The Lord sent a burden (Heb. massa", heavy pronouncement; cf. 2 Kings 9:25-26; Jeremiah 23:33) to Zechariah that announced judgment and blessing. [1] It concerned the lands of Hadrach (Hatarikka, near Hamath), [1] Hamath on the Orontes River (a city farther south in Aramea, cf. Amos 6:2), Damascus (the capital of Aramea, still farther south), and Tyre and Sidon (Phoenician cities between Aramea and Israel, cf. Ezekiel 26:3-14; Ezekiel 28:20-24). The order of these cities in the text is from north to south. Earlier prophets had seen enemies invading Israel from the north ( Isaiah 41:25; Jeremiah 1:14-15; Ezekiel 26:7), but now Yahweh would take the same route destroying Israel"s enemies as He came. [source][source][source]
"Originally the Mediterranean coast had been designated Israel"s territory ( Numbers 34:5-6) and yet it had never been possessed by Israel. Now at last the Lord will claim it." [3][source]
This revelation concerned a time when all the people of the world, especially the Israelites, would be looking toward Yahweh. Some translators believed the text means that the Lord has His eye on all people as He does on the tribes of Israel. [1]0 As history would show, this was when Alexander the Great was rapidly moving south toward Egypt after defeating the Persians at Issus in333 B.C. The whole world was worried about what he would do next, especially the residents of the cities of Palestine that lay in his path. All these people would have their eyes on Alexander, but he was only the Lord"s instrument, so Zechariah could say that they were really looking to Yahweh. The nations would have done so unwittingly, but Israel would have looked to Him for protection. [source][source][source]