Zechariah 6:9-15

A Crown for Zerubbabel. The text is considerably confused, partly through accident, partly it would seem by deliberate alteration. The Heb. of the words rendered and come thou the same day, and go into the house of, incredible as it may appear, seems to have arisen merely through various attempts to correct a misreading of from; in Zechariah 6:11; Zechariah 6:14 for crowns read crown. In Zechariah 6:13 b the LXX reads, shall be priest at his right hand, which, coupled with the mention of them both, proves conclusively that originally the section contained the name not only of Joshua, but also of Zerubbabel. Since the subject of the words shall be priest at his right hand can only be Joshua, the person at whose right hand Joshua shall be priest must be Zerubbabel, and his name must be substituted for that of Joshua in Zechariah 6:11. The four names in Zechariah 6:10 should clearly be the same as the four in 14, Tobijah and Zephaniah being common to both verses. Helem (Zechariah 6:14) is an impossible name, and possibly Heldai should be read in both cases: there is no common measure between Josiah and Hen, and both names may be corrupt. With the above corrections the section will run as follows: Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, and of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, and of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, who have come from Babylon; yea, take silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it upon the head of Zerubbabel; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold a man whose name is Branch (or rather Shoot; a sucker from the root is meant), and he shall grow up in his place, and he shall build the Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and Joshua shall be priest at his right hand, and counsel of peace shall be between them both. It would seem that four men who have arrived in Jerusalem from Babylon, whether having fled thither or having been despatched on a mission to Zerubbabel cannot be determined, have brought with them an offering of silver and gold. Zechariah advises that this shall be made into a crown, which shall be placed on the head of Zerubbabel, whom he hails as the fulfilment of Jeremiah's prophecy (Jeremiah 23:5 ff.), and whom he regards as the restorer not only of the Temple, but also of the Monarchy. Alongside of Zerubbabel Joshua shall be priest, and counsel of peace (i.e. counsel for the welfare of Judah) shall be between them both. In the light of Zephaniah 3 this insistence on Joshua's position is very significant. Zechariah 6:14 states what is to be done with the crown, which Zerubbabel is as yet unable to wear. It is to be deposited in the Temple as a place of safety, the four men who brought the gold and silver being trustees for it. Their advent encourages Zechariah to hope for a yet greater return of Jews from exile. The last sentence of Zechariah 6:15 is the beginning of a lost prophecy, and has no connexion with the preceding context.