Zechariah 9:5 Commentary and Bible Study

Further south were the Philistines who were watching what was happening in Syria and were filled with fear when they saw the fall of Tyre. If Tyre could not stand, how would their own far more poorly defended cities hope to survive? Zechariah tells of the judgments on the Philistines at this time. Ekron, a city close to the border of Judah, would find her expectations of escaping the effects of this invasion disappointed. If she was trusting in Tyre to deliver her, she would look on the destruction of that city with great alarm. Tyre was allowed by God to fall first so that cities of Philistia to the south would suffer the double judgment of having their hopes dashed and then their cities taken. God’s judgments are very thorough and leave his enemies no refuge into which to retreat. Ashkelon would fall and be uninhabited for a time. Ashdod would be populated by a bastard or as the Septuagint renders it, a mixed population, possibly referring to intermarriage with their conquerors (Leupold). Calvin translates this word as ‘foreigner’ and thinks that it refers to the diminishing of the population of the city, resulting in only a few remaining inhabitants living like foreigners in a strange place. The pride of Philistia would be cut off as they saw their strongest cities fall to their enemies. All this came from God in response to the nations gloating attitude to Judah when she had gone into exile, as well as to prevent them crushing her as she now sought to rebuild her nation. ‘And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth.’ Some understand this to describe the conversion of those previously given to idolatry – they will have the very blood taken out of their mouths and the sacrifices from between their teeth. Others like Calvin see it as a restraint by God on the Philistines from doing any further harm to the people of God. Either way the second half of the verse tells us that this judgment will not be total but will leave some who will turn to God sincerely, even from among the Philistines and be greatly blessed by him. This is a gospel age promise. Some also from Ekron – taken as a representative of previously the most hostile Gentiles – will be brought into the kingdom of heaven, and be like the Jebusites who found a permanent home in Israel when others were driven out or conquered. Again, what about Judah during these turbulent times? God will let none of these upheavals touch them, for however vulnerable and small they appear in comparison to the great armies moving in the land, he will not allow them to be hurt.