Zechariah 1:9
Context1:9 Then I asked one nearby, “What are these, sir?” The angelic messenger 1 who replied to me said, “I will show you what these are.”
Zechariah 1:14
Context1:14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much moved 2 for Jerusalem and for Zion.
Zechariah 1:19
Context1:19 So I asked the angelic messenger 3 who spoke with me, “What are these?” He replied, “These are the horns 4 that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 5
Zechariah 4:1
Context4:1 The angelic messenger 6 who had been speaking with me then returned and woke me, as a person is wakened from sleep.
Zechariah 6:5
Context6:5 The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits 7 of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
1 tn Heb “messenger” or “angel” (מַלְאָךְ, mal’akh). This being appears to serve as an interpreter to the prophet (cf. vv. 13, 14).
2 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.
3 tn See the note on the expression “angelic messenger” in v. 9.
4 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.
5 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
6 tn See the note on the expression “angelic messenger” in 1:9.
7 tn The Hebrew term translated “spirit” here may also be translated “wind” or “breath” depending on the context (cf. ASV, NRSV, CEV “the four winds of heaven”; NAB similar).