,this e,book was produced by ,david ,widger from etext #aeha prepared by ,dennis ,mc,carthy1 ,atlanta1 ,georgia and ,tad ,book1 student1 ,pontifical ,north ,american ,college1 ,rome4 ,,the ,,holy ,,bible ,translated from the ,latin ,vulgate ,diligently ,compared with the ,hebrew1 ,greek1 and ,other ,editions in ,divers ,languages ,,the ,,old ,,testament ,first ,published by the ,english ,college at ,douay ,a4,d4 #afji #afaj and ,,the ,,new ,,testament ,first ,published by the ,english ,college at ,rheims ,a4,d4 #aehb ,with ,annotations ,the ,whole ,revised and ,diligently ,compared with the ,latin ,vulgate by ,bishop ,richard ,challoner ,a4,d4 #agdi-ageb ,,the ,,prophecy ,,of ,,zacharias ,,zacharias began to prophesy in the same year as ,aggeus1 and upon the same occasion4 ,his prophecy is full of mysterious figures and promises of blessings1 partly relating to the synagogue1 and partly to the church of ,christ4 ,zacharias ,chapter #a ,the prophet exhorts the people to return to ,god1 and declares his visions1 by which he puts them in hopes of better times4 #a3a4 ,in the eighth month1 in the second year of king ,darius1 the word of the ,lord came to ,zacharias the son of ,barachias1 the son of ,addo1 the prophet1 saying3 #a3b4 ,the ,lord hath been exceeding angry with your fathers4 #a3c4 ,and thou shalt say to them3 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,turn ye to me1 saith the ,lord of hosts3 and ,i will turn to you1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 #a3d4 ,be not as your fathers1 to whom the former prophets have cried1 saying3 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,turn ye from your evil ways1 and from your wicked thoughts3 but they did not give ear1 neither did they hearken to me1 saith the ,lord4 #a3e4 ,your fathers1 where are they8 and the prophets1 shall they live always8 #a3f4 ,but yet my words1 and my ordinances1 which ,i gave in charge to my servants the prophets1 did they not take hold of your fathers1 and they returned1 and said3 ,as the ,lord of hosts thought to do to us according to our ways1 and according to our devices1 so he hath done to us4 #a3g4 ,in the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month which is called ,sabath1 in the second year of ,darius1 the word of the ,lord came to ,zacharias the son of ,barachias1 the son of ,addo1 the prophet1 saying3 #a3h4 ,i saw by night1 and behold a man riding upon a red horse1 and he stood among the myrtle trees1 that were in the bottom3 and behind him were horses1 red1 speckled1 and white4 ,a man444 ,an angel in the shape of a man4 ,it was probably ,michael1 the guardian angel of the church of ,god4 #a3i4 ,and ,i said3 ,what are these1 my lord8 and the angel that spoke in me1 said to me3 ,i will shew thee what these are3 #a3aj4 ,and the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered1 and said3 ,these are they1 whom the ,lord hath sent to walk through the earth4 ,these are they1 etc444 ,the guardian angels of provinces and nations4 #a3aa4 ,and they answered the angel of the ,lord1 that stood among the myrtle trees1 and said3 ,we have walked through the earth1 and behold all the earth is inhabited1 and is at rest4 #a3ab4 ,and the angel of the ,lord answered1 and said3 ,o ,lord of hosts1 how long wilt thou not have mercy on ,jerusalem1 and on the cities of ,juda1 with which thou hast been angry8 this is now the seventieth year4 ,the seventieth year444 ,viz41 from the beginning of the seige of ,jerusalem1 in the ninth year of king ,sedecias1 to the second year of king ,darius4 ,these seventy years of the desolation of ,jerusalem and the cities of ,juda1 are different from the seventy years of captivity foretold by ,jeremias2 which began in the fourth year of ,joakim1 and ended in the first year of king ,cyrus4 #a3ac4 ,and the ,lord answered the angel1 that spoke in me1 good words1 comfortable words4 #a3ad4 ,and the angel that spoke in me1 said to me3 ,cry thou1 saying3 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,i am zealous for ,jerusalem1 and ,sion with a great zeal4 #a3ae4 ,and ,i am angry with a great anger with the wealthy nations3 for ,i was angry a little1 but they helped forward the evil4 #a3af4 ,therefore thus saith the ,lord3 ,i will return to ,jerusalem in mercies3 my house shall be built in it1 saith the ,lord of hosts3 and the building line shall be stretched forth upon ,jerusalem4 #a3ag4 ,cry yet1 saying3 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,my cities shall yet flow with good things3 and the ,lord will yet comfort ,sion1 and he will yet choose ,jerusalem4 #a3ah4 ,and ,i lifted up my eyes1 and saw3 and behold four horns4 ,four horns444 ,the four horns represent the empires1 or kingdoms1 that persecute and oppress the kingdom of ,god4 #a3ai4 ,and ,i said to the angel that spoke in me3 ,what are these8 ,and he said to me3 ,these are the horns that have scattered ,juda1 and ,israel1 and ,jerusalem4 #a3bj4 ,and the ,lord shewed me four smiths4 ,four smiths444 ,the four smiths1 or carpenters 7 for faber may signify either7 represent those whom ,god makes his instruments in bringing to nothing the power of persecutors4 #a3ba4 ,and ,i said3 ,what come these to do8 and he spoke1 saying3 ,these are the horns which have scattered ,juda every man apart1 and none of them lifted up his head3 and these are come to fray them1 to cast down the horns of the nations1 that have lifted up the horn upon the land of ,juda to scatter it4 ,zacharias ,chapter #b ,under the name of ,jerusalem1 he prophesieth the progress of the church of ,christ1 by the conversion of some ,jews and many ,gentiles4 #b3a4 ,and ,i lifted up my eyes1 and saw1 and behold a man1 with a measuring line in his hand4 #b3b4 ,and ,i said3 ,whither goest thou8 and he said to me3 ,to measure ,jerusalem1 and to see how great is the breadth thereof1 and how great the length thereof4 #b3c4 ,and behold the angel that spoke in me went forth1 and another angel went out to meet him4 #b3d4 ,and he said to him3 ,run1 speak to this young man1 saying3 ,jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls1 by reason of the multitude of men1 and