“A plague,
Like this plague,
Shall fall on
The horses,
The mules,
The camels,
The donkeys,
Whatever animals
May be in those camps.”
The domestic animals would not be spared. This plague would hit the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever other animals that were in the camps of the people. These animals would not be immune from this plague.
“On that day,
Says Yahweh.
‘I will strike every horse
With panic.
I will strike its rider
With madness.
But upon the house of Judah,
I will keep a watchful eye,
When I strike every horse
Of the people
With blindness.
Then the clan leaders of Judah
Shall say to themselves.
‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem
Have strength
Through Yahweh of hosts,
Their God.’”
Once again, Yahweh declared, via Zechariah, that he was going to strike panic among the horses and their riders, who would be struck with madness. However, the exception would be the house of Judah, because Yahweh kept a watchful eye on them. When many of the people would be struck blind, then the various clan leaders of Judah would realize that the people of Jerusalem had great strength through Yahweh, their God.
“Yahweh says.
‘In that day,
I will cut off
Your horses
From among you.
I will destroy
Your chariots.
I will cut off
The cities of your land.
I will throw down
All your strongholds.’”
In the day to come, Yahweh was going to get rid of the horses and chariots of the Israelites. He was going to cut off their cities from their land. He was going to get rid of the military fortresses and strongholds that they had built. There would be no need for war.
“The snorting of their horses
Is heard from Dan.
At the sound of
The neighing of their stallions
The whole land quakes.
They come.
They devour the land.
They devour all that fills it.
They devour the city.
They devour all those who dwell in it.
See!
I am letting snakes loose among you.
These are adders
That cannot be charmed.
They shall bite you.’
Says Yahweh.”
Here Yahweh, via Jeremiah, warns them that the destroyer is coming from the north, much like in chapter 4 of this work. The horses and the stallions are snorting and neighing in the territory of Dan, the most northern part of Israel, near Syria. The land was beginning to quake as they are getting closer. They would come and devour the land with everything in it. They would devour their cities and everyone living there. Yahweh was going to let the snakes and the adders loose in Judah so that they would bite them.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 