said, What are these, O my lord? And the angel, who talked with me, said unto me; I will shew thee 10 what these are. And the man who stood among the myrtles answered and said; These are they whom Jehovah hath sent to go to and fro through the 11 earth. And they answered the angel of Jehovah who stood among the myrtles, and said: We have gone to and fro through the earth; and behold, all the earth remaineth still and is at rest. 12 Then the angel of Jehovah answered and said: O Jehovah God of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these 13 seventy years? And Jehovah answered the angel 9. the angel] Distinct from those represented v. 8: he who talked with the prophet: v. 13. Angelus comes et interpres. Vitringa. -I will shew thee] I will cause that it shall be explained to thee by the angel who stands first among the myrtles. This may have been done by a sign given to that angel, or by words omitted in the relation." 10. bath sent] They are the messengers, or ministering spirits, of Jehovah. 11. they answered] The rest of the angels, implied at the end of v. 8, and who came after the first. -all the earth-] Means the Persian empire, and the other nations connected with Judea, which enjoyed peace at that time. But the state of the Jews was unsettled: see v. 16: which circumstance gives occasion to the following intercession. -had indignation] Thirteen MSS. read no. ---seventy years] See on Haggai ii. 3. According to Blair, if we compute from the destruction of the former temple, when Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, the seventy years were not completed till the sixth of Darius; and the angel must be supposed to speak with latitude, though with sufficient exactness for popular language. Others assert that the computation in this place is exact. Est pulcherrimum Petavii aliorumque observatum, periodum lxx annorum, decretorum punitioni Judaicæ gentis, ad perfectum implementum prophetiæ bis repræsentatum esse. A quarto Jehojachimi usque ad initia Babylo nica Cyri, quando dimissi sunt Judæi ex exilio, effluxerunt anni lxx. Rursus totidem anni effluxerunt ab excidio templi et ur. bis, quod accidit octodecim post annis, usque ad secundum 14 15 who talked with me good words and comfortable words. And the angel who talked with me said unto me, Proclaim, saying: Thus saith Jehovah God of hosts: I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Sion with a great jealousy And with great anger am I angry with the nations that are at ease. Because I was but a little angry, Darii Hystaspis: intersunt enim rursus inter initia Cyri Babylo nica et Dari secundum anni octodecim. Camp. Vitringa in Zech. proleg. 17. A primo anno Nebuchodonosori, quem scriptura copulat cum quarto Jehojachimi, ad xxii exeuntem Cyri, quo captivitas est soluta, anni sunt lxx. Adde Cyri viii, Cambysis et Magi viii, Darii ii, fiunt lxxxviii. Deductis annis xviii, restant lxx ab excidio urbis ad annum ii Darii, quo vaticinatus est Zacharias. Petav. doctr. temp. 1. xii. c. xxv. See Prideaux ann. $18. Bishop Newton on Proph. i. diss. viii. p. 203. 8vo. 13. -Jehovah answered] By a voice, or by impulse. And the angel communicated the reply to Zechariah. сит. -who talked with me] Chald. rightly explains ', 'py, meSee 1 Sam. xxv. 39. 14. I have been jealous] "It has been doubted whether the jealousy spoken of here and c. viii. 2. be Gods resentment against his people for their disloyalty towards him, or his concern for their honour and welfare, mixed with indignation towards those who had persecuted them. The former is the more usual acceptation of the word NP, jealousy, which is defined to be the rage of a man,' or husband on account of his wife's infidelity. Prov. vi. 84. And with this rage God, speaking in the past tense, says here, he had been inflamed on account of the disloyalty of Jerusalem. This occasioned a temporary separation during which the neighbours were forward to distress the unprotected wife. Ps. cxxxvii. 7. But when God, like a pacified and relenting husband, was disposed to take her again, he would naturally be displeased with the nations for their malicious interference Accordingly it follows in the present tense, But now am I exceedingly angry with the nations,' &c." Blaney 15. -am I angry] Six MSS. read , irascens sum. -the nations that are at ease] The remnant of the Babylonians, Philistines, Edomites, &c. a little angry] See Isai. liv. 7, 8. Mine anger did not And they helped forward the affliction. I have returned to Jerusalem with mercies: Mine House shall be built in it, Saith Jehovah God of hosts; And a line shall be stretched forth on Jerusalem. 17 Moreover proclaim, saying; 18 Thus saith Jehovah God of hosts: My cities shall yet be spread abroad through prosperity; And Jehovah will yet comfort Sion, And will yet choose Jerusalem. Then I lifted up mine eyes and looked; and behold, 19 four horns. And I said unto the angel who talked with me, What are these? And he said unto me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. rise so high as the punishment which the enemies of my people inflicted. God was displeased with the instruments of his vengeance for their extreme cruelty to the Jews; and with the nations who insulted over them in their distress. -the affliction] ny. That the verby is used with after it see 1 Chron. xviii. 