CHAPTER VI _The vision of the four chariots drawn by several sorts of_ _horses_, 1-8. _The other vision in thus chapter may refer in its primary_ _sense to the establishment of the civil and religious polity of_ _the Jews under Joshua and Zerubbabel; but relates in a fuller_ _sense, to the Mes... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:2. _IN THE FIRST CHARIOT_ were _red horses_] The empire of the Chaldeans, which overthrew the empire of the _Assyrians_. _THE SECOND CHARIOT BLACK HORSES_] The empire of the _Persians_ founded by _Cyrus_, which destroyed the empire of the _Chaldeans_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:3. _THE THIRD CHARIOT WHITE HORSES_] The empire of the _Greeks_, founded by _Alexander the Great_, which destroyed the empire of the _Persians_. _THE FOURTH CHARIOT GRISLED AND BAY HORSES._] That is _party-coloured horses_; or with horses, some _grisled_ and some _bay_. The empire... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:5. _THE FOUR SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS_] Ministers of God's wrath against the sinful nations of the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:6. _THE BLACK HORSES_] This refers to the _second chariot_; of the _first_ the angel makes no mention, because the empire designed by it had ceased to exist. _This had red horses_, to show the _cruelty_ of the Chaldeans towards the Jews, and the _carnage_ they committed in the land... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:7. _AND THE BAY WENT FORTH_] The _Seleucidae_, who conquered Syria and the upper provinces, and who wished to extend their conquests, and "sought to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth," were of unbounded ambition, and sought _universal empire_; such as _Antioc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:8. _HAVE QUIETED MY SPIRIT IN THE NORTH COUNTRY._] They have fulfilled my judgments on _Assyria_ and _Chaldea_. Nabopolassar and Cyrus first, against the Assyrians and Chaldeans; and Alexander next, against the Persians. On this vision Abp. _Newcome_ remarks:- The _black horses_ s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:10. _TAKE OF_ THEM OF _THE CAPTIVITY_] The names that follow were probably those to whom the silver and golden vessels of the temple were intrusted; and who might have had _bullion_ of silver and gold, for particular purposes, about the ornaments of the temple. _THE HOUSE OF JOSIA... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:11. _MAKE CROWNS_] עטרות _ataroth_; but _seven_ MSS. of _Kennicott's_ and _De Rossi's_, and _one_ ancient of my own, with the _Syriac_ and _Chaldee_, have עטרת _atereth_, a _crown_, or _tiara_. And as _Joshua_ the high priest is _alone_ concerned here, I think _one crown_ only is i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:12. _BEHOLD THE MAN WHOSE NAME IS THE BRANCH!_] I cannot think that _Zerubbabel_ is here intended; indeed, he is not so much as mentioned in Zechariah 3:8. _Joshua and his companions_ are called אנשי מופת _anshey mopheth,_ _figurative_ or _typical men_; the crowning therefore of Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:13. _EVEN HE SHALL BUILD THE TEMPLE_] _Joshua_, not _Zerubbabel_. _HE SHALL BEAR THE GLORY_] Have all the honour of it; for none can do this but himself. The _Messiah_ is still intended. _AND SHALL SIT AND RULE UPON HIS THRONE_] For the government of the Church shall be upon his... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Zechariah 6:14. _AND THE CROWNS SHALL BE_] One of my MSS. has אטרות _ataroth, crowns_, corrected into עטרת _atereth, crown_; and so the _Septuagint, Syriac_, and _Arabic_. The _Chaldee_ has, "And praise shall be," c. The meaning appears to be this, that the _crown_ made for _Joshua_ should be... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _AND THEY_ THAT ARE _FAR OFF SHALL COME_] The Gentiles shall come to the Saviour of the world; and _build_-become a part of this new temple; for they, as _living stones_, shall become a holy temple, a habitation of God through the Spirit. _YE SHALL KNOW THAT THE LORD OF HOSTS HATH SENT ME... [ Continue Reading ]