of the beasts in the midst thereof4 ,jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls444 ,this must be understood of the spiritual ,jerusalem1 the church of ,christ4 #b3e4 ,and ,i will be to it1 saith the ,lord1 a wall of fire round about3 and ,i will be in glory in the midst thereof4 #b3f4 ,o1 ,o flee ye out of the land of the north1 saith the ,lord1 for ,i have scattered you into the four winds of heaven1 saith the ,lord4 #b3g4 ,o ,sion1 flee1 thou that dwellest with the daughter of ,babylon3 #b3h4 ,for thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,after the glory he hath sent me to the nations that have robbed you3 for he that toucheth you1 toucheth the apple of my eye3 #b3i4 ,for behold1 ,i lift up my hand upon them1 and they shall be a prey to those that served them3 and you shall know that the ,lord of hosts sent me4 #b3aj4 ,sing praise1 and rejoice1 ,o daughter of ,sion3 for behold ,i come1 and ,i will dwell in the midst of thee3 saith the ,lord4 #b3aa4 ,and many nations shall be joined to the ,lord in that day1 and they shall be my people1 and ,i will dwell in the midst of thee3 and thou shalt know that the ,lord of hosts hath sent me to thee4 #b3ab4 ,and the ,lord shall possess ,juda his portion in the sanctified land3 and he shall yet choose ,jerusalem4 #b3ac4 ,let all flesh be silent at the presence of the ,lord3 for he is risen up out of his holy habitation4 ,zacharias ,chapter #c ,in a vision ,satan appeareth accusing the high priest4 ,he is cleansed from his sins4 ,christ is promised1 and great fruit from his passion4 #c3a4 ,and the ,lord shewed me ,jesus the high priest standing before the angel of the ,lord3 and ,satan stood on his right hand to be his adversary4 ,jesus444 ,alias1 ,josue1 the son of ,josedec1 the high priest of that time4 #c3b4 ,and the ,lord said to ,satan3 ,the ,lord rebuke thee1 ,o ,satan3 and the ,lord that chose ,jerusalem rebuke thee3 ,is not this a brand plucked out of the fire8 #c3c4 ,and ,jesus was clothed with filthy garments3 and he stood before the face of the angel4 ,with filthy garments444 ,negligences and sins4 #c3d4 ,who answered1 and said to them that stood before him1 saying3 ,take away the filthy garments from him4 ,and he said to him3 ,behold ,i have taken away thy iniquity1 and have clothed thee with change of garments4 #c3e4 ,and he said3 ,put a clean mitre upon his head3 and they put a clean mitre upon his head1 and clothed him with garments1 and the angel of the ,lord stood4 #c3f4 ,and the angel of the ,lord protested to ,jesus1 saying3 #c3g4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,if thou wilt walk in my ways1 and keep my charge1 thou also shalt judge my house1 and shalt keep my courts1 and ,i will give thee some of them that are now present here to walk with thee4 ,i will give thee1 etc444 ,angels to attend and assist thee4 #c3h4 ,hear1 ,o ,jesus thou high priest1 thou and thy friends that dwell before thee1 for they are portending men3 for behold1 ,i ,,will ,,bring ,,my ,,servant ,,the ,,orient4 ,portending men444 ,that is1 men1 who by words and actions are to foreshew wonders that are to come4-,ibid4 ,my servant the ,orient444 ,christ1 who according to his humanity is the servant of ,god1 is called the ,orient from his rising like the sun in the east to enlighten the world4 #c3i4 ,for behold the stone that ,i have laid before ,jesus3 upon one stone there are seven eyes3 behold ,i will grave the graving thereof1 saith the ,lord of hosts3 and ,i will take away the iniquity of that land in one day4 ,the stone444 ,another emblem of ,christ1 the rock1 foundation1 and corner stone of his church4-,ibid4 ,seven eyes444 ,the manifold providence of ,christ over his church1 or the seven gifts of the spirit of ,god4-,ibid4 ,one day444 ,viz41 the day of the passion of ,christ1 the source of all our good3 when this precious stone shall be graved1 that is1 cut and pierced1 with whips1 thorns1 nails1 and spear4 #c3aj4 ,in that day1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 every man shall call his friend under the vine and under the fig tree4 ,zacharias ,chapter #d ,the vision of the golden candlestick and seven lamps1 and of the two olive trees4 #d3a4 ,and the angel that spoke in me came again3 and he waked me1 as a man that is wakened out of his sleep4 #d3b4 ,and he said to me3 ,what seest thou8 ,and ,i said3 ,i have looked1 and behold a candlestick all of gold1 and its lamp upon the top of it3 and the seven lights thereof upon it3 and seven funnels for the lights that were upon the top thereof4 ,a candlestick1 etc444 ,the temple of ,god that was then in building2 and in a more sublime sense1 the church of ,christ4 #d3c4 ,and two olive trees over it3 one upon the right side of the lamp1 and the other upon the left side thereof4 #d3d4 ,and ,i answered1 and said to the angel that spoke in me1 saying3 ,what are these things1 my lord8 #d3e4 ,and the angel that spoke in me answered1 and said to me3 ,knowest thou not what these things are8 ,and ,i said3 ,no1 my lord4 #d3f4 ,and he answered1 and spoke to me1 saying3 ,this is the word of the ,lord to ,zorobabel1 saying3 ,not with an army1 nor by might1 but by my spirit1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,to ,zorobabel444 ,this vision was in favour of ,zorobabel3 to assure him of success in the building of the temple1 which he had begun1 signified by the candlestick2 the lamp of which1 without any other industry1 was supplied with oil1 dropping from the two olive trees1 and distributed by the seven funnels or pipes1 to maintain the seven lights4 #d3g4 ,who art thou1 ,o great mountain1 before ,zorobabel8 thou shalt become a plain3 and he shall bring out the chief stone1 and shall give equal grace to the grace thereof4 ,great mountain444 ,so he calls the opposition made by the enemies of ,god's people2 which nevertheless1 without an army or might on their side1 was quashed by divine providence4-,ibid4 ,shall give equal grace1 etc444 ,shall add grace to grace1 or beauty to beauty4 #d3h4 ,and the word of the ,lord came to me1 saying3 #d3i4 ,the hands of ,zorobabel have laid the foundations of this house1 