meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Radak/Prophets/Radak on Zechariah/English/merged.txt"}
text: Radak on Zechariah
  רד"ק על זכריה
  merged
  
  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
  -Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology
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  -Sefaria Community Translation
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  -McCaul Translation
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  Radak on Zechariah
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  " In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, was the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying" -  The prophet is to be referred to Zechariah, though perhaps Iddo may also have been a prophet, for it is said that he is the same as Iddo, the seer. (II Chronicles 9:29.) We have also found in the Midrash* the words, " Iddo, the prophet."
  " Saying" - to Israel, as is immediately added, "And thou shalt say unto them." Say unto them, that they should remember the displeasure wherewith the Lord was displeased with the fathers, that is, with the generation in whose time the temple was desolated ; they should also remember that it was on account of their deeds that the Lord was displeased with them, they should therefore return to the Lord, and not be like their fathers. They were at this time slothful in building the temple, for they did not begin to build until the ninth month, and evil deeds were still in their hands, as is written in the book of Ezra.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  " Therefore say." This is plain.
  
  Verse 4
  
  " Be not:' This is plain.
  
  Verse 5
  
  " Your fathers, where are they?" Do ye not see that they have been consumed by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, as the prophets said to them ?
  " And the prophets, do they live for ever ?'' The prophets, who reproved them, could they live for ever, and reprove them ? He reproved them already, and they did not hearken. But see how every thing has happened to them, as the prophets announced, and as is said (in the following verse), "But my words and statutes," Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, have interpreted the words, "The prophets, where are they," as the answer of the people. They say that the congregation of Israel gave a controversial reply to the prophet. He said to them, Return in true repentance, for your fathers sinned, and where are they? The people answered him, And the prophets who did not sin, where are they ? But they afterwards repented and made confession to him.
  
  Verse 6
  
  " But my words and statutes" My statutes, i. e. my evil decrees which I decreed concerning them, that they should die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, and that the survivors should be led away captive, do ye not see that they have overtaken your fathers, and have all come upon them, as I commanded my servants the prophets to announce to them ? and they themselves repented and confessed this in the time of the desolation, as is said in the following verse, " And they returned and said."
  
  Verse 7
  
  " Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month)' that is, the month Shevat. As to the names of the months, as they are written in the roll of Esther, and in this book we do not know whether they are Chaldee or not, for we do not find them in the other holy books.
  " The word of the Lord was to Zechariah." An angel came to him, and spake with him, and showed him this vision, which he is now narrating.
  
