Zechariah 3:6-10

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 privileges; at the same time he points to the coming of one who will completely remove sin from the land, and restore permanent peace and prosperity.

Protested Affirmed solemnly and earnestly (Genesis 43:3; Jeremiah 11:7, where the same word is used).

Walk in my ways The ways pointed out by Jehovah; in other words, if the conduct is in accord with the principles of Jehovah’s righteousness.

Keep my charge The high-priestly office. The first refers primarily to uprightness in the private life, the second to the faithful performance of official duties.

Thou shalt also judge my house With these words begins the apodosis. Commentators are not agreed on the interpretation of this clause. Some hold that house is used metaphorically for people (compare Hosea 8:1; Hosea 9:15), and that the promise means that the high priest will be the sole head of the community; he will take upon himself even those duties which in pre-exilic times were discharged by the king, and at present by Zerubbabel. A modified form of this interpretation understands the promise to imply only that the high priest is to “direct the people in all things respecting the law of God, and especially to judge those who ministered in the sanctuary.” If house is taken to mean people there is no justification for limiting the high priest’s authority to things religious. Others understand my house to refer to the temple, soon to be completed; in it the high priest will be supreme. In view of the fact that Zechariah gives such prominent place to Zerubbabel, and so to the family of David, it is not likely that he expected the supreme authority in secular affairs to pass entirely into the hands of Joshua or his descendants; therefore the second interpretation is to be preferred (see closing remarks on Zechariah 3:7). The next clause speaks of the performance of the common priestly duties.

Keep my courts Perform properly the priestly duties, and keep out of the temple everything that is idolatrous and unclean.

I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by R.V., “a place of access.” Another difficult clause. The meaning of the expression translated “place of access” or “places to walk” is uncertain. Some consider the Hebrew word an Aramaic form of the Hiphil participle of the verb to walk, with the transitive meaning leaders or the intransitive meaning walkers. This formation of the verb is found only in the Aramaic portions of Daniel (Daniel 3:25; Daniel 4:34), never in Hebrew; but if it is assumed here the transitive meaning is to be preferred. With this translation the promise means that Jehovah will provide for Joshua leaders or guards, who will protect and defend him from all dangers. These leaders are to be among these that stand by, that is, the angels. In this case out of or from among instead of among would be more suitable. This peculiarity creates a suspicion concerning the correctness of the translation and interpretation; besides, the promise seems to be vague and indefinite. It is preferable, therefore, to take the word as the plural of a noun meaning walk or place of access, the plural being used to express the thought that the high priest may come again and again. Joshua is to be permitted to walk among the heavenly host and thus to have free access to the throne of God, and this privilege is to be enjoyed not only after the resurrection (Targum), but in this life, whenever the high priest desires to bring his petitions and requests for the community to the throne of God.

In connection with these promises it should never be overlooked that they are made to the high priest as the representative of the people. Whatever is promised to him symbolizes a similar promise to the whole people, though it is also true that when the people are restored to fellowship with Jehovah the office of the high priest will be clothed with new splendor.

Zechariah 3:8-9 contain a more remarkable promise.

Hear Addressed to the high priest alone. The address itself begins with “thou and thy fellows.”

Thy fellows that sit before thee Not now, while Joshua is in the presence of the angel, but in the gatherings of the priests (compare 2 Kings 4:38; 2 Kings 6:1). These words form the subject, what follows is the predicate, a fact which is obscured in the English translation.

For Hebrews ki does not introduce a causal clause, but should be rendered “indeed,” “truly” (G.-K., 148d).

They are men wondered at R.V., “they are men that are a sign”; literally men of sign are they. A better rendering of the whole sentence would be, “thou and thy fellows that sit before thee are truly men of sign,” that is, men who in their persons and office foreshadow some future event. The event foreshadowed in this case is immediately stated.

I will bring forth Better, I am about to bring forth; in the near future.

My servant Any individual or group of individuals commissioned to carry out the divine purpose may be called Jehovah’s servant. In this sense the title is applied to the prophets (2 Kings 9:7; Isaiah 20:3), to the Messianic king (Haggai 2:23), to Israel as the Messianic nation (Isaiah 40-53), etc.

The Branch In Hebrew without the article, “Branch”; margin, “Shoot,” or “Sprout,”

which shows that the word is to be understood as a proper name (compare Zechariah 6:12). The title is derived from such passages as Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15. In Isaiah 11:1, a different word is used; compare also Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24. It is a shoot that will sprout from the ruined dynasty of David; and Zechariah 6:12-13 (compare Zechariah 4:9), shows that the prophet has in mind Zerubbabel.

Zechariah 3:9 makes it clear that Zechariah expected the kingdom of God to be established and the Messianic king to appear in the near future, but in details the verse is exceedingly obscure.

For Connects Zechariah 3:9 with Zechariah 3:8, especially with the verb “I am about to bring forth”; it introduces a statement which indicates that the fullness of time is at hand.

The stone that I have laid before Joshua The words appear to be addressed to the high priest; therefore before Joshua is equivalent to before thee. Joshua is urged to look upon the stone that is already prepared. What is the stone? Many answers have been given to this question. Some say the foundation stone of the temple; some, the top stone (Zechariah 4:7); some, the precious stone adorning the high priest’s breastplate; some, the Messiah, some, an altar or a substitute for the ark as an instrument of propitiation; some, the temple itself; some, the people of Israel as the foundation of the new order of things; some, “the kingdom or people of God, outwardly insignificant when compared with the great mountain (Zechariah 4:7), which symbolizes the power of the world.” These are the most important interpretations suggested; all are more or less doubtful, probably not one offers the right interpretation. Standing by itself or in some other connection the word might, perhaps, mean any one of these, but in the present connection they are not suitable. The interpretation that fits most perfectly in the context is one first suggested by Wellhausen, who sees in the stone the precious stone for the diadem of “Branch,” who is the Messianic king (compare Zechariah 6:9 ff.). It is already placed before the high priest, ready for use when “Branch” appears, which may be at any time.

Upon one stone shall be seven eyes A kind of parenthetical clause, describing the stone more fully. The numeral one is used to emphasize the peculiarity, equivalent to upon this single stone. If the above interpretation is correct, the eyes are the facets of the precious stone, which sparkle like eyes; seven might be understood literally, or, as in other passages, to indicate a “moderately large number” (Isaiah 4:1), so that the thought would be simply that it was completely covered with eyes.

I will Or, I am about to.

Engrave the graving thereof What the inscription will be is not stated, probably the name of “Branch,” that is, Zerubbabel (Zechariah 6:9 ff.; Haggai 2:23). With this interpretation the connection between Zechariah 3:8 and Zechariah 3:9 becomes natural and complete.

The first result of the dawn of the Messianic age will be the complete removal of iniquity, the beginning of which is symbolized by the cleansing of the high priest (see on Zechariah 3:1).

That land Better, this land, that is, Judah, now not limited to the old territory, but extending in all directions (Zechariah 2:11).

In one day That is, speedily. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews identifies this one day with the day on which Jesus was crucified (Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10). 10. With the Messianic king on the throne and all iniquity removed, an era of peace and prosperity will commence. For the picture see on Joel 1:12; compare Micah 4:4.

Call R.V., “invite”; to share the comforts.