Introduction: A Glimpse into the End of Days
Chapter 9 of Zechariah continues directly from what we saw at the end of the previous chapter: "In those days, ten men from all the languages of the nations will take hold, grasping the corner of the garment of a Jewish man, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" From that very point, the prophet continues to describe the spread of divine influence throughout the world, the expansion of the borders of the Land of Israel and Jerusalem, the downfall of Tyre and the Philistines, and finally the coming of the King Messiah. Following our usual approach, we will proceed through the verses according to the commentary of the Malbim, integrating the insights of Rashi, Radak, Ibn Ezra, and the Midrashim.
Verse 1: "In the Land of Hadrach" - When Prophecy Reaches the Ends of the Earth
מַשָּׂא דְבַר־יְהֹוָה בְּאֶרֶץ חַדְרָךְ וְדַמֶּשֶׂק מְנֻחָתוֹ כִּי לַיהֹוָה עֵין אָדָם וְכֹל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ - The burden of the word of the Lord is in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be its resting place; for to the Lord is the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel.
The Malbim explains that this verse connects to what preceded it: at that time, there will be "the burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach" - the word of the Lord and prophecy will be found even in the land of Hadrach. The divine revelation and divine abundance will be so great that even in Hadrach, a very distant land, the word of the Lord will be present. And regarding the Jew who is found there - the nations will inquire of him for the word of the Lord, seeking to know what God has spoken, as stated in Yoel: "And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy."
"And Damascus shall be its resting place" - until now, we know that the resting place of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in Jerusalem: "This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it," and "For you have not yet come to the rest and to the inheritance." Yet here the prophet says: know that the resting place of the Lord will spread and extend as far as Damascus, which marks the edge of the northern border of the Land of Israel. Jerusalem will continually expand until it reaches there.
And what is the reason? "For to the Lord is the eye of man" - the eyes of all mankind will be lifted toward the Lord. And "all the tribes of Israel" - the Malbim explains that when the tribes of Israel, in a more distinct manner, look to the Lord, then the eyes of all mankind will look to Him as well. Another possibility raised by the Malbim is that the letter lamed in "to the Lord" carries over to what follows, as if it said "and to all the tribes of Israel" - the eye of man will look to the Lord, and it will also look toward all the tribes of Israel. That is, everyone will observe the deeds of Israel and seek to learn from their ways, like those ten men who grasp the corner of the garment of a Jewish man and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
Hadrach - Derash and Peshat
Rashi cites the Midrash: Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai expounded that "Hadrach" refers to the Messiah, who is sharp (chad) toward idolaters and gentle (rach) toward Israel. "Hadrach" is a compound word formed from chad (sharp) and rach (soft or gentle), and sharp is the opposite of soft: a sharp knife is not soft. For the nations, the arrival of the Messiah will be sharp and piercing, while for Israel it will be gentle and tender.
Rabbi Yose ben Dormaskit said to him: Yehudah, my master, how long will you distort the Scriptures for us? That is, how long will you expound the verses outside their straightforward meaning? I call heaven and earth to witness that I am from Damascus, and there is indeed a place named Hadrach! Why interpret a verse homiletically when it has a plain, straightforward meaning?
And how do I fulfill "and Damascus shall be its resting place"? Will the Shechinah actually dwell in Damascus? Rather, this teaches that in the future, Jerusalem is destined to expand until it reaches Damascus. Jerusalem will spread out and expand - we will no longer need to argue and debate whether it includes East Jerusalem or not, whether it is whole or divided; it will extend all the way to Damascus. And "resting place" refers to none other than Jerusalem, as it says, "This is My resting place forever."
Verse 2: The Borders of the Land Expand
וְגַם־חֲמָת תִּגְבָּל־בָּהּ צֹר וְצִידוֹן כִּי חָכְמָה מְאֹד׃ - And Hamath also shall border upon it; Tyre and Sidon, though it be very wise.
The Minchat Shai notes the correct reading of the verse: "Ve-gam Chamat tigbal-bah", and likewise "ki chakmah me'od" - chakmah is vocalized with a standard kamatz (as a verb, "she was wise"), not chochmah (wisdom). The meaning of the verse is: Hamath will also be included within the northern border of the Land of Israel, and likewise Tyre and Sidon, which are now considered very wise, will be absorbed within the borders of the Land of Israel. In other words, the borders of the Land of Israel will expand outward.