and his hands shall finish it3 and you shall know that the ,lord of hosts hath sent me to you4 #d3aj4 ,for who hath despised little days8 and they shall rejoice1 and shall see the tin plummet in the hand of ,zorobabel4 ,these are the seven eyes of the ,lord1 that run to and fro through the whole earth4 ,little days444 ,that is1 these small and feeble beginnings of the temple of ,god4-,ibid4 ,the tin plummet444 ,literally1 the stone of tin4 ,he means the builder's plummet1 which ,zorobabel shall hold in his hand for the finishing the building4-,ibid4 ,the seven eyes444 ,the providence of ,god1 that oversees and orders all things4 #d3aa4 ,and ,i answered1 and said to him3 ,what are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick1 and upon the left side thereof8 #d3ab4 ,and ,i answered again1 and said to him3 ,what are the two olive branches1 that are by the two golden beaks1 in which are the funnels of gold8 #d3ac4 ,and he spoke to me1 saying3 ,knowest thou not what these are8 ,and ,i said3 ,no1 my lord4 #d3ad4 ,and he said3 ,these are two sons of oil who stand before the ,lord of the whole earth4 ,two sons of oil444 ,that is1 the two anointed ones of the ,lord2 viz41 ,jesus the high priest1 and ,zorobabel the prince4 ,zacharias ,chapter #e ,the vision of the flying volume1 and of the woman in the vessel4 #e3a4 ,and ,i turned and lifted up my eyes3 and ,i saw1 and behold a volume flying4 ,a volume444 ,that is1 a parchment1 according to the form of the ancient books1 which1 from being rolled up1 were called volumes4 #e3b4 ,and he said to me3 ,what seest thou8 ,and ,i said3 ,i see a volume flying3 the length thereof is twenty cubits1 and the breadth thereof ten cubits4 #e3c4 ,and he said to me3 ,this is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the earth3 for every thief shall be judged as is there written3 and every one that sweareth in like manner shall be judged by it4 #e3d4 ,i will bring it forth1 saith the ,lord of hosts3 and it shall come to the house of the thief1 and to the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name3 and it shall remain in the midst of his house1 and shall consume it1 with the timber thereof1 and the stones thereof4 #e3e4 ,and the angel went forth that spoke in me1 and he said to me3 ,lift up thy eyes1 and see what this is1 that goeth forth4 #e3f4 ,and ,i said3 ,what is it8 ,and he said3 ,this is a vessel going forth4 ,and he said3 ,this is their eye in all the earth4 ,this is their eye444 ,this is what they fix their eye upon3 or this is a resemblance and figure of them1 viz41 of sinners4 #e3g4 ,and behold a talent of lead was carried1 and behold a woman sitting in the midst of the vessel4 #e3h4 ,and he said3 ,this is wickedness4 ,and he cast her into the midst of the vessel1 and cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof4 #e3i4 ,and ,i lifted up my eyes and looked3 and behold there came out two women1 and wind was in their wings1 and they had wings like the wings of a kite3 and they lifted up the vessel between the earth and the heaven4 #e3aj4 ,and ,i said to the angel that spoke in me3 ,whither do these carry the vessel8 #e3aa4 ,and he said to me3 ,that a house may be built for it in the land of ,sennaar1 and that it may be established1 and set there upon its own basis4 ,the land of ,sennaar444 ,where ,babel or ,babylon was built1 ,gen4 #aa41 where note1 that ,babylon in holy writ is often taken for the city of the devil3 that is1 for the whole congregation of the wicked3 as ,jerusalem is taken for the city and people of ,god4 ,zacharias ,chapter #f ,the vision of the four chariots4 ,crowns are ordered for ,jesus the high priest1 as a type of ,christ4 #f3a4 ,and ,i turned1 and lifted up my eyes1 and saw3 and behold four chariots came out from the midst of two mountains3 and the mountains were mountains of brass4 ,four chariots444 ,the four great empires of the ,chaldeans1 ,persians1 ,grecians1 and ,romans4 ,or perhaps by the fourth chariot are represented the kings of ,egypt and of ,asia1 the descendants of ,ptolemeus and ,seleucus4 #f3b4 ,in the first chariot were red horses1 and in the second chariot black horses4 #f3c4 ,and in the third chariot white horses1 and in the fourth chariot grisled horses1 and strong ones4 #f3d4 ,and ,i answered1 and said to the angel that spoke in me3 ,what are these1 my lord8 #f3e4 ,and the angel answered1 and said to me3 ,these are the four winds of the heaven1 which go forth to stand before the ,lord of all the earth4 #f3f4 ,that in which were the black horses went forth into the land of the north1 and the white went forth after them3 and the grisled went forth to the land the south4 ,the land of the north444 ,so ,babylon is called2 because it lay to the north in respect of ,jerusalem4 ,the black horses1 that is1 the ,medes and ,persians3 and after them ,alexander and his ,greeks1 signified by the white horses1 went thither because they conquered ,babylon1 executed upon it the judgments of ,god1 which is signified1 ver4 #h1 by the expression of quieting his spirit4-,ibid4 ,the land of the south444 ,egypt1 which lay to the south of ,jerusalem1 and was occupied first by ,ptolemeus1 and then by the ,romans4 #f3g4 ,and they that were most strong1 went out1 and sought to go1 and to run to and fro through all the earth4 ,and he said3 ,go1 walk throughout the earth3 and they walked throughout the earth4 #f3h4 ,and he called me1 and spoke to me1 saying3 ,behold they that go forth into the land of the north1 have quieted my spirit in the land of the north4 #f3i4 ,and the word of the ,lord came to me1 saying3 #f3aj4 ,take of them of the captivity1 of ,holdai1 and of ,tobias1 and of ,idaias2 thou shalt come in that day1 a shalt go into the house of ,josias1 the son of ,sophonias1 who came out of ,babylon4 #f3aa4 ,and thou shalt take gold and silver3 and shalt make crowns1 and thou shalt set them on the head of ,jesus the son of ,josedec1 the high priest4 #f3ab4 ,and thou shalt speak to him1 saying3 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts1 saying3 ,,behold ,a ,,man1 ,,the ,,orient ,,is ,,his ,,name3 and under him shall he spring up1 a shall