DRAFT: A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Zechariah 9-11

Kuruvilla Thomas
Bangalore
Published on 20 January 2024 *

Fig. 1

Introduction

This study treats Zechariah 9-11 as a cryptochiasmus in order to arrive at a coherent reconfiguration of the text ( see definition of cryptochiasmus in [1] ). If you wish to skip the technicalities of a chiastic parse, you may read starting from Section 4 of the Discussion section, which has the reconfigured text.

Zechariah 9-11 has several significant predictions regarding Christ's first coming. The prophecy also makes detailed predictions on Alexander's conquests in the regions around Israel during his campaign against Persia.

Discussion

1. Presuppositions

We base our parse of Zechariah 9-11 on the assumption that it refers to 3 periods:

1. Alexander's conquests in the vicinity of the Holy Land (333-331BC).
2. From Christ's mission (26-30AD) to the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (26AD–70AD).
3. The Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth (2027AD).

2. Parsing the chiasmus

We will use the NIV Bible for this parse.

Parsing this chiasmus involves dividing portions of the text into three categories as above. We will call the period of the Alexander's conquest Period 1, the death of Christ and the First Jewish-Roman War Period 2, and the start of Christ's Millennial Reign Period 3.

Categorizing Zechariah 9-11

Ch 9 Vs 1-8 belong to Period 1. Alexander's conquests in the region of the Holy land.

Ch 9 Vs 9 belongs to Period 2. Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

Ch 9 Vs 10-17 belong to Period 3. The war at the start of Christ's glorious Millennial Reign.

Ch 10 Vs 1-5a belong to Period 2. The Pharisees and their ilk lead people astray, but Judah will be a source of righteous Christian leadership.

Ch 10 Vs 5b belongs to Period 1. The Greeks are confused at their reception in Jerusalem.

Ch 10 Vs 6-12 belong to Period 3. Israelites are gathered into the New Israel at the start Christ's Millennial Reign.

Ch 11 Vs 1-3 belong to Period 1. Alexander devastates Lebanon and the Transjordan.

Ch 11 Vs 4-17 belong to Period 2. Prophetic actions involving shepherding that foretell events surrounding Christ's death and the First Jewish-Roman war.

Original text

We color-code the chiastic units of the original text (NIV) below for easy visual identification using: red for Period 1, blue for Period 2 and green for Period 3. We have retranslated parts of the text.

Zechariah 9 1 A prophecy: The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus— for the LORD has an eye on mankind as well as on all the tribes of Israel— [a] 2 and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise [b]. 3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. 4 But the Lord will cast her out [c] and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire. 5 Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted. 6 A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod. I [d] will put an end to the pride of the Philistines. 7 I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. 8 I will encamp about my house because of the army, because of him who marches around marauding. The oppressor will not overrun my people as well, for I am keeping watch. [e]
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. 12 Turn [f] to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will return to you double [g]. 13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Javan [h], and make you like a warrior’s sword.
14 Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, 15 and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will devour and trample on the slingstones [i]. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a sacrificial bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. [j] 16 The Lord their God will preserve [k] his people on that day as a shepherd preserves [l] his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. 17 Truly how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! [m] Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

Retranslation notes for Zechariah 9
[a] vs 1 "for the LORD has an eye on mankind as well as on all the tribes of Israel" instead of "for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the LORD". (based on the ESV)
[b] vs 2 "because they are very wise" instead of "though they are very skillful".
[c] vs 4 "cast her out" instead of "take away her possessions".
[d] vs 6 ". I will" instead of ", and I will".
[e] vs 8 "I will encamp about my house because of the army, because of him who marches around marauding. The oppressor will not overrun my people as well, for I am keeping watch" instead of "But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch".
[f] vs 12 "Turn" instead of "Return".
[g] vs 12 "return to you double" instead of "restore twice as much to you".
[h] vs 13 "Javan" instead of "Greece".
[i] vs 15 "devour and trample on the slingstones" instead of "destroy and overcome with slingstones".
[j] vs 15 "they will be full like a sacrificial bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar" instead of "they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar".
[k] vs 16 "preserve" instead of "save".
[l] vs 16 "preserves" instead of "saves".
[m] vs 17 "Truly how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty" instead of "How attractive and beautiful they will be".


