9:1 burden. The second portion of the book of Zechariah, beginning here at chapter 9, has been attributed by many critics to some other author than Zechariah, primarily because of its remarkable Messianic prophecies. However, there are numerous points of similarity between the two portions, in both theme and vocabulary. Furthermore, both sections are quoted in the New Testament, the authors always regarding the passages as inspired Scripture. Until the rise of modern evolutionary liberalism, both Jews and Christians, ancient and modern, have unanimously accepted the entire book as a canonical unit. In this section, received by the prophet much later in his life than the eight visions of his youthful ministry, he is given a “burden” of judgment soon to fall on the nations still opposing Israel (see also Zechariah 12:1).

9:1 Hadrach. Hadrach was long believed by critics to be a mythical region. In the late nineteenth century, however, a number of references to it have been found in archaeological records. It was a Syrian city, along with Damascus and Hamath (Zechariah 9:2).