Zechariah 1:18-22

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 1:21

Verse 21 And who are these smiths? They are also horns; for they all wish to destroy as much as they can the Church; but God does not permit them; on the contrary he excites them to mutual wars to destroy one another. Though then all these are horns, ready to assault the Church, and though it appears evident from the comparison that they are as it were furious and vicious bulls, and as much as they can unite together to scatter the Church, yet God gives hammers to two or three of them, and bids... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18

I lifted up mine eyes, and saw. This vision is closely connected with the former. The prophet had been told that the hostile nations should be punished and scattered; he now is shown this threat being executed. Four horns, belching to four beasts but dimly seen or wholly invisible. Horns are symbols of strength and power (comp. Psalms 75:4 , Psalms 75:5 ; Daniel 8:3 ; Amos 6:13 ). Here they mean powers hostile to Israel, and the number "four" (the symbol of completeness) points to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

§ 4. The second vision. the four horns and the four craftsmen. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

A vision of help. "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw," etc. In these verses, and some that follow, certain detached portions of the previous general prophecy seem to be set before us again in greater amplitude and detail—like maps of England, France, and so on, in an atlas, following the general but smaller-scaled map of the whole "quarter" of Europe. In the verses now especially before us, it is the previous message concerning the enemies of God's people ( Zechariah 1:14 , Zechariah... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

The dark and the bright side of things. Prophet depressed. Heart failing for fear. Roused. Vision twofold. Like the mystic pillar of the wilderness, it is dark and lowering towards God's enemies, but bright and cheering towards his friends. I. THE POWERS OF EVIL . Beasts dimly seen. "Horses" indicate the strength and malice of the world powers. The results are terrible. The unity of Israel is broken. Strength dissipated in party conflicts. Gored and tossed and sore oppressed by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:18-21

Second vision: four horns and four carpenters. "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem," etc. This is the second vision that the prophet had that night. The "horn" in the Bible is a symbol of power ( Amos 6:13 ). The horns here represent possibly those worldly kingdoms which had been, or were to be, opposed to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:19

Which have scattered, etc. Some see here an allusion to the prophecy of Daniel concerning the Babylonians, Medo-Persians, Macedonians, and Romans. Against this view it is urged that the prophet is speaking of past events, not of a far distant future. Others Lake the four horns to represent Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, and Medo-Persia, all of which had scattered Israel. But it is well to lay no special stress on such explanations of symbolical language, which are at best mere conjectures, liable... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:20

Four carpenters; craftsmen; Revised Version, smiths, in which case "the horns" would be made of iron. The word is applied to workers in wood, stone, and metal; therefore an ambiguous rendering seems most suitable here. LXX ; τέκτονας ; Vulgate, fabros. They represent the human agencies employed by God to overthrow the powers hostile to the Church. Their number is the same as that of the "horns," thus showing their adequacy for the work which they have to execute. It is quite... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 1:21

And he spake. The interpreting angel spake. Which have scattered Judah. The LXX . adds, "and broke Israel in pieces." Did lift up his head. These powers laid Judah prostrate. To fray them. To terrify the powers symbolized by the four horns, and disturb their self-complacent Security ( Zechariah 1:15 ). The LXX ; mistaking the sense, gives, τοῦ ὀξῦναι αὐτὰ εἰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν τὰ τέσσαρα κέρατα , "To sharpen them, even the four horns, in their hands." To cast out; ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Zechariah 1:18

And I lifted up mine eyes - o. Cyril on Zechariah 2:1 : “Not those of the body (for such visions are invisible to the eyes of the flesh), but rather the inner eyes of the heart and mind.” It seems as though, at the close of each vision, Zechariah sank in meditation on what had been shown him; from which he was again roused by the exhibition of another vision.I saw four horns - The mention of the horns naturally suggests the thought of the creatures which wielded them; as in the first vision... read more

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