At this chapter begins another sermon, which is continued to the end of Zech. 11:1–17 It is called, “The burden of the word of the Lord,” for every word of God has weight in it to those who regard it, and will be a heavy weight upon those who do not, a dead weight. Here is, I.

After the precious promises we had in the foregoing chapter of favour to God’s people, their persecutors, who hated them, come to be reckoned with, those particularly that bordered close upon them. I. The Syrians had been bad neighbours to Israel, and God had a controversy with them.

That here begins a prophecy of the Messiah and his kingdom is plain from the literal accomplishment of the Zech. 9:9 in, and its express application to, Christ’s riding in triumph into Jerusalem, Matt. 21:5 John 12:15. I.

The prophet, having taught those that had returned out of captivity to attribute their deliverance to the blood of the covenant and to the promise of the Messiah (for they were so wonderfully helped because that blessing was in them, was yet in the womb of their nation), now comes to encourage them…