the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Zechariah 1:21
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I asked him, "What are these four workers coming to do?" He said, "The horns represent the nations that attacked the people of Judah and forced them to go to foreign countries. The horns ‘threw' the people of Judah to the foreign countries. The horns didn't show mercy to anyone. But these four workers have come to frighten the horns and throw them away."
And I said, "What are these coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah so that no one lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to frighten them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it."
I asked, "What are they coming to do?" He answered, "They have come to scare and throw down the horns. These horns scattered the people of Judah so that no one could even lift up his head. These horns stand for the nations that attacked the people of Judah and scattered them."
Then I said, What do these come to do? And he spoke, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spoke, saying, These [are] the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head: but these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted [their] horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
I asked, "What are these [horns and craftsmen] coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns (powers) that have scattered Judah so that no man raised up his head [because of the suffering inflicted by the Gentile nations]. But these craftsmen have come to terrify them and make them panic, and throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it."
And I said, "What are these coming to do?" He said, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."
Then I asked, "What are these coming to do?" He said, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."
And Y seide, What comen these for to do? Which spak, seiynge, These ben the hornes, that wyndewiden Juda bi alle men, and no man of hem reiside his heed; and these camen for to make hem aferd, that thei caste doun the hornes of hethene men, which reisiden horn on the lond of Juda, for to scatere it.
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
"What are these coming to do?" I asked. And He replied, "These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
Then I said, What have these come to do? And he said, These are the horns which sent Judah in flight, and kept him from lifting up his head: but these men have come to send fear on them and to put down the nations who are lifting up their horns against the land of Judah to send it in flight.
In the eighth month of the second year of Daryavesh, the following message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: " Adonai was extremely angry with your ancestors. Therefore, tell them that Adonai -Tzva'ot says this: ‘"Return to me," says Adonai -Tzva'ot, "and I will return to you," says Adonai -Tzva'ot. "Don't be like your ancestors. The earlier prophets proclaimed to them, ‘ Adonai -Tzva'ot says to turn back now from your evil ways and deeds'; but they didn't listen or pay attention to me," says Adonai . "Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my laws, which I ordered my servants the prophets, overtook your ancestors, didn't they? Then they turned and said, ‘ Adonai has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he intended to do.'"'" On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Sh'vat, in the second year of Daryavesh, this message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: It was night, and I saw there before me a man riding on a russet-colored horse. He stood among the myrtle bushes in the valley; and behind him were other horses, russet, chestnut-colored and white. I asked, "What are these, my Lord?" The angel speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." The man standing among the myrtles said, "These are those whom Adonai has sent to wander throughout the earth." Then they themselves answered the angel of Adonai standing among the myrtles, "We have been wandering throughout the earth, and the whole world is quiet and at peace." The angel of Adonai said, " Adonai -Tzva'ot, how long will you keep withholding mercy from Yerushalayim and the cities of Y'hudah? You've been angry with them for the past seventy years!" Adonai replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. The angel speaking with me then said to me, "Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘I am extremely jealous on behalf of Yerushalayim and Tziyon; and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.' Therefore Adonai says, ‘I will return to Yerushalayim with merciful deeds. My house will be rebuilt there,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot; ‘yes, a measuring line will be stretched out over Yerushalayim.' In addition, proclaim that Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity.' Adonai will again comfort Tziyon, and he will again make Yerushalayim the city of his choice."
And I said, What come these to do? And he spoke, saying, Those are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these are come to affright them, to cast out the horns of the nations, which lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="zec.1.1" class="versetxt"> In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: 'The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Return unto Me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings; but they did not hear, nor attend unto Me, saith the LORD. Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? But My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? so that they turned and said: Like as the LORD of hosts purposed to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath He dealt with us.' Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying-- I saw in the night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white. Then said I: 'O my lord, what are these?' And the angel that spoke with me said unto me: 'I will show thee what these are.' And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees answered and said: 'These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.' And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle-trees, and said: 'We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.' Then the angel of the LORD spoke and said: 'O LORD of hosts, how long wilt Thou not have compassion on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which Thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? And the LORD answered the angel that spoke with me with good words, even comforting words-- so the angel that spoke with me said unto me: 'Proclaim thou, saying: Thus saith the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy; and I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped for evil. Therefore thus saith the LORD: I return to Jerusalem with compassions: My house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem. Again, proclaim, saying: Thus saith the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.'
Then said I, What come these to doe? And hee spake, saying, These are the hornes which haue scattered Iudah, so that no man did lift vp his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles, which lift vp their horne ouer the land of Iudah to scatter it.
