Zechariah 8:13

“And it shall come to pass, [that] as ye were a curse among the heathen, etc.] Reproached, vilified, and called accursed by them; (see <242409> Jeremiah 24:9) as true Christians, and real believers in Christ, are by the men of this world, (<460412>1 Corinthians 4:12,13): O house of Judah, and house of Israel; both being carried captive at different times, and were typical of the true and Spiritual Israel of God: so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing; be blessed in themselves with the above blessings of plenty and prosperity in outward things; (see <370219> Haggai 2:19) and a blessing to others, and blessed by them; and all those who are saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation…”

“a curse--As the heathen have made you another name for "a curse," wishing to their foes as bad a lot as yours (Jer 24:9; Jer 29:18); so your name shall be a formula of blessing, so that men shall say to their friend, May thy lot be as happy as that of Judah (Gen 48:20). Including also the idea of the Jews being a source of blessing to the Gentile nations (Mic 5:7; Zep 3:20). The distinct mention of "Judah" and "Israel" proves that the prophecy has not yet had its full accomplishment, as Israel (the ten tribes) has never yet been restored, though individuals of Israel returned with Judah.”

“As ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you - The ten tribes bore the name of Israel, in contrast with the two tribes with the name of Judah, not only in the history but in the prophets; as Hosea says, “I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, and on the house of Judah I will have mercy” Hosea 1:6-7. Here he unites both; both, in the time of their captivity, were a curse, were held to be a thing accursed, as it is said, “He that is hanged is the curse of God” Deuteronomy 21:23, that is, a thing accursed by Him; and God foretold of Judah, that they should be “a desolation and a curse” 2 Kings 22:10, and by Jeremiah, “I will deliver…”

“a curse: Deu 28:37, Deu 29:23-28; Kg1 9:7, Kg1 9:8; Ch2 7:20-22; Psa 44:13, Psa 44:14, Psa 44:16; Psa 79:4; Isa 65:15, Isa 65:16; Jer 24:9, Jer 25:18, Jer 26:6, Jer 29:18, Jer 42:18, Jer 44:12, Jer 44:22; Lam 2:15, Lam 2:16, Lam 4:15; Eze 5:15; Dan 9:11 O house: Zac 1:19, Zac 9:13, Zac 10:6; Kg2 17:18-20; Isa 9:20, Isa 9:21; Jer 32:30-32, Jer 33:24; Eze 37:11, Eze 37:16-19 ye shall: The consideration that all nations who now worship the true God, and receive the Sacred Scriptures as His word, have derived the whole of their divine knowledge, under God, from Jewish prophets, apostles, and teachers, and that the Saviour "in whom all nations shall be blessed," sprang from that favoured race,…”

“The whole blessing is finally summed up in one expression in Zac 8:13 : "And it will come to pass, as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I endow you with salvation, that ye may be a blessing. Fear not, let your hands be strong." The formula, to be a curse among the nations, is to be interpreted according to Jer 24:9; Jer 25:9; Jer 42:18; Kg2 22:19, as equivalent to being the object of a curse, i.e., so smitten by God as to serve as the object of curses. In harmony with this, the phrase to "become a blessing" is equivalent to being so blessed as to be used as a benedictory formula (cf. Gen 48:22; Jer 29:22). This promise is made to the remnant of…”