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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 Exodus 15:26 and Zechariah 6:15

Hebrew Bible

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Summary

Exodus 15 connects obedience to God’s commands with protection from illness, tying health to covenant faithfulness. Zechariah reuses this language of obedience but applies it to hopes for a rebuilt temple and renewed kingship.

Passages

Exodus 15:26

Hebrew Bible
24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” 25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.
750–400 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Exodus

Zechariah 6:15

Hebrew Bible
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.”’”
500–401 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Zechariah

References

"... In this summary statement one hears the Deuteronomic charge, at the introduction of the blessings/curses section of the end of the Book of Deuteronomy (28:1), to the Israelites to obey Yahweh and his commandments. Various other pentateuchal passages (e.g., Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 11:13; Leviticus 26:14) contain similar statements if not identical phraseology. The use in Zechariah of this language, however, shifts the covenant orientation of the pentateuchal examples. In the Pentateuch the notion of listening to or obeying God or his voice is the stated condition upon which the prosperity and well-being of the Israelites depends. The clauses are conditional: “if you obey ...” In Zechariah, the future situation of a Yahwistic temple in association with a Davidic dynasty the anticipated result of obedience to Yahweh. That is, the Davidic covenant is to be renewed, with the temple signifying dynastic legitimacy, and then, a step removed in comparison with pentateuchal portrayal of the Mosaic covenant, prosperity presumably will prevail in the land ..."
Carol L. Meyers and Eric M. Meyers, Haggai, Zechariah 1-8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1987), 365–366.

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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Exodus 15:26 and Zechariah 6:15

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