Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.
Zechariah was a prophet of the restoration who, together with Haggai, encouraged Zerubbabel and Ezra in building the temple and restoring Jerusalem, and that restoration reformation movement is a type of the last reformation. The verse belongs to the latter part of Zechariah, chapters 9 to 14, which has a much wider sweep than the first part of the book and is very rich in predictions of the Messianic King and kingdom. In its immediate setting it is part of a prophecy against the cities surrounding Jerusalem and specifically concerns Tyre.
In the chapter's account those cities are punished or destroyed while Jerusalem is spared. The prophecy predicts the coming conquests of Greece under Alexander the Great. It was fulfilled when Alexander besieged island Tyre, conquered it after seven months, and destroyed it by fire, with its inhabitants suffering cruel death and two thousand crucified.
The prophetic section beginning with chapter 9 looks beyond its historical setting toward future events. The image of the Lord casting out the city and smiting its power in the sea is left without further specific explanation.
Zechariah was a prophet of the restoration who, together with Haggai, encouraged Zerubbabel and Ezra in building the temple and restoring Jerusalem, and that restoration reformation movement is a type of the last reformation. The verse belongs to the latter part of Zechariah, chapters 9 to 14, which has a much wider sweep than the first part of the book and is very rich in predictions of the Messianic King and kingdom. In its immediate setting it is part of a prophecy against the cities surrounding Jerusalem and specifically concerns Tyre.
In the chapter's account those cities are punished or destroyed while Jerusalem is spared. The prophecy predicts the coming conquests of Greece under Alexander the Great. It was fulfilled when Alexander besieged island Tyre, conquered it after seven months, and destroyed it by fire, with its inhabitants suffering cruel death and two thousand crucified.
The prophetic section beginning with chapter 9 looks beyond its historical setting toward future events. The image of the Lord casting out the city and smiting its power in the sea is left without further specific explanation.