  Verse 8
  
  "I saw by night." The visions of Zechariah are very obscure, like those of Daniel, but the visions of the other prophets are not so ; the reason is, that the power of prophecy had been gradually exhausting from the days of the captivity ; therefore, they did not make their words clear, and did not understand the visions as they were. He says, " I saw by night," i. e., in the visions of the night I saw this vision, in which I beheld -
  "a man riding upon a red horse." We have found in the words of our rabbis of blessed memory, the following exposition of this verse : " I saw in the night, that the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to turn the whole world into night, and behold a man riding. This man is no other than the Holy One, blessed be He, for it is said, "The Lord is a man of war." "Upon a red horse.' The Holy One, blessed be He, sought to turn the whole world into blood, but when he looked upon Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah, his anger was cooled, for it is said, "And he stood among the myrtle-trees (hadassim.)" The myrtle- trees can mean nothing else but the righteous, for it is said, ' He brought up Hadassah.' (Esther 2:7) In like manner, "In the bottom,' means nothing else but Babylon, for it is said, "That saith to the deep, be dry." (Isaiah 44:27.) Immediately the black horses became speckled, and the red horses white, for it is said, ( And behind him red horses, speckled and white.' (Verse 8.)" But we shall endeavour to interpret the vision as well as we can. "
  A man." That is, the angel of the Lord, as in Daniel 9:21 , " The man Gabriel; " and so we read further on, " The angel of the Lord that stood between the myrtle- trees." He saw him riding upon a horse, to denote his speed in embassy. As to the meaning of the word " red,'* and the other colours, it may be that some definite meaning was intended by them ; and my lord my father, of blessed memory, has written, that the red horse is typical of Nebuchadnezzar, who is called the head of gold, and gold is red; for this prophecy refers to the four king- doms, like the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, and the visions of Daniel. And although the horses figuratively re- present the angels the messengers of God, there is, ne- vertheless, a reference to the four kingdoms. The vision of " a man riding," signifies that the angels rule over the lower world, and that all the work of God on earth is done by them and through their mediation. The object of the man's mission was to root up the kingdom of Babylon ; and although at the time of this vision the Babylonian monarchy had been already rooted out, the vision was exhibited to him complete, as it had been, on account of the three kingdoms that were still future. The vision happened in the time of the Persian monarchy, as is said, " In the second year of Darius."
  " And he stood amongst the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom." These signify Israel, and he compares them to myrtle-trees ; for as these have a good odour, so the Israelites in Babylon had the good odour of the com- mandments. He is represented as standing among them to help them, and deliver them from captivity. "
  "In the bottom" This is Babylon.
  " And behind him red horses, specified and white." " Speckled," a species of colour, but what colour is not clear to us. There are some who say, that it means, coloured with colouring stuff, but this is nonsense. The speckled horses in this vision, are instead of the black horses in the other vision of the four chariots. (Chap, vi.) The Targum of Jonathan renders " speckled" by JVinD, and according to another reading, ^rmp&gt; " bay." * So far as appears, these horses had no riders upon them : he that was riding was the prince or captain over the other angels, and therefore he saw him riding. " And behind him red horses." If we interpret " a red horse," of Nebuchadnezzar, then we should interpret the " red horses," of his son and grandson ; and, behold ! these answer to the first chariot (in chap. vi.). " Speckled and white.'" As if he had said. Behind them were speckled horses, and behind them again white. And, behold ! he does not mention any thing to answer to the fourth chariot, for he did not see it in this vision, on account of its distance, but in the other vision he did see it.
  
  Verse 9
  
  " And I said he that spake with me, said." This answers ,to what is said above, " The word of the Lord was to Zechariah."
  " I will show thee" (literally, I will cause thee to see). He ought to have said, I will cause thee to hear, for he did not show him any thing more than the vision of the horses, which he had shown him from the beginning. " I will show thee," may mean, I will cause thee to hear ; for the sense of seeing is employed figuratively for the other senses, as it is said, " And all the people saw the thunderings." (Exodus 20:15) " See the smell of my son." (Genesis 27:27.) But the literal interpretation of " I will show thee," is also good, for it may refer to the other vision of the four horns, which is clearer than this, though he did not understand it until it was explained to him.
  
  Verse 10
  
  " And he answered.' He that was riding upon the horse. The prophet heard the angel riding on the horse answer, although he had not asked him anything; and he said to him, These horses arc the messengers of God, whom he hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth, in the same way as Satan said, " From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." (Job 1:7) But, perhaps, the angel that was riding, did not answer the prophet at all, but the word " answer," is to be taken, as in Deuteronomy 26:5, " Thou shalt answer, and say ; " and again, in Job 3:2, " And Job answered and said," where it occurs the first time. And then the sense may be, that the prophet heard the rider on the horse speaking to, and asking those horses, which the Lord had sent to walk to and fro through the earth, what was the state of the earth : * and they answered and said, " We have walked to and fro through the earth, and have seen it sitting still, and at rest." " These," may signify " to these;" and thus (the preposition is omitted in the following cases), " One told David, saying, Ahitophel is among the conspirators." Here David is the same as " to David." (II Samuel 15:31.) And again, " And two men, captains of bands, were the son of Saul," i. e., to the son of Saul; and there are other similar passages.
  
