Zechariah 6:10

Take of "them of" the captivity,.... That is, some of them that were returned from the captivity of Babylon, and who are mentioned by name: even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and Jedaiah, which are come

Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; Take of them

Take, gold and silver, of those that are come out of Babylon lately, to make their oblation to the Lord, or to bring the oblation of them who yet were in Babylon, but remembered Jerusalem and the temple. And come thou; go fetch them if they lodge elsewhere, and bring them in thy company. The same day; the same day in which they come, or else in the same day that I speak unto thee, delay not. And go into the house of Josiah: some say he was a goldsmith, others, that he was treasurer for the temple, and that these persons before named had brought a rich present to him for the temple and the service of the Lord.

Zechariah 6:10 Take of [them of] the captivity, [even] of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;Ver. 10. Take of them of the captivity] i.e. Of the returned captives, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah] Men famous in the congregation, men of renown, Numbers 16:2. That these four mentioned here (taking in Josiah, who is also called Hen, Zechariah 6:14), were ambassadors from the godly Jews in Babylon, and brought their gifts, as Junius thinketh, I cannot affirm; but that they were the same with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, as the Jews and Jerome tell us, I do not believe. Josiah seemeth to be the host to the other three; as Gaius was to St Paul, and other good people; though some think, rather, he was either treasurer for the temple, or else a goldsmith, and one that could make crowns. Calvin conjectures from Zechariah 6:14 (where it is said, that the crown shall be to these men for a memorial), that being men of authority, they were deeply guilty of infidelity and impatience, because they saw not a present performance of the promises; they were discontented themselves, and discouraged others, "Ye have need of patience," saith the apostle to those short spirited Hebrews, Hebrews 10:36, who found it more easy to suffer evil than to wait for the promised good. And come thou the same day] Either the same day these men came from Babylon, or the selfsame day that the Lord spake to the prophet, is he commanded to go, not to put it off a day longer; for the people needed a speedy and hasty comfort. No sooner had God prepared the people, but the thing was done suddenly, as 2 Chronicles 29:36. No sooner were they ripe, but he was ready. He is a God of judgment, a wise God, that knows when to deal forth his favours; as till then he waits to be gracious, Isaiah 30:18. His fingers itch to be doing good in his good pleasure to Zion; as the mother’ s breasts ache when now it is time the child had suck. He exalteth the lowly, he filleth the hungry with good things. When once David is poor and needy God will make no tarriance, Psalms 40:17; when his soul is even as a weaned child, then he shall have the kingdom, Psalms 131:2.

THE OF JOSHUA. (10) Of them of the captivity.—Even those who had returned from the Captivity were so called (Ezra 4:1; Ezra 6:19). These were probably, however, Jews who intended to remain in the land of their exile, but who were come on a visit to Jerusalem, bringing offerings of silver and gold, to show their sympathy with their brethren who were carrying on the work of the rebuilding of the Temple. Heldai is called “Helem” in Zechariah 6:14, and Josiah seems to be called “Hen.” It is very common for a person to be called by several different names in the Bible; thus Hobab, Jethro, Reuel, &c., are some of the names of Moses’ father-in-law. LXX. interpret the proper names as follows:—Heldai as “rulers,” Tobijah as “their useful men,” Jedaiah as “those who understood them.” The same day.—Literally, on that day: viz., on the same day on which thou takest, &c.

Verse 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 Josiah] Probably an artificer in silver, gold, &c.

10. Take] Lit. to take. This has been thought to be a general direction, extending to all that they had brought, “let (their offerings) be received, or accepted;” the special taking of silver and gold for a particular purpose by the prophet being mentioned in the next verse. But there is no reason whatever to suppose that the Jews who were rebuilding the temple had ever any scruple about receiving such offerings even from heathens (Ezra 1:4; Ezra 1:6-7; Ezra 6:8-10), so that such a direction would have been superfluous. It is better, therefore, to render with A. V. “take (thou)” sc. “silver and gold,” the direction being interrupted to tell the prophet where to meet with these men, and resumed at the beginning of Zec 6:11. the captivity] used of the Jews who had returned from exile to their own land, Ezra 9:4; Ezra 10:8; but also, as here, of those who were still in exile, Ezekiel 1:1; Ezekiel 3:11; Ezekiel 3:15. which are come from Babylon] This clause is transposed in A. V. from the end of the verse where it stands in the Hebrew. It should be left there, as in R. V., and rendered, to which they are come from Babylon. It will then read: Take of the captivity, even of Heldai of Tobijah and of Jedaiah (their messengers and representatives)—and come thou (thyself to take it in person), even come into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, to which they have come from Babylon—and take silver and gold, &c.

Take of the captivity - Of that which they had brought with them.

THE OF JOSHUA, THE HIGH PRIEST, 9-15.The series of symbolical visions is followed by a command to perform a symbolical act, which is so closely connected with the preceding visions that it seems best