Verse 1

Zechariah 1:1-17. Introductory exhortation to repentance. The visions. The man among the myrtles: Comforting explanation by the angel, an encouragement to the Jews to build the city and temple: The four horns and four artificers.

See on Introduction.

Verse 2

God fulfilled His threats against your fathers; beware, then, lest by disregarding His voice by me, as they did in the case of former prophets, ye suffer like them. The special object Zechariah aims at is that they should awake from their selfish negligence to obey God‘s command to rebuild His temple (Haggai 1:4-8).

sore displeased — Hebrew, “displeased with a displeasure,” that is, vehemently, with no common displeasure, exhibited in the destruction of the Jews‘ city and in their captivity.

Verse 3

saith the Lord of hosts — a phrase frequent in Haggai and Zechariah, implying God‘s boundless resources and universal power, so as to inspire the Jews with confidence to work.

Turn ye unto me  …  and I will turn — that is, and then, as the sure consequence, “I will turn unto you” (Malachi 3:7; James 4:8; compare also Jeremiah 3:12; Ezekiel 18:30; Micah 7:19). Though God hath brought you back from captivity, yet this state will not last long unless ye are really converted. God has heavier scourges ready, and has begun to give symptoms of displeasure [Calvin]. (Haggai 1:6).

Verse 4

Be ye not as your fathers — The Jews boasted of their fathers; but he shows that their fathers were refractory, and that ancient example and long usage will not justify disobedience (2 Chronicles 36:15, 2 Chronicles 36:16).

the former prophets — those who lived before the captivity. It aggravated their guilt that, not only had they the law, but they had been often called to repent by God‘s prophets.

Verse 5

and the prophets, do they live for ever? — In contrast to “My words” (Zechariah 1:6), which “endure for ever” (1 Peter 1:25). “Your fathers have perished, as was foretold; and their fate ought to warn you. But you may say, The prophets too are dead. I grant it, but still My words do not die: though dead, their prophetical words from Me, fulfilled against your fathers, are not dead with them. Beware, then, lest ye share their fate.”

Verse 6

statutes — My determined purposes to punish for sin.

which I commanded my servants — namely, to announce to your fathers.

did they not take hold — that is, overtake, as a foe overtakes one fleeing.

they returned — Turning from their former self-satisfaction, they recognized their punishment as that which God‘s prophets had foretold.

thought to do — that is, decreed to do. Compare with this verse Lamentations 2:17.

our ways — evil ways (Jeremiah 4:18; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 23:2).

Verse 7

The general plan of the nine following visions (Zechariah 1:8-6:15) is first to present the symbol; then, on a question being put, to subjoin the interpretation. Though the visions are distinct, they form one grand whole, presented in one night to the prophet‘s mind, two or three months after the prophet‘s first commission (Zechariah 1:1).

Sebat — the eleventh month of the Jewish year, from the new moon in February to the new moon in March. The term is Chaldee, meaning a “shoot,” namely, the month when trees begin to shoot or bud.

Verse 8

by night — The Jews begin their day with sunset; therefore the night which preceded the twenty-fourth day of the month is meant (Zechariah 1:7).

a man — Jehovah, the second person of the Trinity, manifested in man‘s form, an earnest of the incarnation; called the “angel of Jehovah” (Zechariah 1:11, Zechariah 1:12), “Jehovah the angel of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1; compare Genesis 16:7 with Zechariah 1:13; Genesis 22:11 with Zechariah 1:12; Exodus 3:2 with Zechariah 1:4). Being at once divine and human, He must be God and man in one person.

riding — implying swiftness in executing God‘s will in His providence; hastening to help His people.

red horse — the color that represents bloodshed: implying vengeance to be inflicted on the foes of Israel (compare 2 Kings 3:22; Isaiah 63:1, Isaiah 63:2; Revelation 6:4); also fiery zeal.

among the myrtle trees — symbol of the Jewish Church: not a stately cedar, but a lowly, though fragrant, myrtle. It was its depressed state that caused the Jews to despond; this vision is designed to cheer them with better hopes. The uncreated angel of Jehovah‘s presence standing (as His abiding place, Psalm 132:14) among them, is a guarantee for her safety, lowly though she now be.

in the bottom — in a low place or bottom of a river; alluding to Babylon near the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, the scene of Judah‘s captivity. The myrtle delights in low places and the banks of waters [Pembellus]. Maurer translates, from a different root, “in a shady place.”

