Zechariah 6:9-15

THE SYMBOLICAL CROWNING 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 to consider this section a sort of appendix to them. The prophet is urged to adorn the high priest Joshua with a crown made of the silver and gold sent by the exiles from Babylon, and to proclaim him the type of “Branch,” who is about to appear in order to complete the temple and to rule over the people. His fame will spread quickly, and those that are afar off will come and join in the building enterprise.

9. The word of Jehovah came Perhaps during the same night. How it came is not stated, perhaps through the interpreting angel.

Zechariah 6:10-15 state the contents of the word. That the command was carried out is not stated, but there is no reason why it should not have been.

Of them of the captivity Literally, of the captivity. Of the exiles still dwelling in Babylon, who through the men named, Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, otherwise unknown, sent their gifts to the temple (compare Ezra 7:14-16; Ezra 8:26-30).

The same day The day belonging to the night in which the revelation came (see on Zechariah 1:8), equivalent to this very day. According to the present Hebrew text these men were lodging in the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where the prophet is to meet them. The Hebrew text of 10b is very cumbersome, hence many consider it corrupt. Nowack suggests as an emendation, partly on the basis of Zechariah 6:14 and partly in order to retain the common meaning of the relative translated whither, “Take… of Heldai, and of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, and of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah, who are come from Babylon.” The result is a smoother text.

11. Then take R.V., “yea, take of them.” Of the men named the prophet is to take the gifts of silver and gold which they have brought.

Make Cause to be made (Exodus 25:11 ff).

Crowns Margin R.V. reads the singular, “a crown.” The pronoun them which follows is not expressed in the Hebrew; it would be just as legitimate to supply the singular it. Since only one person is crowned, since a crowning of one person with two crowns seems unnatural, and since the verb “shall be” in Zechariah 6:14, which belongs to “the crowns,” is in the singular, it is better to follow the margin (compare Job 31:36). The plural may indicate that the crown is to be composed of two or more circlets, perhaps one of gold and one of silver.

Joshua The same as in Zechariah 3:1 (compare Haggai 1:1). Upon his head the crown is to be placed.

The action is explained in Zechariah 6:12.

Behold the man whose name is The Branch The last word is without the article in the Hebrew (see on Zechariah 3:8), hence Branch is to be regarded as a proper name. It is impossible to identify Branch with the high priest. The context (compare also Zechariah 3:8; Zechariah 4:7) makes the latter only a type of the former, and in the succeeding clauses attention is called to the antitype, not to the type.

And he Branch.

Shall grow up out of his place Literally, from under him; margin R.V., “and it (or, they; the indefinite subject=things, everything) shall grow up (bud forth) under him,” that is, under Branch. An obscure expression. The first translation presents the greater difficulties; indeed, no satisfactory explanation has been offered. It is hardly sufficient to say, “compare for the meaning Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2,” for the expressions there are of a different character. It is equally difficult to get from the words the idea that Branch will “grow up from the ground out of obscure lowliness.” The translation offered in the margin is more satisfactory. The influence of Branch will be beneficial, and under his reign everything will revive and flourish. The promise of prosperity in the Messianic age is one found frequently in the prophetic books (compare Hosea 2:21-22; Amos 9:13; compare Zechariah 1:17; Zechariah 2:1 ff.).

And he Branch.

Shall build the temple of Jehovah There is no warrant anywhere for making this temple the spiritual temple, the kingdom of God, as distinguished from the temple in Jerusalem, in the building of which Haggai and Zechariah are so deeply interested. The temple mentioned here is no other than the temple of Zechariah 4:7.

In Zechariah 6:13 the promise is repeated for the sake of emphasis.

He shall bear the glory Of royalty. He will be clothed with regal majesty and splendor (compare Isaiah 9:6); he will, indeed, sit on the throne and rule as king.

He shall be a priest upon his throne Margin R.V., “there shall be a priest upon his throne.” The former translation implies that Branch will combine in his person the priestly and kingly offices; the latter simply says that at the time when Branch will rule as king there will also be enthroned a priest, either upon a separate throne or upon the same throne with the ruler. The latter is supported by LXX., which reads “at his right hand” for “upon his throne.” The Hebrew permits either translation. Against the second it has been urged that if the high priest is a type of Branch he cannot very well typify a second person, who is to fill his own office. But this objection is by no means conclusive; besides, it is not necessary to think of Joshua as the type of the new high priest. If Zerubbabel is Branch (see below), it is quite probable that Joshua himself is in the mind of the prophet as occupying the high-priestly office in the Messianic era. This is in perfect accord with the teaching of Zechariah elsewhere; he always places Joshua by the side of Zerubbabel; nowhere does he give any hint that the one will supersede the other. To bring out the thought more clearly some insert “Joshua” as the subject: “and Joshua shall be a priest upon his throne,” or “by his side” (LXX.). On the whole, the marginal translation seems preferable. The last clause certainly favors the view that two distinct persons are meant.

And the counsel of peace There will be peace and harmony between priest and king and they will plan together to promote the peace of the community.

Between them both Between priest and king. Those who think that Branch is both king and priest interpret both of the two offices. In the past they have been apart, in Branch they will be united in one person, and between the two offices, which apparently pursue different ends, there will be perfect agreement, and both will labor for the same end. This interpretation, however, is less natural. In Psalm cx the Messianic king is represented as combining in his own person the kingly and priestly offices, but this thought seems foreign to Zechariah. Another interpretation makes “between them both” refer to the union between Jehovah and Branch, but this also is unsuitable.

It is not necessary to enumerate the many emendations that have been suggested, for they are not needed, nor do they improve the text. Here, as in Zechariah 3:8, Branch must be Zerubbabel, for the task assigned to both is the building of the temple (compare Zechariah 4:7 ff.). In what sense this and similar passages find their fulfillment in Jesus the Christ is pointed out in the comments on Micah 4:1-5, and at the close of the comments on Micah 5:15. The question may be raised, however, why the crown was not placed upon the head of Zerubbabel, if Zechariah saw in him the Messianic king. The most probable explanation is that the crowning of the civil ruler would have aroused the suspicion of the Persian government and would have invited disaster. The time for such step was not yet ripe. On the other hand, the crowning of the high priest might be looked upon by the authorities as a purely religious ceremony, without any threatening significance, while it would prove a consolation and inspiration to the Jews who were acquainted with the Messianic teaching of the earlier prophets.

14. After the performance of the symbolic act the crown is to be preserved in the temple, soon to be completed, as a memorial to the men who brought the gifts out of which it was made, but perhaps also so as to have it in readiness for the time when Zerubbabel himself should be crowned as Messianic king.

Crowns See on Zechariah 6:11.

Helem Probably a copyist’s error for Heldai (Zechariah 6:10), which Peshitto has preserved here.

Hen the son of Zephaniah Undoubtedly the same person as Josiah, the son of Zephaniah, in Zechariah 6:10. Some commentators take Hen to be a second name of the same person; others (so margin R.V.) translate it as a common noun “for the kindness of the son of Zephaniah,” that is, for the kindness shown by him in receiving in his house the messengers from Babylon (but see on Zechariah 6:10). Still others consider Hen a copyist’s error for Josiah, and they think that the latter should be read here. Whether the emendation is accepted or not, there can hardly be any doubt that the same person is meant as in Zechariah 6:10.

15. Branch will not have to depend exclusively upon the few Jews now in Jerusalem to assist him in the building enterprise.

They that are far off shall come and build The Jews still in exile, as well as foreigners who will be converted to Jehovah (compare Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 8:20-23; Haggai 2:7-8).

And ye shall know As in Zechariah 2:9; Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 4:9 (see there). The blessings promised in the symbolical act and in the visions will be theirs only if they diligently obey the words of Jehovah as proclaimed by Haggai and Zechariah, which means, primarily, if they will speedily rebuild the temple. The translation found in the English versions is the only one that can be given of 15b in its present position at the close of the chapter. But the Hebrew reads as if the whole were a protasis with the apodosis dropped out: “And it shall come to pass if ye will diligently obey the voice of Jehovah, your God.…” If the apodosis has been lost it is difficult to say what it was.