Zechariah 10 1 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. 2 The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Surely [a] the people wander like sheep troubled [b] for lack of a shepherd.
3 “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. 4 From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler. 5a Together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.
5b They will prevail because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses will be confounded. [c]
6 “I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them. 7 The Ephraimites will become like mighty men [d], and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see [e] and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord. 8 I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will grow as they once grew [f]. 9 Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return. 10 I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, for [g] there will not be room enough for them. 11 He will pass through the sea with affliction and strike the waves of the sea, [h] and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. 12 I will strengthen them in the Lord and they will walk in his name,” [i] declares the Lord.

Retranslation notes for Zechariah 10
[a] vs 2 "Surely" instead of "Therefore".
[b] vs 2 "troubled" instead of "oppressed".
[c] vs 5 "They will prevail because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses will be confounded" instead of "They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame" (based on the KJV).
[d] vs 7 "mighty men" instead of "warriors".
[e] vs 7 "see" instead of "see it".
[f] vs 8 "grow as they once grew" instead of "be as numerous as before".
[g] vs 10 "for" instead of "and" (a dash may also be used).
[h] vs 11 "He will pass through the sea with affliction and strike the waves of the sea," instead of "They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued".
[i] vs 12 "they will walk in his name" instead of "in his name they will live securely".


Zechariah 11 1 Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! 2 Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down! 3 Listen to the wail of the shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions; the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined!
4 This is what the Lord my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter. 5 Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not pity [a] them. 6 For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”
7 So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the humble [b] of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. 8 In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them 9 and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”
10 Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the peoples [c]. 11 It was revoked on that day, and surely the humble [d] of the flock who gave heed to [e] me knew it was the word of the Lord.
12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.
14 Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the bond [f] between Judah and Israel.
15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a wicked [g] shepherd. 16 For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves. 17 “Woe to the idol [h] shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”

Retranslation notes for Zechariah 11
[a] vs 5 "pity" instead of "spare".
[b] vs 7 "humble" instead of "oppressed".
[c] vs 10 "peoples" instead of "nations".
[d] vs 11 "surely the humble" instead of "so the oppressed".
[e] vs 11 "gave heed to" instead of "were watching".
[f] vs 14 "bond" instead of "family bond".
[g] vs 15 "wicked" instead of "foolish".
[h] vs 17 "idol" instead of "worthless".

3. Building the reconfigured text

From this parse, it appears that Zechariah 9-11 form a cryptochiasmus as below:

A1   Ch 9 Vs 1-8 Period 1. Alexander's conquests in the vicinity of the Holy Land
  B1   Ch 9 Vs 9 Period 2. Christ's victorious entry into Jerusalem
    X   Ch 9 Vs 10-17 Period 3. War at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign
  B2   Ch 10 Vs 1-5a Period 2. Pharisees lead people astray
A2   Ch 10 Vs 5b Period 1. The Greeks are confused

We now reconstruct the passages in the right order based on the chiastic structure above and based on the ordering rules of a cryptochiasmus [1].

We usually lead with the pivot point but for this reconstruction we will place the central pivot point 'X' at the end so that we get another chiasmus with the rest of the prophecy (the rules of cryptochiasmi [1] allow this ). The corresponding subunits (For example; subunit A1 corresponds to A2) are placed contiguously to form units (For example, A1,A2 is a unit ) so that we get a list of such units.

The sequence selected for rearrangement is:

[B1,B2]  [A1,A2]  X        (1)

Note: We choose the reverse order for our units so that we get another cryptochiasmus with the rest of the prophecy.The rules of cryptochiasmi allow this.

We have the following sequence when we include the rest of the prophecy:
[B1,B2] - Period 2
[A1,A2] - Period 1
X         - Period 3
Ch 10 Vs 6-12 - Period 3. Millennial Reign
Ch 11 Vs 1-3 - Period 1. Alexander attacks the Transjordan
Ch 11 Vs 4-17 - Period 2. Christ's death and the Roman attack

We still have text for the Periods in a non-contiguous form. We treat this as a doubly applied cryptochiasmus as below.