Verses 3-4: What Will Befall Tyre
וַתִּבֶן צֹר מָצוֹר לָהּ וַתִּצְבָּר־כֶּסֶף כֶּעָפָר וְחָרוּץ כְּטִיט חוּצוֹת׃ - And Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.
The Malbim explains that this section serves as a kind of parenthetical reflection: while describing the ultimate future, the prophet envisions what will befall Tyre and the Philistines during the intervening era - for as we have seen, their territories will eventually become part of the Land of Israel.
Tyre was first completely devastated by Nebuchadnezzar, as detailed in the vivid prophecies of Sefer Yechezkel describing its downfall and sinking into the sea. Afterward, it was rebuilt, though not on the exact same site - since the original area was now submerged beneath the waves - but directly adjacent to it. Later, Alexander of Macedon arrived, constructed a causeway across the sea reaching out to the island fortress, and destroyed it a second time. This second destruction was a permanent, everlasting ruin.
Regarding this, the verse states: "And Tyre built herself a stronghold" - after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, it built a fortified wall all around itself. "And heaped up silver like dust" - Tyre was the premier merchant of nations, as depicted in Yechezkel, trading with all surrounding empires from its central hub and amassing silver like dust through vast commerce. "And fine gold like the mire of the streets" - charutz is an exquisite variety of gold, as in the phrase "and her pinions with shimmering gold (yerakrak charutz)". Yet despite all this immense wealth, come and see that none of it saved her.
הִנֵּה אֲדֹנָי יוֹרִשֶׁנָּה וְהִכָּה בַיָּם חֵילָהּ וְהִיא בָּאֵשׁ תֵּאָכֵל׃ - Behold, the Lord will impoverish her, and He will strike her wealth into the sea; and she shall be consumed by fire.
"Behold, the Lord" - Rashi explains that He is the Sovereign over all. "Will impoverish her (yorishenah)" - from the root denoting destitution, as in "The Lord impoverishes and enriches (Hashem morish u-ma'ashir)": He will strip away her possessions and leave her completely impoverished. "And He will strike her wealth into the sea" - He will cast her riches into the depths of the sea. For as we saw in Yechezkel, the sea surged over Tyre and submerged it. It is recounted there that when Nebuchadnezzar assaulted Tyre and gathered heaps of silver and gold, intending to carry off the spoils, he found he could not salvage them, for the ocean waters rose and flooded them all. Moreover, "and she shall be consumed by fire" - the city itself was ultimately burned to the ground.
Verse 5: The Fall of the Philistine Cities
תֵּרֶא אַשְׁקְלוֹן וְתִירָא וְעַזָּה וְתָחִיל מְאֹד וְעֶקְרוֹן כִּי־הֹבִישׁ מֶבָּטָהּ וְאָבַד מֶלֶךְ מֵעַזָּה וְאַשְׁקְלוֹן לֹא תֵשֵׁב׃ - Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also, and tremble greatly; and Ekron, for her expectation is put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
Now the prophet turns to address the Philistines. Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and further along Ashdod - all of these were major Philistine cities. The Philistines had always served as staunch allies to Tyre, and therefore, when they witness its downfall, they will be gripped by terror. "Ashkelon shall see it and fear", "and Gaza also, and tremble greatly" - tachil means to shudder and convulse in dread.
"And Ekron, for her expectation was put to shame" - Rashi explains that she leaned on Tyre, which was the leader of the descendants of Eisav, and now she looks at them and sees how they fall. They thought Tyre would be their support, their strength and might to rely upon, and suddenly they see how what they believed would help them collapses - and their gaze becomes one of shame. Targum Yonatan applies "put to shame" to Ekron herself: Ekron was ashamed of her expectation, for those she trusted could no longer deliver the goods.
"And a king shall perish from Gaza" - as we saw in Tzefaniah, "Ekron shall be uprooted," meaning there will no longer be a king among them. "And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited" at all. In other words, the entire presence of the nations there will cease to exist. And all this leads us toward what we will see later in the chapter regarding the reign of Melech HaMashiach.
Pasuk 6: "And a Mamzer Shall Dwell in Ashdod"
וְיָשַׁב מַמְזֵר בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד וְהִכְרַתִּי גְּאוֹן פְּלִשְׁתִּים׃ - And a mamzer shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
There are many explanations for this verse. Rashi explains that *mamzer* means a foreign nation - a foreign nation will dwell in Ashdod, meaning not the original inhabitants, the Philistines, but the people of Israel, who are foreigners to the local inhabitants.
