And it shall come to pass, [that] as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, [but] let your hands be strong.
Ver. 13. As ye were a curse among the heathen] The people of God's wrath, and of his curse, Isaiah 34:5, abhorred and accursed by all nations, Jeremiah 24:9; lastly, a proverb and a pattern for any fearful imprecation, Ezekiel 14:8, as those that had the bloody weals of God's visible vengeance on their backs, and, Cain-like, had his manifest mark upon their persons and proceedings. The Turks at this day so hate the Jews for crucifying Christ, that they use to say, in detestation of a thing, I would I might die a Jew, then; Let me be a Jew if I defraud thee, &c. Such a taunt and a curse this wretched people are still. As they curse Christ and his followers continually every day, so it comes into their heart like water, and like oil into their bones, Psalms 109:18 .
O house of Judah, and house of Israel] i.e. Besides the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, many of the ten tribes that revolted, for religion's sake, unto Judah were carried captive with them, and afterwards returned out of captivity also in their company. To them, therefore, as well as to the house of Judah, is made the promise. Twelve thousand of these ten tribes returning are found by computation in that summa totalis set down Ezra 2:64, as the Jewish doctors have concluded. There are those who understand the words of the general conversion of all the Jews in the time of the gospel; and this may very well be, for aught that I see to the contrary.
So will I save you] Lest you should say, in the language of Ashdod, It is a chance, I will do it, saith God, 1 Samuel 6:9 .
And ye shall be a blessing] Not only a name and a praise, as Zephaniah 3:20, but a form to be used in blessing of others; such as was that, Ruth 4:11,12. And not altogether unlike is that prayer of David, Psalms 119:132 "Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name."
Fear not, but let your hands be strong] Be not diffident, but diligent in well doing: in due season you shall reap, if you faint not, Galatians 6:9. See Trapp on " Zec 8:9 " Base fear expectorates and unmans us; banish it, therefore, or ye will be betrayed by it.