Zechariah 3:9

For, behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua,.... Not the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; nor the first and foundation stone of the temple laid by him in the presence of Joshua; but

For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Here is an ellipsis, and to make it up we must repeat that of the 8th verse, Hear now, & c. For behold, (pointing to a particular stone,) that stone which I have laid, saith God, in the sight of Joshua, or which he saw laid in the building of the temple; on that one stone are seven eyes; and Joshua and his fellows are commanded to observe it, the meaning of which the angel will suggest to them presently. It is not improbable this one stone might be a corner-stone, and a principal corner-stone, and the eyes engraven on it so placed that they might look many ways; so it will be a more exact emblem of Christ the chief Cornerstone, and of his perfect knowledge and wisdom, fitting him to govern his church and provide for it. I will engrave the graving; the engraving engraved, i.e. most artificially, lively, and with excellent contrivance. And I will remove; or, and I have removed, I have pardoned the iniquity of this land at once. Thus the emblem or type, which I shall once more set before you in plainer words than those of our version. Hear now, O Joshua, thou and thy fellows, for behold there is one stone, and on that stone seven eyes, most curiously engraved, and this laid in thy sight, and in the sight of thy fellows: this learn by it, that the temple, founded on such a corner-stone, built by the wisdom of the chief Builder, guarded and watched over by all-seeing Providence, is the blessing and honour of that people, whose sins are all forgiven. The further spiritual meaning discovers the Messiah the chief Corner-stone, the gospel church founded thereon, guided by perfect wisdom, and preserved by never-erring Providence, and blest with the pardon of all her sins, taken away in one day, by the meritorious death of her Redeemer.

Zechariah 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone [shall be] seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.Ver. 9. For behold the stone, &c.] Another title given to Christ, who is the foundation and chief corner stone of his Church; and another "behold," prefixed as a starry note, or a hand pointing to a remarkable matter. All the prophets pointed to Christ, who is therefore called the branch, the stone, that in these creatures (everywhere obvious), as in so many opticglasses, we may see him, and be put in continual remembrance of him: It being as necessary to remember Christ as to breathe, saith a father. See Psalms 118:22 Isaiah 28:16 1 Peter 2:6-8. That I have laid, and that I will engrave] The Church is God’ s building, and we are his workmanship, his artificial manufacture, created in Christ Jesus unto good works; there being not so much of the glory of God in all his works of creation and providence, as in one gracious action that a Christian performeth. As for the glorious work of our redemption by Christ, it was a plot of God’ s own contriving, a fabric of God’ s own erecting; it was the Lord’ s own doing, and it is justly marvellous in our eyes. Upon one stone shall be seven eyes] That is, Christ shall draw all eyes and hearts to him; as the stones of the temple did the disciples’ eyes, Matthew 24:2 Mark 13:1 "Master," say they to Christ, "see what manner of stones and what buildings are here." Thus some sense it. I should rather by these seven eyes understand the Spirit in his various operations upon Christ, as Isaiah 11:2, for he received not the Spirit by measure, as others; but had as much of it as a creature could possibly have. See Trapp on "Revelation 1:4" where the Holy Ghost, for his manifold good gifts and perfect givings, is called The seven Spirits; like as he is also styled the seven golden pipes, Zechariah 4:2-3. There are those who by these seven eyes upon one stone understand the providence and wisdom of Christ in the government of his Church. He is indeed, as one saith, πλοφθαλμος, All-eye. Sic spectat universos quasi singulos; sic singules quasi solos: like a well drawn picture he eyeth all. Christ as he is a living, so he is also a looking stone; he looketh at the miseries and matters of his Church, and saith, as once, I have seen, I have seen the afflictions of my people ia Egypt, Exodus 3:7. Behold, I will engrave the graving thereof] Hae coelaturae dona et stigmata Christi repraesentaut, saith a Lapide. These gravings represent the gifts and wounds of Christ, in allusion to the polished corners of the temple. Caelum dictum eat quod caelatum, id est signatum sideribus, saith Varro.

