Zakharia 1:1-21
Konteks1:1 In the eighth month of Darius’ 1 second year, 2 the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, 3 son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
1:2 The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 4 1:3 Therefore say to the people: 5 The Lord who rules over all 6 says, “Turn 7 to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will turn to you,” says the Lord who rules over all. 1:4 “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn now from your evil wickedness,”’ but they would by no means obey me,” says the Lord. 1:5 “As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever? 1:6 But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? 8 Then they paid attention 9 and confessed, ‘The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”
1:7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month Shebat, in Darius’ second year, 10 the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
1:8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated 11 on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees 12 in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel, 13 and white horses.
1:9 Then I asked one nearby, “What are these, sir?” The angelic messenger 14 who replied to me said, “I will show you what these are.” 1:10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk about 15 on the earth.” 1:11 The riders then agreed with the angel of the Lord, 16 who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been walking about on the earth, and now everything is at rest and quiet.” 1:12 The angel of the Lord then asked, “Lord who rules over all, 17 how long before you have compassion on Jerusalem 18 and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years?” 19 1:13 The Lord then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me. 1:14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much moved 20 for Jerusalem and for Zion. 1:15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. 21 I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.
1:16 “‘Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘I have become compassionate 22 toward Jerusalem 23 and will rebuild my temple 24 in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all. ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’ 1:17 Speak up again with the message of the Lord who rules over all: ‘My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the Lord will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.’”
1:18 (2:1) 25 Once again I looked and this time I saw four horns. 1:19 So I asked the angelic messenger 26 who spoke with me, “What are these?” He replied, “These are the horns 27 that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 28 1:20 Next the Lord showed me four blacksmiths. 29 1:21 I asked, “What are these going to do?” He answered, “These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. 30 But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah’s enemies 31 and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people.” 32
Hakim-hakim 8:1-35
Konteks8:1 The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us 33 when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him. 8:2 He said to them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim’s leftover grapes 34 are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest! 35 8:3 It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?” 36 When he said this, they calmed down. 37
8:4 Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites. 38 8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Give 39 some loaves of bread to the men 40 who are following me, 41 because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give 42 bread to your army?” 43 8:7 Gideon said, “Since you will not help, 44 after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh 45 your skin 46 with 47 desert thorns and briers.” 8:8 He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. 48 The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had. 49 8:9 He also threatened 50 the men of Penuel, warning, 51 “When I return victoriously, 52 I will tear down this tower.”
8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed. 53 8:11 Gideon went up the road of the nomads 54 east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army. 55 8:12 When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon 56 chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised 57 their entire army.
8:13 Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass 58 of Heres. 8:14 He captured a young man from Succoth 59 and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth’s officials and city leaders – seventy-seven men in all. 60 8:15 He approached the men of Succoth and said, “Look what I have! 61 Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, ‘You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’” 62 8:16 He seized the leaders 63 of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them. 64 8:17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men.
8:18 He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Describe for me 65 the men you killed at Tabor.” They said, “They were like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.” 66 8:19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, 67 as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 8:20 He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on! 68 Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, 69 because he was still young. 8:21 Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, 70 “Come on, 71 you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” 72 So Gideon killed 73 Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.
8:22 The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.” 74 8:23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 8:24 Gideon continued, 75 “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” 76 (The Midianites 77 had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 8:25 They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” 78 So they 79 spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. 8:26 The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. 80 This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, 81 purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels. 82 8:27 Gideon used all this to make 83 an ephod, 84 which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites 85 prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it 86 there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
8:28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. 87 The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time. 88 8:29 Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down. 89 8:30 Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives. 90 8:31 His concubine, 91 who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. 92 8:32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very 93 old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith 94 their god. 8:34 The Israelites did not remain true 95 to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 8:35 They did not treat 96 the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.
