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Texts -- Zechariah 1:7-21 (NET)

Context
The Introduction to the Visions
1:7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month , the month Shebat , in Darius ’ second year , the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo , as follows :
The Content of the First Vision
1:8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in the ravine . Behind him were red , sorrel , and white horses .
The Interpretation of the First Vision
1:9 Then I asked one nearby, “What are these , sir ?” The angelic messenger who replied to me said , “I will show you what these are.” 1:10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said , “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk about on the earth .” 1:11 The riders then agreed with the angel of the Lord , who was standing among the myrtle trees , “We have been walking about on the earth , and now everything is at rest and quiet .” 1:12 The angel of the Lord then asked , “Lord who rules over all , how long before you have compassion on Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years ?” 1:13 The Lord then addressed good , comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me. 1:14 Turning to me, the messenger then said , “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says , ‘I am very much moved for Jerusalem and for Zion . 1:15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted . I was a little displeased with them , but they have only made things worse for themselves.
The Oracle of Response
1:16 “‘Therefore ,’ says the Lord , ‘I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all . ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem .’ 1:17 Speak up again with the message of the Lord who rules over all : ‘My cities will once more overflow with prosperity , and once more the Lord will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem .’”
Vision Two: The Four Horns
1:18 Once again I looked and this time I saw four horns . 1:19 So I asked the angelic messenger who spoke with me, “What are these ?” He replied , “These are the horns that have scattered Judah , Israel , and Jerusalem .” 1:20 Next the Lord showed me four blacksmiths . 1:21 I asked , “What are these going to do ?” He answered , “These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen . But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah’s enemies and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people.”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Angel

    [ebd] a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of...
    [nave] ANGEL. One of the Holy Trinity Trinitarian authorities interpret the Scriptures cited under this topic as referring to Christ, who according to this view was the divine presence in the wilderness. Called Angel, Acts 7:30, ...

  • ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF

    [isbe] ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF - 1. The Prophet 2. His Times and Mission 3. Contents and Analysis 4. The Critical Question Involved 5. The Unity of the Book 6. Conclusion LITERATURE Few books of the Old Testament are as difficult of int...

  • Amos

    [ebd] borne; a burden, one of the twelve minor prophets. He was a native of Tekota, the modern Tekua, a town about 12 miles south-east of Bethlehem. He was a man of humble birth, neither a "prophet nor a prophet's son," but "an he...

  • JOSHUA (3)

    [isbe] JOSHUA (3) - Son of Jehozadak (Hag 1:1,12,14; 2:2,4; Zec 3:1,3,6,8,9; 6:11 form (b)) and high priest in Jerusalem, called "Jeshua" in Ezra-Nehemiah. His father was among the captives at the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, and a...

  • Horn

    [ebd] Trumpets were at first horns perforated at the tip, used for various purposes (Josh. 6:4,5). Flasks or vessels were made of horn (1 Sam. 16:1, 13; 1 Kings 1:39). But the word is used also metaphorically to denote the project...
    [isbe] HORN - horn (Hebrew and Aramaic qeren; keras; for the "ram's horn" (yobhel) of Josh 6 see MUSIC, and for the "inkhorn" of Ezek 9 (qeceth) see separate article): (1) Qeren and keras represent the English "horn" exactly, wheth...
    [nave] HORN, used to hold the anointing oil, 1 Sam. 16:1; 1 Kin. 1:39. Used for a trumpet, See: Trumpet. Figurative Of divine protection, 2 Sam. 22:3. Of power, 1 Kin. 22:11; Psa. 89:24; 92:10; 132:17. Symbolical: Dan. 7:7-24; ...

