The Coming Humble King and Israel's Return
Zechariah 9:9-13
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Zec.9.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גילי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- מאד: ADV
- בת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- ציון: NOUN,prop,f,sg,abs
- הריעי: VERB,hiph,imp,2,f,sg
- בת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- ירושלם: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הנה: PART
- מלכך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- יבוא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- צדיק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ונושע: VERB,niphal,impf,3,m,sg
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- עני: ADJ,m,sg
- ורכב: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- חמור: PNOUN,m,sg
- ועל: CONJ+PREP
- עיר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אתנות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Matthew 21:5 (quotation): Matthew explicitly cites Zechariah's wording in the Triumphal Entry ('Behold, your King is coming... lowly, and mounted on a donkey'), applying it to Jesus (Mt 21:4–5).
- John 12:15 (quotation): John quotes Zech 9:9 (via the LXX) to interpret Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as fulfillment of the prophetic image of a humble, salvific king on a donkey.
- Mark 11:7–10 (structural): Mark's triumphal-entry narrative parallels Zech 9:9 in content and structure (crowd acclamation, garments/branches, recognition of a coming king), though Mark does not quote the verse verbatim.
- Psalm 118:26 (verbal): The crowd's acclamation ('Blessed is he who comes...') used in the Triumphal Entry (cf. Mt 21:9; Mk 11:9–10) echoes Ps 118:26 and functions alongside Zech 9:9 as a messianic affirmation of the coming king.
Alternative generated candidates
- Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you—righteous and bringing salvation, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; shout aloud, daughter of Jerusalem—behold, your King comes to you; he is righteous and brings salvation, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.
Zec.9.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והכרתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,ms,sg
- רכב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מאפרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- וסוס: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מירושלם: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ונכרתה: CONJ+VERB,niphal,perf,3,f,sg
- קשת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מלחמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ודבר: VERB,qal,fut,3,m,sg
- שלום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לגוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ומשלו: NOUN,m,sg,abs,3,m,sg
- מים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- עד: PREP
- ים: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- ומנהר: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עד: PREP
- אפסי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 72:8 (verbal): Shares near-verbatim language about dominion 'from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth,' linking Zechariah's messianic rule with the royal prayer for the king in Psalm 72.
- Isaiah 2:4 (thematic): Proclaims the end of war—'they shall beat their swords into plowshares' and 'they shall not learn war any more'—paralleling Zechariah's cutting off of chariots and bows and the establishment of peace among nations.
- Isaiah 11:6-9 (thematic): Depicts a future era of universal peace and harmony and the knowledge of the LORD filling the earth, resonating with Zechariah's vision of ceased warfare and peaceful rule extending to the ends of the earth.
- Psalm 2:8 (verbal): Speaks of receiving 'the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession,' echoing Zechariah's theme of sovereign rule over the nations and the earth's extremities.
Alternative generated candidates
- I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the warrior's bow shall be broken. He will speak peace to the nations; his rule will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
- I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Zec.9.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גם: ADV
- את: PRT,acc
- בדם: PREP
- בריתך: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- שלחתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,?,sg
- אסיריך: NOUN,m,pl,poss-2ms
- מבור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אין: PART,neg
- מים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 24:8 (verbal): Uses the phrase 'blood of the covenant' (מִדָּם הַבְּרִית) — foundational OT ritual language echoed in Zechariah's formula linking covenant blood to deliverance.
- Matthew 26:28 (allusion): Jesus describes his blood as 'the blood of the covenant,' echoing OT covenant language and reinterpreting sacrificial/binding deliverance in New Testament terms.
- Psalm 40:2 (thematic): Speaks of being drawn up out of a 'pit' and miry bog — a close thematic parallel to rescue from a waterless pit in Zechariah 9:11.
- Isaiah 61:1 (cf. Luke 4:18) (thematic): Proclaims liberty for the captives and release for the oppressed — a shared theme of divine liberation that frames Zechariah's sending forth of prisoners.
- Psalm 107:10–14 (thematic): Describes people sitting 'in darkness, prisoners in affliction' and God bringing them out and breaking their chains — motif of deliverance from confinement comparable to Zechariah's image.
Alternative generated candidates
- For the blood of your covenant I have sent out your prisoners from the pit where there is no water.
- And for you—by the blood of your covenant—I have sent forth your prisoners from the pit where there is no water.
Zec.9.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- שובו: VERB,qal,imp,2,pl
- לבצרון: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אסירי: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- התקוה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- גם: ADV
- היום: NOUN,m,sg,def
- מגיד: VERB,hiph,ptc,ms
- משנה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשיב: VERB,hiphil,impf,1,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Zechariah 9:11 (structural): Immediate context in the same oracle: earlier verse promises the freeing of prisoners and deliverance from the pit, framing v.12's address to 'prisoners of hope.'
- Isaiah 61:1-3 (thematic): Proclaims liberty to captives and comfort for the oppressed—shared motifs of release, consolation, and restoration of God's people.
- Isaiah 40:2 (verbal): Speaks of Zion receiving 'double' from the LORD for her suffering—parallels Zech.9:12's promise to 'restore double.'
- Joel 2:25 (thematic): God's pledge to restore what was lost (the years/devastation) echoes the theme of divine restoration and recompense.
- Psalm 126:4-6 (thematic): Imagery of return, joyful restoration, and reaping after sorrow parallels the return to the stronghold and the promised restoration in Zech.9:12.
Alternative generated candidates
- Return to the stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare—I will restore to you a double portion.
- Return to the stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even now I tell you, I will restore you a second time.
Zec.9.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- דרכתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- קשת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מלאתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ועוררתי: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,1,?,sg
- בניך: NOUN,m,pl,abs+POSS,2,m,sg
- ציון: NOUN,prop,f,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- בניך: NOUN,m,pl,abs+POSS,2,m,sg
- יון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ושמתיך: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg,obj:2,f,sg
- כחרב: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- גבור: ADJ,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Isaiah 10:5-7 (thematic): God uses foreign powers as his instrument of judgment—here Assyria (Isaiah) parallels Zechariah's image of God mobilizing Judah/Ephraim against other nations.
- Jeremiah 51:20-23 (verbal): God calls a nation his ‘battle-axe’ and weapon of war; closely parallels Zechariah's language of making Israel like a sword/mighty weapon used by the LORD.
- Psalm 18:34 (verbal): Speaks of God training the psalmist for battle so his arms can bend a bow—echoes Zechariah's bow imagery ('I have bent Judah… I filled the bow with Ephraim').
- Ezekiel 37:16-19 (thematic): Ezekiel's joining of the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph (Ephraim) highlights the close relationship and joint destiny of Judah and Ephraim reflected in Zechariah's image of them acting together.
- Daniel 8:21-22 (allusion): The vision identifies the he-goat as the king of Greece; Zechariah's reference to 'sons of Greece' (Yavan) resonates with Daniel's prophetic portrayal of Greek powers opposing Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- For I have made Judah my bow; I have filled Ephraim with arrows. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like the sword of a mighty warrior.
- For I will make Judah my bow and fill Ephraim; I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Javan, and I will make you like the sword of a mighty warrior.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you; he is righteous and brings salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt—the foal of a donkey.
I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the war-bow shall be broken. He will speak peace to the nations, and his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. And as for you, by the blood of your covenant I have sent forth your prisoners from the pit, where there is no water.
Return to the stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare, I will restore to you twofold.
For I have made Judah my bow; I have filled Ephraim with arrows. I have stirred up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Javan, and made you like a mighty sword.