1The vision of an angel sent to measure Jerusalem, and its flourishing state under God's protection foretold. 6The people warned to quit Babylon before its fall. 10The promise of God's presence.
1I LIFTED up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold 1a man with a measuring line in his hand.
1 Namely, the Angel, Who was Christ, in the appearance of a man, as is shown in verse 3; Zech. 1:8. See Ezek. 40 on verse 3, and the chapters 41 and 42; Rev. 11:1, 2.
2Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, 2To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
2 That is, to determine how great, how wide and how broad would be Jerusalem, which was soon to be rebuilt. See Ezra 6:3.
3And, behold, 3the angel that talked 4with me 5went forth, and 6another angel 7went out to meet him,
3 See Zech. 1:9.
4 Or, in me.
5 That is, from among the myrtles, where He had stood, Zech. 1:8, to be close to speak to me.
6 Namely, one of the created angels that stood behind Christ, Zech. 1:8.
7 Namely, out of the company of angels to the place which He was to measure.
4And 8said 9unto him, Run, speak to 10this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited 11as towns without walls for the multitude of men and 12cattle therein:
8 Namely, Christ the Lord.
9 Namely, to this created angel.
10 The prophet here does understand himself, being at that time but young. Or, a young man is as much as to say: a servant, being thus called also of persons of riper years, Exod. 33:11; Num. 11:27; 1 Kings 11:28; 2 Kings 4:12; 19:6.
11 That is, without walls, since the exceeding great multitudes of people shall not be able to be contained within the compass of any wall. Other, Jerusalem shall inhabit the villages, that is, those of Jerusalem shall, by reason of the multitude of people, must also take up their abode in the villages. Yet this ought to be mainly understood of the great multitudes of people who would believe in Christ and who would submit themselves under His spiritual Kingdom, for the universal church was to extend itself all over the world. See Isa. 54:1, 2, 3, etc.; 60:4, 11.
12 Compare Jer. 31:27.
5For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her 13a wall of fire round about, and 14will be the glory in the midst of her.
13 That is, I shall also protect her that her enemies shall not be able to come near to her, and such as shall want to attack her, the same shall be consumed and destroyed as by fire. Compare Isa. 26:1; 60:18, 19; Jer. 15:20. Compare also 2 Kings 6:17; Psalm 125:2.
14 That is, I shall advantage her unto honor and glory; I shall honor and pardon the citizens and inhabitants of that city or church with many and great benefits.
6 ¶ 15Ho, ho, come forth, and 16flee 17from the land of the north, saith the LORD: 18for I have spread you abroad 19as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.
15 Or, aha, aha, or, O, O.
16 The speech is addressed here to those Jews who still have remained in Babylon. The sense is: Get you away suddenly out of the present danger, which are hanging over the heads of the Babylonians, and join yourselves unto the church of God. See Isa. 48 on verse 20.
17 That is, out of Babylon, which was situated north of Judah. See Jer. 6 on verse 22; 16 on verse 15.
18 Or, because I have now set you free out of the Babylonian captivity, in which you were cooped up like a bird in a cage, in order that you may travel freely in the entire country and move wherever you desire. Or, as heretofore I have scattered you into the four winds or quarters of the world, so will I likewise gather and bring you together again.
19 That is, as far as the four winds extend themselves. Other, toward the four winds of heaven or into the four winds. Compare Ezek. 17:21.
720Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
20 The sense is: Leave Babel, and join yourselves to the church.
8For thus saith the LORD of hosts; 21After the glory hath he sent me 22unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the 23apple of his eye.a
21 That is, after that He had resolved to honor you with the deliverance out of Babel.
22 Or, against the heathen, namely, against the Chaldeans and your other enemies; as if He said: God, having begun to be gracious to you, is resolved to continue the same, and therefore He has sent Me to protect you against the violence of your enemies, that they shall not be able to hurt you, neither in nor after your return homeward.
23 Namely, of the Lord. The sense is: he, who molests and troubles, afflicts or annoys you, in so doing offends the Lord Himself most sensibly, which He will surely avenge. See Deut. 32 on verse 10; Psalm 17:8; Acts 9:4.
a pupil of the eye
924For, behold, 25I will shake mine hand 26upon them, and they shall be a spoil to 27their servants: 28and ye shall know 29that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.
24 Or, Verily.
25 That is, I will visit and chastise them with My power.
26 Namely, over or against the heathen, the Babylonians and other nations which have rob you.
27 Namely, the Jews, whom they have had kept in custody, and whom beforehand have had to serve them as their poor subjects. Yet understand this spiritually as such: when the enemies of the church of God are being converted unto Christ, they shall, whatever they may possess, sacrifice unto Christ.
28 These are still the words of the Lord Christ, and to know is as much here as to find by experience.
29 He wants to say: Ye shall plainly know and understand that I am the Son of God, Who was sent thus beforehand, to proclaim these things unto you, and to set them to work in due time. Christ is sent by His Father as Mediator for the good of His church.
10 ¶ 30Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and Ib will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
30Christ speaks this to the believing Jews; and this is the sense, as if Christ had said: I shall not appear in the shadow of the Old Testament, but bodily, John 1:14; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16.
b Lev. 26:12; Ezek. 37:27; 2 Cor. 6:16.
11And 31many nations shall be joined to the LORD 32in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst 33of thee, and thou shalt know 34that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
31 Or, heathen, people. The word many points especially to the times of the preaching of the apostles. See Isa. 2:2, 3.
32 That is, in the time of the spiritual deliverance of the church by Christ. This was typified by the corporal deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonian captivity.
33 O Zion, O My church. I shall dwell, preach and do wonders among you.
34 That is, I, Who am the Son of God, am sent from the Father to make this known unto you and to dwell in the midst of you, in order that you, being united unto Me with the heathens, become My people.
12And the LORD shall 35inherit 36Judah his portion 37in the holy land, and shall 38choose Jerusalem again.
35 That is, to possess and to preserve for His own people, in order to love and to protect as His possession. Other, Then shall the LORD hereditarily possess Judah his inheritance. See Deut. 32:9.
36 Namely, the elect from among the Jews, the true Jews, who shall believe in Christ.
37 Hebr. in the land of holiness, that is, in the land of Canaan, typifying the church of God.
38 See Zech. 1, the annotation on verse 17.
1339Be silent, O 40all flesh, before the LORD: 41for he is raised up 42out of his holy habitation.
39 See Hab. 2 on verse 20; Zeph. 1:7.
40 That is, all people. See Psalm 65, the annotation on verse 2.
41 That is, He has manifested His Divine power by the deliverance of His church. Other, when he shall be awaked, namely, for the deliverance of His people.
42 That is, out of heaven. See Deut. 26:15; Psalm 11 on verse 4.