AND HE. — Probably, the angel-interpreter. JOSHUA. — The various forms of this name, that of the Saviour of the world, are well worth noticing. The oldest form of the word is that used here, _Yehoshua_‘_,_ which was contracted into _Yoshua_‘ (Mishnah, _passim_)_,_ also into _Yeshua_’ (Ezra 2:2), an... [ Continue Reading ]
III. FOURTH VISION. — JOSHUA BEFORE THE ANGEL OF THE LORD. (1-7) The accusation against Joshua was not that of neglecting the building of the Temple (for the re-building had been resumed five months before), nor was it that he had allowed his sons to marry foreign wives (for that took place some si... [ Continue Reading ]
A SERIES OF SEVEN VISIONS. Zechariah 1:7 to Zechariah 6:15. Between the commencement of Zechariah’s prophetic labours and the incidents recorded in Zechariah 1:7 to Zechariah 6:15, the Prophet Haggai received the revelation contained in Haggai 2:10. On the four-and-twentieth day of the eleventh mont... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD REBUKE THEE. — See Note on Jude 1:19. Satan is justly rebuked; “for who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen?” THE FIRE. — Of penal suffering in the captivity in Babylon. (Comp. Amos 4:11) As with the guilt, so with the pardon and promise in both, Joshua was the representative... [ Continue Reading ]
FILTHY GARMENTS. — Such as would render him unfit to appear before God as priest. They are a symbol of the guilt and defilement of sin. (Isaiah 64:5.) AND STOOD BEFORE. — See Note on Zechariah 3:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOSE THAT STOOD BEFORE HIM is an expression meaning courtiers and counsellors (1 Kings 13:6); and here, probably, means angels of inferior grade to the “angel of the Lord.” THINE INIQUITY — _i.e._, of thee, and of the people whose representative thou art. AND I WILL CLOTHE THEE. — Better, _and I... [ Continue Reading ]
FAIR — _i.e.,_ clean. (Comp. the words of the Rubric, “a fair white linen cloth.”) The prophet seems to have felt constrained to make the request contained in this verse from an idea that the changing of Joshua’s raiment might be only a sign of the removal of the high priest’s own guilt. MITRE, or... [ Continue Reading ]
(6-10) The angel of the Lord now proclaims to Joshua a fourfold promise: (1) the confirmation of his official authority, and the elevation of his own spiritual nature; (2) the mission of the Saviour; (3) God’s providential care for the House, which was being rebuilt; (4) the peace and prosperity of... [ Continue Reading ]
WALK IN MY WAYS refers to personal holiness. KEEP MY CHARGE. — To the due discharge of his official duties. THEN THOU. — The word “thou” is emphatic, and helps to mark the apodosis. MY HOUSE. — On this passage Wright remarks: “The words ‘my house’ seem to have been chosen to correspond with ‘my co... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY — _i.e._, thou and they. For this change of person, comp. Zephaniah 2:12, which runs literally, “Also _ye_ Cushim slain by my sword (are) they.” WONDERED AT. — Literally, as in margin, _of sign_ — _i.e.,_ men to whom signs are given, and for whom miracles are wrought; or, according to othe... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STONE. — If this were the meaning of the original, the words “upon one stone” ought to have been _upon that stone._ But “the stone” means _the stones,_ the singular noun being used as a noun of multitude, as it is in Genesis 11:3; Exodus 39:10. _The stones_ are the material stones with which the... [ Continue Reading ]
The wording of this verse is a reminiscence of 1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4, &c. It is an announcement of the approaching fulfilment of the promise of Jeremiah 33:16 : “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she (Jerusalem) shall be called, Th... [ Continue Reading ]