John Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 11:3

A historical reference excerpt for this verse.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.

[There is] a voice of the howling of the shepherds, etc.] Which may be understood either of the civil rulers among the Jews, who now lose their honour and their riches; and so the Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra, interpret it of kings; or of the ecclesiastical rulers, the elders of the people, the Scribes and Pharisees: for their glory is spoiled; their power and authority; their riches and wealth; their places of honour and profit; their offices, posts, and employments, whether in civil or religious matters, are taken from them, and they are deprived of them: a voice of the roaring of young lions; of princes, comparable to them for their power, tyranny, and cruelty: the Targum is, “their roaring is as the roaring of young lions:” for the pride of Jordan is spoiled; a place where lions and their young ones resorted, as Jarchi observes; (see Gill on “<244919>Jeremiah 49:19”). Jordan is here put for the whole land of Judea now wasted, and so its pride and glory gone; as if the waters of Jordan were dried up, the pride and glory of that, and which it showed when its waters swelled and overflowed; hence called by Plinyf239 “ambitiosus amnis”, a haughty and ambitious swelling river.

Read Zechariah 11:3 →Read the full chapter →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Tyndale Open Study Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →

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