red horses — that is, horsemen mounted on red horses; Zechariah 1:10, Zechariah 1:11, confirm this view.

speckled  …  white — The “white” implies triumph and victory for Judah; “speckled” (from a root “to intertwine”), a combination of the two colors white and red (bay [Moore]), implies a state of things mixed, partly prosperous, partly otherwise [Henderson]; or, the connection of the wrath (answering to the “red”) about to fall on the Jews‘ foes, and triumph (answering to the “white”) to the Jews themselves in God‘s arrangements for His people [Moore]. Some angels (“the red horses”) exercised offices of vengeance; others (“the white”), those of joy; others (“the speckled”), those of a mixed character (compare Zechariah 6:2, Zechariah 6:3). God has ministers of every kind for promoting the interests of His Church.

Verse 9

the angel that talked with me — not the “man upon the red horse,” as is evident from Zechariah 1:10, where he (the Divine Angel) is distinguished from the “angel that talked with me” (the phrase used of him, Zechariah 1:13, Zechariah 1:14; Zechariah 2:3; Zechariah 4:1, Zechariah 4:4, Zechariah 4:5; Zechariah 5:5, Zechariah 5:10; Zechariah 6:4), that is, the interpreting angel. The Hebrew for “with me,” or, “in me” (Numbers 12:8), implies internal, intimate communication [Jerome].

show thee — reveal to thy mental vision.

Verse 10

answered — The “angel of the covenant” here gives the reply instead of the interpreting angel, to imply that all communications through the interpreting angel come from Him as their source.

Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth — If “Satan walks to and fro in the earth” (implying restless activity) on errands of mischief to God‘s people (Job 1:7), the Lord sends other angels to “walk to and fro” with unceasing activity everywhere to counterwork Satan‘s designs, and to defend His people (Psalm 34:7; Psalm 91:11; Psalm 103:20, Psalm 103:21; Hebrews 1:14).

Verse 11

is at rest.” The flourishing state of the heathen “earth,” while Judah was desolate and its temple not yet restored, is the powerful plea in the Divine Angel‘s intercession with God the Father in Zechariah 1:12. When Judah was depressed to the lowest point, and the heathen elated to the highest, it was time for Jehovah to work for His people.

sitteth still — dwells surely.

Verse 12

Not only does Messiah stand among His people (the “myrtles,” Zechariah 1:8), but intercedes for them with the Father (“Lord,” or “Jehovah of hosts”) effectively (Zechariah 1:13; Hebrews 7:25). Compare Psalm 102:13-20; Isaiah 62:6, Isaiah 62:7, as to Judah‘s restoration in answer to prayer.

answered and said — said in continuation of the discourse: proceeded to say.

how long — Messiah‘s people pray similarly to their Head. Revelation 6:10, “How long,” etc. Heretofore it was vain to pray, but now that the divinely appointed “threescore and ten years” (Jeremiah 25:11; Jeremiah 29:10) are elapsed, it is time to pray to Thee for the fulfillment of Thy promise, seeing that Thy grace is not yet fully manifested, nor Thy promise fulfilled. God‘s promises are not to make us slothful, but to quicken our prayers. Henderson, dating the seventy years from the destruction of Jerusalem (588 b.c.), supposes two years of the seventy had yet to run (520 b.c.).

Verse 13

the Lord — Jehovah, called “the angel of the Lord (Jehovah)” (Zechariah 1:12).

good words and comfortable words — literally, “words, consolations.” The subject of these consolatory words is stated in Zechariah 1:14, etc.; the promise of full re-establishment, Jeremiah 29:10, Jeremiah 29:11 (compare Isaiah 57:18; Hosea 11:8).

Verse 14

Cry — Proclaim so as to be heard clearly by all (Isaiah 40:6; Isaiah 58:1).

I am jealous for Jerusalem — As a husband jealous for his wife, wronged by others, so Jehovah is for Judah, who has been injured wantonly by the heathen (Zechariah 8:2; Numbers 25:11, Numbers 25:13; 1 Kings 19:10; Joel 2:18).

Verse 15

very sore displeased with the heathen — in contrast with “I was but a little displeased” with My people. God‘s displeasure with His people is temporary and for their chastening; with the heathen oppressors, it is final and fatal (Jeremiah 30:11). God‘s instruments for chastising His people, when He has done with them, He casts into the fire.

are at ease — carnally secure. A stronger phrase than “is at rest” (Zechariah 1:11). They are “at ease,” but as I am “sore displeased” with them, their ease is accursed. Judah is in “affliction,” but as I love her and am jealous for her, she has every reason to be encouraged in prosecuting the temple work.

helped forward the affliction — afflicted My people more than I desired. The heathen sought the utter extinction of Judah to gratify their own ambition and revenge (Isaiah 47:6; Ezekiel 25:3, Ezekiel 25:6; Obadiah 1:10-17).

