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| 1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying, |
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| 2 Jehovah hath been very wroth with your fathers. |
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| 3 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. |
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| 4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings; but they did not hearken nor attend unto me, saith Jehovah. |
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| 5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? |
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| 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? And they turned and said, Like as Jehovah of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. |
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| 7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying, |
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| 8 I saw by night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the low valley; and behind him were red, bay, and white horses.
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A man riding – ? This could be our Lord or one of the Apostles (Paul?) or it could even be John the Baptist.
Upon a red horse – Red - Ashes of the red heifer. Possibly a picture of the ancient worthies. Since horses picture doctrines the thought here is one who rides the doctrines that were in effect during the Jewish age. Red is also a picture of blood and could thus be a reference to the ransom.
Behind him – i.e., in the past from where this man among the myrtle trees is at the time of this vision's setting.
[horses] Red – Jewish age doctrines which eventually produce the ancient worthies - ashes of the red heifer.
Speckled – Strong's 8320, "bright red (as piercing to the sight)" - Ancient worthies? |
| 9 And I said, My lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these are. |
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| 10 And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees answered and said, These are they whom Jehovah hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. |
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| 11 And they answered the angel of Jehovah that stood among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sitteth still and is at rest. |
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| 12 And the angel of Jehovah answered and said, Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years? |
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| 13 And Jehovah answered the angel that talked with me good words, comforting words. |
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| 14 And the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy, |
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| 15 and I am wroth exceedingly with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little wroth, and they helped forward the affliction. |
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| 16 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith Jehovah of hosts, and the line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. |
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| 17 Cry further, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. |
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| 18 And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. |
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| 19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he said to me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. |
The horns – Powers. These four are the four universal empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.
Which have scattered – These were the instruments used by God to scatter His People (first natural Israel, then spiritual Israel) to the four winds (in all directions.) |
| 20 And Jehovah shewed me four craftsmen. |
Four carpenters – Builders. In this case, they built the four universal empires. This view is supported by the next verse. |
| 21 And I said, What come these to do? And he spoke, saying, Those are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these are come to affright them, to cast out the horns of the nations, which lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter it. |
These – The four carpenters.
Are the horns – The four powers.
Of the Gentiles – This might as well read - "These are the Four Universal Gentile Empires which rule during the Times of the Gentiles."
Which have scattered – Same comment as vs. 19.
We suggest the following as the understanding of verses 18-21:[18] Then lifted I [the John class] up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns [powers]. [19] And I said unto the angel [7th angel, messenger] that talked with me [the John class], What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns [Gentile powers] which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. [20] And the LORD showed me four carpenters [builders]. [21] Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These [the four horns of vss. 18-19, the "universal" Gentile empires] are the horns [powers] which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these [four carpenters, builders] are come to fray them [to cause them to shudder with terror (Strong's)], to cast out the horns [4 universal empires, powers] of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it. |