זכריה, פרק י׳, פסוק י׳

A grand vision of the future unfolds, portraying a massive return of exiles to their ancestral homeland. God will gather the people in such overwhelming numbers that the physical borders of the land will struggle to contain them. This great return begins from two primary locations: Egypt and Assyria. The presence of the people in Egypt is understood as the result of fleeing from past hardships [רד״ק]. Alternatively, their stay in Egypt represents a violation of the Torah's prohibition against returning there, yet God mercifully brings these banished individuals back [אברבנאל]. Assyria, on the other hand, represents a much more distant and scattered exile [מלבי״ם]. This specific location points directly to the Ten Tribes, who were historically banished there by the Assyrian king, and whom God will ultimately bring home [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

As the people return, they are guided to two main geographic regions that together make up the complete ancestral territory: Gilead and Lebanon. Gilead represents the eastern side of the Jordan River. This area was the original home of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, who notably were the very first to be taken into exile [אברבנאל]. Across the river, Lebanon serves as the destination for the rest of the returning nation. The primary approach among commentators is that this name acts as a general term for the entire Land of Israel on the western side of the Jordan, taking its title from the famous Lebanon forest located within it. Another perspective suggests that the mention of Lebanon is actually a subtle reference to the Temple itself [רש״י, רד״ק].

At the climax of this massive gathering, the sheer volume of returning people will create an unprecedented situation. The available space will simply not be sufficient to hold the entire nation. Because of this massive population boom during the redemption, the physical borders of the land will be forced to expand outward in every direction to accommodate everyone [מלבי״ם].