1.
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
In the eighth month, &c. Zechariah's first prophecy is dated (Zechariah 1:1 ) "in the eighth month in the second year of Darius" (Hystaspis) (410 b. c.) ; sixteen years after the Decree of Cyrus. It thus comes midway between Haggai's second and third messages. See notes on Haggai 1:1-10 .
Modern critics first assume that the day ought to be named, and then further assume that it has "fallen out accidentally"!
Darius. Darius (Hystaspis). See App-57 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 ,
Zechariah = Remembered of Jehovah.
Berechiah = Blessed of Jehovah. Compare Matthew 23:35 . This prophet would be the one referred to by the Lord, unless the father of the Zechariah of 2 Chronicles 24:20 , 2 Chronicles 24:21 had more than one name, which was sometimes the ease. See Esau's wives (Genesis 26:34 ; Genesis 28:9 ; Genesis 36:2 , Genesis 36:3 ). The latter would be the last (and Abel the first in the O.T.), according to the place of Chronicles in the Hebrew Canon (see App-1 ).
son. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6 , for descendant.
Iddo . See Ezra 5:1 ; Ezra 6:14 .Nehemiah 12:4 .Nehemiah 12:16 .
2.
The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
sore displeased. Hebrew displeased with a displeasure. Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6 . See note on Genesis 26:28 .
your fathers. Compare verses: Zechariah 1:4 , Zechariah 1:6 ,
3.
Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
saith = hath said.
the LORD of hosts. Hebrew. Jehovah. Zebbaioth. App-4 . This title occurs fifty-three times in this book, forty-four times in chs. 1-8, and nine times in chs. 9-14. It is characteristic of this book twenty-nine times it is with the verbs saith or speaketh. All are referred to in the notes.
Turn = Return. Note the Figure of speech Epimone ( App-6 ), in verses: Zechariah 1:3-6 , in which the fact is emphasised by dwelling upon it as the cause of all Jehovah's displeasure.
saith the LORD of hosts = [is] the oracle of Jehovah Sabaioth.
4.
Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.
the former prophets : i.e. Joshua to 2 Kings. See App-1 and App-78 .
evil = wicked. Hebrew. raa `. App-44 .
saith = hath said.
saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.
5.
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
where are they? This in contrast with the words of Jehovah, which endure forever (Zechariah 1:6 ). Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
6.
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
take hold of = overtake. Compare Deuteronomy 28:15 , Deuteronomy 28:45 .
said. See Lamentations 1:18 .
7.
Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
Upon , &c. See note on p. 1280.
eleventh month . Three months after Zechariah 1:1 .
8.
I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
I saw , &c. In this first of the eight visions (Zechariah 1:8 - Zechariah 6:15 ) Israel is in dispersion; the Gentiles are in possession at the time of the end. Jehovah is about to interfere on behalf of Jerusalem (verses: Zechariah 1:16 , Zechariah 1:17 . Isaiah 40:1-5 ).
man . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . This man is the "Adonai "of Zechariah 1:9 , and "the angel of Jehovah" of verses: Zechariah 1:11 , Zechariah 1:12 , as the prophet discovers from the "man's" answer. The riders of Zechariah 1:8 report to the angel (Zechariah 1:11 ).
among = between.
bottom = the shade i.e. between the two mountains of Zechariah 6:1 .
horses. Representing all earthly dynasties.
speckled = bay.
9.
Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
my lord. Hebrew. Adonai . App-4 .
angel . See verses: Zechariah 1:11 , Zechariah 1:12 , Zechariah 1:13 , Zechariah 1:14 , Zechariah 1:19 ; Zechariah 2:3 ; Zechariah 4:1 , Zechariah 4:5 ; Zechariah 5:10 ; Zechariah 6:4 , Zechariah 6:5 .
be = are.
10.
And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
11.
And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
12.
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
mercy = compassion, or pity. Compare Zechariah 7:9 . Psalms 102:13 .Isaiah 14:1 ; Isaiah 49:13 .
Jerusalem. Not the "Church".
threescore and ten. See Daniel 9:2 , and notes on 2 Chronicles 36:21 .
13.
And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
answered. See note on Deuteronomy 1:41 . Jehovah Himself now speaks.
14.
So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15.
And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
heathen = nations.
at ease = indifferent (Isaiah 32:9 , Isaiah 32:11 .Amos 6:1; Amos 6:1 ).
affliction = calamity. Hebrew. raa '. App-44 . Compare Isaiah 47:11 .Jeremiah 44:11 .
16.
Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
shall be built in it . The Temple therefore had not yet been commenced.
a line shall be stretched, &c. f. e. a measuring-line. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the whole work of building. Compare Zechariah 2:1 , Zechariah 2:2 .
17.
Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
comfort = pity, or have compassion on; as mercy" in Zechariah 1:12 .
18.
Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
four horns : "horns" being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the Gentile (Zechariah 1:21 ) powers signified by thorn.
19.
And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. With 'eth pre- fixed to the first two (not Jerusalem) for emphasis, so that we may not confuse them with the Church or with Gentile peoples. There is no "gloss", as alleged.
20.
And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.
shewed me. This is part of the second vision,
carpenters = (iron)smiths.
21.
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
he : i.e. the angel,
these : i.e. these four smiths (or it may denote the supernatural princes over the kingdoms). They repre sent the Divine agencies raised up, by which Jehovah will overthrow them.
fray. Short for affray-to terrify; hence English, afraid and affright. So the Hebrew harad = terrify. put in consternation (Hebrew. Hiphil, causative). Compare Zephaniah 3:13 .
them : i.e. the kingdoms represented by the horns.
Gentiles = nations.