M1   [B1,B2] - Period 2
  N1   [A1,A2] - Period 1
   XX   X , Ch 10 Vs 6-12 - Period 3
  N2   Ch 11 Vs 1-3    - Period 1
M2   Ch 11 Vs 4-17 - Period 2

The sequence selected for rearrangement is:
XX  [M1,M2]  [N1,N2]        (2)


Translating this sequence (2) into the subunits of the first chiasmus, we get:

[X , Ch 10 Vs 6-12]  [[B1,B2], Ch 11 Vs 4-17]   [[A1,A2], Ch 11 Vs 1-3]        (3)

Further translating (3) into verse numbers, we get:

[Ch 9 Vs 10-17 , Ch 10 Vs 6-12]  [[Ch 9 Vs 9,Ch 10 Vs 1-5a], Ch 11 Vs 4-17]   [[Ch 9 Vs 1-8,Ch 10 Vs 5b], Ch 11 Vs 1-3]        (4)

We arrive at the reconfigured passage in the next section by rearranging the verses so they are in sequence (4).

4. Zechariah 9-11 Reconfigured

The Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth (2027AD) (Ch 9 Vs 10-17 , Ch 10 Vs 6-12)

Chiasmus 1: The Beast army is defeated at the start of the glorious Millennial Reign


Chiasmus 2: Israelites gather in the New Israel and the nation is restored



From Christ's mission (26-30AD) to the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (26AD–70AD) (Ch 9 Vs 9, Ch 10 Vs 1-5a, Ch 11 Vs 4-17)

Chiasmus 1: Christ reforms the Judahites


Chiasmus 2: Zechariah's prophetic actions: From Christ's mission (26-30AD) to the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD



Alexander's conquests in the vicinity of the Holy Land (333-331BC) (Ch 9 Vs 1-8, Ch 10 Vs 5b, Ch 11 Vs 1-3)

5. A Commentary on the Reconfigured Text

5.1 The Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth (2027AD) (Ch 9 Vs 10-17, Ch 10 Vs 6-12)

This Period is structured as a series of 2 chiasmi that are regarding the restoration of Israel.

Chiasmus 1: The Beast army is defeated at the start of the glorious Millennial Reign

The passage below in 9:10-17 is arranged in the form of a two-unit chiasmus:

A1 9:10 Peace and prosperity during the Millennial Reign
  B1 9:11 The Israelites are spiritually restored
    X 9:12-15a God helps Israel defeat the Beast army
  B2 9:15b The Israelites are spiritually restored
A2 9:16-17 Peace and prosperity during the Millennial Reign

Subunit A1: Peace and prosperity during the Millennial Reign of Christ and his Messiah (9:10)

Chapter 9 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The New Israel will not need weapons of war, because the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, will control the whole earth for Christ and will maintain peace throughout the world during the Millennial Age (see also Isa. 11:6-9).

The phrases "sea to sea" and "from the River to the ends of the earth" refer to the entire earth. The "River" is the Euphrates in Mesopotamia which, in ancient times, was considered the centre of the world (cf. Psalms 72:8). "Ephraim" and "Jerusalem" represent the Northern and Southern Tribes respectively, and together they refer to all the Israelites.

Subunit B1: The Israelites are spiritually restored (9:11)

Chapter 9 11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.

The Northern Tribes ("Ephraim" of vs 10) have been punished for millennia because of the waywardness of their forefathers - they are prisoners in a "waterless pit" of spiritual blindness (Isaiah 29:9-10). But they had been promised that they will be God's holy nation by the blood covenant at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:5-6, 24:4-8), and this covenant will once again be honoured in this Period. So, at the start of the Millennial Reign, God will remove their spiritual blindness ("free your prisoners") and open their hearts towards Himself (see Eze. 37).

Pivot X: God helps Israel defeat the Beast army (9:12-15a)

Chapter 9 12 Turn to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will return to you double.

The Israelites are to turn to their God, their "fortress", for help in fighting the giant Beast army - God is their only hope against the powerful enemies arrayed against them (they are "prisoners of hope"). God assures them that, even in this dark hour ("even now"), He will greatly reward their faith in Him by thoroughly defeating this army (we take "double" to mean "a great amount").

Chapter 9 13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Javan, and make you like a warrior’s sword.

Judah and Ephraim will be a figurative bow and arrow and a warrior's sword in God's hands, and He will use them to defeat Satan's forces. The Northern Tribes (Ephraim) will join the Judahites, and together ("sons of Zion") they will overcome Satan's instrument, Javan.