  Verse 11
  
  " And they answered." This is plain.
  " Sitteth still and is at rest" i. e., We have seen the peace of the Gentile nations, and Israel in trouble, there- fore the angel answered and said, " How long wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem ? "
  
  Verse 12
  
  And the angel of the Lord answered" i. e., either he who was standing among the myrtle-trees, who was for the help of Israel, or the angel that was speaking with the prophet ; mid this last is the true (interpretation).
  " How long wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem ?" As long as the Gentile nations are at rest, (Israel) cannot go forth from captivity, nor, until the destruction of Babylon. And, behold! the subject of this vision was long past at the time when he saw it; but the angel shows him the past, in order to let him see that the prosperity of Babylon and its desolation were all from God, blessed be He, through the mediation of the conducting angels,t and that they were employed in promoting the welfare of Israel ; and that the three remaining kingdoms and their fall should also be from God, according to what he had shown him of the Babylonian monarchy, which was past.
  "against which thou hast had just indignation these threescore and ten years." If these words refer to the past, as we have interpreted, then the seventy years refer to the kingdom of Babylon, and the indignation was that which existed during the whole time of Nebuchadnezzar. Or, the seventy years may have been mentioned in reference to the time of the vision, which was in the second year of Darius; at which time the seventy years were complete for the desolation of Jerusalem. For although this vision was in the month Shevat: and they had begun to build in Kislev, nevertheless the indignation still continued, and during all the time of the building the city, they were at war with their enemies.
  
  Verse 13
  
  " And the Lord answered .... words, comforts," The governing word is omitted. The absolute form, is to be interpreted as if it were "words of comfort ; " or it may be an adjective, and this is the fact.
  
  Verse 14
  
  " And the angel said to me" The good words which God, blessed be He, spake to him, he spake to me, that I might proclaim them in the ears of Israel to comfort them.
  
  Verse 15
  
  "I am sore displeased heathen at ease" that is, as is said above, " Sitteth still, and is at rest." 
  " I was a little displeased" I was a little displeased with Israel, so as to carry them captive from their land, and this word, a "little' is put in contrast to what they (the Gentiles) had done to Israel after their captivity. 
  "Helped fonvard the affliction " by doing them evil, more than enough, and so it is said in Isaiah, " I was wroth with my people, I profaned my inheritance, and delivered them into thy hand, but thou showedst them no mercy ; upon the ancient hast thou heavily laid thy yoke." (Isaiah 47:6.)
  
  Verse 16
  
  " Therefore thus saith the Lord" the Kethib has a heh at the end, like (a dwelling). The Keri is without the heh. The word signifies a building line, a cord, which they stretch over the row of bricks.
  
  Verse 17
  
  " Cry yet through good shall be spread abroad" On account of the abundance of good and prosperity that they shall have, they shall be spread abroad ; that is to say, the inhabited part shall increase. 
  - has pathach, and is from a dageshed conjugation.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
   To say to the house of the LORD —  meaning, "in the house of the LORD." And Targum Jonathan translates as "who were serving in the Holy Temple of the LORD."
   And to the prophets —  Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. And Targum Jonathan translates as "and to the scribes."
   Shall I weep —  because they still did not believe in the construction of the House because of the enemies who had forced the work for many years, and now, even though they heard that they had built it, they were of little faith and did not want to go up from Babylon, because they did not believe that the construction of the House was finished and stood because of the enemies. And they asked if they should fast on the Ninth of Av as they did during the seventy years.
   and shall I keep abstinent  That is to say, "should I abstain from food and drink and pleasure." And Targum Jonathan translates as "shall I refrain my soul from enjoyable things."
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
   Say —  They said "on the fifth and the severth" even though there are four fast days. It mentions the fifth because upon it was the destruction, and the seventh because in it Gedaliah was killed, and it was a second destruction, because already the poorest of the land remained and were not destroyed, since the poorest of the land were kept by Nebuzadaran to be vine dressers and ditch diggers (II Kings 25:12), but Gedaliah was killed on the first day of the seventh month, and since it was a holiday they declared a fast the day after.
   Did you fast Me, I? —  did you fast Me, meaning did you fast for Me, that is to say, if you fasted on Mu account, on account of your sins the Temple was destroyed and you were exiled. On account of this you fast. If you perform justice and righteousness, you will not need to fast, for the House will be built and you will go up from exile and dwell in the land all days. If you do good in My eyes you will not ever be exiled from it. And what is the purpose that the "I" after "did you fast Me" serves? It is meant to say "Did I command you to fast?" And the Targum Yonatan translates as "On the fast did you fast your fasting before Me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  So said – This section is a consolation for the future, for the days of the messiah during the war of Gog and Magog which will come upon Jerusalem. Then I will be jealous for her sake and I will pour out great fury upon all the nations that come against her:
  
