Ver. 1. In the fourth year of king Darius] Two years and a month after the former sermon. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. “The Lord gave the word”: but it cannot be said that “great was the company of those that preached it,” Psalms 68:11; during the captivity they complained that there was no more any prophets; neither any among them that knew how long their misery should last. Soon after their return God stirred them up Haggai and Zechariah; and after that Malachi; and then there was Chathimath chazon, as the Jews phrase it, a sealing up or end of prophecy. Only they had Bath-col, as they call it, a voice from heaven, sometimes, as Matthew 3:17 Joh 12:28. This and the pool of Bethesda only were left them as extraordinary signs of God’s love to that people. But for a punishment of their killing the prophets (as they did this Zechariah between the porch and the altar, Matthew 23:37) and stoning those that were sent unto them (as they did the other Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada), they had no more prophets till the arch-prophet and his forerunner, the Baptist, came. And now also by this long vacation of two years and a month, it appeareth that preachers were rare, and that sermons they had but seldom. Neither was it otherwise here in England at the first reformation; for to many churches (for want of preachers) readers were sent. Whence one of the martyrs wished that every able minister might have ten congregations committed to his charge till further provision could be made. The word of the Lord came unto Zechariah] The Lord is said to come to Balaam, Abimelech, Laban, &c. But he never entrusted his word to these profane persons; as he did to the holy prophets, of whom it is said, as here, “The word of the Lord came unto them.” In the fourth day of the ninth month] Which answereth to our November. Why the precise time of the prophecies is set down— [See Trapp on “Hag 1:1”]
Ver. 2. When they had sent] They? who? Not the princes of Persia, that were now proselyted, as the vain glorious Jews (and after them Haymo and Hugo) would have it, for the honour of their nation, nor the Samaritans (as some in Theodoret held), as seeming to Judaize in part, to join Jewish ceremonies with heathenish rites; but either the Jews yet remaining in Babylon, as Calvin conceiveth (blaming them for their sloth in not returning when they might, and yet commending them for this, that they had not cast off all care of God’s sincere service), or else the whole body of the Jews returned, as Junius determineth; or, lastly, some particular man not named, who is brought in, Zechariah 7:3, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself,” &c. But that may be an ordinary analogy, the singular for the plural; especially since the embassy was sent in the name of the whole congregation. Unto the house of God] Not to Bethel, as the Septuagint translateth here, nor from Bethel (as the Chaldee), though that is better than the former, and more likely; but, to the house of God, that is, to the temple, which was now well nigh finished; and that gave occasion to the question here propounded. Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men] That is, their train: for they were men of rank and fashion; as it was fit they should be in such a weighty employment. And here the Septuagint, by their corrupt translating of the text, have caused a strange coil among those that strive to defend them. It is said that they translated against their will; and therefore what can we expect from them but slippery doing? It is most sure that the translation of theirs which we now have, is full of errors; and that they pervert various clear prophecies concerning Jesus Christ, and have occasioned many mistakes, being themselves many times grossly mistaken, as here; unless they did it wilfully. Some learned men think that the Septuagint that we have now, is not theirs. It was burned by Dioclesian (as some hold) in the library of Alexandria, or (as others) by Julius Caesar, when he burnt Serapion. To pray before the Lord] Heb. to entreat the face of the Lord, sc. by prayers and sacrifices in the most solemn sort. The Hebrew properly signifieth to weary the Lord with prayers, to seize upon him with utmost importunity, to give him no rest until he yield, to urge him (as they did the prophet, 2 Kings 2:17) until he be ashamed to deny, till we put him to the blush, or leave a blot in his face (as she, Luke 18:5), unless we may prevail. This must be done, especially when we are to converse with prophets about soul businesses, cases of conscience.
Ver. 3. And to speak unto the priests] Whose office is to preserve knowledge, and present it too; to teach Jacob God’s judgments, and to put incense before him, Deuteronomy 33:10, to sell oil, Matthew 25:9, to bring balm from Gilead, Jeremiah 8:22, to speak as the oracles of God, 1 Peter 4:11, which scarcely one of a thousand has the skill of, Job 33:23. And to the prophets] Who were extraordinarily raised up sometimes by God, to assist the priests in teaching the people, and to shame them for their backwardness to such businesses. [See Trapp on “Zec 7:1”] Should I weep] That is, fast, which was ever with weeping, see Joel 2:15-17, and affliction of the soul, Leviticus 16:31 23:27; which indeed is the soul of a fast, and without the which it is but as a brainless head, or a lifeless carcase. What is a humble day (saith one) without a humble heart? not only an irreligious incongruity, but a high provocation; like Zimri’s act when all the congregation were weeping before the door of the tabernacle? In the fifth month] Wherein the temple was consumed to ashes, Jeremiah 52:12. In a sad remembrance whereof the Jews took up that tenth day of the fifth month for a solemn fast every year, till now. Separating myself] Heb. Nazariting myself that is, abridging myself of meats, drinks, and delights. Hence a fasting day is called a day of restraint, Joel 2:15. Hence it hath its hand both in Hebrew and Greek, Tsom, Νηστειο Hence also it is spoken of as a foul fault, Isaiah 58:3 “Behold in the day of your fast ye find your pleasure.” The Popish fast is a mere mock fast; for they separate themselves from some kind of meats only; it is not a total abstinence. And herein they come short of the very Turks, who upon their fasting days will not so much as taste a cup of water, or wash their mouths with water all the day long, before the stars appear in the sky; and then they make all the cheer and joy they can devise. Like as the Attic dames in their Thesmophoria (a feast of Ceres) prepared themselves with fasting, but after that laid the reins on the neck, and ran riot. As I have done these so many years?] Seventy at least. But they seem to reckon up upon so many as was scarce to be told; and that therefore God was deep in their debt. Is it not time now to give over, since the temple was almost rebuilt? This was the great case propounded by these Questionists. Hereunto an answer is made by the prophet in the two following chapters, and this answer is partly reprehensory, Zechariah 7, partly consolatory, Zechariah 8. The Sun of righteousness loves not to set in a cloud.