130. - Collection Point® | The Total Digital Asset Management System

230 Structure and the Book ofZechariah
plan); 1 there are verbal contacts between vv. 1-2 and 14b. The spoil
will be divided by the nations whom Yahweh gathers against
Jerusalem (vv. 1-2): f^ef, p"?n, TISDK. In v. 14 the wealth of all
nations (which is spoil) will be gathered ("?TJ, *]DKi). The word »12 only
occurs in vv. 2, 3, 4, 16, 18, 19).
It seems that Lamarche is right to equate vv. 12-15 with the beginning
of the chapter and to point to booty as an important element. But
it does not seem reasonable to subdivide vv. 1-3 into three sections.
We may ask whether vv. 1-3 should stand alone. Arguments for
this would be:
1. Verses 4-5 deal with geographical upheavals rather than with
action in battle.
2. Verse 4 has 'on that day'.
However, also note that:
1. Verses 4-5 would form a suitable prelude to the defeat of the
nations.
2. Verse 4 does not begin with 'on that day'.
3. To finish at v. 3 would leave a very inconclusive section.
4. There is verbal correspondence between v^") nnin in v. 4
and v^n "7J? ~mi> in v. 12.
Whichever of these alternatives is accepted the material between these
two sections concerns geographical events. There seem to be several
possibilities for the devoted structural analyst to argue for a chiastic
structure:
4-5a Mount (of Olives) and Valley (of Kidron) levelled
10(-11) Whole land levelled—except Jerusalem
5b
9 Yahweh will become King over all the earth 2
flee as in the days of King Uzziah
6-8 (As Lamarche)
But if the writer did have a more exact chiastic structure in mind
here, the centre is more likely to have been v. 9.
1. Verse 1 could even be taken to be a general summary of the outcome, which
stands as a sort of superscription. The spoil (Vx}) taken by Jerusalem will be divided
in its midst. However, we may assume the more usual interpretation, that it means
the spoils taken from Jerusalem.
2. See p. 233 point 6.