Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 1:18
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
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 who had already distressed and scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem; and two of the above monarchies were not yet in being, the Grecian and Roman, when this vision was seen; and one of those that were, were friends to the Jews, as the Persians; they may in general signify all the enemies of the Jews that were round about them, on the four corners of them; as the Syrians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, on the north; the Ammonites and Moabites on the east; the Edomites and Egyptians on the south; and the Philistines on the west; as Junius thinks. Cocceius interprets them of four kings, Shalmaneser, Nebuchadnezzar, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes the first, called Longimanus; and may be applied to the antichristian states, Pagan and Papal, in the various parts of the world, called horns, (<270724>Daniel 7:24 <661203>Revelation 12:3 13:1).
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