Zechariah 3 Explained

Zechariah 3 is the third of the 14 chapters in the Book of Zechariah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1] This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Zechariah, and is a part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets. The chapter contains the vision of Joshua, the high priest, being cleansed before God. It is a part of a section (so-called "First Zechariah") consisting of Zechariah 1–8.

Text

The original text was written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 10 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Codex Cairensis (from year 895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 4Q80 (4QXIIe; 75–50 BCE) with extant verses 2–10.[2]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;

ak{G}

B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK:

ak{G}

S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A;

ak{G}

A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q;

ak{G}

Q; 6th century). Some fragments containing parts of this chapter (a revision of the Septuagint) were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, Naḥal Ḥever 8Ḥev1 (8ḤevXIIgr); late 1st century BCE) with extant verses 1–7.[2]

Commentary

Zechariah's fourth of the eight visions in chapters 1–8 shows the high priest Joshua ("Jeshua" in Ezra–Nehemiah)accused by "the Satan" ("the Adversary", acting as theprosecuting counsel in the heavenly court) but acquitted. His subsequent "cleansing" gives the sign that God will forgive and cleanse the community, signified by the renewal of the temple services.

Vision of the High Priest (3:1–5)

In the fourth of the eight visions, the prophets sees a real person, the high priest Joshua, instead of symbolic objects like in other visions. The replacement of Joshua's "filthy clothes" (verses 3–4) with new apparel gives the legitimation of the new temple and priesthood.

The Coming Branch (3:6–10)

The resumption of the temple worship will lead to the coming of "the Branch" (verse 8), who will restore the kingship into a new era (verse 10), when the iniquity of the land will be cleansed in one day (verse 9).

Verse 8

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest,

thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee:

for they are men wondered at:

for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.[3]

See also

Sources

. John J. Collins. Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Fortress Press. 2014. 9781451469233 .

. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 9780195288810 .

. A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. Joseph Fitzmyer . William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 2008. 9780802862419. Grand Rapids, MI .

. Christine Hayes. Introduction to the Bible. Yale University Press. 2015. 978-0300188271 .

. Ernst Würthwein . The Text of the Old Testament . Wm. B. Eerdmans . Grand Rapids, MI . 1995 . Erroll F.. Rhodes . 0-8028-0788-7 . January 26, 2019 .

External links

Jewish

Christian

Notes and References

  1. http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/15199-zechariah-book-of Zechariah, Book of
  2. http://thewaytoyahuweh.com/research/dead-sea-scrolls/#zechariah Dead sea scrolls – Zechariah
  3. 3:8 KJV KJV
  4. [Albert Barnes (theologian)|Barnes, Albert]
  5. Note on Zechariah 3:8 in NKJV.
  6. Note [b] on Zechariah 3:8 in NET Bible.
  7. Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, Andrew Robert; Brown, David. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary On the Whole Bible. "Zechariah 3". 1871.
  8. Exell, Joseph S.; Spence-Jones, Henry Donald Maurice (Editors). On "Zechariah 3". In: The Pulpit Commentary. 23 volumes. First publication: 1890. Accessed 24 April 2019.
  9. [John Gill (theologian)|Gill, John]

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