Zechariah 6:10

6:9-15 Some Jews from Babylon brought an offering to the house of God. Those who cannot forward a good work by their persons, must, as they are able, forward it by their purses: if some find hands, let others fill them. Crowns are to be made, and put upon the head of Joshua. The sign was used, to make the promise more noticed, that God will, in the fulness of time, raise up a great High Priest, like Joshua, who is but the figure of one that is to come. Christ is not only the Foundation, but the Founder of this temple, by his Spirit and grace. Glory is a burden, but not too heavy for Him to bear who upholds all things. The cross was His glory, and he bore that; so is the crown an exceeding weight of glory, and he bears that. The counsel of peace should be between the priest and the throne, between the priestly and kingly offices of Jesus Christ. The peace and welfare of the gospel church, and of all believers, shall be wrought, though not by two several persons, yet by two several offices meeting in one; Christ, purchasing all peace by his priesthood, maintaining and defending it by his kingdom. The crowns used in this solemnity must be kept in the temple, as evidence of this promise of the Messiah. Let us not think of separating what God has joined in his counsel of peace. We cannot come to God by Christ as our Priest, if we refuse to have him rule over us as our King. We have no real ground to think our peace is made with God, unless we try to keep his commandments.

Take of "them of" the captivity,.... That is, some of them that were returned from the captivity of Babylon, and who are mentioned by name: even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon; either with Zerubbabel and Joshua, when they came from thence; or who were now just come from those that remained there: and come thou the same day; this very day in which they were come from thence: and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; where the above persons were; or where they were to go along with him: this Josiah might be either a goldsmith, and therefore the prophet is sent to him to make the crowns later mentioned; or else he might be a treasurer belonging to the temple, who had gold and silver in his hands, which had been put there for the use of it.

Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, who are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of {l} Josiah the son of Zephaniah; (l) To receive from him and the other three, money to make the two crowns: who were men of great authority among the Jews, and doubted of the restitution of the kingdom, and of the priesthood, and hurt others by their example.

Take, gold and silver, of those that are come out of Babylon lately, to make their oblation to the Lord, or to bring the oblation of them who yet were in Babylon, but remembered Jerusalem and the temple. And come thou; go fetch them if they lodge elsewhere, and bring them in thy company. The same day; the same day in which they come, or else in the same day that I speak unto thee, delay not. And go into the house of Josiah: some say he was a goldsmith, others, that he was treasurer for the temple, and that these persons before named had brought a rich present to him for the temple and the service of the Lord.

10 . Take ] Lit. to take. This has been thought to be a general direction, extending to all that they had brought, “let (their offerings) be received, or accepted;” the special taking of silver and gold for a particular purpose by the prophet being mentioned in the next verse. But there is no reason whatever to suppose that the Jews who were rebuilding the temple had ever any scruple about receiving such offerings even from heathens ( Ezra 1:4 ; Ezra 1:6-7 ; Ezra 6:8-10 ), so that such a direction would have been superfluous. It is better, therefore, to render with A. V. “ take ( thou )” sc. “silver and gold,” the direction being interrupted to tell the prophet where to meet with these men, and resumed at the beginning of Zechariah 6:11 . the captivity ] used of the Jews who had returned from exile to their own land, Ezra 9:4 ; Ezra 10:8 ; but also, as here, of those who were still in exile, Ezekiel 1:1 ; Ezekiel 3:11 ; Ezekiel 3:15 . which are come from Babylon ] This clause is transposed in A. V. from the end of the verse where it stands in the Hebrew. It should be left there, as in R. V., and rendered, to which they are come from Babylon. It will then read: Take of the captivity, even of Heldai of Tobijah and of Jedaiah ( their messengers and representatives )— and come thou ( thyself to take it in person ), even come into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, to which they have come from Babylon—and take silver and gold , &c.

10. Take of them of the captivity—Take silver and gold (Zec 6:11) from them. The three named came from Babylon (where some of the exiled Jews still were left) to present gifts of silver and gold towards the building of the temple. But in Zec 6:11, 14, "crowns" are directed to be made of them, then to be set on Joshua's head, and to be deposited in the temple as a memorial of the donors, until Messiah shall appear. Heldai—meaning "robust." Called Helem [1179]below. Tobijah—that is, "the goodness of God." Jedaiah—that is, "God knows." which are come from Babylon—This clause in the Hebrew comes after "Josiah son of Zephaniah." Therefore, Moore thinks Josiah as well as the three "came from Babylon." But as he has a "house" at Jerusalem, he is plainly a resident, not a visitor. Therefore English Version is right; or Maurer, "Josiah son of Zephaniah, to whom they are come (as guests) from Babylon." the same day—No time was to be lost to mark the significancy of their coming from afar to offer gifts to the temple, typifying, in the double crown made of their gifts and set on Joshua's head, the gathering in of Israel's outcasts to Messiah hereafter, who shall then be recognized as the true king and priest.

Verse 10. - Take of them of the Captivity. The verb is in the infinitive for the imperative, "take thou from the Captivity;" what he is to take is noted in the next verse. "Those of the Captivity" are certain envoys sent by the Jews who still dwelt in Babylon ( Ezekiel 1:1 ; Ezekiel 3:11 ), bearing gifts for the temple. These messengers the prophet was to visit at the house of Josiah, their host. Heldai ; or, Cheldai , in ver. 14 "Helem" or "Chelem," "The Enduring One" (Keil); "The Lord's Word" (Pussy). The name occurs in 1 Chronicles 27:15 . Tobijah ; "The Lord is good," a well known name. Jedaiah ; "God careth." The name is found in 1 Chronicles 9:10 ; 1 Chronicles 24:7 . The LXX. explains the names in symbolical fashion, Παρὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ παρὰ τῶν χρησίμων αὐτῆς καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐπεγνωκότων αὐτήν "From the chief men, and from its good men, and from those that have understood it." Which are come from Babylon . This clause in the Authorized Version is transposed from its place in the Hebrew, which is at the end of the verse, where it refers to the house of Josiah, and should be rendered, "to which," or "whither they have come from Babylon." Septuagint, Τὸν οϊκον Ὠσίου ... τοῦ ἥκοντος ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος , "The house of Josiah... who came from Babylon." The same day. There was to be no delay; the transaction was to be carried out "on that day," the day made known to the prophet, and by himself in person. The house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. He was, perhaps, treasurer.

