state of unregeneration is one of forgetfulness. Sinners have lost all sense of Gods glory, authority, and mercy. The first religious exercise of the mind is reflection, fitly represented in the prodigal when he came to himself<\/em>. Then a return to God the Father. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord.<\/p>\n Zec. 10:12<\/span>. Security and happiness under Divine protection<\/em>. <\/p>\n 1. Christian knowledge;<\/em> a knowledge of Gods name revealed to direct and encourage in duty. The name of Jehovah<\/em> is a comprehensive expression denoting his glory as manifested in history (Hengs<\/em>.) <\/p>\n 2. Christian profession<\/em>. To walk in his name, or maintain a course of life in harmony with Gods will and word. <\/p>\n 3. Christian freedom<\/em>. They shall walk up and down. The expression seems further to imply a state of felt peace, and freedom, and confidence of safety, and happy social intercommunion, arising from faith in Godfrom unshaken reliance on his power and wisdom, faithfulness and love [Wardlaw<\/em>]. I will strengthen them in the Lord<\/em>. The very assurance we want in the duties and trials of life. Confidently rely upon it, for it comes from the lips of Faithfulness and Truth. But we may err as to manner of fulfilment; our expectation therefore to be regulated accordingly. Observe, that the fulfilment of the promise will not exempt us from all ground of complaint<\/em>. It will keep us in work, but not cause us to ceasesecures help in conflict, but war lasts for ever. It will also be seasonable<\/em>. As thy days, so shall thy strength be. Look for grace, not for imaginary but real purposes, not for future but present difficulties, to help in time of need. These supplies of strength to be sought in Gods own way<\/em>. In the use of appointed means. Foolish to avoid religious exercises, even when not in a proper, spiritual, and lively frame. Then<\/em> the means most necessary, as fire when we are cold, and excitement when dull [Jay<\/em>].<\/p>\n Zec. 10:10-12<\/span>. Messianic mercies. Survey the whole promise from ch. Zec. 9:11<\/span> onwards; there are two leading thoughts developed in it. (a<\/em>) That those members of the covenant nation who were still scattered among the heathen should be redeemed out of their misery, and gathered together in the kingdom of Messiah. (b<\/em>) That the Lord would endow all his people with power for the conquest of the heathen. They were both fulfilled in weak commencements only in the times immediately following, and down to the coming of Christ, by the return of many Jews out of captivity and into the land of their fathers, particularly when Galilee was strongly peopled by Israelites; and also by the protection and care which God bestowed upon the people in the contests between the powers of the world for supremacy in Palestine. The principal fulfilment is of a spiritual kind, and was effected through the gathering of Jews into the kingdom of Christ, which commenced in the times of the apostles, and will continue till the remnant of Israel is converted to Christ its Saviour [Keil<\/em>].<\/p>\n ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 10<\/p>\n Zec. 10:7-8<\/span>. The house of Judah<\/em>, and the house of Joseph<\/em>, spoken of in the first of these verses, signify respectively, the two<\/em> tribes and the ten<\/em> tribesunitedly, the whole house of Israelthe posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The declaration, I will save them, and bring them again and place them<\/em>, cannot refer to the return from Babylon; seeing, in that respect, they had been already saved, and brought again, and placed. And the language is much too strong to have reference to any such remaining partial deliverances and returningsadditions<\/em> only to that from Babylonwhich might take place under the Maccabean princes, or at any period of their history between the prophets days and the coming of Christ. And if it refers to a period subsequent<\/em> to the coming of Christ, to what else can<\/em> the reference be but to their recovery from their present long-continued outcast and scattered condition? [Wardlaw<\/em>].<\/p>\n Zec. 10:9-12<\/span>. The victory described is followed by a large increase of population, not confined to Judah, but also including Israel. Nor is there reason to doubt that the independence achieved by the Maccabees attracted very many of the exiles from the northern kingdom, who forgot the old causes of dissension, and united earnestly in maintaining the re-established national centre in Jerusalem. This fusion at home led to a similar fusion abroad, and wherever Jews were found, who preserved their hereditary faith at all, they still remembered Jehovah as one who had chosen Zion, and considered themselves as constituent parts of one covenant people. So far the predictions of the chapter were fulfilled historically in the period extending from the establishment of Jewish independence to the time of the advent. In the last three verses the prophet describes a far greater, because spiritual, blessing in terms borrowed from the old experience of the people. The drying up of the sea, the humiliation of Assyria, the overthrow of Egypt, simply set forth the removal of all possible obstacles in the way of a spiritual return to God. The Lord will reclaim and bless them by procedures as marvellous as any that ever occurred in their former history [Lange<\/em>].<\/p>\nFuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I.<\/strong><\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The promise. I will gather them. This implies that the redeemed are by nature in a scattered state, or in a state of alienation from God. How universal is the departure. We have turned everyone to his own way, which is a sinful way, a God-dishonouring, and a soul-distressing way. The gathering work is accomplished in regeneration, at which time they are gathered to Christ for life and salvation: they are gathered or folded together in Church fellowship; and shall by and by be gathered as wheat into the garner.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The mean to be made use of. I will hiss for them; i.e.<\/em>, I will call for them; make the peculiar sound which they will heed, as a shepherd does to call his sheep around him. Shepherds used a whistle. The Redeemer called for His people, by the prophets of old; by John the Baptist; He Called them Himself when He was here upon earth. He called them by His apostles; He calls them now by His ministers. (S. Barnard.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The interposition of mercy realised. I have redeemed them. By this I understand the redemption by the Son of God. The mediation of Jesus Christ is the meritorious cause of all good to sinful man. All the peace and happiness we possess is due to this mediation. It is the medium of all spiritual good to men individually.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The interposition of mercy designed. I will hiss for them, and gather them.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The churchs future prosperity. The convulsions of nations, the revolutions of empires shall but contribute to the establishment of His kingdom. His signature is inscribed on every part of the earth; all is His, and He shall soon take possession. (W. Lucy.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
2. to the conversion of sinners. It indicates
1. That men have forgotten God<\/em>, wandered into distance from him. <\/p>\n