Zechariah 2:11

2:10-13 Here is a prediction of the coming of Christ in human nature. Many nations in that day would renounce idolatry, and God will own those for his people who join him with purpose of heart. Glorious times are foretold as a prophecy of our Lord's coming and kingdom. God is about to do something unexpected, and very surprising, and to plead his people's cause, which had long seemed neglected. Silently submit to his holy will, and patiently wait the event; assured that God will complete all his work. He will ere long come to judgment, to complete the salvation of his people, and to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their sins.

And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day,.... The Gospel will be preached in all nations, and multitudes will be converted, and embrace and profess the Christian religion, and join themselves to the churches of Christ, which, in the New Testament, is expressed by being joined to the Lord, Acts 5:13 see Jeremiah 50:5 , and shall be my people; shall appear to be so, who before were not the people of God; did not profess themselves, and were not known to be, the people of God, though they secretly were in the counsel and covenant of God; but now, being called by grace, they become openly and manifestly his people, 1 Peter 2:10, and I will dwell in the midst of thee; in the church, consisting of people of many nations, as well as of Jews: and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee; to the Jews, as well as to the Gentiles; See Gill on Zechariah 2:9.

Many nations, and great , Heb; it implieth both multitudes and greatness of nations; or, heathen and Gentiles, as the word beareth. Shall be joined to the Lord; become proselytes, inquire for, adhere to, and worship the God of Israel. In that day; when God shall lift up his hand for his people against their enemies, as Esther 8:17 ; when Christ shall be come in the flesh, and Shall take down the partition wall. Shall be my people; covenant people, to love, fear, worship, and obey Christ. I will dwell in the midst of thee: see Zechariah 2:10 . Thou shalt know: see Zechariah 2:9 , The Lord of hosts, the sovereign Lawgiver, and Almighty Ruler of heaven and earth, hath sent me, the Messiah, and Zechariah his servant, unto thee, Jew and Gentile.

11. many nations … joined to the Lord in that day—The result of the Jews' exile in Babylon was that, at their subsequent return, through the diffusion of knowledge of their religion, many Gentiles became proselytes, worshipping in the court of the Gentiles (1Ki 8:41). Cyrus, Darius, Alexander, Ptolemy Philadelphus, Augustus, and Tiberius, paid respect to the temple by sending offerings [Grotius]. But all this is but a shadow of the future conversion of the Gentiles which shall result from Jehovah dwelling in Jerusalem (Ps 102:15, 16; Php 2:10, 11). sent me unto thee—"unto thee" is here added to the same formula (Zec 2:9). Zion first shall "know (generally) that Jehovah of hosts hath sent" Messiah, by the judgments inflicted by Him on her foes. Subsequently, she shall know experimentally the particular sending of Messiah unto her. Jehovah here says, "I will dwell," and then that Jehovah of hosts sent Him; therefore Jehovah the Sender and Jehovah the Sent must be One.

Verse 11. - Many nations shall be joined ( shall join themselves ) to the Lord; "shall fly for refuge unto the Lord" (Septuagint). My people; unto me for a people ; Septuagint, "shall be unto him for a people" (comp. Zechariah 8:20 ). No mere conversion of individuals among the heathen satisfies this promise. Whole nations shall become the Lord's people. That title shall be shared with Israel by countless multitudes (comp, Isaiah 2:2, 3 ; Isaiah 11:10 ; Micah 4:2 ; Zephaniah 2:11 ), I will dwell, etc. The promise of ver. 10 is repeated for assurance' sake. The LXX. has, "And they shall dwell in the midst of thee." Thou shalt know (as ver. 9). Zechariah 2:11

And many nations shall join themselves - cleaving to Him by a close union. Isaiah had so spoken of single proselytes Isaiah 56:3-6 ; Jeremiah had used the word of Israel's self-exhortation after the return from Babylon; "going and weeping," they shall go and seek the Lord their God, saying, "Come and let us join ourselves unto the Lord, in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten" Jeremiah 50:4-5 . This Zechariah now predicts of "many nations." The Jews were scarcely half-restored themselves, a mere handful. They had wrought no conversions among the pagan, yet prophecy continues its unbroken voice, "many nations shall join themselves unto the Lord." And shall be My people - Literally, "be to Me a people." This is exactly the history of the Christian church, unity amid diversity; many nations still retaining their national existence, yet owned by God as one people and His own. The words are those in which God adopted Israel in Egypt; "I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be your God" Exodus 6:7. This was the covenant with them, "that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, that He may establish thee today for a people unto Himself, and that he may be unto thee a God" (Deuteronomy 29:12-13, add Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 27:9; 1 Samuel 12:22; 2 Samuel 7:23-24; 2 Kings 11:17; 1 Chronicles 17:22; 2 Chronicles 23:16; Jeremiah 7:23; Jeremiah 11:4).

The contrary was the title of the pagan, "not a people; with whom God said, I will move Israel to jealousy" Deuteronomy 32:21. The closeness of union Jeremiah expresses; "As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord, that they might be unto Me for a people and for a name and for a praise and for a glory" Jeremiah 13:11. This was the object of the existence of Israel; to this it was to be restored Jeremiah 24:7; Jeremiah 30:22; Jeremiah 31:1; Jeremiah 32:38 by conversion Ezekiel 11:20; Ezekiel 14:11; Ezekiel 36:28; Ezekiel 37:23, Ezekiel 37:27; Zechariah 8:8; to this special privilege of Israel "many nations" were to be admitted; yet not so as to be separate from Israel, for He adds, "and I will dwell in, the midst of thee," Judah. God would dwell in His Church, formed of Israel and the Gentiles, yet so that the Gentiles should be grafted into Israel, becoming one with them.

The daughter Zion is to rejoice at this sending of the angel of the Lord. Zechariah 2:10 . "Exult and rejoice, O daughter Zion: for, behold, I come, and dwell in the midst of thee, is the saying of Jehovah. Zechariah 2:11 . And many nations will attach themselves to Jehovah in that day, and become a people to me: and I dwell in the midst of thee; and thou wilt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me to thee." The daughter Zion, or the church of the Lord, delivered out of Babel, is to rejoice with joy, because her glorification is commencing now. The Lord comes to her in His angel, in whom are His name ( Exodus 23:21 ), and His face ( Exodus 33:14 ), i.e., the angel of His face ( Isaiah 63:9 ), who reveals His nature, to dwell in the midst of her. This dwelling of Jehovah, or of His angel, in the midst of Zion, is essentially different from the dwelling of Jehovah in the Most Holy Place of His temple. It commences with the coming of the Son of God in the flesh, and is completed by His return in glory ( John 1:14 and Revelation 21:3 ). Then will many, or powerful, nations, attach themselves to Jehovah, and become His people (cf. Zechariah 8:20-21 ; Isaiah 14:1 ). This kingdom of God, which has hitherto been restricted to Israel, will be spread out and glorified by the reception of the heathen nations which are seeking God ( Micah 4:2 ).

The repetition of the expression, "I dwell in the midst of thee," merely serves as a stronger asseveration of this brilliant promise; and the same remark applies to the repetition of וידעתּ וגו (and thou shalt now): see at Zechariah 2:13 . Jerusalem will thereby receive the expansion shown to the prophet in Zechariah 2:4 ; and through the dwelling of God in the midst of her, the promise in Zechariah 2:5 will also be fulfilled. The next verse refers to this.