[1:1] 1 sn Darius is Darius Hystaspes, king of Persia from 522-486
[1:1] 2 sn The eighth month of Darius’ second year was late October – late November, 520
[1:1] 3 sn Both Ezra (5:1; 6:14) and Nehemiah (12:16) speak of Zechariah as a son of Iddo only. A probable explanation is that Zechariah’s actual father Berechiah had died and the prophet was raised by his grandfather Iddo. The “Zechariah son of Barachiah” of whom Jesus spoke (Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51) was probably the martyred prophet by that name who may have been a grandson of the priest Jehoiada (2 Chr 24:20-22).
[1:2] 4 tn Heb “fathers” (so KJV, NAB); NIV “forefathers” (also in vv. 4, 5).
[1:3] 5 tn Heb “to them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:3] 6 sn The epithet
[1:3] 7 tn The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv) is common in covenant contexts. To turn from the
[1:6] 8 tc BHS suggests אֶתְכֶם (’etkhem, “you”) for the MT אֲבֹתֵיכֶם (’avotekhem, “your fathers”) to harmonize with v. 4. In v. 4 the ancestors would not turn but in v. 6 they appear to have done so. The subject in v. 6, however, is to be construed as Zechariah’s own listeners.
[1:6] 9 tn Heb “they turned” (so ASV). Many English versions have “they repented” here; cf. CEV “they turned back to me.”
[1:7] 10 sn The twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month…in Darius’ second year was February 15, 519
[1:8] 11 tn Heb “riding,” but since this verb in English is usually associated with horses in motion rather than standing still, the translation uses “seated.” Cf. NAB “the driver of a red horse.”
[1:8] 12 tc The LXX presupposes הֶהָרִים (heharim, “mountains”) rather than the MT הַהֲדַסִּים (hahadassim, “myrtles”), probably because of reference to the ravine. The MT reading is preferred and is followed by most English versions.
[1:8] 13 sn The Hebrew שְׂרֻקִּים (sÿruqqim) means “red” (cf. NIV, NCV, NLT “brown”). English translations such as “speckled” (KJV) or “dappled” (TEV) are based on the reading of the LXX (ψαροί) that attempts to bring the color of this horse into conformity with those described in Zech 6:2-3. However, since these are two different and unrelated visions, this is a methodological fallacy.
[1:9] 14 tn Heb “messenger” or “angel” (מַלְאָךְ, mal’akh). This being appears to serve as an interpreter to the prophet (cf. vv. 13, 14).
[1:10] 15 sn The stem used here (Hitpael) with the verb “walk” (הָלַךְ, halakh) suggests the exercise of dominion (cf. Gen 13:17; Job 1:7; 2:2-3; Ezek 28:14; Zech 6:7). The
[1:11] 16 sn The angel of the
[1:12] 17 sn Note that here the angel of the
[1:12] 18 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:12] 19 sn The seventy years refers to the predicted period of Babylonian exile, a period with flexible beginning and ending points depending on the particular circumstances in view (cf. Jer 25:1; 28:1; 29:10; Dan 9:2). Here the end of the seventy years appears to be marked by the completion of the temple in 516
[1:14] 20 tn Heb “jealous for” (so KJV, ASV); NIV, NRSV “very jealous for”; CEV “very protective of.” The meaning is that Jerusalem/Zion is the special object of God’s grace and purposes. This results in his unusual protection of his people, a protection not accorded others with whom he does not have such a close relationship.
[1:15] 21 tn Or “the nations that are at ease” (so ASV, NRSV). The Hebrew word in question is שַׁאֲנָן (sha’anan) which has the idea of a careless, even arrogant attitude (see BDB 983 s.v. שַׁאֲנָן); cf. NAB “the complacent nations.” Here it suggests that the nations take for granted that God will never punish them just because he hasn't already done so. Thus they presume on the grace and patience of the Lord. The translation attempts to bring out this nuance rather than the more neutral renderings of TEV “nations that enjoy quiet and peace” or NLT “enjoy peace and security.”