  • Vision

    [nave] VISION, a mode of revelation, Num. 12:6; 1 Sam. 3:1; 2 Chr. 26:5; Psa. 89:19; Prov. 29:18; Jer. 14:14; 23:16; Dan. 1:17; Hos. 12:10; Joel 2:28; Obad. 1; Hab. 2:2; Acts 2:17. Of Abraham, concerning his descendants, Gen. 15:1-...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Myrtle

    [ebd] (Isa. 41:19; Neh. 8:15; Zech. 1:8), Hebrew hadas, known in the East by the name as, the Myrtus communis of the botanist. "Although no myrtles are now found on the mount (of Olives), excepting in the gardens, yet they still e...
    [isbe] MYRTLE - mur'-t'-l (hadhac; mursine (Isa 41:19; 55:13; Neh 8:15; Zec 1:8,10 f); also as a name in Hadassah in Est 2:7, the Jewish form of ESTHER (which see)): The myrtle, Myrtus communis (Natural Order Myrtaceae), is a very ...
    [smith] a plant mentioned in (Nehemiah 8:15; Isaiah 41:19; 55:13; Zechariah 1:8,10,11) The modern Jews still adorn with myrtle the booths and sheds at the feast of tabernacles. Formerly, as we learn from Nehemiah, (Nehemiah 8:15) myr...
    [nave] MYRTLE, Neh. 8:15; Isa. 41:19; 55:13; Zech. 1:8.

  • Prophets

    [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....

  • Iddo

    [ebd] (1.) Timely (1 Chr. 6:21). A Gershonite Levite. (2.) Lovely. The son of Zechariah (1 Chr. 27:21), the ruler of Manasseh in David's time. (3.) Timely. The father of Ahinadab, who was one of Solomon's purveyors (1 Kings 4:14)....
    [isbe] IDDO - id'-o: (1) ('iddo (?[~'adhadh, "to be strong"), "hap," "happy" (?), Ezr 8:17): The "chief at the place Casiphia," who provided Ezra with Levites and Nethinim, the head of the Levitical body or school, said to be one o...
    [smith] (timely or lovely). The father of Abinadab. (1 Kings 4:14) A descendant of Gershom, son of Levi. (1 Chronicles 6:21) Son of Zechariah, ruler of the tribe of Manasseh east of Jordan in the time of David. (1 Chronicle...
    [nave] IDDO 1. Father of Ahinadab, 1 Kin. 4:14. 2. A descendant of Gershom, 1 Chr. 6:21. 3. A son of Zechariah, 1 Chr. 27:21. 4. A prophet, 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22. 5. Ancestor of Zechariah, Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Zech. 1:1, 7. 6. ...

  • Zion

    [isbe] ZION - zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion): 1. Meaning of the Word 2. The Zion of the Jebusites 3. Zion of the Prophets 4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha 5. Omission of Name by Some Writers 6. The Name "Zion" in Christian T...
    [nave] ZION, called also Sion, stronghold of Jerusalem. Taken from the Jebusites by David, 2 Sam. 5:6-9; 1 Chr. 11:5-7. Called thereafter "the city of David,'' 2 Sam. 5:7, 9; 6:12, 16; 1 Kin. 8:1; 1 Chr. 11:5, 7; 15:1, 29; 2 Chr. 5...

  • GOD, 2

    [isbe] GOD, 2 - II. The Idea of God in the Old Testament. 1. Course of Its Development: Any attempt to write the whole history of the idea of God in the Old Testament would require a preliminary study of the literary and historical...

  • Sebat

    [ebd] the eleventh month of the Hebrew year, extending from the new moon of February to that of March (Zech. 1:7). Assyrian sabatu, "storm." (See MONTH.)
    [isbe] SEBAT - se-bat', se'-bat (Zec 1:7). See SHEBAT.
    [nave] SEBAT, the eleventh month (February), Zech. 1:7.

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Sorrel

    [isbe] SORREL - sor'-el: the Revised Version (British and American) in Zec 1:8 for "speckled." See COLORS.
    [nave] SORREL, a color, Zech. 1:8.

  • Month

    [smith] From the time of the institution of the Mosaic law downward the religious feasts commencing with the passover depended not simply on the month, but on the moon; the 14th of Abib was coincident with the full moon; and the new ...
    [nave] MONTH Ancient use of, Gen. 7:11; 8:4. Twelve months reckoned to a year, 1 Chr. 27:1-15. 1. Abib (April). The Jewish calendar began with, Ex. 12:2; 13:4; Deut. 16:1. Passover instituted and celebrated in, Ex. 12:1-28; 23:1...

