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4. Connections Between Sections ofZechariah 1-14 283
Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you', with the other most important
themes of Zechariah 1-8, viz. the restoration of Jerusalem and the
building of the Temple through Zerubbabel, and the purified restored
leadership seen in Joshua and 'Branch'. If we take seriously the material
included between 11.4 and 13.9, it has to do with cleansing the
people through their compassion and supplication (12.10a), and this
has some connection with the piercing referred to in 12.1 Ob. This
connection is strengthened by the paradoxical command of Yahweh in
13.7, 'Awake O sword against my shepherd, against "my neighbour"
(TPQJJ)'. The word rrnu means 'associate, fellow' and is only found elsewhere
in Leviticus: viz. 5.21; 18.20; 19.11,15,17; 24.19; 25.14-15, 17.
It always signifies someone who should be treated rightly! Mason 1
notes that
the reference to the sword of God falling, the word for 'striking', the
references to the scattering of the sheep, and the phrase / will turn my
hand against are all used in the prophetic literature exclusively in a hostile
sense and in a context of judgment.
This, I believe, confirms that we have something intentionally puzzling.
»JU describes the king who comes on the ass, and also the 'poor of
the flock', //this reading is correct. We cannot build anything on it,
but see }«^ below.
I cannot see any convincing connection between the 'blood of the
covenant' in 9.11, and the 'covenant with all the peoples'.
"1133 mn, 9.13, describes Israel as a fighting force in the hand of
Yahweh. There is at least some resonance with mn and "03 in 11.17
and 13.7. In all three places mn is viewed as an implement that
carries out Yahweh's will in some sense.
jK* provides a strong connection between the two sections,
especially when we consider that the people 'are afflicted Cny) for
there is no shepherd (nm)'.
ips did not look promising on its own, but the context in which it
occurs has a certain amount in common with 11.16. Yahweh's anger is
'hot against the shepherds and he will visit upon (i.e. punish) 2 them;
for he will visit (for good) his flock...' This forms a strong contrast
with the shepherd that Yahweh is raising up in 11.16, who 'will not
visit (care for) the perishing...'
1. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, p. 111.
2. BOB, p. 823, 3c.