Bible Commentaries

I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked — i.e. I looked wistfully, not sluggishly, as between sleeping and waking, as Zechariah 4:1 . I saw further by the spirit than common sense could have carried me. I beheld Jerusalem in her future glory, I looked intently, I took aim, not by the things which are seen, but by the things which are not seen, 2 Corinthians 4:18 Hebrews 11:27 Galatians 4:26 .

And behold a man — The man Christ Jesus, as his mother is called a virgin, Isaiah 7:14 , the virgin, that famous virgin that conceived and bare a son, that got a man from the Lord, Genesis 4:1 . This man (called before and after an angel, as appearing in human shape) is here seen and set forth as an architect or master builder, going to take the plot of his Church, see Revelation 21:15 ; and observe, by the way, how in that book the Holy Ghost borrows the allegories and elegancies of the Old Testament to set out the story of the New in succeeding ages.

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Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what [is] the breadth thereof, and what [is] the length thereof.

Whither goest thou? — This was great boldness; but the prophet understood himself well enough; and Christ approves and assents to it in a gracious answer here, and especially Zechariah 2:4 . Great is the confidence of a good conscience toward God, 1 Peter 3:21 . See Isaiah 63:16-17 Habakkuk 1:12 . We may come boldly to the throne of grace, Hebrews 4:16 .

To measure Jerusalem — This had been promised before, Zechariah 1:16 . But for their further confirmation, who saw a little likelihood of such a rebuilding and repeopling, it is repeated. Thus the Lord, tending our infirmity, seals to us again and again in the holy sacrament, what he had said and sworn to us in his word.

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And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

And behold the angel — Zechariah’s angel, as one calleth him.

Went forth — to take direction from Christ, and to give the prophet further information. See Trapp on " Zechariah 1:9 "

And another angel went out to meet him — So ready is Christ to answer prayers and to satisfy his weak but willing people, that draw near unto him with a true heart, Hebrews 10:22 . If any such ask and miss it is because they ask amiss, James 4:3 .

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And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited [as] towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

Run, speak to this young man — Not go, but run; yea, fly swiftly, with weariness of flight, as Daniel 9:21 . Christ thinks it long ere his praying people hear from him. Only he will be inquired of by them, Ezekiel 36:37 . Zechariah seems to have been a young prophet, and Christ remembered the kindness of his youth, and became a wonderful counsellor to him; he gave to this young man (or greenbeaded stripling) knowledge and discretion, Proverbs 1:4 . Epiphanius saith he was an old man; and that he is called a young man because a client and disciple of the angel that communed with him. Where angels are called men it was no disparagement to Zechariah to call himself a lad, or servant, considering his distance. Thus Abraham’s servant, though old, is called his boy, Genesis 24:52 , by a catachresis. That is a good note that Mr Potable gives here, that the angel tells the prophet, but the prophet must tell the people; God using not the ministry of angels, but men earthen vessels, to bear his name to his people, Acts 8:27 ; Acts 9:6 ; Acts 16:9 .

Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls — Or shall dwell in towns without walls viz. in the suburbs or villages, there being not room enough within the walls to receive them. This seemed an incredible thing to this poor remnant now returned from Babylon. But it is the property and duty of believers to trust God upon his bare word; and that against sense in things visible, and against reason in things improbable.

For the multitude of men and cattle therein — That is, saith Augustine, of spiritual and carnal persons in the Church Catholic.

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For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire — Igneus qui et cominus arceat et eminus terreat (Theodor.). The Church (Christ’s garden) may seem to lie open to all incursions and disadvantages; but as it hath a well within it, Song of Solomon 4:15 , so it hath a wall without it, yea, round about it, better and stronger than that about Babylon, or Susa in Persia; the stones whereof were joined together with gold, as Cassiodorus testifieth. The Lacedaemonians were forbidden to wall in their city of Sparta; as being sufficiently fortified by the valour of the inhabitants. The Hollanders will not wall the Hague, though it have 2000 households in it; as desirous to have it counted rather the principal village of Europe than a lesser city. China is said to be surrounded with a strong wall of stone; and England with walls of wood, sc. a powerful navy. But what is all this (either for defence or offence) to a wall of fire? who dare venture to scale such a wall? It is not valour, but madness, to fight with a flame. Fire is terrible to the fiercest creatures, as lions, leopards. Shepherds and travellers were used to guard themselves by making great fires round about their night lodgings to keep off wild beasts. Some think the prophet alludeth to that custom; others, to the angels guarding of Paradise with a flaming sword, that is, saith Lactantius, with a wall of fire (Instit. lib. 2, cap. 13.) The Church may sit and sing, "We have a strong city: salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks," Isaiah 26:1 . He "maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flame of fire," Hebrews 1:7 . These met and ministered unto Jacob at Mahanaim, making a lane for him, as the word importeth, Genesis 32:1 . These fiery chariots and horsemen appeared for Elisha by whole legions, 2 Kings 6:17 , and do still pitch their camp round about the godly, Psalms 34:7 . (These are the watchmen over the walls of the new Jerusalem, and of the mountains about the same, Isaiah 62:6 ) Who, therefore, cannot but be safe, as being guarded by the peace of God within them, and by the power of God without them, through faith unto salvation.

