Zacharias 9:11
Thou also by the blood of thy testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.
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The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Tu quoque in sanguine testamenti tui emisisti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non est aqua.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ σὺ ἐν αἵματι διαθήκης σου ἐξαπέστειλας δεσμίους σου ἐκ λάκκου οὐκ ἔχοντος ὕδωρ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- גַּם אַ֣תְּ בְּדַם בְּרִיתֵ֗ךְ שִׁלַּ֤חְתִּי אֲסִירַ֨יִךְ֙ מִבּ֔וֹר אֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם בּֽוֹ
Haydock's commentary
Water; from limbo, (St. Jerome; &c.; Worthington; St. Thomas Aquinas, iii. p. q. 52. a. 1; Calmet) and purgatory. See St. Augustine, de Genesis xii. 23., & ep. 99. (Menochius)
Christ delivered the ancient patriarchs by virtue of his covenant, just sealed with his blood. Hebrew at present reads, "and as for thee, Sion, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners," &c., delivering the Hebrews out of Egypt by the paschal lamb. (Chaldean) But this text is suspected, as St. Jerome remarks no variation.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine City of God, Of the Prophecy of the Three Prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
Zechariah says of Christ and the Church, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; shout joyfully, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King shall come unto thee, just and the Saviour; Himself poor, and mounting an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass: and His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.” How this was done, when the Lord Christ on His journey used a beast of burden of this kind, we read in the Gospel, where, also, as much of this prophecy is quoted as appears sufficient for the context. In another place, speaking in the Spirit of prophecy to Christ Himself of the remission of sins through His blood, he says, “Thou also, by the blood of Thy testament, hast sent forth Thy prisoners from the lake wherein is no water.” Different opinions may be held, consistently with right belief, as to what he meant by this lake. …
St Cyril of Jerusalem On the words Incarnate, and Made Man
10. But who is this that cometh down? He says in what follows, And with the sun He endureth, and before the moon generations of generations . And again another of the Prophets saith, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold! thy King cometh unto thee, just and having salvation . Kings are many; of which speakest thou, O Prophet? Give us a sign which other Kings have not. If thou say, A king clad in purple, the dignity of the apparel has been anticipated. If thou say, Guarded by spear-men, and sitting in a golden chariot, this also has been anticipated by others. Give us a sign peculiar to the King whose coming thou announcest. And the Prophet maketh answer and saith, Behold! thy King cometh unto thee, just, and having salvation: He is meek, and riding upon an ass and a young foal , not on a chariot. Thou hast a unique sign of the King who came. …
St Cyril of Jerusalem On the words, Crucified and Buried
34. The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness . Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead ; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water . Be not then ashamed of the Crucified, but be thou also bold to say, He beareth our sins, and endureth grief for us, and with His stripes we are healed . Let us not be unthankful to our Benefactor. And again; for the transgression of my people was He led to death; and I will give the wicked for His burial, and the rich for His death . Therefore Paul says plainly, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He hath risen again the third day according to the Scriptures .