build a temple to the ,lord4 #f3ac4 ,yea1 he shall build a temple to the ,lord3 and he shall bear the glory1 and shall sit1 and rule upon his throne3 and he shall be a priest upon his throne1 and the counsel of peace shall be between them both4 ,between them both444 ,that is1 he shall unite in himself the two offices or dignities of king and priest4 #f3ad4 ,and the crowns shall be to ,helem1 and ,tobias1 and ,idaias1 and to ,hem1 the son of ,sophonias1 a memorial in the temple of the ,lord4 #f3ae4 ,and they that are far off1 shall come and shall build in the temple of the ,lord3 and you shall know that the ,lord of hosts sent me to you4 ,but this shall come to pass1 if hearing you will hear the voice of the ,lord your ,god4 ,zacharias ,chapter #g ,the people inquire concerning fasting3 they are admonished to fast from sin4 #g3a4 ,and it came to pass in the fourth year of king ,darius1 that the word of the ,lord came to ,zacharias1 in the fourth day of the ninth month1 which is ,casleu4 #g3b4 ,when ,sarasar1 and ,rogommelech1 and the men that were with him1 sent to the house of ,god1 to entreat the face of the ,lord3 #g3c4 ,to speak to the priests of the house of the ,lord of hosts1 and to the prophets1 saying3 ,must ,i weep in the fifth month1 or must ,i sanctify myself as ,i have now done for many years8 ,the fifth month444 ,they fasted on the tenth day of the fifth month2 because on that day the temple was burnt4 ,therefore they inquire whether they are to continue the fast1 after the temple is rebuilt4 ,see this query answered in the #aith verse of the following chapter4 #g3d4 ,and the word of the ,lord of hosts came to me1 saying3 #g3e4 ,speak to all the people of the land1 and to the priests1 saying3 ,when you fasted1 and mourned in the fifth and the seventh month for these seventy years3 did you keep a fast unto me8 #g3f4 ,and when you did eat and drink1 did you not eat for yourselves1 and drink for yourselves8 #g3g4 ,are not these the words which the ,lord spoke by the hand of the former prophets1 when ,jerusalem as yet was inhabited1 and was wealthy1 both itself and the cities round about it1 and there were inhabitants towards the south1 and in the plain8 #g3h4 ,and the word of the ,lord came to ,zacharias1 saying3 #g3i4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts1 saying3 ,judge ye true judgment1 and shew ye mercy and compassion every man to his brother4 #g3aj4 ,and oppress not the widow1 and the fatherless1 and the stranger1 and the poor3 and let not a man devise evil in his heart against his brother4 #g3aa4 ,but they would not hearken1 and they turned away the shoulder to depart3 and they stopped their ears1 not to hear4 #g3ab4 ,and they made their heart as the adamant stone1 lest they should hear the law1 and the words which the ,lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the hand of the former prophets3 so a great indignation came from ,lord of hosts4 #g3ac4 ,and it came to pass that as he spoke1 and they heard not3 so shall they cry1 and ,i will not hear1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 #g3ad4 ,and ,i dispersed them throughout all kingdoms1 which they know not3 and the land was left desolate behind them1 so that no man passed through or returned3 and they changed the delightful land into a wilderness4 ,zacharias ,chapter #h ,joyful promises to ,jerusalem3 fully verified in the church of ,christ4 #h3a4 ,and the word of the ,lord of hosts came to me1 saying3 #h3b4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,i have been jealous for ,sion with a great jealousy1 and with a great indignation have ,i been jealous for her4 #h3c4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,i am returned to ,sion1 and ,i will dwell in the midst of ,jerusalem3 and ,jerusalem shall be called ,the city of truth1 and the mountain of the ,lord of hosts1 ,the sanctified mountain4 #h3d4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,there shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of ,jerusalem3 and every man with his staff in his hand through multitude of days4 #h3e4 ,and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls1 playing in the streets thereo4 #h3f4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,if it seem hard in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days3 shall it be hard in my eyes1 saith the ,lord of hosts8 #h3g4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,behold ,i will save my people from the land of the east1 and from the land of the going down of the sun4 #h3h4 ,and ,i will bring them1 and they shall dwell in the midst of ,jerusalem3 and they shall be my people1 and ,i will be their ,god in truth and in justice4 #h3i4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,let your hands be strengthened1 you that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets1 in the day that the house of the ,lord of hosts was founded1 that the temple might be built4 #h3aj4 ,for before those days there was no hire for men1 neither was there hire for beasts1 neither was there peace to him that came in1 nor to him that went out1 because of the tribulation3 and ,i let all men go every one against his neighbour4 #h3aa4 ,but now ,i will not deal with the remnant of this people according to the former days1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 #h3ab4 ,but there shall be the seed of peace3 the vine shall yield her fruit1 and the earth shall give her increase1 and the heavens shall give their dew3 and ,i will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things4 #h3ac4 ,and it shall come to pass1 that as you were a curse among the ,gentiles1 ,o house of ,juda1 and house of ,israel3 so will ,i save you1 and you shall be a blessing3 fear not1 let your hands be strengthened4 #h3ad4 ,for thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,as ,i purposed to afflict you1 when your fathers had provoked me to wrath1 saith the ,lord1 #h3ae4 ,and ,i had no mercy3 so turning again ,i have thought in these days to do good to the house of ,juda1 and ,jerusalem3 fear not4 #h3af4 ,these then are the things1 which you shall do3 ,speak ye truth