Ashkelon shall see [it], and fear; Gazah also, and she shall be greatly pained; Ekron also, for her expectation shall be put to shame and the king shall perish from Gazah, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
These words belong to a "burden" — a word of judgment that runs down the coast from Syria to Philistia. Readers ask when it fell, and why God names these small Philistine towns one by one.
The places listed in this chapter are not random. They map out Israel's long-standing enemies. Commentators note that the Philistines held that place longer than anyone.
The places named, as the reader will see, lie to the north of Israel's territory. They also take in that stretch of land west of Judea, known all through Scripture history as the home of the Philistines. Every one of them was an enemy of the people of God at some time, and the Philistines always were. Perhaps this was because they sat right next to the borders of Israel's territory, if not inside them.
The prophet does not name every Philistine city.
Somewhat further south, the prophet turns to the land of the Philistines. Four of its chief cities are named (Gath is left out).
Ashkelon is afraid because of what it has just seen. Commentators point to one campaign that struck these places in this order.
From there the conquest moves on quickly to the Philistine cities, and the king of Gaza perishes. The question arises: what conquest and disaster is this? Has it happened, or is it still future? History records one great conqueror who quickly overthrew the countries and cities named in this burden. Alexander the Great and his campaign, carried out so successfully, is surely meant here… After the battle of Issus, the young king besieged Damascus and captured it quickly. He took Sidon with ease. Tyre held out against him for about seven months and was then burned to the ground. Gaza and the other cities came next.
Commentators do not stop at Alexander's campaign. They read the chapter as reaching much further.
There seems no reason to question that the early verses of the chapter apply to the march of Alexander's army. They describe the heavy blows struck north and south of Judea after the battle of Issus… Even sceptics admit the exact parallel between the list of his captures and the places that gave him special trouble to besiege, such as Tyre and Gaza… This is plain, and important in its measure. But it is far more important to see that the prophecy as a whole, like others, is not to be read on its own. It joins all the rest in converging on the great events of the last days.
One line a few verses later shows this prophecy still has a future. It promises survivors, not only ruin.
The careful reader will notice that the whole prophecy has not yet come true. It speaks of a spared remnant from the Philistines who shall be "for our God." This must be future. It points to a clear conclusion: when these cities rise again, judgment will fall on them again. The Lord, by His chosen instruments, will stain all the pride of their glory. At the same time He will restore a remnant for blessing.
Ekron falls because its hope fails. The ESV says "its hopes are confounded"; older translations read that God "dried up her expectation." The judgment has a target, and it is not just the city walls.
The evils that come down on these cities will cut off Philistine pride. When God does this, He also says He will take away the blood from his mouth (v. 7). The word his suggests that the Philistines are viewed as one person. The blood taken from his mouth is the blood of his idolatrous sacrifices. No longer will his mouth speak lies… So God's judgments accomplish good.
Other prophets end the Philistine story the same way, and this verse stands among them.
Their last end is utter destruction, and their pride cut off (Amos 1:7-8; Zeph. 2:5; Zech. 9:5).
Commentators also read this people as a picture, one that shows up again in the history of the Church.
They are a picture of those who have come into Christian profession without facing the truth of the death of Christ for them — not redeemed, but religious… They have always been a thorn in Israel's side. In the history of the Church this same evil has always opposed the simple truth of the gospel of grace, and only faith can overcome it.
- Named. God names the old neighbours who became Israel's enemies. He judges them one by one, not in the abstract.
- Fulfilled. Alexander's march hit these places in this order — Damascus, Tyre, then Gaza and the other Philistine towns. History has already confirmed the words.
- Unfinished. No one has yet seen the spared remnant who will be "for our God." So commentators read the whole chapter as converging on the last days.
- Purposeful. The blow aims at Philistine pride and at a mouth full of idolatrous blood. Commentators say God's judgments accomplish good.
- Personal. The Philistines picture religion without redemption — profession that never faced the death of Christ. Commentators say that same evil still opposes the simple gospel, and only faith overcomes it.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines;
Zechariah 9 opens with a "burden" — a sweep of judgment through the lands north of Israel, down the coast to Tyre, and on into the Philistine cities. Ashdod is one of them. Who is the "mixed people" who settles there? What is the pride God cuts off? Has any of this happened yet?
The places named form a ring of old enemies around Israel's land. One of them stayed hostile longest.
The places named lie north of Israel's territory, and in that stretch of land west of Judea. All through Scripture that stretch is the home of the Philistines. Every one of these peoples was an enemy of the people of God at some time, and the Philistines always were. Perhaps this was because they lived right next to Israel's borders, if not inside them.
Older translations render the Hebrew word here as "bastard." It is a rare word, used in only one other place in the Bible.
The word for "bastard" means "one born of corruption." It appears only once more, in Zechariah 9:6. Jewish teachers explain it as "one born of incest or adultery," and commentators in general accept that. As a picture, a person born this way is not just a child of nature. He is someone brought in among the people of God by corrupt means.
The judgment does more than flatten cities. In verse 7 the same blow takes something out of the Philistine's mouth.
These judgments have already been partly fulfilled, but the full fulfillment will come at the time of the end. The evils that fall on these cities will cut off Philistine pride. When God does this, He also says He will take away the blood from his mouth (v. 7)… It is the blood of his idol sacrifices. His mouth will no longer speak falsely… So God's judgments accomplish good.
Commentators point to one conqueror whose route matches the prophecy line for line.
These predictions came true to the letter when the third empire, under Alexander the Great, destroyed the Persian empire… Tyre resisted with all its might, but in the end it fell, destroyed and burned. Then, before he tried to conquer Egypt, Alexander took one Philistine city after another — above all Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ashdod.
