Zechariah 1:14

1:14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much moved ¹  for Jerusalem and for Zion.

Zechariah 1:19

1:19 So I asked the angelic messenger ²  who spoke with me, “What are these?” He replied, “These are the horns ³  that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” ⁴ 

Zechariah 2:5-6

2:5 But I (the Lord says) will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem ⁵  and the source of glory in her midst.’”

2:6 “You there! ⁶  Flee from the northland!” says the Lord, “for like the four winds of heaven ⁷  I have scattered you,” says the Lord.

Zechariah 3:1

Vision Four: The Priest

3:1 Next I saw Joshua the high priest ⁸  standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan ⁹  standing at his right hand to accuse him.

Zechariah 4:12

4:12 Before he could reply I asked again, “What are these two extensions ¹⁰  of the olive trees, which are emptying out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?”

Zechariah 8:7

8:7 “The Lord who rules over all asserts, ‘I am about to save my people from the lands of the east and the west.

Zechariah 8:17

8:17 Do not plan evil in your hearts against one another. Do not favor a false oath – these are all things that I hate,’ says the Lord.”

Zechariah 9:11

9:11 Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

Zechariah 10:9

10:9 Though I scatter ¹¹  them among the nations, they will remember in far-off places – they and their children will sprout forth and return.

Zechariah 11:14

11:14 Then I cut the second staff “Binders” in two in order to annul the covenant of brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Zechariah 12:2

12:2 “I am about to make Jerusalem ¹²  a cup that brings dizziness ¹³  to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged.

Zechariah 13:6

13:6 Then someone will ask him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ ¹⁴  and he will answer, ‘Some that I received in the house of my friends.’

---

¹ tn Heb “jealous for” (so KJV, ASV); NIV, NRSV “very jealous for”; CEV “very protective of.” The meaning is that Jerusalem/Zion is the special object of God’s grace and purposes. This results in his unusual protection of his people, a protection not accorded others with whom he does not have such a close relationship.

² tn See the note on the expression “angelic messenger” in v. 9.

³ sn An animal’s horn is a common OT metaphor for military power (Pss 18:2; 75:10; Jer 48:25; Mic 4:13). The fact that there are four horns here (as well as four blacksmiths, v. 20) shows a correspondence to the four horses of v. 8 which go to four parts of the world, i.e., the whole world.

⁴ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁵ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ sn These are the scattered Jews of eschatological times (as the expression four winds of heaven makes clear) and not those of Zechariah’s time who have, for the most part, already returned by 520 b.c. This theme continues and is reinforced in vv. 10-13.

⁷ tn Or “of the sky.” The same Hebrew term, שָׁמַיִם (shamayim), may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

⁸ sn Joshua the high priest mentioned here is the son of the priest Jehozadak, mentioned also in Hag 1:1 (cf. Ezra 2:2; 3:2, 8; 4:3; 5:2; 10:18; Neh 7:7; 12:1, 7, 10, 26). He also appears to have been the grandfather of the high priest contemporary with Nehemiah ca. 445 b.c. (Neh 12:10).

⁹ tn The Hebrew term הַשָּׂטָן (hassatan, “the satan”) suggests not so much a personal name (as in almost all English translations) but an epithet, namely, “the adversary.” This evil being is otherwise thus described in Job 1 and 2 and 1 Chr 21:1. In this last passage the article is dropped and “the satan” becomes “Satan,” a personal name.

¹⁰ tn The usual meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁבֹּלֶת (shÿbolet) is “ears” (as in ears of grain). Here it probably refers to the produce of the olive trees, i.e., olives. Many English versions render the term as “branches,” but cf. NAB “tufts.”

¹¹ tn Or “sow” (so KJV, ASV). The imagery is taken from the sowing of seed by hand.

¹² map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

¹³ sn The image of a cup that brings dizziness is that of drunkenness. The Lord will force the nations to drink of his judgment and in doing so they will become so intoxicated by his wrath that they will stumble and become irrational.

¹⁴ tn Heb “wounds between your hands.” Cf. NIV “wounds on your body”; KJV makes this more specific: “wounds in thine hands.”

sn These wounds on your chest. Pagan prophets were often self-lacerated (Lev 19:28; Deut 14:1; 1 Kgs 18:28) for reasons not entirely clear, so this false prophet betrays himself as such by these graphic and ineradicable marks.