[1:16] 22 tn Heb “I have turned.” This suggests that the
[1:16] 23 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:18] 25 sn This marks the beginning of ch. 2 in the Hebrew text. Beginning with 1:18, the verse numbers through 2:13 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 1:18 ET = 2:1 HT, 1:19 ET = 2:2 HT, 1:20 ET = 2:3 HT, 1:21 ET = 2:4 HT, 2:1 ET = 2:5 HT, etc., through 2:13 ET = 2:17 HT. From 3:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
[1:19] 26 tn See the note on the expression “angelic messenger” in v. 9.
[1:19] 27 sn An animal’s horn is a common OT metaphor for military power (Pss 18:2; 75:10; Jer 48:25; Mic 4:13). The fact that there are four horns here (as well as four blacksmiths, v. 20) shows a correspondence to the four horses of v. 8 which go to four parts of the world, i.e., the whole world.
[1:19] 28 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:20] 29 tn Heb “craftsmen” (so NASB, NIV; KJV “carpenters”), a generic term which can mean “metalworker, smith, armorer” (HALOT 358 s.v. חָרָשׁ). “Blacksmiths” was chosen for the present translation because of its relative familiarity among contemporary English readers.
[1:20] sn The horns are perhaps made of iron, the strongest of all metals known to the ancient Near Eastern world, since military activity is implied in the context. Only blacksmiths can cut the horns off. If the horns represent oppressive nations, the blacksmiths must represent deliverers whom the
[1:21] 30 tn Heb “so that no man lifts up his head.”
[1:21] 31 tn Heb “terrify them”; the referent (Judah’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:21] 32 tn Heb “to scatter it.” The word “people” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:1] 33 tn Heb “by not summoning us.”
[8:2] 35 sn Ephraim’s leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest. Gideon employs an agricultural metaphor. He argues that Ephraim’s mopping up operations, though seemingly like the inferior grapes which are missed initially by the harvesters or left for the poor, are actually more noteworthy than the military efforts of Gideon’s family.
[8:3] 36 tn Heb “What was I able to do compared to you?”
[8:3] 37 tn Heb “Then their spirits relaxed from against him, when he spoke this word.”
[8:4] 38 tn Heb “And Gideon arrived at the Jordan, crossing over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, exhausted and chasing.” The English past perfect (“had crossed”) is used because this verse flashes back chronologically to an event that preceded the hostile encounter described in vv. 1-3. (Note that 7:25 assumes Gideon had already crossed the Jordan.)
[8:5] 39 tn Or perhaps, “sell.”
[8:5] 40 tn Heb “people.” The translation uses “men” because these were warriors and in ancient Israelite culture would have been exclusively males.
[8:5] 41 tn Heb “who are at my feet.”
[8:6] 42 tn Or perhaps, “sell.”
[8:6] 43 tn Heb “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give to your army bread?” Perhaps the reference to the kings’ “palms” should be taken literally. The officials of Succoth may be alluding to the practice of mutilating prisoners or enemy corpses (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 155).
[8:6] sn The officials of Succoth are hesitant to give (or sell) food to Gideon’s forces because they are not sure of the outcome of the battle. Perhaps they had made an alliance with the Midianites which demanded their loyalty.
[8:7] 45 sn I will thresh. The metaphor is agricultural. Threshing was usually done on a hard threshing floor. As farm animals walked over the stalks, pulling behind them a board embedded with sharp stones, the stalks and grain would be separated. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 63-65. Gideon threatens to use thorns and briers on his sledge.
[8:7] 47 tn This is apparently a rare instrumental use of the Hebrew preposition אֵת (’et, note the use of ב [bet] in v. 16). Some, however, argue that אֵת more naturally indicates accompaniment (“together with”). In this case Gideon envisions threshing their skin along with thorns and briers, just as the stalks and grain are intermingled on the threshing floor. See C. F. Burney, Judges, 229-30.
[8:8] 48 tn Heb “and spoke to them in the same way.”
[8:8] 49 tn Heb “The men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth answered.”
[8:9] 50 tn Heb “said to.” The translation “threatened” is interpretive, but is clearly indicated by the context.
[8:9] 52 tn Or “safely.” Heb “in peace.”
