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82 Structure and the Book ofZechariah
14. "IDK is a common word here, throughout Zechariah, and in the
rest of the Hebrew Bible. There is nothing in its use here to make it
significant. We may discount it, together with the following items, for
similar reasons: 16, 22, 27, 28, 31, 41, 43 (for 15 see 54 below).
17. DK plays an important part in vv. 1-6 (only).
18. ro always occurs as part of the introductory formula, 'thus says
Yahweh (Sebaoth)'. This phrase must be considered. 1
19. n«ns. The heavy emphasis in v. 3 on 'Yahweh Sebaoth' suggests
that this title has special significance for Zechariah. It seems to be
entirely appropriate for this chapter with its 'holy war' atmosphere.
20. 310 is important in vv. 1-6: the fathers were exhorted to turn
but refused; a new offer is made 'return to me and I will return to
you'. Then at the end of this chapter Yahweh reports that 'he has
(re)turned to Jerusalem'. Is this a prophetic perfect? 2
21. DR3 occurs only as part of the formula 'oracle of Yahweh
(Sebaoth)'. It is not important in itself.
23. R"ip is used only three times: in v. 4 to refer to the 'calling' of the
former prophets to the fathers—without success. There is a contrast
with this in vv. 14, 17 where the prophet is told to call (to an unspecified
audience, cf. Isaiah 40, especially v. 6) with a message of comfort;
the complaint 'How long?' is answered at last (v. 14, cf. v. 12), the
nations will be punished and (v. 17) Jerusalem will be blessed.
24. i~n is used twice here, vv. 4 and 6, paired with "j^pua, 3 to
describe ways/doings of the fathers and probably, in v. 6, those of
1. Several scholars give attention to this feature, which is, of course, an important
object for form-critical study. See e.g. Meyers, Haggai, Zechariah, pp. lii-liii.
2. Baldwin aptly comments: The words / have returned to Jerusalem would
recall Ezekiel's vision of the departure of the Lord from the Temple (10.18-19;
11.23) and of His return (43.5). His presence is a pledge that the Temple will be
finished' (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 100). This seems a better understanding
than that of Rudolph, Petersen and others who translate by a present tense ('Ich
wende mich. ..', Rudolph, Haggai, p. 72; 'I am returning. ..', Petersen, Haggai
and Zechariah, p. 137) or the slightly unnatural explanation of Meyers that
'Yahweh's presence is to be manifest' now that temple building has been resumed,
as in Haggai, cf. Zech. 1.7 (Haggai, Zechariah, pp. 122-23).
3. It is generally agreed that DD'^nm, the qere with mem restored, is the best
reading here. The word remains in the table with or without the mem, or even if we
accepted the kethib (from "T'TMD, which is not otherwise attested) since it is so similar
in sound. See, e.g., Rudolph, Haggai, p. 66; Petersen (who, however, has some
confusing printing errors), Haggai and Zechariah, p. 127.