For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women ravished; and half of the city
shall go forth into captivity, and the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Read Chapter 14
Eusebius of Caesarea
AD 339
And we can see this with our own eyes. For though many have afflicted the word of Christ and are even now contending with it, yet it is lifted above them and become stronger than them all. Yes, truly, the hand of Christ is raised against all that afflicted him, and all his enemies who from time to time rise up against his church are said to be “utterly destroyed.” The fulfillment of this also agrees with the passages quoted on the destruction of the whole Jewish race, which came on them after the coming of Christ. For Zechariah writes this prophecy after the return from Babylon, foretelling the final siege of the people by the Romans, through which the whole Jewish race was to become subject to their enemies. He says that only the remnant of the people shall be saved, exactly describing the apostles of our Savior. , .
I will gather This seems to be a prophecy of what was done by Antiochus, (Challoner) or of the last siege, (Worthington) by the Romans. (St. Jerome; Theodoret; Eusebius, Dem. vi. 18.) (Calmet)
Vespasian collected numerous forces. (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii. 1.)
Titus had six legions and many auxiliaries, Arabs (Tacitus, Hist. v.)
Various nations composed their army. (Worthington)
Rifled, or demolished. None was left standing. (Josephus, Jewish Wars vii. 6.; Heges. v. 49.)
St. Jerome and others think that the city on Sion was spared, (Calmet) and 40,000 were permitted to dwell where they had a mind. (Josephus, Jewish Wars vii. 15.)
But it is not said that they continued at Jerusalem. Half the Jews therefore perished, and those who maintained the siege found a grave in the city. (Theodoret)
Half only denotes a considerable part, as ver. 8. Those who followed our Saviour's admonition, retired before, and were safe (Calmet) at Pella, chap. x. 11. Septuagint, "the rest of my people s...