The Radak brings several interpretations. Some explain that this is the name of a nation, a people called "Mamzer" - not a particularly pleasant name, but that was their name, just as there was a man named "Naval." Others explain *mamzer* literally, referring to illegitimate offspring (*mamzerim*) born of forbidden unions in Israel, whom they wished to distance and settle separately in the Philistine cities to separate them from the congregation. But this is very difficult to explain: would there really be so many *mamzerim* that a separate colony would be made for them? Especially since our Sages of blessed memory said that Eliyahu will purify the *mamzerim* and seat them in the congregation of Hashem, so how could this be reconciled? Another explanation brought by the Radak is that it is as though the prefix *kaf* (denoting comparison) is missing, and *mamzer* means *k'zar* (like a stranger) - whoever among the Philistines dwells in Ashdod will dwell like a foreigner, for they will be under Israel's rule and consequently regarded as strangers rather than indigenous inhabitants, because sovereignty over the place will be ours.
The Malbim explains: "And a mamzer shall dwell in Ashdod" - no one of stature will live there, but only outcasts driven from their towns due to their genealogical disqualification will settle there, which serves as a disgrace to the Philistines. And why? Because it is known that the origin of the Philistines is rooted in illegitimacy. The Alshich notes that every Philistine is called by this term. This explains why we had such an intense struggle with the Philistines over the years, both during the period of the Judges and afterward - because they were *mamzerim*, and a battle against *mamzerim* is never easy, as they are fierce in their wickedness.
And from where do we know this? It says, "And Casluchim and Pathrusim, from whom the Philistines came forth." Chazal say: these were two families, Casluchim and Pathrusim, and how did the Philistines emerge from both? Rather, they would swap their wives, and from this promiscuity the Philistines were born. This is the meaning of "and a mamzer shall dwell in Ashdod." And why will they remain there? The Alshich explains: because ultimately they will return to Hashem and convert. And according to the Malbim, the Philistines will be expelled, and *mamzerim* from Israel will come and settle there - a disgrace to the Philistines, a mamzer in place of a mamzer: this place is a dwelling for mamzerim, and you, the Philistines, are mamzerim.
Pasuk 7: From Bloodshed and Abominations to Holiness
וַהֲסִרֹתִי דָמָיו מִפִּיו וְשִׁקֻּצָיו מִבֵּין שִׁנָּיו וְנִשְׁאַר גַּם־הוּא לֵאלֹהֵינוּ וְהָיָה כְּאַלֻּף בִּיהוּדָה וְעֶקְרוֹן כִּיבוּסִי׃ - And I will remove his blood from his mouth and his abominations from between his teeth, and he too shall remain for our God; and he shall be like a chief in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite.
Through the destruction with which I will destroy them, I will remove from his mouth the blood that he spilled of Israel. Rashi explains that this refers to their idolatrous altars, where they would dash the blood of their sacrifices. Thus we have two interpretations: the blood they spilled of Israel, and the blood they sacrificed to idolatry. A third explanation is that of the Radak: "his blood and his abominations" refer to vulgar speech, in which idolaters routinely engaged, and "I will remove his blood from his mouth" means removing foul language from their mouths.
Ibn Ezra says that they would consume the blood of the slain, and therefore it says, "And I will remove his blood from his mouth." It is possible that his intent is metaphorical rather than literal, but it can also be understood literally: among ancient peoples it was not considered strange to drink animal blood, believing it granted strength and courage, and therefore it is not surprising if they also drank the blood of the slain. Similarly, it was said at the time about Kozo Okamoto, from the Sabena hijacking affair, that he sucked the blood of Jews. In any case, we see that such cruelty exists among the nations, and the verse can indeed be explained literally.
"And his abominations from between his teeth" - his abominations refers to his idolatry, which is loathsome like an abominable creature. Through this, "and he too shall remain for our God" - he too will come and draw near to the service of Hashem, and the evil of the nations will depart. Just as Damascus and Tyre will become part of the Land of Israel, so too the regions of the Philistines will become part of the Land of Israel.
"And he shall be as a chief in Judah" - the place will belong to Judah, and will be among the cities where Torah is studied. Rashi explains: "and he too shall remain for our God" - these are the synagogues and houses of study in exile; "and he shall be as a chief in Judah" - these are their theaters and circuses, in which the leaders of Judah are destined to teach Torah publicly. And what is the meaning of "aluf" (chief)? It comes from the language of learning (limud), as in "I will teach you (a'alephcha) wisdom, I will teach you understanding." In other words, all these places are destined to be transformed back into places of sanctity.
