Zechariah 2
The Vision of the Measuring Line 1–5
An Appeal to the Exiles to Flee Babylon 6–9
God Will Dwell in Jerusalem 10–13
Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain
Study Notes for Zechariah 2
Verse 1
a man with a measuring line in his hand — 'Again' follows the vision of 1:18, 'Then lifted I up mine eyes'. The line (chebel) is the promise of 1:16 acted out, 'a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem'. Jeremiah had said, 'the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb' (Jer 31:39), and Ezek 40:3 has a man with 'a line of flax' in his hand.
Verse 2
To measure Jerusalem — The man goes to learn 'the breadth thereof, and… the length thereof'. Verse 4 says the city will be 'inhabited as towns without walls', more than any wall could hold. Jer 31:39 also speaks of the line going out over Jerusalem, and in Rev 21:15 an angel measures the city with a golden reed.
Verse 3
the angel that talked with me — This is the angel who answers Zechariah's questions in 1:9, 'I will shew thee what these be', and 1:19 and 4:5. He goes out and 'another angel' comes to meet him, and the word of v.4 passes between them. 'Went forth' and 'went out' are the same verb (yatsa).
Verse 4
towns without walls — Perazot, open villages with no wall. Ezek 38:11 uses the word for 'the land of unwalled villages', which Gog plans to go up against, but here the LORD makes the city safe (v.5). The reason given is 'the multitude of men and cattle', as 1:17 has 'My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad'.
Verse 5
a wall of fire round about — The LORD takes the place of the walls of v.4. Fire by night was the LORD's guard of Israel in the wilderness, 'in a pillar of fire' (Ex 13:21), and 'chariots of fire round about Elisha' (2 Kgs 6:17). 'The glory in the midst of her' recalls Isa 4:5, 'upon all the glory shall be a defence', and Isa 60:18, 'thou shalt call thy walls Salvation'.
Verse 6
Ho, ho, come forth, and flee — 'Ho' is hoy, the word rendered 'Woe' in Hab 2:6, 9, 12, 15, 19, here a call to come out. 'The land of the north' is Babylon, and the call is that of Isa 48:20, 'Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans'. The spreading 'as the four winds' is the scattering described in 1:19, 21 of the four horns.
Verse 7
Deliver thyself, O Zion — The 'O' is the same hoy as in v.6, so the call continues. 'Deliver thyself' is malat, the verb of Lot's rescue, 'Escape for thy life' (Gen 19:17). Isaiah gave the like command, 'go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean' (Isa 52:11), and Rev 18:4 has 'Come out of her, my people'.
Verse 8
the apple of his eye — Bavah, the pupil of the eye, a word found only here; Deut 32:10 and Ps 17:8 use another word (ishon) for the same image. The speaker is 'sent' by the LORD of hosts (vv.8, 9, 11), yet says 'I will dwell in the midst of thee' (v.10). The nations that 'spoiled' (shalal) are repaid in v.9 with 'spoil' (shalal).
Verse 9
I will shake mine hand upon them — The raised hand is the gesture of judgment, 'the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts' (Isa 19:16). The nations 'shall be a spoil to their servants', the very word of v.8 turned back on them. 'Ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me' is repeated in v.11 and at Zech 4:9, when Zerubbabel's hands finish the house.
Verse 10
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion — The same summons opens Zeph 3:14, 'Sing, O daughter of Zion', with the reason in Zeph 3:15, 'the LORD… is in the midst of thee'. 'I will dwell' (shakan) is the verb of Ex 25:8, 'that I may dwell among them', and the promise is repeated in Zech 8:3. John 1:14 uses the same figure, 'dwelt among us'.
Verse 11
many nations shall be joined to the LORD — 'Joined' is lavah, the word for the stranger who 'hath joined himself to the LORD' (Isa 56:3) and 'the strangers shall be joined with them' (Isa 14:1). The nations become 'my people', as Hos 2:23 says, 'I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people'. Zech 8:22 has nations coming 'to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem'.
Verse 12
the holy land — The only place the KJV has this phrase. The LORD 'shall inherit Judah his portion', as 'the LORD'S portion is his people' (Deut 32:9). 'Choose Jerusalem again' is the promise of 1:17, 'the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem'.
Verse 13
Be silent, O all flesh — Hasah, the hush of Hab 2:20 and Zeph 1:7, said at the LORD's coming. 'Raised up' (ur) is to stir as one awakened, compare 'the Lord awaked as one out of sleep' (Ps 78:65, another verb). His 'holy habitation' (maon) is the dwelling from which his people ask him to 'Look down' (Deut 26:15), and here he rises from it.