Zechariah 8:23

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

In those days ... ten men - "ten," a definite number for an indefinite. So in ; .

Out of all languages of the nations - i:e., out of nations of all languages (cf. ; ).

Shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew - a gesture of suppliant entreaty as to a superior. Compare ; , on a different occasion. The Gentiles shall eagerly seek to share the religious privileges of the Jew. The skirt with a fringe and blue ribbon upon it (; ) was a distinguishing badge of a Jew.

Saying ... God is with you - the effect which, according to Paul, was often produced on unbelievers in entering the assemblies of the Church (). But, primarily, that produced on the nations in witnessing the deliverance of the Jews by Cyrus. Finally, that to be produced on the nations by the future grand interposition of Messiah in behalf of His people.

Remarks:

(1) The love of God, and His gracious promises, are even stronger motives to urge His people to repentance, faith, and obedience, than His threats. Though He has punished Zion for her sins (), yet He still loves her; and therefore He is "jealous for her with great jealousy," and is indignant against her adversaries. The time accordingly shall yet come when Jerusalem shall be no longer unfaithful to her God, but "shall be called, A city of truth" ().

(2) Not until God is returned unto" His people do they truly return unto Him (). He must first turn us unto Himself, so shall we be turned (Jeremiah 31:18; ).

(3) The consequence of God's return to His people, and of His "dwelling in the midst of" them (), shall be, they shall enjoy every national, social, and personal blessing (Zechariah 8:4). When God, in accordance with His everlasting covenant of grace, shall have taken away His people's sin, He will take away all their sorrows and sufferings forever.

(4) How much larger are God's infinite mercies than man's narrow conceptions! Too often even the Lord's people limit the powers of the Holy One of Israel to the petty measure of their own puny abilities. What is "marvelous," yea, even impossible, "in the eyes of men (), is nothing marvelous or impossible with God. Nothing is impossible, or even hard; but everything is sure to come to pass which God hath premised (; ). And however hard to conceive, so wonderful and universal a conversion as that of Israel and of the nations may appear now, in our present low state of Christianity, the same Almighty Spirit which moved upon the dark waters of creation, can cause the spiritual light of the glorious Gospel of Christ to shine over the whale earth from Jerusalem.

(5) Those whose hands are busy in duty shall have them strengthened with the promises of divine mercy. As all adversities befell the Jews while they neglected to labour in the house of the Lord, so all blessings were appointed as their portion now that they were bringing forth the fruits of faith and obedience (Zechariah 8:10). And these blessings are but the guarantee of greater ones which yet await the people when they shall turn to the Lord (). As their name has been long made a name for "a curse," so shall it be a name of "blessing," the people being at once blessed themselves, and becoming the source of blessing to all others. For as surely as God has been faithful to His threats of punishment for their sin, so shall He be faithful to His promises of mercy, according to His electing love and His covenant of grace.

(6) God's covenanted grace is inseparably connected with His peoples obedience. There can be no blessedness and happiness apart from righteousness and holiness (Zechariah 8:16). True religion and its consequence, peace, necessarily imply conformity to the image of our Lord-that we should, love what God loves, and hate what God "hates" ().

(7) The presence of the Lord with His people turns the mournful fast of His people into the joyous and cheerful feast () But it is a feast of spiritual "gladness." God blesses His people, that they may "love" Him, and therefore "love the truth and peace"

(8) Already, in some measure, the Lord has poured out on His people the Spirit of prayer, so that in many places men have stirred up one another, saying, "Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts" (). This gracious spirit is carefully to be cherished: and in no better way can each do so than by personal example, acting on the words, "I will go also" Let us seek to have collectively and individually, this spirit of supplication. So shall we have therein the pledge of still greater and more universal blessings to come.

(9) The past fulfillments of God's Word are an assurance that the remaining prophecies, wonderful as are the things which they promise, shall also be all fulfilled. The time shall come when all nations and tongues shall know that "God is of a truth with" His people, and so will desire to be joined to them, saying, "We will go with you" (). Meanwhile, let us Christians be so plainly seen to have the Lord with us and in us, that unbelievers may be attracted to take their portion with us for time and for eternity!

Written long after the previous portions of the book, whence arise the various features which have been made grounds for attacking their authenticity, notwithstanding the testimony of the Septuagint, and of the compliers of the, Jewish canon, in their favour. (See 'Introduction.')