Tanach
Zecharyah 1 זכריה א׳
Part of: Petuchah, Zechariah 1:7
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בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִי בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְדָרְיָוֶשׁ הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָה בֶּן־עִדּוֹ הַנָּבִיא לֵאמֹֽר׃
In the eighth month, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of the Lord came to Zekharya, the son of Berekhya, the son of ῾Iddo the prophet, saying,
In the eighth month, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of the Lord came to Zekharya, the son of Berekhya, the son of ῾Iddo the prophet, saying,
Rashi
בחדש השמיני. קודם שהתחילו לחזור ולבנות במלאכה שהרי בעשרים וארבע לחדש התחילו בה:
In the eighth month Before they commenced resuming the work of the construction, for they commenced it on the twenty-fourth day of the [ninth] month.
קָצַף יְהֹוָה עַל־אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם קָֽצֶף׃
The Lord has been much displeased with your fathers.
The Lord has been much displeased with your fathers.
Rashi
על אבותיכם. שבדור חורבן הבית:
with your fathers who were in the generation of the destruction of the Temple.
וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וְאָשׁוּב אֲלֵיכֶם אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts; Turn to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.
Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts; Turn to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.
אַל־תִּהְיוּ כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר קָרְאֽוּ־אֲלֵיהֶם הַנְּבִיאִים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִים לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שׁוּבוּ נָא מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים (ומעליליכם) [וּמַֽעַלְלֵיכֶם] הָֽרָעִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ וְלֹֽא־הִקְשִׁיבוּ אֵלַי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃
Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; Turn now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, or hearken to me, says the Lord.
Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; Turn now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, or hearken to me, says the Lord.
אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם אַיֵּה־הֵם וְהַנְּבִאִים הַלְעוֹלָם יִֽחְיֽוּ׃
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Rashi
אבותיכם איה הם. ראו שלקו מכה רעה ברעב בחרב ובשבי:
[As for] your fathers - where are they? See that they suffered an evil blow, with famine, with the sword, and with pestilence.
והנביאים הלעולם יחיו. וא"ת אף הנביאים איה הם הרי מתו אני משיב לכם וכי הנביאים היה להם לעולם לחיות אך סופן מוכיח כי אמת היה דבריהם שכל דברי וחוקי גזירות פורענותי אשר צויתי את עבדי הנביאים עליכם הלא השיגו אבותיכם:
But the prophets - do they live forever? And if you ask, “the prophets, too where are they? Have they not died?” I [God] will answer you, “Should the prophets have lived forever?” But their end proves that their words were true; for all My words, and the declarations of the decrees of My retribution that I commanded My servants, the prophets, concerning you - did they not overtake your fathers?
אַךְ ׀ דְּבָרַי וְחֻקַּי אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶת־עֲבָדַי הַנְּבִיאִים הֲלוֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ כִּדְרָכֵינוּ וּכְמַעֲלָלֵינוּ כֵּן עָשָׂה אִתָּֽנוּ׃ {פ}
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? so that they repented and said, As the Lord of hosts intended to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so has he dealt with us.
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? so that they repented and said, As the Lord of hosts intended to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so has he dealt with us.
בְּיוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לְעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ שְׁבָט בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְדָרְיָוֶשׁ הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ בֶּן־עִדּוֹא הַנָּבִיא לֵאמֹֽר׃
On the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shevat, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of the Lord came to Zekharya, the son of Berekhya, the son of ῾Iddo the prophet,
On the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shevat, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of the Lord came to Zekharya, the son of Berekhya, the son of ῾Iddo the prophet,
רָאִיתִי ׀ הַלַּיְלָה וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ רֹכֵב עַל־סוּס אָדֹם וְהוּא עֹמֵד בֵּין הַהֲדַסִּים אֲשֶׁר בַּמְּצֻלָה וְאַחֲרָיו סוּסִים אֲדֻמִּים שְׂרֻקִּים וּלְבָנִֽים׃
saying, I saw in the night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle bushes that were in the glen; and behind him were there red horses, sorrel, and white.
saying, I saw in the night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle bushes that were in the glen; and behind him were there red horses, sorrel, and white.
Rashi
ראיתי הלילה וגו'. רבותינו פירשו מה שפירשו באגדת חלק אך אין סדר הפרשה והלשון מתיישב בו:
I saw tonight Our Sages explained [this phrase as] they explained [it] in the Aggadah of the chapter entitled “Helek” (Sanh. 93a), but the sequence of the chapter and the language do not fit it.
והנה איש. מלאך:
and behold! A man an angel.
על סוס אדום. רמז הוא ליפרע מכשדים ממדי ופרס בחרב ובדם כמו שהוא אומר כאן וקצף גדול אני קוצף על העכו"ם:
on a red horse This is an allusion that He would exact retribution upon the Chaldeans, Media, and Persia with the sword and with blood, as He says (verse 15 below): “And I was very wroth with the nations.”
ואחריו סוסים אדומים וגו'. מוכנים לשליחותו של מקום ויש בהם מיני צבעים הרבה ושבח הוא לו. שרוקים. לא ידעתי מה צבע הוא וי"ת קווחין:
and after him were red, etc., horses prepared for the mission of the Omnipresent. That there were among them [horses of] many sorts of colors was a [means of] praise for him. black do not know what color this is. Jonathan rendered קְוָחִין.
בין ההדסים אשר במצולה. בין אילני דהדסיא דבבל:
among the myrtles that were in the pool Among the myrtle trees of Babylon.
וָאֹמַר מָה־אֵלֶּה אֲדֹנִי וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי אֲנִי אַרְאֶךָּ מָה־הֵמָּה אֵֽלֶּה׃
Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said to me, I will show thee what these are.
Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said to me, I will show thee what these are.
