United Commentaries

Zech.1.7-6.15

These eight visions addressed the Judeans’ fears that prevented them from responding in faith to God’s promises. These visions, which occurred two months after Haggai’s final two messages (Hag 2:10-19, 20-23), suggest that Haggai’s prophecies were being fulfilled.

Zech.2.1-5

The scope of the visions narrows from the cosmos (vision 1), to the nations (vision 2), to the city of Jerusalem. The vision itself (2:1-3) is followed by an explanation of its meaning (2:4-5).

Zech.2.2

how wide and how long it is (Or how long and wide it is to be): By taking this measurement, God showed that he was planning for Jerusalem’s future.

Zech.2.5

The wall of fire represents divine protection (cp. 2 Kgs 6:17).

I, myself, will be: The emphatic construction of the verb “to be” might be a direct reference to God’s name (Exod 3:14-15).

Fire and glory allude to the Exodus (see Exod 13:22; 14:20; 40:34).

Zech.2.6-13

God’s call for the exiles’ return from Babylon anticipated his people’s restoration to the land of Israel (2:6-9) and the restoration of his presence to his people in Jerusalem (2:10-13).

Zech.2.6

Come away! The emphatic command carries the force of a promise that the Lord would lead his people out of exile and into a restored Jerusalem (cp. Isa 55:1).

the land of the north: It was necessary to travel north in order to move to the east, so Babylonia was thought of as lying in the north.

four winds: The Hebrew exiles would return to Judah and Jerusalem from all directions (see Ezek 12:14; 37:9).

Zech.2.8

Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession (literally Anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye): This might refer to Israel as God’s elect; it might also mean that those who harmed Israel poked themselves in the eye by bringing God’s judgment upon themselves.

Zech.2.9

their own slaves will plunder them: At the Exodus, the Egyptians paid the Israelites to leave their land (see Exod 11:2-3; 12:35-36).

Zech.2.12

Israel is the Lord’s inheritance or special possession—the people of Israel belonged to the Lord (Deut 32:9-10).

The land was holy because of God’s glorious presence in the Jerusalem Temple (see Pss 11:4; 15:1).

Zech.2.13

Be silent: The force of the Hebrew word (has) is similar to our English word “hush” (see Hab 2:20; Zeph 1:7).