[8:10] 53 tn Heb “About fifteen thousand [in number] were all the ones remaining from the army of the sons of the east. The fallen ones were a hundred and twenty thousand [in number], men drawing the sword.”
[8:11] 54 tn Heb “the ones living in tents.”
[8:11] 55 tn Heb “and attacked the army, while the army was secure.” The Hebrew term בֶטַח (vetakh, “secure”) probably means the army was undefended (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 156), not suspecting an attack at that time and place.
[8:12] 56 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:12] 57 tn Or “routed”; Heb “caused to panic.”
[8:14] 59 tn Heb “from the men of Succoth.”
[8:14] 60 tn Heb “wrote down for him the officials of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.”
[8:15] 61 tn Heb “Look!” The words “what I have” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[8:15] 62 tn Heb “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give to your exhausted men bread?”
[8:15] sn Gideon changes their actual statement (see v. 6) by saying exhausted men rather than “army.” In this way he emphasizes the crisis his men were facing and highlights the insensitivity of the men of Succoth.
[8:16] 64 tc The translation follows the reading of several ancient versions (LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) in assuming the form וַיָּדָשׁ (vayyadash) from the verb דּוֹשׁ (dosh, “thresh”) as in v. 7. The MT reads instead the form וַיֹּדַע (vayyoda’, “make known”), a Hiphil form of יָדַע (yadah). In this case one could translate, “he used them [i.e., the thorns and briers] to teach the men of Succoth a lesson.”
[8:18] 66 tn Heb “each one like the appearance of sons of the king.”
[8:19] 67 tn The words “I swear” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[8:20] 69 tn Heb “did not draw his sword for he was afraid.”
[8:21] 70 tn The words “to Gideon” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[8:21] 72 tn Heb “for as the man is his strength.”
[8:21] 73 tn Heb “arose and killed.”
[8:24] 75 tn Heb “said to them.”
[8:24] 76 tn Heb “Give to me, each one, an earring from his plunder.”
[8:24] 77 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Midianites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:25] 78 tn Heb “We will indeed give.”
[8:25] 79 tc In the LXX the subject of this verb is singular, referring to Gideon rather than to the Israelites.
[8:26] 80 sn Seventeen hundred gold shekels would be about 42.7 pounds (19.4 kilograms) of gold.
[8:26] 82 tn Heb “the ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.”
[8:27] 83 tn Heb “made it into.”
[8:27] 84 sn In Exod 28:4-6 and several other texts an ephod is described as a priestly or cultic garment. In some cases an ephod is used to obtain a divine oracle (1 Sam 23:9; 30:7). Here the ephod is made of gold and is described as being quite heavy (70-75 lbs?). Some identify it as an idol, but it was more likely a cultic object fashioned in the form of a garment which was used for oracular purposes. For discussion of the ephod in the OT, see C. F. Burney, Judges, 236-43, and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 349-52.
[8:27] 85 tn Heb “Israel” (a collective singular).
[8:27] 86 tn The words “by worshiping it” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:28] 87 tn Heb “Midian was humbled before the Israelites, and they no longer lifted their heads.”
[8:28] 88 tn Heb “in the days of Gideon.”
[8:29] 89 tn Heb “went and lived in his house.”
[8:30] 90 tn Heb “Gideon had seventy sons who went out from his thigh, for he had many wives.” The Hebrew word יָרֵךְ (yarekh, “thigh”) is a euphemism here for the penis.
[8:31] 91 sn A concubine was a slave woman in ancient Near Eastern societies who was the legal property of her master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with her master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. After the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (2 Sam 21:10-14; 1 Kgs 11:3).
[8:31] 92 sn The name Abimelech means “my father is king.”
[8:33] 94 sn Baal-Berith was a local manifestation of the Canaanite storm god. The name means, ironically, “Baal of the covenant.” Israel’s covenant allegiance had indeed shifted.
[8:35] 96 tn Heb “did not do loyalty with,” or “did not act faithfully toward.”