At any rate, at his house the envoys were entertained, and there were stored the contributions which the Jews in exile had sent to their brethren in Jerusalem. Josiah is the same person as Hen, according to the Authorized Version and the Vulgate, in ver. 14 (where see note). He was probably son of the Zephaniah mentioned in 2 Kings 25:18 as in the second rank of priests among those who were deported to Babylon (comp. Jeremiah 21:1 ; Jeremiah 37:3 ). Zechariah 6:10

Take of the captivity - Of that which they had brought with them. "The captivity" was, in Jeremiah ), and Ezekiel E Zechariah 1:2 ; Ezekiel 3:11 , Ezekiel 3:15 ; Ezekiel 11:24-25 , the title of those who had been actually carried captive and were at that moment in captivity. Ezra continues it of those who had been in captivity, though now returned from exile. Yet not without a reference to the circumstances or causes of that captivity. It is the "captivity" Ezra 1:11 which Sheshbazzar brings from Babylon, or Ezra subsequently; the "children of the captivity" Ezra 8:35 , who set themselves to build the temple of God Ezra 4:1 ; who dedicated it and kept the passover . The title is used apparently as an aggravation of sin, like that which had been chastened by that captivity. Here, the term seems to imply some blame, that they remained of their own accord in this state of severance from the altar, where alone special worship of God and sacrifice could be offered. They had been removed against their will; yet, as Christians often do, acquiesced in the loss, rather than forego their temporal advantages. Still they wished to take part in the work of restoring the public worship, and so sent these men, with their contribution of gold and silver, to their brethren, who had returned; as, in the first times of the Gospel, the Christians everywhere made collections for the poor saints, who dwelt in Jerusalem. And this their imperfect zeal was instantly accepted.

And go thyself - To make the act more impressive, "on that same day," as matter of urgency, "and thou shalt come to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, whither they have come from Babylon" . The exiles who had brought presents for the building of the temple, lodged, it seems, in the house of Josiah, whether they doubted or no that their presents would be accepted, since they chose Babylon, not Jerusalem for their abode. This acceptance of their gifts symbolized the incoming of those from afar. It is remarkable that all five names express a relation to God. "Tobiah" in Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 6:1; 3) the Tobias here and 14; 4) Tobit and Tobias in his book), "The Lord is my good;" "Yedaiah," "God knoweth" or "careth for;" Josiah, "The Lord supporteth" ; "Zephaniah," "The Lord hideth," and perhaps "Cheldai," "The Lord's world" . They had taken religious instead of worldly names. Probably Zechariah was first to accept the offerings from the three exiles, and then to take the actual gold from the house of Josiah whither they had brought it. The pilgrims from Babylon and their host are included in one common blessing.

The series of visions closes with a symbolical transaction, which is closely connected with the substance of the night-visions, and sets before the eye the figure of the mediator of salvation, who, as crowned high priest, or as priestly king, is to build the kingdom of God, and raise it into a victorious power over all the kingdoms of this world, for the purpose of comforting and strengthening the congregation. The transaction is the following: Zechariah 6:9 . "And the word of Jehovah came to me thus: Zechariah 6:10 . Take of the people of the captivity, of Cheldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedahyah, and go thou the same day, go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, whither they have come from Babel; Zechariah 6:11 . And take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Jozadak the high priest." By the introduction, "The word of the Lord came to me," the following transaction is introduced as a procedure of symbolical importance. It is evident from Zechariah 6:10 and Zechariah 6:11 that messengers had come to Jerusalem from the Israelites who had been left behind in Babel, to offer presents of silver and gold, probably for supporting the erection of the temple, and had gone to the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. The prophet is to go to them, and to take silver and gold from them, to have a crown made for Joshua the high priest. The construction in Zechariah 6:10 and Zechariah 6:11 is somewhat broad and dragging.

The object is wanting to the inf. absol. לקוח, which is used instead of the imperative; and the sentence which has been begun is interrupted by וּבאת וגו, so that the verb which stands at the head is resumed in the ולקחתּ of Zechariah 6:11 , and the sentence finished by the introduction of the object. This view is the simplest one. For it is still more impracticable to take לקוח in an absolute sense, and either supply the object from the context, or force it out by alterations of the text (Hitzig). If, for example, we were to supply as the object, "that which they are bringing," this meaning would result: "accept what they are bringing, do not refuse it," without there being any ground for the assumption that there had been any unwillingness to accept the presents. The alteration of מחלדּי into מחמדּי, "my jewels," is destitute of any critical support, and מחלדּי is defended against critical caprice by the לחלם in Zechariah 6:14 . Nor can מאת הגּולה be taken as the object to לקוח, "take (some) from the emigration," because this thought requires מן, and is irreconcilable with מאת, "from with." Haggōlâh, lit., the wandering into exile, then those who belong to the wandering, or to the exiled, not merely those who are still in exile, but very frequently also those who have returned from exile. This is the meaning here, as in Ezra 4:1 ; Ezra 6:19 , etc. Mecheldai is an abbreviation for מאת חלדּי.