Who is Javan? Javan (or Yavan) was the name of a Japhetic tribe (see Gen. 10:4,5) that lived in the region of modern Greece for a time before moving to East Asia. ( The region continued to be called Javan long after the tribe left, so the Greeks were originally called Javans.) In this Period, Javan refers to an East Asian nation, and we believe this is China, the 7th king of Rev. 17:10, the leading nation of Satan's 7-headed Beast Empire (Rev. 13). China is also called Magog in prophecy, because the Mongols, who are of the tribe of Magog, had originally inhabited parts of China.

Chapter 9 14 Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,

The Lord will lead the Israelites to victory over the Beast army at the start of the Millennial Reign - the Beast army is made up of China and its allies (see the Gog and Magog war of Ezekiel 39, Rev 19:11-21). The Lord will be a destructive force to the Beast army, like the whirlwinds of the desert region in the south of Israel ("storms of the south").

Chapter 9 15a and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will devour and trample on the slingstones.

God will defend the Israelites from the Beast army's weapons. The phrase, "They will devour and trample on the slingstones", poetically indicates that the attacks against the Israelites will prove ineffective (cf. Job 41:28).

Subunit B2: The Israelites are spiritually restored (9:15b)

Chapter 9 15b They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a sacrificial bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.

The Israelites will be a spiritually blessed people (they will "drink" spiritual blessings), and they will roar with joy ("roar as with wine"). They will be covered with the atoning blood of the sacrifice, indicating that all their past sins as a people will be forgiven (cf. Rev. 7:14).

Subunit A2: Peace and prosperity during the Millennial Reign of Christ and his Messiah (9:16-17)

Chapter 9 16 The Lord their God will preserve his people on that day as a shepherd preserves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.

God will preserve and protect the New Israel, and the Israelites will be a distinguished, special people (see Zephaniah 3:20). They will be examples to the world and worthy citizens of God's own nation (they will "shine like jewels").

Chapter 9 17 Truly how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

The coming Messiah will be a leader of great goodness and beauty (see Psalm 45:2-8, Isaiah 33:17), and the nation will thrive under his reign (abundant "grain" and "new wine" represent a flourishing economy).

Chiasmus 2: Israelites gather in the New Israel and the nation is restored

The passage below in 10:6-12 is structured as a chiasmus. In the pivot, X [10:8-10a], God gathers the Israelites into their new land. In the subunits, A1 [10:6-7] and A2 [10:10b-12], God restores the nation.

Subunit A1: Israel is restored (10:6-7)

Chapter 10 6 “I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.

Judah and the Northern tribes ("tribes of Joseph") will unite, so that they are once again God's chosen nation ("as though I had not rejected them"). Note that the Judahites need only be strengthened at this time, as they had become Christian at the time of Christ, but the Northern Tribes ("tribes of Joseph") must be saved from their pagan religion (Ezekiel 37).

Chapter 10 7 The Ephraimites will become like mighty men, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.

The Northern Tribes ("Ephraimites") will become mighty men of God, and they will rejoice in Him. Their descendants ("children") will also have their eyes opened to their God ("see"), and they will continue the tradition of worshipping only the God of Israel and rejoicing in Him (cf. Deut. 12:12).

Pivot X: God gathers the Israelites into their own land (10:8-10a)

Chapter 10 8 I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will grow as they once grew. 9 Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return. 10a I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria.

God had scattered the Israelites to nations around the world as punishment for their unfaithfulness (Leviticus 26:33). But now, at God's signal, the Israelites will remember their God and come out of these nations ("Egypt/Assyria" represent the whole world), and they will gather in the New Israel (see also Micah 2:12). Israel will once again grow rapidly as it did in its infancy ("grow as they once grew") (Exodus 1:7).

Who are "Egypt" and "Assyria" in this Period? Assyria (the first "king" of Rev 17:10) was, at one time, the nation from which Satan ruled the earth. So in this Period, Assyria represents "Babylon's" Beast empire (Rev 13), which controls the world for Satan (see appendix in [3]). Egypt, in prophecy, represents the Western Empire, primarily the USA and Europe (the 6th "king" of Rev 17:10, see also our parse of Isaiah 18 [5]). Since "Egypt" makes up a significant portion of "Assyria", they are used synonymously here. And because "Assyria/Egypt" control the world, they represent the whole world.

