Zechariah 10:1

“Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain, etc.] There was the former and the latter rain, of which (see <280603>Hosea 6:3 <290223>Joel 2:23). The former rain was in autumn, a little before or about seed time; the latter was in the spring, and a little before harvest, which is here referred to. So Hesiodf224 calls those rains the autumnal and vernal rains; and between these two rains there was seldom any more. Jerom saysf225 that he never saw in the eastern countries, especially in Judea, any rain at the end of the month of June, or in July; and now, at Aleppo, a little more northerly, for three or four months after May, they have scarce so much as any dew upon the ground, as…”

“PRAYER AND PROMISE. (Zac 10:1-12) Ask . . . rain--on which the abundance of "corn" promised by the Lord (Zac 9:17) depends. Jehovah alone can give it, and will give it on being asked (Jer 10:13; Jer 14:22). rain in . . . time of . . . latter rain--that is, the latter rain in its due time, namely, in spring, about February or March (Job 29:23; Joe 2:23). The latter rain ripened the grain, as the former rain in October tended to fructify the seed. Including all temporal blessings; these again being types of spiritual ones. Though God has begun to bless us, we are not to relax our prayers. The former rain of conversion may have been given, but we must also ask for the latter rain of ripened…”

“Ask ye of the Lord rain - “Ask and ye shall receive” our Lord says. Zechariah had promised in God’s name blessings temporal and spiritual: all was ready on God’s part; only, he adds, ask them of the Lord, the Unchangeable, the Self-same not of Teraphim or of diviner, as Israel had done aforetime Isaiah 2:5-22; Jeremiah 44:15-28. He had promised, “If ye shall hearken diligently unto My coramandments, to love the Lord your God, I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, and I will send grass in thy field for thy cattle” Deuteronomy 11:13-15. God bids them ask Him to fulfill His promise. The “latter rain” alone is mentioned, as completing what…”

“The latter rain - This made plenty of all provision, and is proverbially used to signify a great blessing. Bright clouds - Bright through the lightnings which break from them. Them - The Jews. Zechariah 10:2”

“10:1–11:3 God will strengthen his people by his power and restore them because of his compassion (10:6, 12). With its references to shepherds (10:2-3; 11:3), the passage prepares for the following allegory of the good and evil shepherds (11:4-17). 10:1-3 This is a rebuke of false shepherds, human leaders who do not have their people’s good at heart. 10:1 Rain was a sign of divine blessing (see Joel 2:23)—the Lord was the source of the rain, but Israel’s leaders had led the people to trust in false gods instead.”

“ye: Eze 36:37; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8; Joh 16:23; Jam 5:16-18 rain in: Deu 11:13, Deu 28:23; Kg1 17:1, Kg1 18:41-45; Isa 5:6, Isa 30:23; Jer 14:22; Amo 4:7 the time: Deu 11:14; Job 29:23; Pro 16:15; Hos 6:3; Joe 2:23, Joe 2:24; Jam 5:7 bright clouds: or, lightnings, Job 36:27-31, Job 37:1-6; Jer 10:13, Jer 51:16 and give: Psa 65:9, Psa 72:6, Psa 104:13; Isa 44:3; Eze 34:26; Hos 10:12; Mic 5:7; Co1 3:6 Zechariah 10:2”

“"Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain; Jehovah createth lightnings, and showers of rain will He give them, to every one vegetation in the field. Zac 10:2. For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the soothsayers have seen a lie, and speak dreams of deceit; they comfort in vain: for this they have wandered like a flock, they are oppressed because there is no shepherd." The summons to prayer is not a mere turn of the address expressing the readiness of God to give (Hengstenberg), but is seriously meant, as the reason assigned in Zac 10:2 clearly shows. The church of the Lord is to ask of God the blessings which it needs for its prosperity, and not to put its trust in idols, as…”