Zechariah 1:18

“Then I lifted up mine eyes, etc.] To behold another vision which follows: and saw, and behold four horns; either iron ones, such as Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made to push the Syrians with, (<112211>1 Kings 22:11) or horns of beasts, as the horns of unicorns, to which the horns of Joseph are compared, (<053317>Deuteronomy 33:17) and signify kingdoms or kings, and these very powerful and mighty; and so the Targum interprets them of “four kingdoms”; and which Kimchi and Abarbinel understand of the four monarchies, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman; so ten horns, in (<270724>Daniel 7:24 <661712>Revelation 17:12) design ten kings or kingdoms; unless rather, seeing these horns were such…”

“SECOND VISION. The power of the Jews foes shall be dissipated. (Zac 1:18-21) four horns--To a pastoral people like the Jews the horns of the strongest in the herd naturally suggested a symbol of power and pride of conscious strength: hence the ruling powers of the world (Rev 17:3, Rev 17:12). The number four in Zechariah's time referred to the four cardinal points of the horizon. Wherever God's people turned, there were foes to encounter (Neh 4:7); the Assyrian, Chaldean, and Samaritan on the north; Egypt and Arabia on the south; Philistia on the west; Ammon and Moab on the east. But the Spirit in the prophet looked farther; namely, to the four world powers, the only ones which were, or are,…”

“And I lifted up mine eyes - o. Cyril on Zechariah 2:1 : “Not those of the body (for such visions are invisible to the eyes of the flesh), but rather the inner eyes of the heart and mind.” It seems as though, at the close of each vision, Zechariah sank in meditation on what had been shown him; from which he was again roused by the exhibition of another vision. I saw four horns - The mention of the horns naturally suggests the thought of the creatures which wielded them; as in the first vision that of the horses following the chiefs, implies the presence of the riders upon them. And this the more, since the word “fray them away” implies living creatures, liable to fear. Cyril: “The horn, in…”

“Four horns - Emblems of the enemies of the Jews. Zechariah 1:19”

“1:18-21 The second vision states God’s plan to bring his judgment against the nations who destroyed Jerusalem and exiled Judah. The prophet leaves unspecified the identity of the nations represented by the four horns; it is best to view the number four as symbolic of all those nations who will face divine judgment for scattering the people of God. 1:18-19 Then I looked up suggests that the prophet was interrupted by another vision while still preoccupied with the previous one (also in 2:1; 5:1; 6:1). • Horns symbolized power and authority in the biblical world and might represent an individual ruler (see Dan 7:8; 8:8), a dynasty, or nations.”

“lifted: Zac 2:1, Zac 5:1, Zac 5:5, Zac 5:9; Jos 5:13; Dan 8:3 four: Kg2 15:29, Kg2 17:1-6, Kg2 18:9-12, 24:1-25:30; Dan 2:37-43, Dan 7:3-8, Dan 8:3-14; Dan 11:28-35 Zechariah 1:19”

“The second vision is closely connected with the first, and shows how God will discharge the fierceness of His wrath upon the heathen nations in their self-security ( Zac 1:15). Zac 1:18. "And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. Zac 1:19. And I said to the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he said to me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. Zac 1:20. And Jehovah showed me four smiths. Zac 1:21. And I said, What come these to do? And He spake to me thus: These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no one lifted up his head; these are now come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations which have lifted up…”