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116 Structure and the Book ofZechariah
Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
p If you will walk (ipn) in my ways
q and if you will keep my charge ('rnotzta Tatf)
r then also you will judge my house
q and you will also keep (TOtf) my courts
p and I will also give you access (?) (O'D'ain)
Such unusual words are used that it is unlikely that the resulting structure
is accidental.
The remainder of ch. 3 does not show a structure obviously similar
to anything we have met before. The phrase trnn p«n pa n« TBtal is
obviously a further interpretation of "j]iu 7^12 Trawi (4ba). There
are extra ingredients which are unexpected: 'I am bringing my servant
"the branch" (no:*)', 'the stone which I have set before Joshua', and
'upon one stone with seven D*3*i> I am inscribing its inscription'. All
three are introduced and given some emphasis by run. The stone is
mentioned again in ch. 4 and the 'branch' in chs. 4 and 6. There
seems at least to be a deliberate intention to link these symbols with
each other and with the cleansing action of Yahweh on Jerusalem's
behalf. 1
It remains to ask whether we have ignored significant marker
words. The only possibilities are the following
'3S 1 ?, vv. 8-9. As Joshua stood before Yahweh, and Satan before
Joshua, here Joshua's companions dwell/sit before him, and Yahweh
puts a stone before him. It does seem to be indicative of signifcant
relationships throughout the chapter.
pi), vv. 4, 9, serves to link the interpretation in vv. 8-10 with the
preceding vision. As previously, a key word is taken up by the final
editor.
]ru is used in vv. 7, 9 with D'obnn and (strictly speaking, as in MT,
DTI? niozJ). There may be some linking function: both have the first
person singular qal perfect with Yahweh as the speaker, and both are
addressed to Joshua.
in» occurs in two different forms, which makes it unlikely to be a
marker word, despite its prominent position at the end of v. 9.
p&, nns, or and nnn are too close together to be significant for the
overall structure.
1. Cf. esp. 13.1.