The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 62

8light <"lurni:,i in the word rendered "be.y" that the vision is one of judgment: and the in the Authorized Version, which would Spirit of the Lo1-d is 'a Spirit of judgmont cl\use it tn meRn "r<'d." The Syriao, indeed, e.ud vengeance (Isa. iv. 4), whioh destroys which omits the word in ver. 3, tmnele.tes evil that good m11y flourish. ii here bY "red." If we retain the Masoretic Vers. 9-15.-§ 11. A symbolical action- reading,'we must let this difficulty remain unsoll·Pd, and Enpposc that the Rngel the crowning of the high priest. 1,xploin• only part or the vision, leaving the Ver. 9.-The prooeding visions h11\'ing rest for the prophet's meditation. The blaok come to an end, they are now confirmed by horses whioh a.re therein ; literally, that a public act which should show the glory of ,cherei11 are tile black hor8es, they go fort},,, the future temple, the aocepte.uce of the etc.; which is equivalent to "the chariot members or the theocracy,and the King.and wherein are the black horses goeth forth." Priest who was to come. Ca.me unto me. So the Revised Yersion. The north oountry. This was probably on the morning after the Babylonii. (see note on eh. ii. 6). After night of visions, or as soon 11s be had them; /,ehind tl,em. The white horses go dirnlged them to the people. to the same quarter; and thus is indicated Ver. 10.--Take of them of the Captivity. the overwhelming destruction that wne The verb is iu the infinitive for the im- corning on Babylon, and the victory and perative, " take thou from the Captivity ; " triumph of the conquerors over it. The south what he is to take is noted in the next verse. country; i.e. Egypt (Isa. xi..--x. 6; De.n. xi. 5), " Those of the Captivity" are certain envoys another hostile power, also, perhaps, Edom sent by the Jews who still dwelt in B11bylon nnd Ethiopia. One cha.riot only is seen (Ezek. i. 1; iii. 11 ), bearing girts for the to go towards it, drawn by the speckled temple. These messengers the prophet wai! horses that denote e. mixed jndgment, to visit at the house of Josiah, their host. perhaps or war e.nd pestilence (see on ver. 3), Helde.i; or, Cheldai, in ver. 14 "Helem" or The north and south symbolize the whole 0 "Chelem," " The Enduring One" (Keil); earth and the powers hostile to the trne "The Lord's Word" (Pusey). The name Israel. • occurs in I Chron. xxvii. 15. Tobijah; "The Ver. 7.-The bay; rather, the strong, as Lord is good," a well-known name. Jedaiah; in \'er. 3; the horses in the fourth cha.riot, "God careth." The name is fourid in whose special mission needed peculiar powers. I Chron. ix. 10; xxiv. 7. The LXX. Septungint, oi ,j,apoC: but the Vnlgate, qui explains the names in symbolical fashion, erani robUBtusimi. Bought to go. These Ilapa TOJJ/ dpx&n,,111, Kal 1rapa 'TWP xp111riµ.wv agents desired o. wider sphere, and asked atlTijr, ttal 1rapO. 'T'~V E1rE-y11c,,K&Twv airrf,v, permission to extend their action, and to " From the chief men, and from its good walk to and fro through the earth. Famine men, and from those that have uuderetood and pestilence, which this chariot symbolizes, it." Which are oome from :Babylon. 'fhis come o.t dtiferent times e.nd in different clause in the Authorized Version is transposed places mysteriously and unexpectedly "as from its place in the Hebrew, which is at the arrows shot from the hand of God (Ezek. encl of the verse, where it refers to the house v. 16) on the objects of his displeasure" of Josiah, and should be rendered, " to (Alexander). LXX., Kal br,f3>.nro11 [S•, which," or "whither they have come from Kal €(7rrouv 1eal E1rEt,Ae,rovJ -roil wop~1JEu6a., Babylon." Septuagint, Tbv olK011 'lw1rCov ... -roii [A, K<U] ?rep,olieiicra.i -r:iw 'l'7i11, "And -roii ~Kov-.os iK Baf3v>.w11or, "The house of looked to go and compass the earth." Josiah ... who came from Babylon." The Ver. 8.-Then cried he upon me. The Be.me day. There was to be no delay; the angel cried a.loud (like e. here.Id announcing transaction was to be carried out "on that e. proclamation, J one.h iii 7), to call the day,'' the day made known to the prophet, prophet's attention to what was coming, and by himself in person. The house of Josiah which was of most immediate consequence the son of Zephaniah. He was, perhaps, to his people. This angel speaks as in the treasurer. At any rate, at hie house the en- person of God. Rave quieted my spirit; voys were entertained, and there were stored literal! y, ha'De caused my spirit to rest; the contributions which the Jews iu exile had LXX., lw,1rav1ra11 """ 6vµ.&11 µ.ov, "quieted sent to their brethren in Jerusalem. Josiah my anger," i.e. by satiating it. Many is the same person as Hen, according to commentators take the clause as equivalent the Authorized Version and the Vulgale, in to "hnvc ea.used my wrath to rest upon ver. 14 (where see note). He was probably the land" (comp. John iii. 36), referring to son of the Zepl.mniah mentioned in 2 Kings Judg. viii. 3; Prov. xvi. 32; Eccles. x. 4, :xxv. 18 as in the second rank of priests for the use of the word "spirit" (rua,ch) in among those who were deported to Babylon tLe sense of "anger." Others see here an (comp. Jer. xxi. I; xxxvii. 3). intimation of mercy and grace to the Jews Ver. 11.-Bilver and gold. That which 11till resident in Babylonia. But it ill plain had been brought from Babylon. However OII, VJ, 1-15,] THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH. 59