Zechariah 3:9

For behold the stone, &c. Or, as some render the former part of the verse, For this is the stone which I lay before Joshua; there are in the same stone seven eyes: I will engrave it with its engravings, saith the Lord There seems to be an allusion in these words to the foundation, or chief corner stone of the temple, which probably was laid with great solemnity in the presence of Joshua. Christ is not only the rod out of the stem of Jesse, and the branch that should grow out of his roots, the fruit of which is excellent and comely for the remnant of Israel that escape the corruption which is in the world, but the foundation of the spiritual temple laid in Zion. And it is here foretold, that when he should be brought forth, seven, that is, many, eyes should be upon him. “The eye of the Father was upon him, to take care of him and protect him, especially in his sufferings. The eyes of all the prophets and Old Testament saints were upon this one stone: Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day, and he saw it and was glad. The eyes of all believers are upon him, as the eyes of the stung Israelites were upon the brazen serpent. They look unto him and are saved.” Henry. Or, the seven eyes upon this stone may be explained, as the eyes upon the wheels in Ezekiel's vision: they may signify the perfection and plenitude of knowledge and wisdom which were in Jesus Christ for the good of his church, and his ever watchful care of his people: or the various gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, with which he was endued: for he hath the seven spirits of God, as well as the seven stars, Revelation 3:1; and his eyes are as a flame of fire, piercing through all disguises, and searching the reins and the heart of every human creature, and especially of every one that professes to be his disciple. “The Branch and the Stone,” says Dr. Dodd, “are the same; which stone hath seven eyes, because the Messiah is the searcher of hearts, whom God engraved with his engraving; as in John the evangelist, him the Father sealed, endowed him with those gifts, virtues, and powers of the Spirit, which the prophets had foretold should be in the Messiah, by whom, dying on the cross, God removed the iniquity of that land in one day. In a day when every man (Zec 3:10) called his neighbour, &c., that is, when the whole world was in profound peace.” But, instead of, Upon one stone shall be seven eyes, Blayney reads, From one stone seven fountains, the word עין signifying a fountain as well as an eye. “It seems,” says he, “as if the prophet saw in his vision a stone or rock, set before Joshua, with seven fountains springing out of it, which God says were opened by himself.” There is, he thinks, here “a plain allusion to the rock which Moses smote in the wilderness, and brought waters out of it for the refreshment of the people of God; and that rock, St. Paul says, was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4. In speaking of which transaction, the psalmist says, He opened the rock and the waters gushed out, Psalms 105:41:” in which passage the same verb, פתח, is used, which in the next clause is translated, I will engrave, &c., which Blayney renders, Behold, I open the passage thereof; that is, the hole or orifice through which the fountains shall flow. Again, it is said, Isaiah 41:18, I will open rivers in the high places, where not only the same verb is used, but is followed by the same preposition as is here placed before the word rendered stone. And it is said chap. Zechariah 13:1, In that day shall there be opened a fountain (the same verb being again used) to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. For what purpose? for sin and for uncleanness. “This was spoken of the gospel times; and, in like manner, it is here said of the same, And I will remove, or take away, the iniquity of the land in one day, namely, that one day on which Christ died to put away sin by the offering of himself. There cannot, surely, remain a doubt of what is intended, nor that עינים must signify fountains of living waters, issuing from Christ. The living waters are the doctrines of the gospel, and the fountains, the dispensers of them, the apostles and evangelists, who are said to be fellow-workers with Christ, and therefore aptly represented by the companions of Joshua. The number seven is frequently used in Scripture to denote multitudes, 1 Samuel 2:5; Jeremiah 15:9, &c., &c.” It must be observed, however, that both the LXX. and the Vulgate read seven eyes, and not seven fountains.