Zechariah 1:7-17

This section, to which Zechariah 1:7 is an editorial introduction, either is not the beginning of Zechariah's allegories, or has not come down to us in its original form, for the interpreting angel is mentioned in Zechariah 1:9 as already known to the reader. A verse introducing him may, however, have been omitted between Zechariah 1:8 and Zechariah 1:9, since the opening words of Zechariah 1:8 imply that we have here the beginning of the allegorical prophecies. There are many corruptions in the text, several of which can, however, be easily corrected from the context. In Zechariah 1:8 read, I saw in the (Anglice a) night dream (cf. Zechariah 4:1): omit riding upon a red horse, as a mutilated fragment of the last clause of the verse which should read, and behind him were riders on horses red, white, sorrel, and black. (According to MT the horses carry on a conversation.) In Zechariah 1:11, for the angel of the Lord read the man (i.e. of Zechariah 1:8; the correction was perhaps due to reverence, since Zechariah 1:12 f. shows that the man is the Lord Himself). In Zechariah 1:12 read the angel that talked with me answered. For myrtle trees the LXX has, perhaps correctly, mountains, as in Zechariah 6:1. The significance of myrtle trees is not known, nor of the word rendered the bottom (Zechariah 1:8 mg. shady place). With a corrected text the meaning of the allegory is clear. Zechariah sees someone, who is later perceived to be the Lord Himself, behind whom are four riders on horses of various colours. These bring reports from the four quarters of the earth that the whole earth is quiet; i.e. the revolts which Haggai expected to end in the downfall of Persia have been quelled. Thereupon the interpreting angel expresses the prophet's disappointment, but the Lord answers with words of encouragement. The heathen nations have indeed been His instrument to chastise His people (cf. Isaiah 10:5 ff.), but they are about to be punished for their malice. The outcome will be the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem.