The Measuring Line and the Promise for Jerusalem
Zechariah 2:1-13
Zec.2.1 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואשא: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- עיני: NOUN,f,pl,cons+1s
- וארא: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- והנה: ADV
- ארבע: NUM,card,f
- קרנות: NOUN,f,pl,cons
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:18 (verbal): Nearly identical phrasing earlier in the book: the prophet again lifts his eyes and sees four horns, repeating the same vision language.
- Zechariah 1:19-21 (structural): Immediate interpretive context: these verses explain the four horns as powers that scattered Judah and introduce the craftsmen who will cast them down—directly interprets the vision of four horns.
- Daniel 7:24 (thematic): Uses horn imagery to symbolize rulers/kingdoms (ten horns as kings); parallels Zechariah's symbolic use of horns to represent hostile powers.
- Revelation 17:12-13 (thematic): Apocalyptic horn symbolism reappears in Revelation (horns as kings/allied powers), echoing the prophetic motif of horns representing political/military forces.
Alternative generated candidates
- I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold—four horns.
- I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold—four horns.
Zec.2.2 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואמר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- המלאך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הדבר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- בי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- מה: PRON,int
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- הקרנות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- זרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- את: PRT,acc
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וירושלם: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:18-21 (structural): Immediate context: the vision of four horns identifies the horns as powers that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem and the craftsmen that will cast them down (direct continuation of the image).
- Daniel 8:20-22 (thematic): In the ram-and-goat vision horns symbolize kingdoms/kings; the interpretation treats horns as political powers rather than literal animals, paralleling Zechariah’s use of horns to represent forces that scattered Israel.
- Daniel 7:7, 24 (thematic): The beasts’ horns are interpreted as kings/kingdoms (including a sequence of horns); like Zechariah 1:18, the horn-figure stands for hostile political powers and rulers.
- Psalm 75:4-10 (verbal): Uses horn imagery for strength and exaltation/humbling of the proud (e.g., 'lift up the horn'); relates to the symbolic use of 'horns' in Zechariah as markers of power that can be broken or scattered by God.
- 1 Samuel 2:1-10 (Hannah’s song) (thematic): Horn as symbol of strength and reversal of fortunes ('the Lord... has exalted the horn of his anointed'); parallels Zechariah’s symbolic use of horns to indicate power and fortunes of Israel and its enemies.
Alternative generated candidates
- I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”},{
- And I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” He said to me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”},{
Zec.2.3 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויראני: VERB,qal,imperf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ארבעה: NUM,card,m,sg
- חרשים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:18-21 (structural): Immediate context of the same vision: the ‘four horns’ and the coming ‘smiths’ (חרשים) who are sent to terrify them—the fuller narrative for the brief mention.
- Isaiah 54:16 (verbal): Uses the smith/smithing metaphor (I have created the smith who blows the coals) to describe God’s sovereign use of craftsmen/instruments—verbal and vocational imagery similar to Zech.’s ‘smiths.’
- Habakkuk 1:5-11 (thematic): God raises a foreign power (the Chaldeans) as an instrument of judgment; parallels the theme of God deploying agents to punish and correct Israel’s enemies or sin.
- 1 Samuel 13:19-22 (thematic): The presence/absence of smiths and their role in making weapons among Israel’s foes highlights the practical and military significance of smiths—echoes the prophetic image of smiths as makers of instruments that affect nations.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.4 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואמר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- מה: PRON,int
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- באים: VERB,qal,part,3,m,pl
- לעשות: VERB,qal,inf
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- הקרנות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- זרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- כפי: PREP
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- נשא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ראשו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- ויבאו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- להחריד: VERB,qal,inf
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
- לידות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- קרנות: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- הגוים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- הנשאים: ADJ,ptcp,qal,pres,m,pl,def
- קרן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- לזרותה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,prs3fs
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:21 (verbal): Nearly identical wording in the Zecharian oracle: the 'horns' that scattered Judah and came to terrify them; essentially the same image/line repeated.
- Psalm 75:10 (thematic): Uses 'horns' as symbols of power; God cutting off the horns of the wicked and lifting up the horns of the righteous echoes removal of the oppressing 'horns' against Judah.
- Daniel 8:8-9, 20-22 (allusion): The vision of beasts and horns represents kingdoms and rising/broken horns; parallels the motif of horns as national powers that oppress or are cast down.
- Daniel 7:8 (thematic): The 'little horn' imagery—an emerging, blasphemous power that persecutes—parallels the idea of horns/nations that terrorize and scatter God's people.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.5 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואשא: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- עיני: NOUN,f,pl,cons+1s
- וארא: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- והנה: ADV
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובידו: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- חבל: NOUN,m,sg,cstr
- מדה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ezek.40:3 (verbal): Visionary figure holding a measuring cord/reed — very close verbal and visionary parallel (a man with a measuring line/cord in his hand) used to survey the sanctuary/city.
- Rev.21:15 (structural): An angel measures the new Jerusalem with a golden reed — echoes the theme of divine measurement and the city's measured expansion.
- Rev.11:1 (thematic): John is given a reed to measure the temple — similar motif of a measuring instrument used in an apocalyptic vision to define sacred space.
- Amos 7:7-8 (thematic): The Lord shows Amos a plumbline in the midst of Israel — related imagery of divine measurement/judgment used to assess the people's standing.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.6 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואמר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אנה: ADV,interrog
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- הלך: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- למד: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ירושלם: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לראות: VERB,qal,inf
- כמה: ADV
- רחבה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וכמה: CONJ+ADV
- ארכה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Revelation 21:15-17 (verbal): An angel measures the New Jerusalem with a golden reed—directly parallels the motif of an otherworldly measuring of the city and its dimensions.
- Ezekiel 40:3-5 (verbal): A man with a measuring line inspects temple/city measurements in a vision; shares the same measuring-line visionary trope as Zechariah's scene.
- Amos 7:7 (allusion): The LORD/prophet stands with a plumb line (measuring instrument); measurement imagery is used prophetically here as in Zechariah to signify divine appraisal or determination.
- Isaiah 54:2 (thematic): Calls for enlarging the tent and stretching out the curtains—thematically parallels the promise/vision of Jerusalem's expansion that Zechariah measures ('how broad and how long').
- Jeremiah 31:38-40 (structural): A future rebuilding and defined extension of Jerusalem are foretold, corresponding to Zechariah's vision of the city's measured dimensions and future habitation.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.7 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- והנה: ADV
- המלאך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הדבר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- בי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- יצא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ומלאך: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחר: PREP
- יצא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לקראתו: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m
Parallels
- Zechariah 4:1 (structural): Same prophetic-book formula about 'the angel who talked with me' and his movement/return — a parallel narrative device linking angelic mediators in Zechariah's visions.
- Daniel 10:10-13 (thematic): An angelic messenger appears to the seer and another heavenly figure (Michael) comes to assist/meet him — similar motif of one angel being met or reinforced by another.
- Daniel 9:21-23 (verbal): Gabriel comes to Daniel 'while I was still speaking in prayer' and arrives swiftly to engage the prophet — parallel of an angelic envoy intervening in a visionary context.
- Daniel 8:16 (verbal): The command to Gabriel to 'make this man understand' shows an angel dispatched to interact with the prophet about a vision, echoing the role of angels who go out to meet or address the seer.
- Judges 13:20-21 (thematic): The angel of the LORD departs in the flame from the altar and is recognized by Manoah — a related motif of angelic movement and encounter following a theophanic visitation.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.8 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלו: PRON,dem,pl
- רץ: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- הנער: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הלז: PRON,dem,m,sg
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- פרזות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- תשב: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- ירושלם: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מרב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אדם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובהמה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בתוכה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,fs
Parallels
- Jer.31.12 (thematic): Speaks of restoration when people and livestock fill Zion—’the young of the flock and the herd’—echoing Zech.2.8’s image of Jerusalem populated by many people and cattle.
- Ezek.36.10-11 (thematic): God promises the desolate land will be tilled and inhabited and livestock brought in—paralleling the theme of repopulating and filling the land in Zech.2.8.
- Isa.40.9 (verbal): An exhortation to ‘get up’ and ‘say’ to Zion/cities of Judah; parallels Zech.2.8’s imperative tone (‘run, tell this young man’) and the commission to proclaim a message about Jerusalem.
- Isa.54.2-3 (thematic): Promises enlargement and increased population (‘enlarge the place of thy tent… thy seed shall inherit the nations’), resonating with Zech.2.8’s picture of Jerusalem spreading out like unwalled villages because of multitude.
- Zech.8.4-5 (structural): Within the same prophetic corpus, these verses likewise depict a restored, populous Jerusalem—old men and children in the streets—reinforcing Zech.2.8’s restoration motif.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.9 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואני: PRON,1,sg
- אהיה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- לה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- נאם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- חומת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- אש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- סביב: ADV
- ולכבוד: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אהיה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- בתוכה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,fs
Parallels
- Leviticus 26:11-12 (verbal): God promises to set His dwelling among Israel and 'walk among you'—paralleling Zechariah's 'I will be in the midst of her' (God's presence within the city).
- Exodus 25:8 (verbal): 'Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them'—the theme of God dwelling among His people echoes Zechariah's promise to be the glory within Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 4:5-6 (thematic): Speaks of the LORD producing a protecting cloud/fire and a canopy of glory over Zion—similar fire-and-glory imagery as a protective presence around the city.
- Psalm 34:7 (thematic): 'The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him'—uses surrounding/protective imagery akin to a 'wall of fire' encircling the people.
- Revelation 21:3,11-12 (structural): In the vision of the New Jerusalem God dwells among people and the city 'had the glory of God' and massive walls—combining the motifs of God's presence as glory within and protective walls around the city.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.10 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- הוי: INTJ
- הוי: INTJ
- ונסו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- מארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- צפון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נאם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- כארבע: NUM,card
- רוחות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- השמים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- פרשתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- נאם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ezek.37:9-10 (verbal): Both texts invoke the image of the 'four winds'/'breath' from the four winds as divine agents that move/spread life or peoples — shared wind-imagery for divine action in scattering/gathering.
- Dan.7:2 (verbal): Uses the technical phrase 'the four winds of heaven'; parallels Zechariah's use of 'four winds' as a cosmological motif describing sweeping, world-wide divine movement.
- Isa.11:12 (thematic): Speaks of God gathering the dispersed from the 'four corners' and from the nations — thematically parallels Zechariah's image of God spreading/scattering and ultimately acting upon Israel from the four directions.
- Jer.1:14 (allusion): Jeremiah's warning that 'out of the north' an evil will break forth parallels Zechariah's reference to the 'land of the north' as the source/motive for flight or divine movement — shared motif of the north as origin of upheaval.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.11 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- הוי: INTJ
- ציון: NOUN,prop,f,sg,abs
- המלטי: VERB,qal,ptc,3,f,sg
- יושבת: VERB,qal,ptc,.,f,sg
- בת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- בבל: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Isaiah 47:1 (verbal): Directly addresses 'daughter of Babylon' (בַּת־בָּבֶל) — similar titular language and prophetic denunciation/portrait of Babylon.
- Jeremiah 50:8 (allusion): Calls for escape from Babylon ('Flee out of the midst of Babylon') — parallels the summons for Zion/exiles to depart and be delivered.
- Isaiah 52:2 (thematic): A call for Zion/Jerusalem to awake, arise, and shake off captivity — echoes the exhortation for the city/people to leave exile and return.
- Psalm 137:1–4 (thematic): Evokes the experience of Judah's exile by the rivers of Babylon and the dislocation of those dwelling in Babylon — thematically linked to Zionites living in or among Babylon.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.12 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- כה: ADV
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אחר: PREP
- כבוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שלחני: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- הגוים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- השללים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- כי: CONJ
- הנגע: PART,qal,ptcp,m,sg,def
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- נגע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בבבת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- עינו: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Zechariah 2:8 (verbal): Contains the identical idiom 'he who touches you touches the apple of his eye'—the immediate book-level repetition/emphasis on God's protective regard for Zion.
- Deuteronomy 32:10 (verbal): Speaks of God finding and guarding Israel 'as the apple of his eye' (Hebrew idiom of special care), paralleling the protective metaphor in Zechariah.
- Psalm 17:8 (verbal): Petitional verse: 'Keep me as the apple of the eye,' using the same idiom of divine protection and intimacy found in Zechariah's warning against attacking Israel.
- Isaiah 49:25 (thematic): Declares the LORD will contend with those who plunder or oppress Israel and rescue the prey—themewise similar to Zechariah's promise that God will act against the nations who plundered His people.
Alternative generated candidates
Zec.2.13 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- הנני: PRT+PRON,1,sg
- מניף: VERB,hiph,part,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ידי: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- עליהם: PREP,3,m,pl
- והיו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- שלל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לעבדיהם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs+3mp
- וידעתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- כי: CONJ
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- שלחני: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Ezekiel 39:7-8 (verbal): God announces punitive action against nations and states that by executing judgment He will make Himself known—'then shall they know that I am the LORD'—paralleling Zechariah's formula that people will know the LORD of hosts sent the prophet.
- Deuteronomy 32:36-43 (thematic): YHWH's vindication and vengeance theme: God renders judgment on enemies and causes a reversal where adversaries become spoil—echoing 'they shall be for prey to their servants' in Zech. 2:13.
- Isaiah 10:12 (thematic): God declares He will punish the Assyrian (a foreign power) when He has completed His work—a theme of divine action 'against them' like Zechariah's promise to lift His hand in judgment on nations.
- Psalm 2:9 (thematic): The psalm depicts God or His anointed smashing nations—an image of sovereign judgment over peoples that parallels Zechariah's announcement of divine assault and subjugation of foes.
- Isaiah 52:6 (verbal): Uses the recognition formula—'then they shall know that I am the LORD'—similar to Zech. 2:13's declaration that people will know the LORD of hosts has sent the prophet, linking judgment/act with knowledge of God.
Alternative generated candidates
I lifted up my eyes and saw—behold, four horns. And I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that Israel and Jerusalem were driven out.”
Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. And I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; and they have come to frighten them and to throw down the horns of the nations that lifted up a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
I lifted up my eyes and saw—behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
I said, “Where are you going?” He said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.” And behold, the angel who was speaking with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him.
He said, “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall dwell in open villages because of the multitude of men and cattle in her midst.’”
“For I will be to her a wall of fire round about, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.”
Ho! Ho! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD; for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven, declares the LORD.
Ho, Zion! Escape—you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.
For thus says the LORD of hosts: After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that plundered you— for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye—
behold, I will lift up my hand against them, and they shall be plunder for their servants. Then you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.”