  • Berechiah

    [smith] (blessed of Jehovah). A descendant of the royal family of Judah. (1 Chronicles 3:20) A man mentioned as the father of Meshullam, who assisted in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:4,30; 6:18) A Levite. (1 C...
    [nave] BERECHIAH 1. Father of Asaph, 1 Chr. 15:17, 23. Called Berachiah, 1 Chr. 6:39. 2. A warrior of Ephraim, 2 Chr. 28:12. 3. A brother of Zerubbabel, 1 Chr. 3:20. 4. Son of Asa, 1 Chr. 9:16. 5. Son of Iddo, Zech. 1:1, 7. 6...

  • Angel of the Lord

    [nave] ANGEL OF THE LORD Gen. 16:7, 9, 10, 11; 22:11, 15; Ex. 3:2; Num. 22:22; Judg. 2:1, 4; 5:23; 6:11; 13:3, 13; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Kin. 19:7; 2 Kin. 1:3, 15; 19:35; 1 Chr. 21:12, 15, 16, 18, 27, 30; 2 Chr. 32:21; Psa. 34:7; 35:5, 6...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • Graving

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. hatsabh. Job 19:24, rendered "graven," but generally means hewn stone or wood, in quarry or forest. (2.) Heb. harush. Jer. 17:1, rendered "graven," and indicates generally artistic work in metal, wood, and stone, e...
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Arts