Rashi
ואומר. למלאך אחד אשר היה מראה אותי כל זאת מה אלה אדוני והוא הרוכב על סוס אדום:
And I said to one angel who showed me all this. “What are these, my lord?” He was the one riding on the red horse.
וַיַּעַן הָאִישׁ הָעֹמֵד בֵּין־הַהֲדַסִּים וַיֹּאמַר אֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח יְהֹוָה לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
And the man that stood among the myrtle bushes answered and said, These are they whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro in the earth.
And the man that stood among the myrtle bushes answered and said, These are they whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro in the earth.
Rashi
להתהלך בארץ. לראות את שלוות העכו"ם:
to walk to and fro on the earth To see the tranquility of the nations.
וַֽיַּעֲנוּ אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה הָֽעֹמֵד בֵּין הַהֲדַסִּים וַיֹּאמְרוּ הִתְהַלַּכְנוּ בָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה כׇל־הָאָרֶץ יֹשֶׁבֶת וְשֹׁקָֽטֶת׃
And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle bushes, and said, We have walked to and fro in the earth, and, behold, all the earth sits still, and is at rest.
And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle bushes, and said, We have walked to and fro in the earth, and, behold, all the earth sits still, and is at rest.
וַיַּעַן מַלְאַךְ־יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עַד־מָתַי אַתָּה לֹֽא־תְרַחֵם אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וְאֵת עָרֵי יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר זָעַמְתָּה זֶה שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָֽה׃
Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt Thou not have mercy on Yerushalayim and on the cities of Yehuda, against which Thou hast had indignation these seventy years?
Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt Thou not have mercy on Yerushalayim and on the cities of Yehuda, against which Thou hast had indignation these seventy years?
Rashi
ויען מלאך ה'. הוא הדובר בי:
And the angel of the Lord replied The angel that was speaking to me.
וַיַּעַן יְהֹוָה אֶת־הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים דְּבָרִים נִחֻמִֽים׃
And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words, words of comfort.
And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words, words of comfort.
Rashi
ויען ה', את המלאך הדובר בי דברים טובים. לא ששמע הנביא מה ענה אך ממה שאמר המלאך לו קרא לאמר קנאתי וגו' אני יודע שדברים טובים ענהו:
And the Lord answered the angel who was speaking to me, good words Not that the prophet heard what He answered [the angel], but from what the angel said to him, “Proclaim, saying, ‘I am jealous etc.,’” I know that He answered him good words.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי קְרָא לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת קִנֵּאתִי לִירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וּלְצִיּוֹן קִנְאָה גְדוֹלָֽה׃
So the angel that spoke with me said to me, Proclaim, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; I am zealous for Yerushalayim and for Żiyyon with a great zeal.
So the angel that spoke with me said to me, Proclaim, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; I am zealous for Yerushalayim and for Żiyyon with a great zeal.
Rashi
קנאתי: לציון. מתפרע אנא פורענות דין ירושלים מן המציקים לה:
I am jealous for Jerusalem I am exacting the retribution [for] the cause of Jerusalem from those who oppress her.
וְקֶצֶף גָּדוֹל אֲנִי קֹצֵף עַל־הַגּוֹיִם הַשַּֽׁאֲנַנִּים אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי קָצַפְתִּי מְּעָט וְהֵמָּה עָזְרוּ לְרָעָֽה׃
And I am very much displeased with the nations that are at ease: for I was a little angry, but they helped forward the affliction.
And I am very much displeased with the nations that are at ease: for I was a little angry, but they helped forward the affliction.
Rashi
השאננים. אשר אלו אומרים עליהם שהם יושבים ושקטים:
that are at ease Concerning whom these [messengers] say that they sit still and are at rest.
אשר אני קצפתי. על עמי מעט:
for I was wroth with My people, a little.
והמה עזרו. על הקצף לרעה:
and they helped to do harm In addition to the wrath, [they helped] to do harm.
לָכֵן כֹּֽה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה שַׁבְתִּי לִירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם בְּֽרַחֲמִים בֵּיתִי יִבָּנֶה בָּהּ נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת (וקוה) [וְקָו] יִנָּטֶה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
Therefore thus says the Lord; I have returned to Yerushalayim with mercies: my house shall be rebuilt in it, says the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Yerushalayim.
Therefore thus says the Lord; I have returned to Yerushalayim with mercies: my house shall be rebuilt in it, says the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Yerushalayim.
Rashi
וקו ינטה. למוד חומותיה ארכה ורחבה:
and a plumb line shall be stretched out to measure its wall, its length and breadth.
עוֹד ׀ קְרָא לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עוֹד תְּפוּצֶנָה עָרַי מִטּוֹב וְנִחַם יְהֹוָה עוֹד אֶת־צִיּוֹן וּבָחַר עוֹד בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {פ}
Proclaim further, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; My cities shall again overflow with prosperity; and the Lord shall yet comfort Żiyyon, and shall yet choose Yerushalayim.
Proclaim further, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; My cities shall again overflow with prosperity; and the Lord shall yet comfort Żiyyon, and shall yet choose Yerushalayim.
נבואת זכריה. סתומה היא מאוד כי יש בה מראות דומות לחלום הניתן לפתרון ואין אנו יכולים לעמוד על אמיתת פתרונו עד יבא מורה צדק ולפי היכולת אתן לב ליישב המקראות אחד אחד מן הפתרונות הדומות לו ואחר פתרונות של יונתן:
The prophecy of Zechariah is extremely enigmatic, because it contains visions resembling a dream that requires an interpretation. We cannot ascertain the truth of its interpretation until the teacher of righteousness comes. Nonetheless, I will put my heart to reconciling the verses, one by one, according to the interpretations that resemble it and following the interpretation of Jonathan.