every one to his neighbour2 judge ye truth and judgment of peace in your gates4 #h3ag4 ,and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his friend3 and love not a false oath3 for all these are the things that ,i hate1 saith the ,lord4 #h3ah4 ,and the word of the ,lord of hosts came to me1 saying3 #h3ai4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,the fast of the fourth month1 and the fast of the fifth1 and the fast of the seventh1 and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of ,juda1 joy1 and gladness1 and great solemnities3 only love ye truth and peace4 ,the fast of the fourth month1 etc444 ,they fasted1 on the ninth day of the fourth month1 because on that day ,nabuchodonosor took ,jerusalem1 ,jer4 #eb4f4 ,on the tenth day of the fifth month1 because on that day the temple was burnt1 ,jer4 #eb4ab4 ,on the third day of the seventh month1 for the murder of ,godolias1 ,jer4 #da4b4 ,and on the tenth day of the tenth month1 because on that day the ,chaldeans began to besiege ,jerusalem1 #d ,kings #be4a4 ,all these fasts1 if they will be obedient for the future1 shall be changed1 as is here promised1 into joyful solemnities4 #h3bj4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts1 until people come and dwell in many cities1 #h3ba4 ,and the inhabitants go one to another1 saying3 ,let us go1 and entreat the face of the ,lord1 and let us seek the ,lord of hosts3 ,i also will go4 #h3bb4 ,and many peoples1 and strong nations shall come to seek the ,lord of hosts in ,jerusalem1 and to entreat the face of the ,lord4 #h3bc4 ,thus saith the ,lord of hosts3 ,in those days1 wherein ten men of all languages of the ,gentiles shall take hold1 and shall hold fast the skirt of one that is a ,jew1 saying3 ,we will go with you3 for we have heard that ,god is with you4 ,ten men1 etc444 ,many of the ,gentiles became proselytes to the ,jewish religion before ,christ3 but many more were converted to ,christ by the apostles and other preachers of the ,jewish nation4 ,zacharias ,chapter #i ,god will defend his church1 and bring over even her enemies to the faith4 ,the meek coming of ,christ1 to bring peace1 to deliver the captives by his blood1 and to give us all good things4 #i3a4 ,the burden of the word of the ,lord in the land of ,hadrach1 and of ,damascus the rest thereof3 for the eye of man1 and of all the tribes of ,israel is the ,lord's4 ,hadrach444 ,syria4 #i3b4 ,emath also in the borders thereof1 and ,tyre1 and ,sidon3 for they have taken to themselves to be exceeding wise4 #i3c4 ,and ,tyre hath built herself a strong hold1 and heaped together silver as earth1 and gold as the mire of the streets4 #i3d4 ,behold the ,lord shall possess her1 and shall strike her strength in the sea1 and she shall be devoured with fire4 #i3e4 ,ascalon shall see1 and shall fear1 and ,gaza1 and shall be very sorrowful3 and ,accaron1 because her hope is confounded3 and the king shall perish from ,gaza1 and ,ascalon shall not be inhabited4 #i3f4 ,and the divider shall sit in ,azotus1 and ,i will destroy the pride of the ,philistines4 #i3g4 ,and ,i will take away his blood out of his mouth1 and his abominations from between his teeth3 and even he shall be left to our ,god1 and he shall be as a governor in ,juda1 and ,accaron as a ,jebusite4 ,his blood444 ,it is spoken of the ,philistines1 and particularly of ,azotus1 7where the temple of ,dagon was17 and contains a prophecy of the conversion of that people from their bloody sacrifices and abominations to the worship of the true ,god4 #i3h4 ,and ,i will encompass my house with them that serve me in war1 going and returning1 and the oppressor shall no more pass through them3 for now ,i have seen with my eyes4 ,that serve me in war444 ,viz41 the ,machabees4 #i3i4 ,rejoice greatly1 ,o daughter of ,sion1 shout for joy1 ,o daughter of ,jerusalem3 ,,behold ,,thy ,,king will come to thee1 the just and saviour3 he is poor1 and riding upon an ass1 and upon a colt1 the foal of an ass4 #i3aj4 ,and ,i will destroy the chariot out of ,ephraim1 and the horse out of ,jerusalem1 and the bow for war shall be broken3 and he shall speak peace to the ,gentiles1 and his power shall be from sea to sea1 and from the rivers even to the end of the earth4 #i3aa4 ,thou also by the blood of thy testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit1 wherein is no water4 #i3ab4 ,return to the strong hold1 ye prisoners of hope1 ,i will render thee double as ,i declare today4 #i3ac4 ,because ,i have bent ,juda for me as a bow1 ,i have filled ,ephraim3 and ,i will raise up thy sons1 ,o ,sion1 above thy sons1 ,o ,greece1 and ,i will make thee as the sword of the mighty4 ,thy sons1 ,o ,sion1 etc444 ,viz41 the apostles1 who1 in the spiritual way1 conquered the ,greeks1 and subdued them to ,christ4 #i3ad4 ,and the ,lord ,god shall be seen over them1 and his dart shall go forth as lightning3 and the ,lord ,god will sound the trumpet1 and go in the whirlwind of the south4 #i3ae4 ,the ,lord of hosts will protect them3 and they shall devonr1 and subdue with the stones of the sling3 and drinking they shall be inebriated as it were with wine1 and they shall be filled as bowls1 and as the horns of the altar4 #i3af4 ,and the ,lord their ,god will save them in that day1 as the flock of his people3 for holy stones shall be lifted up over his land4 ,holy stones444 ,the apostles1 who shall be as pillars and monuments in the church4 #i3ag4 ,for what is the good thing of him1 and what is his beautiful thing1 but the corn of the elect1 and wine springing forth virgins8 ,the corn1 etc444 ,his most excellent gift is the blessed ,eucharist1 called here ,the corn1 that is1 the bread of the elect1 and the wine springing forth virgins2 that is1 maketh virgins to bud1 or spring forth1 as it were1 like flowers among thorns2 because it has a wonderful efficacy to give and preserve purity4 ,zacharias ,chapter #aj ,god is to be sought to1 and not idols4 ,the victories of his church1 which shall arise originally from the ,jewish nation4 #aj3a4 ,ask ye of the ,lord rain in the latter season1 and the ,lord will make snows1 and will give them showers of rain1 to