2:6 “You there! 1 Flee from the northland!” says the Lord, “for like the four winds of heaven 2 I have scattered you,” says the Lord.
13:1 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty 6 of David and the people of Jerusalem 7 to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 8
1 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
2 tn Or “of the sky.” The same Hebrew term, שָׁמַיִם (shamayim), may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
3 sn The vision apparently describes two olive trees providing olive oil by pipes to a large basin atop the menorah. From this basin two pipes extend to each of the seven lamps of the menorah, for a total of fourteen pipes in all. See vv. 11-12.
4 tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV, CEV).
5 sn The land of Babylonia (Heb “the land of Shinar”) is another name for Sumer and Akkad, where Babylon was located (Gen 10:10). Babylon throughout the Bible symbolizes the focus of anti-God sentiment and activity (Gen 11:4; 14:1; Isa 13–14; 47:1-3; Jer 50–51; Rev 14:8; 17:1, 5, 18; 18:21).
6 tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV), referring to dynastic descendants.
7 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
8 tn Heb “for sin and for impurity.” The purpose implied here has been stated explicitly in the translation for clarity.
sn This reference to the fountain opened up…to cleanse them from sin and impurity is anticipatory of the cleansing from sin that lies at the heart of the NT gospel message (Rom 10:9-10; Titus 3:5). “In that day” throughout the passage (vv. 1, 2, 4) locates this cleansing in the eschatological (church) age (John 19:37).
9 sn In the evening there will be light. The normal pattern is that light breaks through in the morning (Gen 1:3) but in the day of the