And will be the glory in the midst of her — God is the Church’s both bulwark and beauty; her muniment and ornament. His presence, his worship, his grace, his protection, is that tower in the midst of her, Isaiah 5:2 , that golden head of the picture, that tower of the flock, and stronghold of the daughter of God’s people, Micah 4:8 . Hence the ark is called the glory, Romans 9:4-5 , and all comforts without it but Ichabods, 1 Samuel 4:20 . Hence Judea is called the glorious land; and heathens are brought in saying, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law?" Deuteronomy 4:6-8 . Surely as Samson’s strength and glory lay in his hair, so doth the strength and glory of our land consist in the true religion, and God’s sincere service; which if it should be shaved and deprived of, though every shower were a shower of gold, saith a divine, every stone in the land a pearl, every beggar an honourable senator, every fool as wise as Solomon, every weakling as strong as Samson; yet our wealth, honour, strength, wisdom, and glory are gone, and we shall sing a doleful Miserere ditty with Phineas’s wife, Ichabod, The glory of England is gone; for religion is gone.

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Ho, ho, [come forth], and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.

Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north — A proclamation to those in Babylon to make haste home, and come away for shame; now they had so fair a way made, and such free liberty given them to return. A man would wonder they should be so backward to a business of this nature. But they that were born in hell know no other heaven, as the proverb is. There they had lived a long season in peace and safety in a rich and fat though a foreign country. There they were at quiet, enjoyed their religion and customs, gotten wealth, had favourites at court; and what should they trouble themselves to remove into a country where they were sure to meet with many bitter enemies, the Samaritans and others? And who can tell whether this proclamation of King Darius be not a design to try their affection to their country, and so to fall upon such as did offer to return thither? Thus by casting perils, distrusting promises, and listening to that Improba Siren Desidia, wicked idolent Siren, they stayed half of them at least behind, whatever Josephus hath falsely storied of 4,628,000 that returned; the contrary whereto, see Ezra 2:64 .

For I have spread you abroad into the four winds — And do now offer to recollect and reduce you to your own country. See that ye shift not off me that speak from heaven. See that ye neglect not so great salvation, Hebrews 12:25 ; Hebrews 2:3 . How often is the Lord even fain to smoke us, and so force us out of our clay cottages, toward our heavenly home. And what a shame is it to us that a heathen should say Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam; ibi pater, ibi omnia. We should even flee apace to our own country that is above; since there is our Father, there is all that heart can wish or need require.

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Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest [with] the daughter of Babylon.

Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon — q.d. Is Babylon a fit place for thee to abide in? what comfort canst thou take in such lewd company? Save thyself from this untoward generation, Acts 2:40 "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense," Jeremiah 51:6-7 . Shortly after this exhortation to the sons of Zion Babylon revolted from the Persians, and was taken and sacked by Darius in the fourth year of his reign (that is, two years after this prophecy was uttered) by the help of his friend Zopyrus. Two things should prevail with the people of God to shun the society of the ungodly. 1. Infection of sin, which is more contagious and catching than the plague. Though Lot learned not the evil manners of Sodom, yet his daughters did. 2. Infliction of punishment, Zechariah 9:2 ; Zechariah 9:4 . Hamath lay so nigh Damascus in places that she fared the worse for her neighbourhood. See for both these, Revelation 18:4 , and say, if at any time forced to be in bad company, "Oh that I had wings of a dove: for then would I flee away, and be at rest," Psalms 55:6 . Or, if this "Oh" will not set thee at liberty, take up that "Woe" to express thy misery, "Woe is me that I sojourn in Meshech."

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For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

For thus saith the Lord of hosts — Sanchez referreth these words to those aforegoing, q.d. "Deliver thyself," … for so the Lord commandeth. But herein he stands alone, the current of interpreters carrying it against him. This preface seems prefixed for procuring more authority to the ensuing promise, which to the poor Jews might seem incredible. If Jehovah speaketh it, and he that hath all power in his hand to effect what he speaketh, why should any one doubt, or despair?

After this glory — i.e. These glimmerings of glory, these outgoings of grace begun among you, and by degrees to be finished.

Hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you — Or, against the nations, for it is a sending in judgment; and perhaps against either the Chaldeans, destroyed by the Persians, See Trapp on " Zechariah 2:7 " or the Persians, afterwards destroyed by the Grecians and by Alexander the Great, see Isaiah 33:1 . Now, whereas some object that Christ is here said to be sent by his Father, and this seems to import an inferiority; it is answered: First, that two equals by mutual consent may send one another. Mission doth not always import inequality. Secondly, one may be inferior to another, either by nature, and so Christ is not; or by condition, as he is the Mediator, and as he did voluntarily abase himself; and so he is, Philippians 2:7 .

For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye — The little man, that is, in the eye (as pupilla of pupa ), or, the black of the eye ( Ishon, of Ish. It is here called Bath, the daughter of the eye; because it is as dear to a man as an only daughter). God, who at first drew light out of darkness, doth, by an admirable work, draw the light of the body out of the black apple of the eye. Philosophers call it, the crystalline humour. It is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part; to express the inexpressible tenderness of God’s love, saith Salvian. The eye is kept most diligently, and strongly guarded by nature with tunicles. A man can better bear a thultch on the back than a touch on the eye. Siquis digitum meum mordent, siquis pungat brachium et crura, siquis etiam duriter vulneret, …, saith Calvin here. If one bite my finger, prick my leg or arm, yea, slash and wound me, I can better bear it than if he thrust his finger in my eyes. Amida, son of Mulasses, King of Tunis, cruelly put out his father’s eyes, by holding hot burning basins before them. Robert de Behasme, Earl of Shrewsbury, A.D. 1111, playing with his own child, for a pastime, put his thumb in the boy’s eyes, and thrust out the balls thereof. We use to say, Oculus et fama non patiunfur iocos, The eye and the good name will endure no jests. Let persecutors take heed how they meddle with God’s eyes. "He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against God and prospered?" Job 9:4 . Some read the text thus; He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his own eye, that is, he very grievously hurteth himself, as procuring and pulling down upon his own head the sharp wrath and vengeance of God. But the former is the better.

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