Zechariah 9:13

“When I have bent Judah for me, etc.] By whom are meant the apostles, who were Jews, and whose ministrations were made use of as a bow with arrows, to strike the hearts of men, and bring them into subjection to Christ: they were a bow of the Lord’s bending and preparing, and which abode in strength, being made strong and effectual through the hands of the mighty God of Jacob: filled the bow with Ephraim: or rather, “filled Ephraim with the bow”f208; filled his hand with it; meaning, that some out of the ten tribes, as were the apostles, should be employed in drawing the bow of the Gospel, and shooting its arrows, the doctrines of it; which are comparable to them for swiftness, suddenness, and…”

“bent Judah--made Judah as it were My bow, and "filled" it "with Ephraim," as My arrow, wherewith to overcome the successor of the Grecian Alexander, Antiochus Epiphanes (compare Notes, see on Dan 8:9; Dan 11:32; I Maccabees 1:62; 2:41-43), the oppressor of Judah. Having spoken (Zac 9:1-8) of Alexander's victories, after the parenthesis (Zac 9:9-10) as to Messiah the infinitely greater King coming, he passes to the victories which God would enable Judah to gain over Alexander's successor, after his temporary oppression of them. O Zion . . . O Greece--God on one hand addresses Zion, on the other Greece, showing that He rules all people.”

“When - or For I have bent Judah for me As a mighty bow which is only drawn at full human strength, the foot being placed to steady it. It becomes a strong instrument, but only at God’s Will. God Himself bends it. It cannot bend itself. “And filled the bow with Ephraim.” The bow is filled, when the arrow is laid upon it. God would employ both in their different offices, as one. “And raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece.” Let people place this prophecy where they will, nothing in the history of the world was more contradictory to what was in human sight possible. “Greece was, until Alexander, a colonizing, not a conquering, nation. The Hebrews had no human knowledge of the…”

“When I have bent Judah - In the day's when Judah shall be in my hand as a strong bow, already bent. Ephraim - Ephraim, the remainder of the ten tribes (which returned with Judah) shall be for a supply of warriors; as the quiver filled is a supply of arrows to the bow - man. O Greece - Against the Grecians or Ionians, who had oppressed the Jews, and bought them for slaves, against whom the Jews took arms, under the conduct of the Maccabees, to whom Christ made good much of this promise. Zechariah 9:14”

“9:13 The Persians and the Greeks were engaged in a power struggle in Zechariah’s time. In the future, God would judge the Greeks (who could represent all Gentiles). Zechariah is possibly alluding to Daniel’s vision (Dan 8:21-22).”

“bent: Zac 1:21, Zac 10:3-7, Zac 12:2-8; Mic 5:4-9; Rev 17:14 and raised: Psa 49:2-9; Lam 4:2; Amo 2:11; Oba 1:21 against: Dan 8:21-25, Dan 11:32-34; Joe 3:6-8; Mic 4:2, Mic 4:3; Mar 16:15-20; Rom 15:16-20; Co1 1:21-28; Co2 10:3-5; Ti2 4:7 made: Zac 12:8; Psa 18:32-35, Psa 45:3, Psa 144:1, Psa 149:6; Isa 41:15, Isa 41:16, Isa 49:2; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16, Rev 2:12, Rev 19:15, Rev 19:21 Zechariah 9:14”

“This thought is supported in Zac 9:13. by a picture of the glory intended for Israel. Zac 9:13. "For I stretch Judah as my bow, fill it with Ephraim, and stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan, and make thee like the sword of a hero. Zac 9:14. And Jehovah will appear above them, and like the lightning will His arrow go forth; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpets, and will pass along in storms of the south. Zac 9:15. Jehovah of hosts will shelter above them, and they will eat and tread down sling-stones, and will drink, make a noise, as if with wine, and become full, like the sacrificial bowls, like the corners of the altar." The double recompense which the Lord will make…”