The prophecies of chapters 1-8 are dated in the text and were delivered between between 520 and 518 B.C. Those of chapters 9-14, on the other hand, are undated, and there are reasons to believe that Zechariah wrote these later chapters long after the initial eight. It is perhaps significant that Zechariah and Haggai did not undertake any leadership roles in the community until 520 B.C., about 18 years after the return from exile (c. 538). The suggestion that they were children at the time of the return is probably confirmed in 2:4, where the prophet in 520 B.C. is called a “young man.”
–The Archaeological Study Bible
Judgment on Israel’s Enemies
1A prophecy: The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrak
and will come to rest on Damascus—
Many scholars see the agent of God’s judgment as Alexander the Great. The cities mentioned in Zechariah 9:1-7 trace Alexander’s march through the Promised Land in 332-331 B.C.
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
are on the LORD—
2 and on Hamath too, which borders on it,
and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful.
3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
she has heaped up silver like dust,
and gold like the dirt of the streets.
4 But the Lord will take away her possessions
and destroy her power on the sea,
and she will be consumed by fire.
Tyre (ancient ruins above) was an important commercial city that was thought of as impossible to conquer. The Assyrians laid siege against Tyre for five years, but never conquered the city. Nebuchadnezzar tried for 13 years to conquer Tyre, but Alexander did it in seven months. Alexander the Great conquered Tyre by laying siege for seven months, then using the rubble from the old city to make a causeway out to the island city. It was a spectacular achievement of both military and engineering strategy.
–David Guzik
5 Ashkelon will see it and fear;
Gaza will writhe in agony,
and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6 A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.
These are Philistine cities, south of Tyre and Sidon, and they, too, were conquered by Alexander the Great. At Gaza, for example, Alexander had the governor of the city bound to a chariot and then dragged around the city. He killed 10,000 of the inhabitants and sold the rest as slaves.
7 I will take the blood from their mouths,
the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God
and become a clan in Judah,
and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
Jerusalem belonged to the Jebusites until David took the city. He did not destroy them but assimilated them into Israelite society. So the prophecy is that Ekron will disappear as distinct entity.
8 But I will encamp at my temple
to guard it against marauding forces.
When Alexander the Great marched through Lebanon and the Promised Land towards Egypt, he did not conquer or attack Jerusalem. God promised to protect and spare His temple during this time, and He did through a remarkable chain of events connected to Alexander the Great and the High Priest.
Josephus’ account of Alexander’s meeting with the High Priest is fascinating!
(Antiquities 11.8.4-5):
Now Alexander, when he had taken Gaza, made haste to go up to Jerusalem; and Jaddua the high-priest, when he heard that, was in agony, and under terror, as not knowing how he should meet the Macedonians, since the king was displeased at his foregoing disobedience. He therefore ordained that the people should make supplications, and should join with him in offering sacrifices to God, whom he besought to protect that nation, and to deliver them from the perils that were coming upon them; whereupon God warned him in a dream, which came upon him after he had offered sacrifice, that he should take courage, adorn the city, and open the gates; that the rest appear in white garments, but that he and the priests should meet the king in habits proper to their order, without the dread of any ill consequences, which the providence of God would prevent. Upon which, when he rose from his sleep, he greatly rejoiced; and declared to all the warning he had received from God. According to the dream he acted entirely, and so waited for the coming of the king.
And when he understood that he was not far from the city, he went out in procession, with the priests and the multitude of the citizens. The procession was venerable, and the manner of it different from that of other nations. It reached to a place called Sapha; which name, translated in Greek, signifies a prospect, for you have thence a prospect both of Jerusalem and of the temple; and when the Phoenicians and the Chaldeans that followed him, thought they should have liberty to plunder the city, and torment the high-priest to death, which the king’s displeasure fairly promised them, the very reverse of it happened;
for Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white garments, while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, and the high-priest in purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head having the golden plate on which the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high-priest. The Jews also did all together, with one voice, salute Alexander, and encompass him about: whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him to be disordered in his mind.
However, Parmenio [Alexander’s second-in-command] alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass, that when all others adored him, he should adore the high-priest of the Jews?
To whom he replied, “I did not adore him, but that God who has honored him with that high-priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was at Dios, in Macedonia, who, when I was considering with myself how I might obtain the dominion of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me dominion over the Persians; whence it is, that having seen no other in that habit, and now seeing this person in it, and remembering my vision and the exhortation which I had in my dream, I believe that I bring this army under divine conduct, and shall therewith conquer Darius, and destroy the power of the Persians, and that all things will succeed according to what is in my own mind.”
And when he had said this to Parmenio, and had given the high-priest his right hand, the priests ran along by him, and he came into the city; and when he went up into the temple, he offered sacrifice to God, according to the high-priest’s direction, and magnificently treated both the high-priest and the priests. And when the book of Daniel was showed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended; and as he was then glad, he dismissed the multitude for the present,
but the next day he called them to him, and bade them ask what favors they pleased of him: whereupon the high-priest desired that they might enjoy the laws of their forefathers, and might pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they desired: and when they entreated him that he would permit the Jews in Babylon and Media to enjoy their own laws also, he willingly promised to do hereafter what they desired: and when he said to the multitude, that if any of them would enlist themselves in his army on this condition, that they should continue under the laws of their forefathers, and live according to them, he was willing to take them with him, many were ready to accompany him in his wars.
–David Guzik
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
for now I am keeping watch.
_________________________
Music:
HERE is Alastair Stout playing Arthur Wills’ Carrilon on “Orientis Partibus.” A killer work (in a good way!) for organ! Orientus Partibus is the hymn tune commonly associated with the hymn “Conquering Kings their Titles Take,” — lyrics below.
It is an ancient Latin hymn, translated into English by an English priest, John Chandler (1806-1876).
1 Conquering kings their titles take
From the foes they captive make;
Jesus, by a nobler deed,
From the thousands he hath freed.
2 Yea, none other Name is given
Unto mortals under heaven,
Which can make the dead arise,
And exalt them to the skies.
3 Rather gladly for that Name
Bear the Cross, endure the shame;
Joyfully for him to die
Is not death but victory.
4 Jesus, who dost condescend
To be called the sinner’s friend,
Hear us, as to thee we pray,
Glorying in thy Name to-day.
5 Glory to the Father be,
Glory, Holy Son, to thee,
Glory to the Holy Ghost,
From the saints and angel-host.
Posted by Rebecca 
DWELLING in the Word 