Verse 16

I am returned — whereas in anger I had before withdrawn from her (Hosea 5:15).

with mercies — not merely of one kind, nor once only, but repeated mercies.

my house shall be built — which at this time (the second year of Darius, Zechariah 1:1) had only its foundations laid (Haggai 2:18). It was not completed till the sixth year of Darius (Ezra 6:15).

line — (Job 38:5). The measuring-line for building, not hastily, but with measured regularity. Not only the temple, but Jerusalem also was to be rebuilt (Nehemiah 2:3, etc.; compare Zechariah 2:1, Zechariah 2:2). Also, as to the future temple and city, Ezekiel 41:3; 42:1-44:31; Ezekiel 45:6.

Verse 17

yet — though heretofore lying in abject prostration.

My cities — not only Jerusalem, but the subordinate cities of Judah. God claims them all as peculiarly His, and therefore will restore them.

through prosperity  …  spread abroad — or overflow; metaphor from an overflowing vessel or fountain (compare Proverbs 5:16) [Pembellus]. Abundance of fruits of the earth, corn and wine, and a large increase of citizens, are meant; also spiritual prosperity.

comfort Zion — (Isaiah 40:1, Isaiah 40:2; Isaiah 51:3).

choose — (Zechariah 2:12; Zechariah 3:2; Isaiah 14:1). Here meaning, “show by acts of loving-kindness that He has chosen.” His immutable choice from everlasting is the fountain whence flow all such particular acts of love.

Verse 18

Zechariah 1:18-21. Second Vision. The power of the Jews foes shall be dissipated.

four horns — To a pastoral people like the Jews the horns of the strongest in the herd naturally suggested a symbol of power and pride of conscious strength: hence the ruling powers of the world (Revelation 17:3, Revelation 17:12). The number four in Zechariah‘s time referred to the four cardinal points of the horizon. Wherever God‘s people turned, there were foes to encounter (Nehemiah 4:7); the Assyrian, Chaldean, and Samaritan on the north; Egypt and Arabia on the south; Philistia on the west; Ammon and Moab on the east. But the Spirit in the prophet looked farther; namely, to the four world powers, the only ones which were, or are, to rise till the kingdom of Messiah, the fifth, overthrows and absorbs all others in its universal dominion. Babylon and Medo-Persia alone had as yet risen, but soon Graeco-Macedonia was to succeed (as Zechariah 9:13 foretells), and Rome the fourth and last, was to follow (Daniel 2:1-49; Daniel 7:1-28). The fact that the repairing of the evils caused to Judah and Israel by all four kingdoms is spoken of here, proves that the exhaustive fulfillment is yet future, and only the earnest of it given in the overthrow of the two world powers which up to Zechariah‘s time had “scattered” Judah (Jeremiah 51:2; Ezekiel 5:10, Ezekiel 5:12). That only two of the four had as yet risen, is an argument having no weight with us, as we believe God‘s Spirit in the prophets regards the future as present; we therefore are not to be led by Rationalists who on such grounds deny the reference here and in Zechariah 6:1 to the four world kingdoms.

Verse 19

Judah, Israel — Though some of the ten tribes of Israel returned with Judah from Babylon, the full return of the former, as of the latter, is here foretold and must be yet future.

Verse 20

four carpenters — or “artificers.” The several instrumentalities employed, or to be employed, in crushing the “Gentile” powers which “scattered” Judah, are hereby referred to. For every one of the four horns there was a cleaving “artificer” to beat it down. For every enemy of God‘s people, God has provided a counteracting power adequate to destroy it.

Verse 21

These are the horns — rather, Those, namely, the horns being distinguished from the “carpenters,” or destroying workmen (“skilful to destroy,” Exodus 21:31), intended in the “these” of the question.

no man  …  lift up his head — so depressed were they with a heavy weight of evils (Job 10:15).

to fray — to strike terror into them (Ezekiel 30:9).

lifted up  …  horn — in the haughtiness of conscious strength (Psalm 75:4, Psalm 75:5) tyrannizing over Judah (Ezekiel 34:21).