Writers look beyond Alexander for a reason: part of the passage has never yet come true.
The careful reader will notice that the whole prophecy has not come true. It speaks of a spared remnant of the Philistines who will be "for [or to] our God." That must still be future. It points plainly to a day when these cities rise again and judgment falls on them once more. The Lord will use His chosen instruments to stain all the pride of their glory. At the same time He will restore a remnant for blessing.
Another writer notes that translations of the word differ, and still sees a remnant:
Darby's New Translation tells us that another way to render "bastard" is one "of a foreign race." But even so, it seems there will still be a rest, a remnant, who will be for God and belong to Him.
This verse is where the Philistines drop out of the Bible's story. One writer reads that last line as a picture of a state in the church that the Lord threatens to reject.
The Old Testament says more about them than about any nation but Israel. The last time Scripture mentions them is here: "I will cut off the pride of Philistia" (Zechariah 9:6). About the matching state of things in our own day, the Lord has said, "I will spit you out of My mouth." In the church at Laodicea we see the Philistines in full force.
The same picture reaches a person. What marks a Philistine is what he never went through:
A Philistine has slipped in by the easy way, the way of profession… He has known no unbearable slavery in Egypt. He has never felt God's anger against sin, and never seen that anger met by the sacrifice God appointed. He has not seen a Substitute who, in love for his soul, went down into the dark waters of death and judgment for him.
- Pride is the target. God names one thing He will cut off in Philistia: its pride. No nation stayed hostile to Israel longer.
- Mixture breaks the pride. A foreign people, corruptly born, settles in Ashdod, and the proud city's boasting ends.
- The judgment cleanses. The same blow takes the blood of idol sacrifices out of the Philistine's mouth. God's judgments accomplish good.
- The judgment has begun. Tyre, Gaza, Ashkelon and Ashdod all fell as Alexander advanced — a literal down-payment on this word.
- The judgment ends in mercy. What is still future is the remnant: Philistines left over who will be "for our God," pride gone and belonging to Him.
and I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; but he that remaineth, he also shall belong to our God, and shall be as a leader in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
Zechariah 9 opens with a "burden" — a word of judgment against the nations around Israel — and verse 7 sits inside it, speaking of Philistia. The turn in it is startling: God strips this old enemy of its idol-feasts, then keeps a survivor for Himself and gives him a place inside Judah.
The cities named in this chapter — Damascus, Tyre, then the Philistine towns — were not far-off powers. One writer shows how close they sat, and how constant their hostility was:
The places named lie north of Israel's territory. They also take in the strip of country west of Judea, known all through Scripture as the home of the Philistines. All of them were enemies of the people of God at one time or another, and the Philistines never stopped. Perhaps this was because they lived right next to, if not inside, the borders of Israel's territory... We are taught that neither wisdom, nor strength, nor riches can turn aside the sure judgments of God. These are the three things in which man puts his confidence and boasts.
Much of this word has already come true. One writer traces Alexander the Great's march through these very places:
The prophet names the city of Damascus as the first "dwelling place" on which the burden of the Lord "rested."... Tyre resisted with all its might, but it was finally conquered, destroyed and burned. Afterwards Alexander conquered one Philistine city after another, especially Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ashdod. He did this before he tried to conquer Egypt.
The verse pictures a mouth with blood still in it. One writer uses a translation that reads "his" rather than "its". He explains why that one word matters:
When God cuts off the pride of the Philistines, He also says He will take away the blood from his mouth (v. 7). The word his suggests that the Philistines are looked at as one person. It is the blood of his idolatrous sacrifices that is taken from his mouth. No longer will his mouth speak falsely. "Abominations" is another word for idols, and the Philistines will no longer be taking in the evil teachings of idolatry. So there is good accomplished by God's judgments.
So the judgment does something for the Philistine, not only to him.
The verse also promises a survivor who belongs to God. No past event has matched that part, so some writers look ahead:
The careful reader will notice that the whole prophecy has not been fulfilled. It speaks of a spared remnant from the Philistines that shall be "for [or to] our God." This must be future... Ekron shall be as a Jebusite. This most likely points to what we read in Joshua 15:63. The children of Judah did not drive the Jebusites out, so the Jebusites lived with them at Jerusalem. In the same way, the spared Philistines will be mingled with Israel in a future day, in the time of the kingdom.
Not every writer presses the timing so firmly; some treat the Philistine judgments as largely past while still expecting a spared remainder. But the survivor's status is agreed: he is not merely left alive, he is owned.
Even so there will apparently be a remainder, or a remnant, who will be for God and belong to Him.
The place given to the spared enemy is a low one. One writer, looking at the Philistines' future, shows how much mercy a low place can hold:
The Philistines will be burden-bearers. In early days they treated the Israelites with the greatest insult; now they will have to serve them. A very good thing, then, that they are even allowed to be servants. God in strict righteousness might have cut them off; but He is good.
- Judgment. Philistia lived next door to God's people and fought them without let-up. Wisdom, strength and riches cannot turn aside God's sure judgment.
- Cleansing. God takes the blood and the idols out of the mouth. His judgment strips away what the Philistine fed on, and one writer calls that good.
- Sparing. Alexander's campaign did not finish the prophecy. It promises a spared remnant from the Philistines, and some say that part still waits.
- Belonging. The survivor is not just left alive. He is "for our God" — a remnant that belongs to Him.
- Placing. The Jebusites stayed on in Jerusalem beside Judah. In the same way the spared Philistine is mixed in with Israel — a servant's place, and God is good to give it.