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84 Structure and the Book ofZechariah
34-39. These are all concerned with the description of Zechariah's
vision: the man, the horses and the myrtle trees. They do not connect
with any other part of the vision. The description 'standing between
the myrtle trees' occurs as a set formula three times—rather oddly in
v. 8 where the man is riding on a horse! Does this indicate a later
extension of the use of the formula? It has some affinity with the other
formula used: 'the angel who spoke with me' (see below).
40. nn may be ignored: two occurrences in a single verse. The repetition
seems to be a way of delaying the answer to Zechariah's question
(cf. the more elaborate delay and heightened suspense in 4.5, 13).
42. •jR'pa needs to be noted, despite the fact that its use here is
confined to vv. 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14, where Zechariah's conversation
is described. Elsewhere it is found in 2.2, 7, 7; 3.1, 3, 5, 6; 4.1, 4, 5;
5.5, 10; 6.4, 5; 12.8. Apart from a brief communication between
Yahweh and 'the angel who spoke with me' in v. 13, the angel stays
with Zechariah throughout and is referred to explicitly, in all visions
but the third and sixth, as 'the angel who spoke with me'. In the latter
we find simply 'And he said to me...' In the fourth vision Zechariah
has no conversation with 'the angel who spoke with me', but sees 'the
Angel of Yahweh' (as in 1.11-12). It is possible that there is evidence
of a second author's or an editor's work here.
44. •»]« is emphatic in v. 9 and v. 15b, but refers to the angel in the
former, and to Yahweh in the latter. It seems safe to ignore it.
45. nan. No connection is discernible between the two occurrences
of this common word.
46. nw begins vv. 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the question and answer
section of the vision. These instances give a certain continuity and
serve to mark it off as a separate entity.
47.1'pnnn occurs in vv. 10-11 in the same sense: the horses go to
'patrol' and then report that they have 'patrolled' the earth. Otherwise
in Zechariah the hithpael of the verb is found in 6.7 (3x), and in
10.12. The last occurrence does not seem to be related to the others
and an emendation i^nrr is sometimes proposed. 1 The other instances
are in the vision which corresponds most closely to this one, namely
the eighth and last: the chariots and horses patrol the earth and set
God's Spirit at rest (6.8).
1. With partial support from one Hebrew manuscript, LXX and Syr.; Otzen,
Studien, p. 252 (who considers it unnecessary) and Jansma, Zechariah 9-14, p. 92.