Zechariah 2 Explained

Zechariah 2 is the second of the 14 chapters in the Book of Zechariah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Zechariah, and is a part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets. This chapter is a part of a section (so-called "First Zechariah") consisting of Zechariah 1–8. It records the third of eight visions received by the prophet (verses 1–5), followed by an oracle calling the exiles to return to the city where Yahweh is about to dwell and all nations will come (verses 6–13).

Text

The original text was written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 13 verses in English Bibles. The Hebrew Bible uses different "verse numbering" (see below).

Verse numbering

There are some differences in verse numbering of this chapter in English Bibles and Hebrew texts:^{[1] [2]}

English	Hebrew
1:18-21	2:1-4
2:1-13	2:5-17

This article generally follows the common numbering in Christian English Bible versions, with notes to the numbering in Hebrew Bible versions.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Codex Cairensis (from year 895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 4Q80 (4QXII^e; 75–50 BCE) with extant verses 6–10 (verses 10–14 in Masoretic verse numbering).^[3]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;

ak{G} ^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ak{G} ^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ak{G} ^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ak{G} ^Q; 6th century). Some fragments containing parts of this chapter (a revision of the Septuagint) were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, i.e., Naḥal Ḥever 8Ḥev1 (8ḤevXII^gr); late 1st century BCE) with extant verses 3-5, 7-8, 12-13 (verses 7–9, 11–12, 16–17 in Masoretic verse numbering).^[3]

Vision of the measuring line (2:1–5; Hebrew 2:5–9)

This section records Zechariah's third of eight visions which describes the 'unlimited size of the restored city (cf. 49:19–21 9) assuring the people that God's glory will be in there (cf. 43:1–5 9; 2:9 9) and God will protect them like in the past (13:21 9).

Future joy of Zion and many nations (2:6–13; Hebrew 2:10–17)

The oracle in this part urges the exiles who are still in Babylon to return to Zion, for God will dwell in that city and other nations will come.

Verse 10

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion:

for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee,

saith the Lord.^[4]

• "Lo, I come": Septuagint: Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἔρχομαι; in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ is called Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ὁ ἐρχόμενος, "he who comes" (11:3 KJV).
• "Dwell in the midst of thee": alluded in the Gospel of John: "The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us" and in the Book of Revelation: "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and shall be their God" . Thus, it refers primarily at Messiah's first advent (40:7 9; ; 2:9 9; 3:16 9); yet more fully at the second advent (40:10 9; cf., 12:6 9; 37:27 9; 3:14 9). God dwells spiritually in his people (6:16 9), alluding the constant presence of Jesus Christ in his churches.^[5]

Verse 11

And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day,

and shall be my people:

and I will dwell in the midst of thee,

and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.^[6]

• "Many nations shall be joined to the Lord": ("shall be joined" = "shall join themselves"); "shall fly for refuge unto the Lord" (Septuagint); "cleaving to Him by a close union". Isaiah speaks about 'single proselytes' in 56:3-6 9, whereas Jeremiah uses 'the word of Israel's self-exhortation' when they return from Babylon, that "going and weeping," they shall go and seek the Lord their God, saying, "Come and let us join ourselves unto the Lord, in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten" 50:4-5 9.^[7]
• "My people": or "unto me for a people"; Septuagint: "shall be unto him for a people" (cf. 8:20 9). Many nations who will become "the Lord's people" share that title with people of Israel (cf. 2:2, 3 9; 11:10 9; 4:2 9; 2:11 9),^[8]
• "Sent me unto thee": an addition of "unto thee" to the same formula (2:9 9). Here YHWH first says, "I will dwell," then says that YHWH "sent", thus, 'YHWH the Sender and YHWH the Sent must be One'^[9]

See also

• Related Bible parts: Isaiah 2, Isaiah 11, Micah 4, Zephaniah 2, Haggai 1, Haggai 2, Zechariah 1, Zechariah 3, Zechariah 4, Zechariah 5, Zechariah 6, John 1, Revelation 21

Sources

• Book: Boda , Mark J. . The Book of Zechariah. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. R. K.. Harrison. Robert L.. Hubbard, Jr. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. 2016. 978-0802823755.
• Book: Collins , John J. . John J. Collins

. John J. Collins. Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Fortress Press. 2014. 9781451469233 .

• Book: Coogan, Michael David. Michael D. Coogan

. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 9780195288810 .

• Book: Fitzmyer, Joseph A.. Joseph Fitzmyer

. A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. Joseph Fitzmyer . William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 2008. 9780802862419. Grand Rapids, MI .

• Book: Hayes , Christine . Christine Hayes

. Christine Hayes. Introduction to the Bible. Yale University Press. 2015. 978-0300188271 .

• Book: Larkin, Katrina J. A. . 37. Zechariah . The Oxford Bible Commentary . John . Barton . John Barton (theologian) . John. Muddiman . John Muddiman . Oxford University Press . first (paperback) . 2007 . 610–615 . 978-0199277186 . February 6, 2019 .
• Encyclopedia: Mason . Rex . Zechariah, The Book of. . Metzger . Bruce M . Bruce M. Metzger . Coogan . Michael D . The Oxford Companion to the Bible . Oxford University Press . 1993 . 978-0195046458 . registration .
• Book: Ulrich. Eugene . Eugene Ulrich. The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants. 2010. Brill.
• Book: Würthwein, Ernst . Ernst Würthwein

. Ernst Würthwein . The Text of the Old Testament . Wm. B. Eerdmans . Grand Rapids, MI . 1995 . Erroll F.. Rhodes . 0-8028-0788-7 . January 26, 2019 .

External links

Jewish

• Zechariah 2 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Zechariah 2 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

Christian

• Zechariah 2 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate

Notes and References

1. http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/15199-zechariah-book-of Zechariah, Book of
2. http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/zec2.pdf Interlinear Hebrew-English Old Testament - Zechariah 2
3. http://thewaytoyahuweh.com/research/dead-sea-scrolls/#zechariah Dead sea scrolls – Zechariah
4. 2:10 KJV KJV or 2:14 HE Hebrew Bible
5. [John Gill (theologian)|Gill, John]
6. 2:11 KJV KJV or 2:15 HE Hebrew Bible
7. [Albert Barnes (theologian)|Barnes, Albert]
8. Exell, Joseph S.; Spence-Jones, Henry Donald Maurice (editors). The Pulpit Commentary. "Zechariah 2". First publication: 1890.
9. Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, Andrew Robert; Brown, David. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary On the Whole Bible. "Zechariah 2". 1871.