"And Ekron like a Jebusite" - Ekron will be like the Jebusite. Jebus is ancient Jerusalem, a place that originally belonged to the king of Jebus, and afterward, when David purchased the threshing floor of Aravnah the Jebusite, it became a holy place upon which Jerusalem was established. So too, Ekron will become a city of God and holy to Hashem. Thus, according to the Malbim's explanation, everything written here refers to their locations: that all of them will return to being holy places belonging to Israel and a dwelling place for the Shechinah.
Verse 8: Protection from Passing Armies
וְחָנִיתִי לְבֵיתִי מִצָּבָה מֵעֹבֵר וּמִשָּׁב וְלֹא־יַעֲבֹר עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹד נֹגֵשׂ כִּי עַתָּה רָאִיתִי בְעֵינָי׃ - And I will encamp around My house against an army, against those who pass through and return, and no oppressor shall pass through them anymore, for now I have seen with My eyes.
The Malbim explains: I will encamp like an army and men of valor in order to guard My house. "Mitzavah" - some explain that this is like "mi-tzava" (from an army) with an alef, even though it is spelled with a hei, and this is the interpretation of the Malbim (though there is another interpretation). In other words, I will protect the Jewish people from a passing army, so that no army will pass through the Land of Israel; and even an army that had already passed and now wishes to return through there - I will not allow it to pass either, and it will not even be able to return to its land through there.
The Malbim adds: It is explained in Yechezkel that in the middle of the Land of Israel there will be a strip seventy-five mil wide (a mil being a distance close to a kilometer), and its length will span the entire width of the Land of Israel from east to west. In the center of this strip will stand the Beit HaMikdash, and there Hashem will dwell permanently, and the entire strip will be holy to Hashem. Across this entire strip no army will be able to pass, and therefore "no oppressor shall pass through them anymore" - they will be protected by Hashem.
"For now I have seen with My eyes" - I will watch over them, placing My eyes upon them with individual Divine providence (hashgachah pratit) to protect them from all harm. And the Malbim adds that these words connect to the following verse: "Behold, your king will come to you."
Verse 9: "Behold, Your King Will Come to You"
גִּילִי מְאֹד בַּת־צִיּוֹן הָרִיעִי בַּת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל־חֲמוֹר וְעַל־עַיִר בֶּן־אֲתֹנוֹת׃ - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king will come to you; he is righteous and saved, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a she-donkey.
The Ibn Ezra notes that the commentators disagree about this passage. Who is this "your king will come to you; he is righteous and saved"? Some say he is King Mashiach ben David, while others say Mashiach ben Yosef. Rabbi Moshe HaKohen suggests that he is Nechemiah HaTirshatha, of whom it is said in the Book of Ezra "king in Judah," and if so, this refers to a near period, the beginning of the Second Temple era; thus "humble (or poor) and riding on a donkey" - because he was poor.
However, the Ibn Ezra rejects this interpretation, writing that he did not speak correctly: Nechemiah was not poor but rather a pechah - a governor, a high and prominent official - and he did not claim the governor's bread tax from Israel because he had his own wealth, and many ate at his table each day. How, then, could it be said of him that he was "poor and riding on a donkey"? Furthermore, verse 13 mentions Greece (Yavan), and Greece was not an empire at the beginning of the Second Temple in the days of Nechemiah, nor did it rule over Jerusalem then.
Therefore, Ibn Ezra explains: In my opinion, "Behold, your king will come to you" refers to Yehudah ben Chashmonai (Judah Maccabee), who was a hero, as it is written later, "and I will make you like the sword of a hero," and his hand prevailed against the Greeks. And at first they were indeed poor, for the Gemara notes that they initially fashioned the Menorah out of wood because they were poor, and only after they grew wealthy did they make it of gold. Thus, initially they were in poverty, which corresponds to "humble, and riding upon a donkey." And the Malbim, as we will see, takes both interpretations into account: that the verses testify both to Melech HaMashiach and to the era of the Chashmonaim.
The Malbim understands that the verse is a kind of parenthetical statement, in which the prophet now sees Melech HaMashiach standing before Hashem, and speaks in the Name of Hashem: "Now I have seen with My eyes that your king will come to you." That is, "for now I have seen with My eyes" at the conclusion of the previous verse serves as an introduction to our verse: I now see in the prophetic vision how he comes to redeem the Jewish people.
Therefore, "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion" - rejoice over the miracles that will be renewed. "Shout, daughter of Jerusalem" - and regarding the distinction between Zion and Jerusalem, as explained several times: Zion is the center, the Beit HaMikdash and the seat of the Sanhedrin, while Jerusalem refers to the masses of the people. They will shout with a blast of joy when they see their king.
