Zechariah 9:13
When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.
Original Language Analysis
כִּֽי
H3588
כִּֽי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 16
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
דָרַ֨כְתִּי
When I have bent
H1869
דָרַ֨כְתִּי
When I have bent
Strong's:
H1869
Word #:
2 of 16
to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
יְהוּדָ֗ה
Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָ֗ה
Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
4 of 16
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
קֶ֚שֶׁת
the bow
H7198
קֶ֚שֶׁת
the bow
Strong's:
H7198
Word #:
5 of 16
a bow, for shooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris
מִלֵּ֣אתִי
for me filled
H4390
מִלֵּ֣אתִי
for me filled
Strong's:
H4390
Word #:
6 of 16
to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)
אֶפְרַ֔יִם
with Ephraim
H669
אֶפְרַ֔יִם
with Ephraim
Strong's:
H669
Word #:
7 of 16
ephrajim, a son of joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
בָּנַ֖יִךְ
against thy sons
H1121
בָּנַ֖יִךְ
against thy sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
9 of 16
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
צִיּ֔וֹן
O Zion
H6726
צִיּ֔וֹן
O Zion
Strong's:
H6726
Word #:
10 of 16
tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of jerusalem
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
11 of 16
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
בָּנַ֖יִךְ
against thy sons
H1121
בָּנַ֖יִךְ
against thy sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
12 of 16
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
יָוָ֑ן
O Greece
H3120
יָוָ֑ן
O Greece
Strong's:
H3120
Word #:
13 of 16
javan, the name of a son of joktan, and of the race (ionians, i.e., greeks) descended from him, with their territory; also of a place in arabia
וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךְ
and made
H7760
וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךְ
and made
Strong's:
H7760
Word #:
14 of 16
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
Cross References
Revelation 17:14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.Isaiah 49:2And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;Psalms 45:3Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.Zechariah 1:21Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
Historical Context
This prophecy looks beyond Zechariah's immediate context (520 BC) to the Hellenistic period under Alexander the Great's successors. The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BC) tried to eradicate Judaism, prompting the Maccabean revolt. God 'bent' His people as weapons to preserve covenant faith against pagan assimilation.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God use His people today as 'weapons' against spiritual darkness without resorting to physical warfare?
- What does it mean for God to 'bend' us like a bow—what shaping and tension is required for usefulness?
- How do the Maccabean conflicts parallel modern pressures to compromise biblical faith for cultural acceptance?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim—God personifies Judah and Ephraim (Israel's northern tribes) as His weapons of war. Judah is the bent bow, Ephraim the arrow—together representing reunified Israel as God's instrument. And raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece (וַהֲקִימֹתִי בָנַיִךְ צִיּוֹן עַל־בָּנַיִךְ יָוָן)—this is Zechariah's only explicit mention of Yavan (Greece), prophetically pointing to Maccabean conflicts (167-160 BC) when faithful Jews resisted Hellenistic oppression.
And made thee as the sword of a mighty man (וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ כְּחֶרֶב גִּבּוֹר)—God empowers His people not for imperialism but for defensive holy war against those who would destroy covenant faith. This ultimately points to Messiah's victory over spiritual enemies. The New Testament applies this eschatologically to Christ's triumph over principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15).