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2. Division of Zechariah 73
prepare for it to some extent. Nevertheless, the opening imperatives
and the new theme that is introduced (the coming king and the peace
which he ensures) indicate that we should regard this as a new
section. 1
The last line of v. 8 is strange but need not be taken as a later
addition, or even a comment by the prophet himself. 2
9.9ff.
The imperative ^J begins a new section which consists of vv. 9-10
according to most commentators. 3 Nevertheless the DJ of v. 11
presupposes what has gone before (prss rn, f.s.) so that vv. 9-10 are to
be thought of as a subsection of a larger whole. In v. 12 'TDK may be
a catchword (see below) and this would be supported by the imperative
"Qittf. There is no necessary connection between the prisoners of
v. 11 and v. 12. Verse 13 is attached to v. 13 by 'D, which could be
redactional, but seems more likely to be an integral part of the
prophet's message. Verse 14 continues the image of the weapons of
Yahweh: Ephraim is the (implied) arrow in Yahweh's bow in v. 13,
and in v. 14 'his arrow' goes forth like lightning. A problem arises
over the referent of 'them' in v. 14 and again in v. 15. The most
consistent interpretation would be to take it to mean the people of
Judah in both cases. 4 These verses, therefore, prepare for v. 16.
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975), p. 293. R.C. Dentan and J.T. Cleland
('Zechariah 9-14', in The Interpreter's Bible [ed. G.A. Buttrick; Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1956], VI, pp. 1092-96) treat vv. 1-12 together as 'an oracle
composed during the siege of Tyre. .. in 332 BC'.
1. Hanson, The Dawn of Apocalyptic, pp. 292-324, argues that 9.1-17 must be
seen as a unity, since it is based on underlying 'ritual conquest and royal procession
traditions, upon which the early apocalyptic literature drew so heavily' (p. 295).
2. See, e.g., Hanson, The Dawn of Apocalyptic, p. 320. T. Chary comments:
'Le crescendo s'acheve avec le v8' (Les prophetes et le culte a partir de I'exil [Paris:
Descle"e, 1954], p. 161).
3. All the commentators listed at the beginning of this present chapter, who deal
with Zech. 9-14, take it in this way. G.A. Smith treats vv. 9-12 together remarking
only that 'it is possible that this oracle closes with v. 10.' T.T. Perowne (Haggai
and Zechariah [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1888]) takes vv. 9-17 to
refer to the coming of the king but without justifying this division or interpretation
(pp. 113-18).
4. So most commentators, e.g. Rudolph, Haggai, pp. 183, 187-88;
P. Lamarche, Zacharie 9-14: Structure litteraire et messianisme (Paris: Gabalda,