5. xxii. 17. "To her hurt, taking then for the feminine affix." Blaney. 16. -with mercies] This has a reference to the words of the angel, v. 12. -a line] "i. e. The architect's measuring line for laying out the building." Twelve MSS. one ed. and Keri read . 17. be spread abroad] Over the face of Judea. See Gen. x. 18. Houbigant proposes , affluent bonis. Schultens gives this very signification to P, from the Arab. Gen. ix. 19. See Animadv. phil. "Videntur Vulg. Ch. Dл legesse. Recte." Secker. "my. Non agnoscunt 6. Syr." Secker. ערים for ערי The word seems to have been written 18. four horns] The emblems of power. See Am. vi. 13. Jer. xlviii. 25 Why four? To denote that these kingdoms had many enemies; enemies on every side. Ezra iv. 1. Neh. See on Mic. v. 5. iv. 7. 19 Israel] And Israel. V. 6. Ar. Syr. Chald. and Jerusalem] This is wanting in o. MS. A. " and in MS. Copt," Mr. Woide. 20 And Jehovah shewed me four workmen. Then 21 said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying: These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head: and these are come || to make them afraid, to cast out the horns of the nations which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah, to scatter it. || Or, fray; or, affright. § Hebr. said. 20.--four workmen] Vitringa supposes that the horns were iron, and that these were "fabri ferrarii malleis dolabrisque instructi." 21. And he spake [or said] saying] For saying, ó. MS. A. Arab. Syr. and one MS. read to me. One MS. omits NS with 6. MS. Vat. ed. Ald. and Sixti Quinti. Two MSS. read "And he spake unto me, saying." But see c. iii. 4. iv. 13. -scattered Judah] 6. add and brake Israel." Instead of which addition Ar. bas, "and destroyed Jerusalem." See v. 19. ". Forte Sed vid. Ezek. xxx. 9." Secker. "And these are come sharpening their coulter, for to use upon the horns of the nations, which lifted up a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it." Blaney. In his notes he observes that he agrees with Michalis in rendering naratores, plowmen, and not with the common version carpenters," nor with the author, who renders by the general name of "workmen." Parum placent fabri, cornua terrentes, says Michaelis, nor am I myself better satisfied with the idea of frightening horns, and therefore gladly accept an emendation offered by the ó. who instead appears to have read 77. But it could not be meant that they came to sharpen the horns, which were sharp enough before, it should seem, to be offensive: On therefore is not to be rendered avra, them, but to be considered as a compound of the noun n a coulter, and the plural affix; and thus will signify, sharpening their coulter," a cutting iron belonging to a plow, and which a plowman might apply to the purpose of demolishing horns, that were lifted up with a mischievous intent. 6 "For to use upon the horns." does not any where as far as I can perceive, bear the sense of dejicere, given it by some of the versions as suitable to the place. But as Taylor in his concordance observes, coming from 7 the hand, it may signify to exercise the hand vigorously in any way, according to the sense and scope of the place, Jer. 1. 14. where 7 referring to the bow' there spoken of, signifies use, or employ it against her. In like manner may signify for to use or employ against the horns." 1 CHAP. II. looked; and behold measuring-line. And he said unto see what is the AND I lifted up mine eyes and a man in whose hand was a 2 Then said I, Wither goest thou? me, To measure Jerusalem; to breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. 3 And behold, the angel who talked with me went forth and the other angel went forth to meet 4 him, and said unto him: Run, speak unto that young man, saying; 5 Jerusalem shall dwell in villages, For the multitude of men and of cattle within her. A wall of fire round about; And glory will I be § within her. * Hebi. and in his hand. † a line of measuring. for glory. Or, in the midst of 1. a man] An angel in the form of a.man; who advanced forward, v. 3, to meet the angel that talked with the prophet. 3. unto him] For eleven MSS. five ed. and Keri, אליו have 4. young man] See Jer. ii. 6; where we should translate youth, instead of child. -in villages] It shall overflow with inhabitants, who shall occupy spaces beyond the circuit of the walls. A city is then said to be inhabited xara xwas vicatim. That this was fact with regard to Jerusalem, sce Jos. B. J. v. iv. 2. p. 328: where we learn that "the city, overflowing with its number of inhabitants, by degrees extended itself beyond its walls;" and that Herod Agrippa fortified the new part called Bezetha. Vitringa. "Or, shall inhabit villages. See Isai. xlix. 19, 20." Secker. 5. A wall of fire] This most sublime image strongly expresses the protection of the Deity. It must have reminded the Jews of the pillar of fire, by which God directed and defended their ancestors. -glory]. So y, a people, v. 11. See also c. viii. 8. An allusion to the symbol of the divine presence in the Holy of Holies. Rom. ix. 4. Vitringa refers the literal completion of this prophecy to the time of the Maccabees; but thinks that the protection and glory of the future Jerusalem may also be predicted. Apoc. xx. 9. S S |