  Verse 3
  
  So said the Lord – And Jerusalem will be called the city of truth as He promised “The remnant of Israel shall neither commit injustice nor speak lies…” (Tzefaniah 3:13) The same is true for all of the land of Israel, but the verse specified Jerusalem because she is the head of the kingdom. And furthermore because of the mountain of the Lord, the holy mountain which will no longer be profaned by strangers:
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
   And the word of the LORD —  And if you do these things that I command you, says haShem of Hosts, then the fasts about which you asked if you should fast on those days, you will no longer fast, but rejoice on them, from all the good that will be yours.
  
  Verse 19
  
   The fast of the fourth —  This is Tammuz, when they fasted in exile on the seventeenth of the month, the day that the city was broken into.
   And the fast of the fifth —  This is Av, when they fasted on the ninth.
   And the fast of the seventh —  This is the fast of Gedaliah, as we explained above.  And the fast of the tenth —  This is the Tenth of Tevet, when the king of Babylon began to besiege Jerusalem.
   Will be  All of these fasts <i> had been </i> kept for the house of Judah during the Second Temple period, because the Ten Tribes had not returned.
   And the truth and peace you will love  This will happen provided that you love the truth and peace as I commanded you.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  a stone of burden – She is compared first to a cup of weakness, and then the prophet goes on to compare her to a stone of burden. This is to say - all those who wear themselves out fighting against Jerusalem will be beaten by her. This is like a great stone which is a tremendous burden and a heavy load to those who bear it. Furthermore, while they are lifting it off the ground to place it on their shoulders it will gash their hands. Many men test their strength against it and through carrying it gash their hands. So all the nations of the world will gather against Jerusalem, they will all be gathered together in her. The word burden (maamasa) is as in “…and each one loaded (va’yaamos) his donkey…” (Genesis 44:13) Loading something on a donkey relates to a burden. Targum Yonatan translated it into Aramaic as “a heavy stone for all nations, all who rob her will surely be plundered…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Verse 4
  
  
  
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  Verse 6
  
  And it shall come to pass on that day - on the day that he mentioned that there would be the sign, this is the matter, that there will not be light of yeqarot nor of qippa'on, and the interpretation by way of analogy is that the light of day will not be bright, which is the light of yeqarot, as in "the moon walks yaqar (in brightness)" (Job 31:26), and neither [will there be] light of qippa'on, which is frozen and thick, which is like darkness.  And the interpretation is that that day will not be neither all like light nor all like darkness, meaning neither comfortable nor troubling, but rather both of them will be in it. And likewise he (Zechariah) says after it (verse 7)"not day and not night."  And Jonathan translated, "there will not be light, but rather passing light and ice/thickness/congealment"
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  And the Lord shall become King  - When the nations who come to Jerusalem see the wonders mentioned here, they will recognize that the Lord reigns over all the earth and exerts His providence on the lower world. He does with them as he pleases, and nature is transformed to do the will of those who fear Him, because everything is the work of His hands: