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Zechariah

About this book
Chapter 6

1 Once more I looked, and this time I saw four chariots emerging from between two mountains of bronze. 2 Harnessed to the first chariot were red horses, to the second black horses, 3 to the third white horses, and to the fourth spotted horses, all of them strong. 4 Then I asked the angelic messenger who was speaking with me, “What are these, sir?” 5 The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits of heaven going out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses is going to the north country, and the white ones are going after them, but the spotted ones are going to the south country. 7 All these strong ones are scattering; they have sought permission to go and walk about over the earth.” The Lord had said, “Go! Walk about over the earth!” So they are doing so. 8 Then he cried out to me, “Look! The ones going to the northland have brought me peace about the northland.” 9 The Lord’s message came to me as follows: 10 “Choose some people from among the exiles, namely, Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, all who have come from Babylon, and when you have done so go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Then take some silver and gold to make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua the high priest, the son of Jehozadak. 12 Then say to him, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “Look—here is the man whose name is Branch, who will sprout up from his place and build the temple of the Lord.⁠ 13 Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything. 14 The crown will then be turned over to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 15 Then those who are far away will come and build the temple of the Lord so that you may know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me to you. This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God.”’”⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare Jeremiah 33:14 and Zechariah 6:12

Hebrew Bible

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Summary

Jeremiah pictures a Davidic leader as a small shoot or “branch” rising from a fallen tree, a sign of renewed leadership after exile. Zechariah repeats this image and expands it, describing the “branch” as a king and priest who will restore the temple.

Passages

Jeremiah 33:14

Hebrew Bible
12 “I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, say: ‘This place will indeed lie in ruins. There will be no people or animals in it. But there will again be in it and in its towns sheepfolds where shepherds can rest their sheep. 13 I, the Lord, say that shepherds will once again count their sheep as they pass into the fold. They will do this in all the towns in the hill country, the foothills, the Negev, the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, and the towns of Judah.’ 14 “I, the Lord, affirm: ‘The time will certainly come when I will fulfill my gracious promise concerning the nations of Israel and Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will raise up for them a righteous branch31 of David. “‘He will do what is just and right in the land. 16 Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Jerusalem will live in security. At that time Jerusalem will be called “The Lord has provided us with justice.”
500–401 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Jeremiah

Zechariah 6:12

Hebrew Bible
10 “Choose some people from among the exiles, namely, Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, all who have come from Babylon, and when you have done so go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Then take some silver and gold to make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua the high priest, the son of Jehozadak. 12 Then say to him, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “Look—here is the man whose name is Branch, who will sprout up from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 13 Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything. 14 The crown will then be turned over to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord.
500–401 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Zechariah

References

"... To “sit upon his throne” expresses the authority of monarchic rule. The literal image underlying this stereotyped language is the chair in which the king was seated as he meted out justice and otherwise exercised royal powers. The association of judgment with the throne of office appears in the description of Solomon’s accession to his father’s throne (1 Kings 10:9); and in their eschatological expectations, both Isaiah (9:6; 16:5) and Jeremiah (33:14-17) anticipate a ruler who will sit upon the Davidic throne and execute justice. Although the postexilic community has been somewhat restructured, with the responsibility for adjudicating internal matters resting with the priesthood, the precedent for the monarchic exercise of supreme judicial powers is revived in this description of the future restoration of a Davidic king. With the return of dynastic rule will come the reestablishment of the king’s responsibility for earthly justice. Since this phrase appears to be complemented by the following, or rather by the phrase “and rule,” which is intrusive in the Hebrew and has universalistic overtones, the enthronement of the Shoot will involve authority external to the Yehudite constituency. Priestly judicial rule as Zechariah knows it would have applied only to internal matters ..."
Carol L. Meyers and Eric M. Meyers, Haggai, Zechariah 1-8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1987), 359–360.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Jeremiah 33:14 and Zechariah 6:12

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