Zechariah 4

Ver. 2. — a flying roll.] The roll of a book, as it is expressed Jer. xxxvi. 2; Ezek. ii. 9: the ancient way of writing being upon long scrolls of parchment. These scrolls were usually longer than they were broad; so this is represented as ten yards in length, and five in breadth. W. Lowth. The roll was very ample, to shew what a number of curses should come upon the wicked. Abp. Newcome. 3. — This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth.] Or rather, “of the whole land,” meaning the land of Judea. The roll contained the curses; that is, the judgments, denounced against the Jews, who were guilty of the sins here specified. It was written on both sides, as the roll mentioned Ezek. ii. 10. On one side were contained the judgments against stealing, on the other those against false swearing. W. Lowth.

— This is their resemblance through all the earth.] Or, “through all the land.” By this you may make an estimate of their unjust dealings all the land over; compare ver. 3, 4. An ephah, being the dry measure among the Jews, denotes their unjust dealings in buying and selling. See Amos viii. 5. W. Lowth.

Zechariah 4:2

2. — with a bowl upon the top of it.] To supply the The good success of Zerubbabel’s foundation. pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

Zechariah 4:3

3. And two olive trees by it.] Which in a secret imperceptible manner conveyed oil for supplying the lamps: see ver. 6. W. Lowth. They probably signified the two sacred persons that had holy unction, the king and the priest; and might intimate that a prince and a priest should continue among the Jews till the time of the Messiah. Dr. Stokes. See the note on ver. 14.

4. — Knowest thou not what these be? Capellus observes, that this is said, not to upbraid the dulness of the Prophet, but to excite his attention. Abp. Newcome.

Zechariah 4:4

4. — it shall enter into the house of the thief, &c.] The curse denounced in this roll shall take hold of the man and his family, and shall never leave them till they are utterly consumed. It shall be like the leprosy that infects an house, and cannot be purged, till the house itself be pulled down. See Lev. xiv. 45. W. Lowth. By this is signified God’s determinate counsel and purpose, not to suffer the thief or the false swearer to go unpunished. The roll will meet with them, the curse will light upon them one time or other, and destroy them root and branch. Bp. Beveridge. This vision may be considered as a republication of the curses contained in Deut. xxvii, xxviii. The thief and the false swearer, says Capellus, are put for every kind of transgressor. Abp. Newcome. Among the Jews, an oath was tendered to him that was suspected of theft: see Lev. vi. 2. For this reason the thief and the perjured person are here put together. Abp. Tillotson.

Zechariah 4:5

5. Then the angel—went forth.] Or, “went on.” W. Lowth. Or, advanced onward, to see the object which presented itself at a distance. Abp. Newcome. — what is this that goeth forth.] That is now represented unto thee, as passing forth before thee. Bp. Hall.

Zechariah 4:6

6. — This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel.] The purport of the answer is, This building shall thou be able to raise and to fit for my service, not by any wealth or power of your own, for who sees not how poor and weak your nation is at this time: but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts, by the virtue and courage that I shall infuse into you all, and the means and friends that I shall raise up for you; while your own poor abilities contribute as little to the finishing of so great a work, as you do to the supply of oil for those lamps, which are fed by olive trees, raised up miraculously by me, on purpose for that intent. Dr. Stokes.

It may be observed, that the Prophet’s question, “What are these?” is answered, not by descending to an explanation of particulars, but by giving the general purport of the vision; the design being not to gratify a partial curiosity, but to comfort and encourage an almost desponding people by the assurance that God would, not by those human means, in which they were sufficiently sensible of their own deficiency, but by his own Spirit, render his Church triumphant over all opposition. Dr. Blayney.

6. — This is an ephah] The vessel here mentioned resembled the common ephah, which was about the size of our bushel, not in size, but in figure. Dr. Wells. Before CHRIST 519. Or, every one of this people that stealeth holdell himself grittless, as it doth. The final damnation of Babylon. Before CHRIST 519.

Zechariah 4:7

7. Who art thou, O great mountain? &c.] Removing mountains, and leveling them into plains, are proverbial expressions to denote the overcoming of the greatest difficulties, and the removing of all obstructions. See Isa. xl. 4; Matt. xxi. 21. W. Lowth.

— and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, &c.] He shall put the top or finishing stone upon the walls of the temple; which action the standers by shall accompany with their wishes and prayers, that

7. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: &c.] And, behold, there was also represented unto me a leaden weight; and withal a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. Bp. Hall. The margin correctly gives the sense, “a weighty piece” of lead.

— and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.] Or, “And, behold, there was a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.” Dr. Wells. Or, these words may be the angel’s explanation of the vision. What thou seest besides is a woman in the midst of, or within, the ephah. W. Lowth.

Zechariah 4:8

8. And he said, This is wickedness.] The woman represented the wicked Jews, of whom the angel said, These are so wicked, that they are as wickedness itself. Bp. Hall.

— And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; &c.] To signify, that when a people have filled up the measure of their iniquity, they sink under the weight of their sins, and cannot escape the judgment of God. W. Lowth.

Zechariah 4:9

9. — behold, there came out two women, &c.] These may probably signify the empires of Assyria and Babylon. Empires and kingdoms are sometimes described as having wings, to denote the swiftness of their conquests. See Deut. xxviii. 49; Jer. xlix. 22; Hos. viii. 1. W. Lowth. Or, these circumstances may indicate nothing more particular, than that Providence would make use of quick and forcible means to effect its purpose. The stork, like other birds of passage, is provided with strong wings. Dr. Blayney.

— and they lifted up the ephah &c.] The Assyrians carried away captive the ten tribes; and then the Babylonians took away the remainder of the Jews, and made an entire riddance of the people of the land. W. Lowth.

Zechariah 4:10

10. For who hath despised the day of small things? &c.] Why did ye, O ye faithless Jews, look so discontentedly on the mean foundations of this temple, and weep to think of that goodly structure of Solomon’s compared with this? There shall be no cause of this disparagement. Ye shall rather find reason to rejoice in this noble work, which ye see Zerubbabel in hand to finish, &c. Bp. Holt.

By “the day of small things” I suppose to be meant the time, when the resources of the Jewish nation appeared in the eyes of many, even well-wishers, so small and inadequate to the building of the temple, against a powerful opposition, that they despaired of seeing it carried into effect. Such persons would of course rejoice, when the event turned out so contrary to their expectations. Dr. Blayney.

— the plummet] The use of the plummet is to try, after the stone is laid, whether it be in its just position. Dr. Blayney.

— with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord.] The Seventy translate the words to a better sense, taking them for a distinct sentence from what goes before, “These seven are the eyes of the Lord,” &c. W. Lowth. Here is an answer to the question, ver. 4, “What are these?” “These seven lamps are the eyes,” &c.: an emblem of God’s infinite providence and care, which extends itself over all things, and especially over his own people. He then asks, “What are the olive trees?” Dr. Stokes.

Zechariah 4:11

11. And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: &c.] Or, “To build her,” that is, the woman, “an house,” &c. The design of the vision is to instruct the Jews, that as their fathers were carried into a seventy years’ captivity to Babylon, so, if their posterity should not take warning by their punishment, a worse captivity should befall them; one of so long a continuance, as should make them despair of ever returning home, and resolve to settle themselves in

Zechariah 4:12

12. — olive branches] Young olives; see ver. 3. W. Lowth. “Branches of the olive trees,” bearing much fruit like an ear of corn. Abp. Newcome.

— pipes] Or sputus, laid inclining from the olive trees to the bowl upon the top of the candlestick, so as to receive the fluid from the trees, and pour it continually into the bowl to supply the waste. Dr. Blayney.

— the golden oil] In the original “the gold.” The liquor drawn from the olive trees must be oil, here on account of its precious quality denominated gold, which