every one grass in the field4 #aj3b4 ,for the idols have spoken what was unprofitable1 and the diviners have seen a lie1 and the dreamers have spoken vanity3 they comforted in vain3 therefore they were led away as a flock3 they shall be afflicted1 because they have no shepherd4 #aj3c4 ,my wrath is kindled against the shepherds1 and ,i will visit upon the buck goats3 for the ,lord of hosts hath visited his flock1 the house of ,juda1 and hath made them as the horse of his glory in the battle4 #aj3d4 ,out of him shall come forth the corner1 out of him the pin1 out of him the bow of battle1 out of him ever exacter together4 #aj3e4 ,and they shall be as mighty men1 treading under foot the mire of the ways in battle3 and they shall fight1 because the ,lord is with them1 and the riders of horses shall be confounded4 #aj3f4 ,and ,i will strengthen the house of ,juda1 and save the house of ,joseph3 and ,i will bring them back again1 because ,i will have mercy on them3 and they shall be as they were when ,i had not cast them off1 for ,i am the ,lord their ,god1 and will hear them4 #aj3g4 ,and they shall be as the valiant men of ,ephraim1 and their heart shall rejoice as through wine3 and their children shall see1 and shall rejoice1 and their heart shall be joyful in the ,lord4 #aj3h4 ,i will whistle for them1 and ,i will gather them together1 because ,i have redeemed them3 and ,i will multiply them as they were multiplied before4 #aj3i4 ,and ,i will sow them among peoples3 and from afar they shall remember me3 and they shall live with their children1 and shall return4 #aj3aj4 ,and ,i will bring them back out of the land of ,egypt1 and ,i will gather them from among the ,assyrians3 and will bring them to the land of ,galaad1 and ,libanus1 and place shall not be found for them4 #aj3aa4 ,and he shall pass over the strait of the sea1 and shall strike the waves in the sea1 and all the depths of the river shall be confounded1 and the pride of ,assyria shall be humbled1 and the sceptre of ,egypt shall depart4 #aj3ab4 ,i will strengthen them in the ,lord1 and they shall walk in his name1 saith the ,lord4 ,zacharias ,chapter #aa ,the destruction of ,jerusalem and the temple4 ,god's dealings with the ,jews1 and their reprobation4 #aa3a4 ,open thy gates1 ,o ,libanus1 and let fire devour thy cedars4 ,o ,libanus444 ,so ,jerusalem1 and more particularly the temple1 is called by the prophets1 from its height1 and from its being built of the cedars of ,libanus4-,ibid4 ,thy cedars444 ,thy princes and chief men4 #aa3b4 ,howl1 thou fir tree1 for the cedar is fallen1 for the mighty are laid waste3 howl1 ye oaks of ,basan1 because the fenced forest is cut down4 #aa3c4 ,the voice of the howling of the shepherds1 because their glory is laid waste3 the voice of the roaring of the lions1 because the pride of the ,jordan is spoiled4 #aa3d4 ,thus saith the ,lord my ,god3 ,feed the flock of the slaughter1 #aa3e4 ,which they that possessed1 slew1 and repented not1 and they sold them1 saying3 ,blessed be the ,lord1 we are become rich3 and their shepherds spared them not4 #aa3f4 ,and ,i will no more spare the inhabitants of the land1 saith the ,lord3 behold ,i will deliver the men1 every one into his neighbour's hand1 and into the hand of his king3 and they shall destroy the land1 and ,i will not deliver it out of their hand4 ,every one into his neighbour's hand1 etc444 ,this alludes to the last siege of ,jerusalem1 in which the different factions of the ,jews destroyed one another2 and they that remained fell into the hands of their king1 that is1 of the ,roman emperor1 of whom they had said1 ,john #ai4ae1 we have no king but ,caesar4 #aa3g4 ,and ,i will feed the flock of slaughter for this1 ,o ye poor of the flock4 ,and ,i took unto me two rods1 one ,i called ,beauty1 and the other ,i called a ,cord1 and ,i fed the flock4 ,two rods444 ,or shepherd's staves1 meaning the different ways of ,god's dealing with his people2 the one1 by sweet means1 called the rod of ,beauty3 the other1 by bands and punishments1 called the ,cord4 ,and where both these rods are made of no use or effect by the obstinacy of sinners1 the rods are broken1 and such sinners are given up to a reprobate sense1 as the ,jews were4 #aa3h4 ,and ,i cut off three shepherds in one month1 and my soul was straitened in their regard3 for their soul also varied in my regard4 ,three shepherds in one month444 ,that is1 in a very short time4 ,by these three shepherds probably are meant the latter princes and high priests of the ,jews1 whose reign was short4 #aa3i4 ,and ,i said3 ,i will not feed you3 that which dieth1 let it die3 and that which is cut off1 let it be cut off3 and let the rest devour every one the flesh of his neighbour4 #aa3aj4 ,and ,i took my rod that was called ,beauty1 and ,i cut it asunder to make void my covenant1 which ,i had made with all people4 #aa3aa4 ,and it was made void in that day3 and so the poor of the flock that keep for me1 understood that it is the word of the ,lord4 #aa3ab4 ,and ,i said to them3 ,if it be good in your eyes1 bring hither my wages3 and if not1 be quiet4 ,and they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver4 #aa3ac4 ,and the ,lord said to me3 ,cast it to the statuary1 a handsome price1 that ,i was prized at by them4 ,and ,i took the thirty pieces of silver1 and ,i cast them into the house of the ,lord to the statuary4 ,the statuary444 ,the ,hebrew word signifies also a potter4 #aa3ad4 ,and ,i cut off my second rod that was called a ,cord1 that ,i might break the brotherhood between ,juda and ,israel4 #aa3ae4 ,and the ,lord said to me3 ,take to thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd4 ,a foolish shepherd444 ,this was to represent the foolish1 that is1 the wicked princes and priests that should rule the people1 before their utter desolation4 #aa3af4 ,for behold ,i will raise up a shepherd in the land1 who shall not visit what is forsaken1 nor seek what is scattered1 nor heal what is broken1 nor nourish that which standeth1 and he shall eat the flesh of the fat ones1 and break their hoofs4 #aa3ag4 ,o shepherd1 and idol1 that forsaketh the flock3 the sword upon