And why should she rejoice? Because you will see with your own eyes your king coming to you, and he is "righteous and saved" through Hashem. His salvation will not come through a vast army, but through righteousness; on the contrary, he will be humble and submissive. "Ani" is an expression of humility - he will be modest and riding on a donkey, which is the antithesis of haughtiness. Furthermore, horses were typically brought to war, "like a horse surging into battle," whereas here Scripture indicates that he will have no need to wage wars; rather, his reign will be peaceful and serene, and therefore he will ride upon a donkey.
"And upon a colt, the foal of a she-donkey" - an ayir is a young animal, and riding upon it conveys greater honor, as in "riding on thirty colts." And why was it necessary to state "the foal of a she-donkey"? Would we have thought the donkey was the offspring of an elephant? Rather, the Malbim explains: since it mentioned ayir, and the term ayir is also used for the young of other beasts - one can speak of a colt of horses or of camels, as we find in Yeshayahu 30 - Scripture therefore emphasized that it is specifically the offspring of a she-donkey.
"Humble and Riding on a Donkey" - Mastery Over Materiality
Chazal teach that this verse speaks of Melech HaMashiach. And what is meant by "humble and riding on a donkey"? The Maharal explains: This is not intended to specify his mode of transportation, for that is beside the point, and in our times it is unthinkable that he would arrive on a donkey - where would he even obtain a donkey? Rather, chamor (donkey) consistently represents chomer (matter, materiality). The donkey represents the peak of physical materiality, being the coarsest and most physical of animals. Scripture is teaching that Mashiach will possess complete dominion over his desires and inclinations - he will "ride" upon the material, meaning he will master his physical nature, existing as an exalted, spiritual person. This is the deeper meaning of the phrase "humble and riding on a donkey."
Verse 10: A World Without War
וְהִכְרַתִּי־רֶכֶב מֵאֶפְרַיִם וְסוּס מִירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וְנִכְרְתָה קֶשֶׁת מִלְחָמָה וְדִבֶּר שָׁלוֹם לַגּוֹיִם וּמָשְׁלוֹ מִיָּם עַד־יָם וּמִנָּהָר עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ׃ - And I will cut off chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be cut off, and he will speak peace to the nations; and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
"And I will cut off chariots from Ephraim" - here lies an allusion to Mashiach ben Yosef, who descends from the tribe of Ephraim. Once again, Scripture indicates that there will be no wars, for the chariot is prepared for the day of battle. Rechev refers to the chariot hitched to horses for warfare; in contemporary terms, it is as though He will eliminate tanks - weapons of war will no longer be needed.
"And horses from Jerusalem" - for they will not ride on horses; rather, when they wish to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they will ascend on foot, and the horse is an impure animal and will not enter there. Consequently, "and the bow of war will be cut off," for they will have no need for bows, as it is written, "And he will judge between the nations... nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
"And he will speak peace to the nations" - the Radak explains: peace between nation and nation if strife arises between them, because all the nations will be subservient and obedient to him. They will not be subordinate to the President of the United States, but to Mashiach; and when a conflict erupts among the nations, the arbitrator will be Mashiach. And we will certainly enjoy peace with the nations - "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
"And his dominion shall be from sea to sea" - from the Eastern Sea to the Western Sea. "And from the river to the ends of the earth" - from the river that flows out of Eden, which is from south to north. Both descriptions together encompass the entire breadth and length of the world.
In summary:
Chapter 9 opens with a description of the spreading of the word of Hashem throughout the world: prophecy will reach as far as the distant land of Chadrach, the nations will seek to learn from the ways of Israel, and Jerusalem will expand all the way to Damascus, until even Chamat, Tyre, and Sidon will be included within the borders of the Land. In this context, the prophet envisions what will happen in the interim to Tyre - its great wealth that availed it nothing, and its destruction in the sea and by fire - and to the Philistine cities: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, whose pride will be cut down and whose illegitimate origins will be exposed in their disgrace. Yet the ultimate end is not destruction, but purification: the blood and detestable practices will be removed, the places themselves will become holy, and Ekron will be like a Jebusite. Hashem will encamp to guard His House from any passing army, and then "Behold, your king will come to you; he is righteous and saved, humble and riding upon a donkey" - a king whose strength lies in righteousness and absolute mastery over materiality, in whose days the weapons of war will be eliminated, who will speak peace to the nations, and whose dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.