Zechariah 9:8

And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

And I will encamp about - ().

Mine house because of the army - namely, the Jewish congregation and people (; ) (Maurer). Or, the temple: re-assuring the Jews engaged in building, who might otherwise fear their work would be undone by the conqueror (Moore). The former view is better. The Jews were, in agreement with this prophecy, uninjured by Alexander, though he punished the Samaritans. Typical of their final deliverance from every foe.

Because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth. Alexander, when advancing against Jerusalem, was arrested by a dream, so that neither in "passing by" to Egypt to the temple of Ammon, nor in "returning," did he injure the Jews, but conferred on them great privileges, although he punished the Samaritans. Josephus ('Antiquities,' 11: 8, sec. 5) relates that the high priest Jaddua met Alexander at Sapha, in his priestly robes, and that Alexander adored the name of Yahweh, which Jaddua bore in the gold plate upon his head. Alexander was shown Daniel's prophecies concerning himself, and thereupon granted the Jews religious freedom to live according to their own laws. Hales, in his chronology, has ably argued for the historical truth of this account, against the objection that it is not mentioned in Diodorus, Curtius Arrian, and other pagan historians.

And no oppressor shall pass through them anymore. The prophet passes from the immediate future to the final deliverance to come (; ).

For now have I seen with mine eyes - namely, how Jerusalem has been oppressed by her foes (Rosenmuller). (; .) God is said now to have seen: not that the Omniscient One has not seen it before, but because He now begins to bring the foe to judgment, and manifests to the world His sense of His people's wrongs.