his arm and upon his right eye3 his arm shall quite wither away1 and his right eye shall be utterly darkened4 ,zacharias ,chapter #ab ,god shall protect his church against her persecutors4 ,the mourning of ,jerusalem4 #ab3a4 ,the burden of the word of the ,lord upon ,israel4 ,thus saith the ,lord1 who stretcheth forth the heavens1 and layeth the foundations of the earth1 and formeth the spirit of man in him3 #ab3b4 ,behold ,i will make ,jerusalem a lintel of surfeiting to all the people round about3 and ,juda also shall be in the siege against ,jerusalem4 ,a lintel of surfeiting444 ,that is1 a door into which they shall seek to enter1 to glut themselves with blood2 but they shall stumble1 and fall like men stupefied with wine4 ,it seems to allude to the times of ,antiochus1 and to the victories of the ,machabees4 #ab3c4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that ,i will make ,jerusalem a burdensome stone to all people3 all that shall lift it up shall be rent and torn1 and all the kingdoms of the earth shall be gathered together against her4 #ab3d4 ,in that day1 saith the ,lord1 ,i will strike every horse with astonishment1 and his rider with madness3 and ,i will open my eyes upon the house of ,juda1 and will strike every horse of the nations with blindness4 #ab3e4 ,and the governors of ,juda shall say in their heart3 ,let the inhabitants of ,jerusalem be strengthened for me in the ,lord of hosts1 their ,god4 #ab3f4 ,in that day ,i will make the governors of ,juda like a furnace of fire amongst wood1 and as a firebrand amongst hay3 and they shall devour all the people round about1 to the right hand1 and to the left3 and ,jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place in ,jerusalem4 #ab3g4 ,and the ,lord shall save the tabernacles of ,jada1 as in the beginning3 that the house of ,david1 and the glory of the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 may not boast and magnify themselves against ,juda4 #ab3h4 ,in that day shall the ,lord protect the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 and he that hath offended among them in that day shall be as ,david3 and the house of ,david1 as that of ,god1 as an angel of the ,lord in their sight4 #ab3i4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that ,i will seek to destroy all the nations that come against ,jerusalem4 #ab3aj4 ,and ,i will pour out upon the house of ,david1 and upon the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 the spirit of grace1 and of prayers3 and they shall look upon me1 whom they have pierced3 and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son1 and they shall grieve over him1 as the manner is to grieve for the death of the firstborn4 #ab3aa4 ,in that day there shall be a great lamentation in ,jerusalem like the lamentation of ,adadremmon in the plain of ,mageddon4 ,adadremmon444 ,a place near ,mageddon1 where the good king ,josias was slain1 and much lamented by his people4 #ab3ab4 ,and the land shall mourn3 families and families apart3 the families of the house of ,david apart1 and their women apart3 #ab3ac4 ,the families of the house of ,nathan apart1 and their women apart3 the families of the house of ,levi apart1 and their women apart3 the families of ,semei apart1 and their women apart4 #ab3ad4 ,all the rest of the families1 families and families apart1 and their women apart4 ,zacharias ,chapter #ac ,the fountain of ,christ4 ,idols and false prophets shall be extirpated3 ,christ shall suffer3 his people shall be tried by fire4 #ac3a4 ,in that day there shall be a fountain open to the house of ,david1 and to the inhabitants of ,jerusalem3 for the washing of the sinner1 and of the unclean woman4 #ac3b4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 that ,i will destroy the names of idols out of the earth1 and they shall be remembered no more3 and ,i will take away the false prophets1 and the unclean spirit out of the earth4 #ac3c4 ,and it shall come to pass1 that when any man shall prophesy any more1 his father and his mother that brought him into the world1 shall say to him3 ,thou shalt not live3 because thou hast spoken a lie in the name of the ,lord4 ,and his father1 and his mother1 his parents1 shall thrust him through1 when he shall prophesy4 #ac3d4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that the prophets shall be confounded1 every one by his own vision1 when he shall prophesy1 neither shall they be clad with a garment of sackcloth1 to deceive3 #ac3e4 ,but he shall say3 ,i am no prophet1 ,i am a husbandman3 for ,adam is my example from my youth4 #ac3f4 ,and they shall say to him3 ,what are these wounds in the midst of thy hands8 ,and he shall say3 ,with these ,i was wounded in the house of them that loved me4 #ac3g4 ,awake1 ,o sword1 against my shepherd1 and against the man that cleaveth to me1 saith the ,lord of hosts3 strike the shepherd1 and the sheep shall be scattered3 and ,i will turn my hand to the little ones4 #ac3h4 ,and there shall be in all the earth1 saith the ,lord1 two parts in it shall be scattered1 and shall perish3 but the third part shall be left therein4 #ac3i4 ,and ,i will bring the third part through the fire1 and will refine them as silver is refined3 and ,i will try them as gold is tried4 ,they shall call on my name1 and ,i will hear them4 ,i will say3 ,thou art my people3 and they shall say3 ,the ,lord is my ,god4 ,zacharias ,chapter #ad ,after the persecutions of the church shall follow great prosperity4 ,persecutors shall be punished3 so shall all that will not serve ,god in his church4 #ad3a4 ,behold the days of the ,lord shall come1 and thy spoils shall be divided in the midst of thee4 #ad3b4 ,and ,i will gather all nations to ,jerusalem to battle1 and the city shall be taken1 and the houses shall be rifled1 and the women shall be defiled3 and half of the city shall go forth into captivity1 and the rest of the people shall not be taken away out of the city4 ,i will gather1 etc444 ,this seems to be a prophecy of what was done by ,antiochus4 #ad3c4 ,then the ,lord shall go forth1 and shall fight against those nations1 as when he fought in the day of battle4 #ad3d4 ,and his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of ,olives1 which is over against ,jerusalem towards the east3 and the mount of ,olives shall be divided in the midst thereof to the east1 and to the west with a very great opening1 and half of the mountain shall be separated to the north1 and half thereof to the south4 #ad3e4 ,and you shall flee to the valley of those mountains1 for the valley of the mountains shall be joined even to the next1 and you shall flee as you fled from the face of the earthquake in the days of ,ozias king of ,juda3 and the ,lord my ,god shall come1 and all the saints with him4 #ad3f4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that there shall be no light1 but cold and frost4 ,no light444 ,viz41 in that dismal time of persecution of ,antiochus1 when it was neither day nor night3 7ver4 #g7 because they neither had the comfortable light of the day1 nor the repose of the night4 #ad3g4 ,and there shall be one day1 which is known to the ,lord1 not day nor night3 and in the time of the evening there shall be light3 ,in the time of the evening there shall be light444 ,an unexpected light shall arise by the means of the ,machabees1 when things shalll seem to be at the worst4 #ad3h4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that living waters shall go out from ,jerusalem3 half of them to the east sea1 and half of them to the last sea3 they shall be in summer and in winter4 ,living waters444 ,viz41 the gospel of ,christ4 #ad3i4 ,and the ,lord shall be king over all the earth3 in that day there shall be one ,lord1 and his name shall be one4 #ad3aj4 ,and all the land shall return even to the desert1 from the hill to ,remmon to the south of ,jerusalem3 and she shall be exalted1 and shall dwell in her own place1 from the gate of ,benjamin even to the place of the former gate1 and even to the gate of the corners3 and from the tower of ,hananeel even to the king's winepresses4 ,all the land shall return1 etc444 ,this1 in some measure1 was verified by the means of the ,machabees3 but is rather to be taken in a spiritual sense1 as relating to the propagation of the church1 and kingdom of ,christ1 the true ,jerusalem1 which alone shall never fall under the anathema of destruction1 or ,god's curse4 #ad3aa4 ,and people shall dwell in it1 and there shall be no more an anathema3 but ,jerusalem shall sit secure4 #ad3ab4 ,and this shall be the plague wherewith the ,lord shall strike all nations that have fought against ,jerusalem3 the flesh of every one shall consume away while they stand upon their feet1 and their eyes shall consume away in their holes1 and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth4 ,the flesh of every one shall consume1 etc444 ,such judgments as these have often fallen upon the persecutors of ,god's church1 as appears by many instances in history4 #ad3ac4 ,in that day there shall be a great tumult from the ,lord among them3 and a man shall take the hand of his neighbour1 and his hand shall be clasped upon his neighbour's hand4 #ad3ad4 ,and even ,juda shall fight against ,jerusalem3 and the riches of all nations round about shall be gathered together1 gold1 and silver1 and garments in great abundance4 ,even ,juda1 etc444 ,the carnal ,jews1 and other false brothers1 shall join in persecuting the church4 #ad3ae4 ,and the destruction of the horse1 and of the mule1 and of the camel1 and of the ass1 and of all the beasts1 that shall be in those tents1 shall be like this destruction4 ,shall be like this destruction444 ,that is1 the beasts shall be destroyed as well as the men3 the common soldiers as well as their leaders4 #ad3af4 ,and all they that shall be left of all nations that came against ,jerusalem1 shall go up from year to year1 to adore the ,king1 the ,lord of hosts1 and to keep the feast of tabernacles4 ,they that shall be left1 etc444 ,that is1 many of them that persecuted the church shall be converted to its faith and communion4-,ibid4 ,to keep the feast of tabernacles444 ,this feast was kept by the ,jews in memory of their sojourning forty years in the desert1 in their way to the land of promise4 ,and in the spiritual sense is duly kept by all such ,christians as in their earthly pilgrimage are continually advancing toward their true home1 the heavenly ,jerusalem2 by the help of the sacraments and sacrifice of the church4 ,and they that neglect this must not look for the kind showers of divine grace1 to give fruitfulness to their souls4 #ad3ag4 ,and it shall come to pass1 that he that shall not go up of the families of the land to ,jerusalem1 to adore the ,king1 the ,lord of hosts1 there shall be no rain upon them4 #ad3ah4 ,and if the family of ,egypt go not up nor come3 neither shall it be upon them1 but there shall be destruction wherewith the ,lord will strike all nations that will not go up to keep the feast of tabernacles4 #ad3ai4 ,this shall be the sin of ,egypt1 and this the sin of all nations1 that will not go up to keep the feast of tabernacles4 #ad3bj4 ,in that day that which is upon the bridle of the horse shall be holy to the ,lord3 and the caldrons in the house of the ,lord shall be as the phials before the altar4 ,that which is upon the bridle1 etc444 ,the golden ornaments of the bridles1 etc41 shall be turned into offerings in the house of ,god4 ,and there shall be an abundance of caldrons and phials for the sacrifices of the temple2 by which is meant1 under a figure1 the great resort there shall be to the temple1 that is1 to the church of ,christ1 and her sacrifice4 #ad3ba4 ,and every caldron in ,jerusalem and ,juda shall be sanctified to the ,lord of hosts3 and all that sacrifice shall come1 and take of them1 and shall seethe in them3 and the merchant shall be no more in the house of the ,lord of hosts in that day4 ,the merchant shall be no more1 etc444 ,or1 as some render it1 ,the ,chanaanite shall be no more1 etc41 that is1 the profane and unbelievers shall have no title to be in the house of the ,lord4 ,or there shall be no occasion for buyers or sellers of oxen1 or sheep1 or doves1 in the house of ,god1 such as ,jesus ,christ cast out of the temple4