Adam Clarke's
Bible Commentary in 8 Volumes
Volume
4
The Book of the Prophet Zechariah
Chapter
6
|
Notes on Chapter 6
Verse 1. There came four
chariots— Four monarchies or
empires. This is
supposed to mean the same with the vision of the four horns, in
chap. i.
Mountains of brass.— The strong barriers of God’s
purposes, which
restrained those powers within the times and limits appointed by
Jehovah.
The second chariot black horses— The empire of the
Persians founded by
Cyrus, which destroyed the empire of the Chaldeans.
The fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.— That is
party-coloured
horses, or with horses, some grisled and some bay. The empire of
the
Romans or of the Greeks. The Greeks divided after the death of
Alexander;
one part pointing out the Lagidae, who attacked and subdued
Egypt; and
the other, the seleucidae, who subdued Syria under Seleucus.
The black— Cyrus, at the head of the Persians and Medes,
bringing
devastation and death among the Chaldeans, called the north in
many parts
of Scripture.
The white— Alexander, who was splendid in his victories,
and mild
towards all that he conquered.
The grisled— The Lagidae or Ptolemies, who founded an
empire in Egypt;
of these some were good, some bad, some despotic, some moderate,
some
cruel, and some mild, represented by the party-coloured horses.
Some think the Romans are meant, who carried their conquests
hither and
thither, just as the Divine providence permitted them.
The white horses seem to be the Macedonian empire; which, like
the
Persian, overcame Chaldea.
The spotted bay horses seem to be the Roman empire. This
description
suits it because it was governed by kings, consuls, dictators,
and emperors.
It penetrated southward to Egypt and Africa. The Roman empire is
mentioned twice, ver. 6, 7, under each epithet given it, ver. 3.
The house of Josiah— Probably an artificer in silver,
gold, etc.
And he shall grow up out of his place— That is, out of
David’s root,
tribe, and family.
And he shall build the temple of the Lord.— This cannot
refer to the
building of the temple then in hand, for Zerubbabel was its
builder: but to
that temple, the Christian Church, that was typified by it; for
Zerubbabel
is not named here, and only Joshua or Jesus (the name is the
same) is the
person who is to be crowned and to build this spiritual temple.
He shall bear the glory— Have all the honor of it; for
none can do this but
himself. The Messiah is still intended.
And shall sit and rule upon his throne— For the
government of the
Church shall be upon his shoulder.
And he shall be a priest upon his throne— He shall, as
the great high
priest, offer the only available offering and atonement; and so
he shall be
both king and priest, a royal king and a royal priest; for even
the priest is
here stated to sit upon his throne.
And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.—
Whom?
Zerubbabel and Joshua? Certainly not Zerubbabel, for he is not
mentioned
in all this prediction; but, as the Messiah is intended, the
counsel of
peace-the purpose to establish peace between heaven and earth,
must be
between the Father and the Son.
Ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me— These
predictions,
relative to the regal and sacerctotal offices of the Messiah,
shall be so
circumstantially fulfilled, that ye, Jews, shall be obliged to
acknowledge
that the Lord of hosts hath sent me with this message.
And this shall come to pass— Your own temple shall be
rebuilt, and God
shall dwell among you now, if ye will diligently obey the voice
of Jehovah
your God. |