Questions

  • Bible scholars and students are somewhat divided on this issue. I personally think he was a real man, who functions as a type of Christ. Scripture records no genealogical background (no mention of a father or mother) as with ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events of this book took place between those recorded in Ezra 6 and 7. They have nothing to do with the people who returned from exile in Babylon. They deal with those who remained behind. Remember the dates of the three ...
  • 34:1-3 David exulted in the Lord and called on his people to praise God with him.34:4-7 The psalmist's recent experience of God's answering his prayer for help and delivering him (vv. 4, 6) was only one example to him. Those ...
  • Again Isaiah presented the folly of simply going through a system of worship without changing one's attitudes and conduct, especially in relationships (1:10-20; cf. Zech. 1; Matt. 5-7). In chapter 1, God threatened His people...
  • Having given a true prophecy about the future, Jeremiah proceeded to announce God's judgment on the false prophets who were misleading His people with false prophecies (cf. v. 1). This section consists of six different messag...
  • Daniel is a book of prophecy."Among the great prophetic books of Scripture, none provides a more comprehensive and chronological prophetic view of the broad movement of history than the book of Daniel. Of the three prophetic ...
  • This section is a lament and is similar to many psalms of lament (e.g., Ps. 6:3; 10:1-13; 13:1-4; 22:1-21; 74:1-11; 80:4; 88; 89:46; cf. Jer. 12:4; Zech. 1:12).1:2 In prayer the prophet asked Yahweh "how long"would he have to...
  • The title of this book comes from its traditional writer, as is true of all the prophetical books of the Old Testament. The name "Zechariah"(lit. Yahweh remembers) was a common one among the Israelites identifying as many as ...
  • Zechariah's inspired preaching began in the eighth month of 520 B.C. (1:1). His eight night visions followed three months later in 520 B.C. (1:7), when he was a young man (2:4). He delivered the messages in chapters 7-8 in 51...
  • Zechariah began ministering among the Jews who had returned from captivity in Babylon (i.e., the restoration community) two months after Haggai began preaching (1:1; 7:1; cf. Neh. 12:10-16; Hag. 1:1). In a sense, Zechariah's ...
  • Zechariah consists of a combination of exhortations (sermon material), prophetic-apocalyptic visions, and oracles concerning eschatological salvation. Some of the oracles introduce or follow visions, and others stand alone. A...
  • "The shape' of a poem, the artistic arrangement of a book are instruments used by the Holy Spirit to convey His message."24In the case of Zechariah, there are three large chiastic sections (1:7-6:15; 7:1-8:19; and chs. 9-14)....
  • I. Introduction 1:1-6II. The eight night visions and four messages 1:7-6:8A. The horseman among the myrtle trees 1:7-171. The vision proper 1:7-152. The oracle about God's jealousy for Israel 1:16-17B. The four horns and the ...
  • That this pericope introduces the whole book seems clear since verse 7 introduces the eight night visions that follow it (1:7-6:8). Its content is also foundational to all that follows."It strikes the keynote of the entire bo...
  • Zechariah received eight apocalyptic visions in one night (1:7). As the text will show, they concerned God's purpose for the future of Israel, particularly Jerusalem, the seat of the Davidic dynasty and the site of the temple...
  • 1:7 Zechariah received another revelation from the Lord three months after his previous one in Darius' second year, 520 B.C.35"On the same day (24 Shebat), five months earlier, the rebuilding of the temple had been resumed (c...
  • This is the first of four oracles that appear within the visions that Zechariah saw. These were messages that the prophet was to deliver along with the revelation of the vision."The vision had lifted the veil which hides the ...
  • The second vision builds on the concept of comfort promised in the first vision (vv. 13, 17). Here we learn how God will execute His anger against the nations that excessively oppressed His people. The nations will meet with ...
  • In the first vision (1:7-17) God promised comfort to Israel. In the second (1:18-21) He explained that He would bring this comfort by punishing the nations that had afflicted Israel. In this third vision (ch. 2) He guaranteed...
  • 2:1-2 In the next scene of his vision, Zechariah saw a man (i.e., an angel who looked like a man) with a measuring line in his hand (cf. 1:11; 6:12; Ezek. 40:2-3). When the prophet asked him where he was going, he replied tha...
  • 2:10-11 The Israelites in Jerusalem and elsewhere were to rejoice because the Lord promised to intervene for them and to dwell among them. His return to Jerusalem would prompt the nations to come there and acknowledge Him as ...
  • 3:1 Zechariah's guiding angel next showed the prophet, in his vision, Joshua (lit. Yahweh saves), Israel's current high priest (6:11; Ezra 5:2; Neh. 7:7; Hag. 1:1), standing before the angel of the Lord (1:11-12). "The accuse...
  • 3:6-7 Then the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua. He promised, in the name of sovereign Yahweh, that if Joshua obeyed the Lord and served Him, Joshua would govern the temple, have charge of the temple courts, and enjoy free...
  • 4:8-9 Another word from the Lord also came to Zechariah about Zerubbabel. This appears to be another oracle that the writer inserted here because it is appropriate at this point. He promised that as Zerubbabel had laid the fo...
  • There are several similarities between this last vision and the first one (1:7-17) indicating a return to ideas introduced at the beginning of this chiastic series of revelations. Again there is a group of horses of various c...
  • The visions ended and Zechariah awoke from his dream-like state. What follows is a symbolic act that took place in Jerusalem at the Lord's command."The position of this actual ceremony after the eight visions is significant. ...
  • 7:1 Another prophetic message came to Zechariah from the Lord in 518 B.C. The fourth day of the ninth month would have been in early December. Chislev is the Babylonian name of the month. This message, which comprises the fol...
  • Chapter 8 not only contains two major messages from the Lord (vv. 1-17, 18-23) but 10 minor messages, "a decalogueof divine words,"155that make up the two major ones. "Thus says the Lord"introduces each of these minor message...
  • This part of Zechariah contains two undated oracles that are almost entirely eschatological. They expand the eschatological vision in chapters 1-8 and modify its generally optimistic view with emphasis on Israel's purificatio...
  • That another oracle is in view is clear from the question and answer format that begins this pericope, as it does the others. Verse 17 contains the question and answer, and the discussion follows in 3:1-6. The Israelites' cha...
  • 6:1 "I saw"marks the continuation of what John had seen that chapters 4 and 5 record, but also the commencement of revelation concerning future events on earth. Chapters 1-5 have introduced this revelation. John was an eyewit...
  • 6:3 When the Lamb broke the second seal on the scroll, John heard the second living creature order the second horseman forward.6:4 The red horse probably symbolizes bloodshed and war. The rider of this horse removes peace fro...
  • 8:2 John saw someone, perhaps God, give seven trumpets to a group of seven angels standing before the heavenly throne (cf. 1:4; 3:1; 8:6; 15:1). Exactly who these angels were is not clear. Some interpreters have identified th...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Your fathers, where are they! and the prophets, do they live for ever?. But My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers?'--Zechariah 1:5-8. ZECHARIAH was the Pr...
  • And the Angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 2. And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon t...
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