Zechariah 9:7

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Zechariah 9:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
Zechariah 9:7 — American Standard Version

Context — Zechariah 9

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
7And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, etc.] The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read “their blood”; not the blood of the bastard, but of the Philistines. The Targum is, “I will destroy them that eat blood”; the meaning may be, that they shall no more thirst after blood, nor drink it; nor breathe out threatenings and slaughter against the saints, or persecute the people of God: or that they should no more offer the blood of their sacrifices upon the altars to their deities, or eat things sacrificed to them: and his abominations from between his teeth; their idols and idolatries they were tenacious of, as a man is of his food, or of any thing that is grateful to him; it may…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“take . . . his blood out of . . . mouth--Blood was forbidden as food (Gen 9:4; Lev 7:26). abominations--things sacrificed to idols and then partaken of by the worshippers (Num 25:2; Act 15:29). The sense is, "I will cause the Philistines to cease from the worship of idols." even he shall be for our God--"even he," like Hamath, Damascus, Tyre, &c., which, these words imply, shall also be converted to God (Isa 56:3, "son of the stranger joined himself to the Lord") [ROSENMULLER]. The "even," however, may mean, Besides the Hebrews, "even" the Philistine shall worship Jehovah (so Isa 56:8) [MAURER]. he shall be as a governor in Judah--On the conversion of the Philistine prince, he shall have the…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And I will take away his blood out of his mouth - The “abominations” being idol-sacrifices , the “bloods” will also be, the blood mingled with the wine of sacrifices, of which David says, “Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer” Psalms 16:4; and Ezekiel unites the offences, “Ye eat With the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood” Ezekiel 33:25. But he that remaineth - Better, “And he too” shall remain over to our God.” Of the Philistines too, as of Israel, “a remnant shall be saved.” After this visitation their idolatry should cease; God speaks of the Philistine nation as one man; He would wring his idol-sacrifices and idol-enjoyments from him; he should…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Take away his blood - Though proud and warlike nations have delighted to shed blood, and, as it were, to eat the blood of their enemies, yet God will overthrow their power, and take the prey out of their mouth. Abominations - Their abominable sacrifices which they offered and feasted on. God will punish their idolatries, and by destroying the cities of those abominations, will remove them for ever. The remnant - That small select number who escape the sword, shall be the Lord's peculiar ones. As a governor - For the honour which shall be given them. As a Jebusite - The city is put for the people, and this one city and people for all the other: all the remaining Philistines shall be as…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“9:7 bloody meat: The Philistines ate meat that had not been drained of blood and was therefore unclean (Gen 9:4; Lev 3:17; Acts 15:20). • Detestable sacrifices suggests eating unclean foods (see Lev 11:2-23). • the surviving Philistines will worship our God: This anticipates Philip’s ministry in the cities of the Philistine coastal plain (Acts 8:40). • The Jebusites were a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:16; 1 Chr 1:14) living in and around Jerusalem. The city of Jebus (Jerusalem) was sacked and burned during the days of the judges (Judg 1:8); it was later recaptured by David, who made it the capital of his kingdom (2 Sam 5:6-10). The Jebusites were absorbed by the Israelites through…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“I will: Sa1 17:34-36; Psa 3:7, Psa 58:6; Amo 3:12 blood: Heb. bloods he that: Zac 8:23; Isa 11:12-14, Isa 19:23-25; Jer 48:47, Jer 49:6, Jer 49:39; Eze 16:57-61 a governor: Isa 49:22, Isa 49:23, Isa 60:14-16; Gal 3:28 a Jebusite: Sa2 24:16-23; Ch1 11:4-6, 21:15-30, Ch1 22:1 Zechariah 9:8”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification