Zechariah 13

Zechariah 13:1

30

31

32

33

Zechariah 13:2

34

Zechariah 13:3

35

36

37

38

39

Zechariah 13:5

40

41

Zechariah 13:7

1 tn “has struck”; NRSV “struck down.”

Zechariah 13:8

2 tn The Piel of חָיָה (khayah) may mean: (1) to keep/preserve persons alive from the threat of premature death (1 Kings 20:31; Ezekiel 13:18; 18:27); (2) to restore the dead to physical life (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; cf. NCV “will put new life in us”); or (3) to restore the dying back to life from the threat of death (Psalms 71:20; BDB 311 s.v. חָיָה).

3 tn Heb “after two days” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV). The expression “after two days” is an idiom meaning “after a short time” (see, e.g., Judges 11:4; BDB 399 s.v. יוֹם 5.a).

4 tn Heb “on the third day” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV), which parallels “after two days” and means “in a little while.” The “2-3” sequence is an example of graded numerical parallelism (Proverbs 30:15-16, 18-19, 21-23, 24-28, 29-31). This expresses the unrepentant overconfidence of Israel that the Lord’s discipline of Israel would be relatively short and that he would restore them quickly.

Zechariah 13:9

5 tn The object (“him”) is omitted in the Hebrew text, but supplied in the translation for clarity.

6 tn Heb “let us pursue in order to know.” The Hebrew term רָדַף (radaf, “to pursue”) is used figuratively: “to aim to secure” (BDB 923 s.v. רָדַף 2). It describes the pursuit of a moral goal: “Do not pervert justice…nor accept a bribe…pursue [רָדַף] justice” (Deuteronomy 16:20); “those who pursue [רָדַף] righteousness and who seek [בָּקַשׁ, baqash] the Lord” (Isaiah 51:1); “He who pursues [רָדַף] righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor” (Proverbs 21:20); “Seek [בָּקַשׁ] peace and pursue [רָדַף] it” (Psalms 34:15); “they slander me when I pursue [רָדַף] good” (Psalms 38:21).

7 tn The Hebrew infinitive construct with לְ (lamed) denotes purpose: “to know” (לָדַעַת, lada’at).