"What are these men coming to do?" I asked. The angel replied, "These four horns—these nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them."
I said, "What are these coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns which have sent the people of Judah everywhere, so that no man raised his head. But these workmen have come to make them afraid and to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah so the people would be sent everywhere."
And I asked, "What are they coming to do?" He answered, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no head could be raised; but these have come to terrify them, to strike down the horns of the nations that lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people."
Then said I, What come these to doe? And he answered, and said, These are the hornes, which haue scattered Iudah, so that a man durst not lift vp his head: but these are come to fray them, and to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles, which lift vp their horne ouer the land of Iudah, to scatter it.
Then I said, What are these coming to do? And he said to me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to frighten and to uproot the horns of the Gentiles who lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
And I said, What are these coming in to do? And he spake, saying, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head, but these others have come in to put them in fear, to cast down the horns of the nations, the which have lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter her.
And I said: What come these to do? and he spoke, saying: These are the horns which have scattered Juda every man apart, and none of them lifted up his head: and these are come to fray them, to cast down the horns of the nations, that have lifted up the horn upon the land of Juda to scatter it.
And I said, "What are these coming to do?" He answered, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man raised his head; and these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."
Then saide I: what wyll these do? He aunswered & said: These are the hornes which haue scattered Iuda, so that no man durst lyft vp his head: but these are come to fray them away, and to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles which lyft vp their horne ouer the lande of Iuda to scatter it abroade.
And I said, What are these coming to do? And he said, These are the horns that scattered Juda, and they broke Israel in pieces, and none of them lifted up his head: and these are come forth to sharpen them for their hands, even the four horns, the nations that lifted up the horn against the land of the Lord to scatter it.
I asked, "What have they come to do?" He answered, "They have come to terrify and overthrow the nations that completely crushed the land of Judah and scattered its people."
I asked, “What are they coming to do?”
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
and I asked, "What are these coming to do?" And he answered, saying, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to frighten them, to strike down the horns of the nations that lifted a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."
And I said, What are these coming to do? And He spoke, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifts up his head. But these have come to terrify them,to throw down the horns of the nations wholifted up their horn over the land of Judah, to scatter it.
And I say, `What [are] these coming in to do?' And He speaketh, saying: `These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, so that no one hath lifted up his head, and these come in to trouble them, to cast down the horns of the nations who are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah -- to scatter it.'
Then sayde I: what wil these do? He answered, & sayde: Those are the hornes, which haue so strowed Iuda abrode, that no man durst lift vp his heade: But these are come to fraye them awaye, and to cast out ye hornes of the Gentiles, which lift vp their horne ouer the londe of Iuda, to scatre it abrode.
I asked, "And what are these all about?" He said, "Since the ‘horns' scattered Judah so badly that no one had any hope left, these blacksmiths have arrived to combat the horns. They'll dehorn the godless nations who used their horns to scatter Judah to the four winds."
I asked, "What are these going to do?" He answered, "These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah's enemies and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people."
21 And I said, "What are these coming to do?" So he said, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but the craftsmen [fn] are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."
I said, "What are these coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it."
And I said, "What are these coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to cause them to tremble, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
These are the: Zechariah 1:19, Daniel 12:7
fray: That is, to terrify, or affright, from the French effrayer.
which: Psalms 75:4, Psalms 75:5, Lamentations 2:17
Reciprocal: Psalms 75:10 - All the horns Zechariah 9:13 - bent Zechariah 10:4 - of him came forth
Cross-References
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
God said, "Let the eretz bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, creeping things, and animals of the eretz after their kind," and it was so.
God made the animals of the eretz after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.
God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the eretz, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the eretz."
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Of the birds after their kind, of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive.
they, and every animal after its kind, all the cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the eretz after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort.
Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps on the eretz; that they may breed abundantly in the eretz, and be fruitful, and multiply on the eretz."
Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the eretz, after their families, went forth out of the teivah.