(9) The stone.—If this were the meaning of the original, the words “upon one stone” ought to have been upon that stone. But “the stone” means the stones, the singular noun being used as a noun of multitude, as it is in Genesis 11:3; Exodus 39:10. The stones are the material stones with which the House was to be built; the laying them before Joshua is used as figuring the whole command to build the House. Upon one stone.—Better, upon one particular stone (for this use of the numeral “one,” comp. Note on Zechariah 14:7), i.e., either the foundation-stone laid in the time of Cyrus, or the stone on which the Ark had formerly stood (Jewish tradition), or the head-stone, or chief corner-stone; or, possibly, upon each stone (for this construction comp. Ezekiel 1:6; Ezekiel 10:14, and my Hebrew Student’s Commentary on Zechariah, p. 37)—viz., upon the whole scheme and process of re-building. Seven eyes.—Ewald supposes the “seven eyes” to have been engraved on the stone, and thinks that they represent the “seven spirits” (Revelation 1:4). But it seems more probable that they represent the all-embracing, and here special, providence of God (Zechariah 4:10). The expression “to put the eyes upon” is used in Jeremiah 39:12; Jeremiah 40:4, in the sense “to protect,” “take care of.” The completion of this material building was an important era in the train of events, which, under Divine providence, was preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah. (See a further development of the meaning of “building” in Zechariah 6:12-13.) Engrave the graving thereof.—As the graving of the figures, &c., puts the finishing touch to precious stones (Exodus 28:36), so the expression is here used to denote putting the final stroke to the work of rebuilding. It is impossible to take “And I will remove,” &c., as the sentence engraved on the stone, as many have done; for such an inscription could not possibly commence with vβv conversive and the perfect. Job 19:25, “Yet I know, my Vindicator liveth,” is in no sense a parallel case (see Delitzsch in loc.). LXX., ἰδοὺἐγὼὀρύσσωβόθρον, “lo! I am digging a trench,” misreading the word “graving.” In one day.—The day when the Temple should be completed and consecrated. The successful completion of this great work would be a sign and seal of the forgiveness of the past “iniquity of the land.” “In one day” cannot refer to “the day of Golgotha” (Hengstenberg), for how could Zechariah 3:10 be applied to that day? How could Zechariah 12:10, sqq., and Zechariah 3:9-10, be possibly referred to the same event? For “and I will remove,” LXX., καὶψηλαφήσω, confounding the verb, which means “to remove,” with a somewhat similar verb, meaning “to grope after.”

Verse 9. For behold the stone that I have laid] Alluding no doubt to the foundation stone of the temple: but this represented Christ Jesus: "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a STONE, a tried stone, a precious CORNER STONE, a SURE FOUNDATION," Isaiah 28:16. This means Christ, and none other; on him his whole Church rests, as a building does on its foundation. Upon one stone shall be seven eyes] This is supposed to mean the providence of God, as under it all the work should be completed. There may be an allusion to the seven counsellors, which stood always about the persons of the Asiatics sovereigns; and those who were the governors of provinces were termed the eyes of the king. To this there is an allusion in Revelation 1:4. In Christ there is a plentitude of wisdom, power, goodness, mercy, truth, love, and compassion, to direct, protect, save, uphold, purify, govern, and preserve all the souls that trust in him. I will engrave the graving thereof] This is an allusion to engraving precious stones, in which the ancients greatly excelled. Heads, animals, and various devices were the subjects of those engravings. But what was this engraving? Was it not the following words? I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day;" and was not this when Jesus Christ expired upon the cross? This was the grand, the only atonement, satisfaction, and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Does not our Lord refer to this place, John 6:27? Him hath God thy Father sealed; and on the inscription there was, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." See the note on the above passage.

9. the stone that I have laid] set, R. V. The primary and immediate reference is to the Temple, in re-building which Joshua was then engaged. The “stone,” which was perhaps seen lying before him in the vision, is most probably not the foundation-stone, which had been laid years before, but the head-stone (Zechariah 4:7; Zechariah 4:9), which would complete the building, and which He, with whom to purpose is to accomplish, here announces that He has already laid; so certainly shall it be set in its place in due time. The ultimate reference is to Him, who as “the Branch” should hereafter “build the temple of the Lord” (Zechariah 6:12), of which He is not only the Foundation-stone (Isaiah 28:16; 1 Peter 2:4-5), but also the chief corner-stone (Psalms 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:20). The two fulfilments of the prophecy are intimately connected. The first is, in the purpose of God, the necessary preparation for the second. upon one stone shall be seven eyes] are, R. V. This may mean that seven eyes shall be, or are, sculptured upon the stone; though in that case it is difficult to understand the force of the word “one,” or the significance of the prediction as regards the Temple then in progress. Typically, the seven eyes sculptured on the stone might be held to represent Him whom the stone symbolises, as “having the seven spirits of God” (Revelation 5:6). It is better, however, to understand the words to be a promise that the seven eyes (i.e. the perfect watchfulness and care—seven being the number of perfection) of God shall be fixed upon this stone; that He will never, so to speak, take His eyes off either type or anti-type, till His purpose respecting them is accomplished. So Solomon prays, at the dedication of the first Temple, that God’s “eyes may be open upon it night and day,” to hear the prayers that are offered there. 1 Kings 8:29. This view is confirmed by Zechariah 4:10, where the eyes of Jehovah are said to rejoice when (fixed as we are here told in unwearying solicitude on the Temple) they see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, as he busies himself in its restoration. I will engrave the graving thereof] Supposing the eyes to have been marked out for cutting upon the stone, some have thought that God in these words engages that He Himself will cut them there. This clause, however, is rather to be regarded as an additional promise. My eyes, I have said, are fixed upon the stone. My hand shall engrave upon it whatever is needed to beautify and fit it for the place of honour it is to hold. The word here used for “engrave” occurs three times in Exodus 28, in the expression “engravings of a signet;” twice of the jewels in the High Priest’s dress (11, 21), once of the golden plate on his mitre (36).

For behold the stone, that I hare laid before Joshua - This must be an expansion of what he had said, or the ground of it, being introduced by, for.

In Zechariah 3:6-10 is contained the address which the angel of Jehovah makes to Joshua — again not as a private individual but as the representative of the people — concerning his duties and