Be fruitful, and multiply. Bring forth abundantly in the eretz, and multiply in it."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then said I, What come these to do?.... That is, these four carpenters; for, being artificers or workmen, as the Targum renders the word, the prophet concluded there was some work for them to do:
And he spake, saying; meaning the angel that talked with him, and interpreted the visions to him:
These [are] the horns which have scattered Judah; not that the carpenters were the horns, for these two are distinct from, and opposite to, one another. The words should rather be rendered, "these horns which have scattered Judah", as before said, Zechariah 1:19:
so that no man did lift up his head; or, as the Targum paraphrases it, "did not suffer" (a man) "to go with an erect stature"; but, through oppression, sorrow, and misery, was obliged to stoop, and bow, and hang down his head:
but these are come to fray them; these carpenters are come to frighten the horns, to put terror into those kings and kingdoms;
to cast out the horns of the Gentiles; to destroy their kingdoms, and take away their power from them:
which lifted up [their] horns over the land of Judah to scatter it: who make use of their power, and do harm to the people of Israel, and triumph and insult over them; see Psalms 75:4 all which may be applied to the ministers of the Gospel, who are workmen; and whose business it is to fight or terrify the horns, wicked men, even men in power, the enemies of Christ's church and people; by their preaching, which has made a Felix to tremble; by their prayers, which they have been more afraid of than an army of men, as Mary queen of Scots said of the prayers of John Knox; and by their good lives and conversations, which made Herod stand in fear of John the Baptist; nay, even they have been a terror to the devil himself, and have been the means of casting him, and his principalities and powers, out of the Gentile world, and out of both the bodies and souls of men; and of casting down the strong holds of sin, and of breaking in pieces the kingdom and interest of Satan, and of building up the churches of Christ; the work of these spiritual carpenters is to cut down men, comparable to strong, sturdy, and lofty trees, for the pride and haughtiness of their hearts, the stiffness and stubbornness of their wills, and for their show of goodliness and beauty: this is done by the ministry of the word, the cutting doctrines of it, accompanied with the Spirit and power of God; as it is said, "I have hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by, the words of my mouth", Hosea 6:5 whereas, when before, they grew up and stood on their own bottom, their morality, civility, and works of righteousness; now they are cut down, and die to all these things, as to any hope of salvation by them; and then, as the carpenter smooths and planes a timber he has hewed, and fitly frames it together, and joints it in, and lays it on a good foundation; so do Gospel ministers, as instruments in the hands of God, after hewing and cutting work through the ministration of the law, the killing letter, and which works wrath; speak comfortably to such souls, by directing them to the blood and righteousness of Christ for pardon of sin and justification of life; and ministerially lay them in the spiritual building, the church; or advise and exhort them to submit to the ordinances of Christ, and join themselves to Gospel churches; and, above all things, instruct them to build on Christ, the sure foundation in Zion; and ministerially lay him as the alone foundation to build upon for life and salvation, and not upon any works of righteousness done by them; and put them upon walking according to the line and rule of the divine word, in matters of worship, discipline, and conversation: and as there were in the first times of the Gospel many such builders, and have been more or less since; so there will be many more in the latter day, who will be very successfully employed in building, repairing, and beautifying the church of God; see Isaiah 58:12. Some by the four carpenters understand Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, and Nehemiah; and so, by the four horns, those that opposed them in building the city and temple, as Rehum, Shimshai, Sanballat, and Tobiah; but these seem too inferior governors to be signified by horns; nor did they do what is here ascribed to them; rather their nations, Samaritans, Arabians, Ammonites, and Philistines, are meant.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Zechariah 1:21. These are come to fray them — To break, pound, and reduce them to powder. Fray, from the French, frayer, to rub. ×רש×× charashim signifies either carpenters or smiths; probably the latter are here intended, who came with hammers, files, and such like, to destroy these horns, which no doubt seemed to be of iron.
From a sensible correspondent I have received the following note: -
"The word we translate carpenters, ×רש×× charashim, is a root which, according to Mr. Parkhurst, denotes silent thought or attention; and in kal and hiphil, to contrive, devise secretly, or in silence; hence applied as a noun to an artificer of any kind, and to any work which disposes to silent attention. Thus, to potters' ware, Leviticus 6:28; Job 2:8; and in many other places. So also to ploughing, Deuteronomy 22:10; Proverbs 20:4, which requires constant attention to make 'the right-lined furrow.' Let it be remembered that in ancient times such works were more esteemed than the useless ones we have learned to admire. So again, in Genesis 24:21, and elsewhere, it implies to be silent, as in deep thought or great attention.
"Now it is evident that the purport of this vision is the same with the gracious declarations which precede it, viz., to express the return of the protecting mercies of God to his people, delivering them from their enemies. I should therefore be inclined to render ×רש×× charashim here, watchers or inspectors, in the sense which our translators have rendered the Chaldee ×¢×ר ir, a watcher, in the fourth chapter of Daniel, Daniel 4:13; understanding thereby 'spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth,' Zechariah 6:5, and are described in the first vision as 'sent to walk to and fro through the earth.' This gives to the whole narrative a sublime and important sense, affording us some glimpse of the Divine government by the ministration of angels, such as Jacob was favoured with in his vision at Beth-el, and which our Saviour himself informed Nathanael constituted part of the glory of his mediatorial kingdom." - M. A. B.