Subunit A2: Israel is restored (10:10b-12)

Chapter 10 10b I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, for there will not be room enough for them.

There will not be enough room in the New Israel for all the Israelites who gather from around the world, so the land will have to expand into surrounding nations (see also Isaiah 49:20). "Gilead" and "Lebanon" - Israel's neighbours at the time of the prophecy - represent the neighbouring regions of the New Israel.

Chapter 10 11a He will pass through the sea with affliction and strike the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away.

God will humble Satan's Beast Empire ("Assyria") (see Ezekiel 39). The "sea" represents the Beast empire here, so the metaphors, "pass through the sea with affliction" and "strike the waves of the sea", indicate that God will defeat and destroy this wicked empire.

The Western Empire ("Egypt"), primarily the USA and Europe, will no longer control the earth (see also Rev 16:12), as indicated by the phrases, "the Nile will dry up" and "Egypt's scepter will pass away".

Since the Western Empire makes up a large part of the Beast Empire, "Assyria" and "Egypt" are used synonymously here.

Chapter 10 12 I will strengthen them in the Lord and they will walk in his name,” declares the Lord.

The Israelites will be strengthened in their faith in God, and all their dealings will be in God's name.

5.2 From Christ's mission (26-30AD) to the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (26AD–70AD) (Ch 9 Vs 9, Ch 10 Vs 1-5a, Ch 11 Vs 4-17)

This Period is primarily regarding Christ's death and the War of 70AD, and it is presented in such a way as to emphasize the relationship between these two events, because: the Judahites were punished by God through the Romans in 70AD for rejecting and killing Jesus; Christ's death represents the start of the New Covenant, and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD represents the end of the Old Covenant.

This Period is structured as a series of 2 chiasmi.

Chiasmus 1: Christ reforms the Judahites

The passage below in 9:9,10:1-5a is structured as a chiasmus. The pivot, X [10:1-3], is regarding the wicked leaders of the Judahites. The subunits, A1 [9:9] and A2 [10:4-5a], are regarding Christ and other righteous leaders of Judah.

Subunit A1: The righteous leaders of Judah (9:9)

Chapter 9 9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jesus, the future King of Israel and the world, victoriously entered Jerusalem to shouts of "Hosanna", riding on a donkey, a symbol of meekness. This passage was quoted in the New Testament as referring to Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before his crucifixion (Matt. 21:5). It was through his death on the cross that Christ became worthy to rule the earth (see Rev 5:9,10).

Pivot X: The wicked leaders of the Judahites (10:1-3)

Chapter 10 1 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. 2a The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain.

The Judahites are exhorted to trust in their God, the creator and sustainer, and look to Him for help; they are not to seek the advice of mediums or diviners. The Judahites have been deceived with false prophecies from diviners, who are the prophets and priests of pagan demon gods (see also Isaiah 8:19-22, Zech. 13:1-6).

Chapter 10 2b Surely the people wander like sheep troubled for lack of a shepherd. 3a “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders;

The Judahites are troubled and confused, as they do not have good spiritual leaders. Their wicked leaders - the Pharisees, mediums and their kind - will be punished and purged during the Jewish-Roman War for leading the Judahites astray and against Christ (see also Isaiah 3:13-15, Matt. 23).

Chapter 10 3b for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle.

After Christ preached his Gospel to the people of Judah, those who heeded his Word, the Christian Judahites, became soldiers for truth ("like proud horses in battle"), battling against the lies of their wicked spiritual leaders (cf. 2 Cor. 10:4,5)

Subunit A2: The righteous leaders of Judah (10:4-5a)

Chapter 10 4 From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler. 5a Together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.

Righteous Judahites, like Paul and the apostles (see Ephesians 2:20), played a leading role in the "battle" to spread the Gospel of Christ to the surrounding nations (we take "cornerstone", "tent peg", "battle bow" and "ruler" to represent righteous Judahite leaders). These Judahite leaders fought against bad doctrines and pagan religions; they developed the early Church, even as they faced persecution. They were conquerors for Christ.

Chiasmus 2: Zechariah's prophetic actions: From Christ's mission (26-30AD) to the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD

In this section of the vision, 11:4-17, Zechariah sees himself performing a set of prophetic actions (in a prophetic action, the prophet acts out a prophecy, as in Ezekiel 4,5) that symbolize the events surrounding the death of Christ and the First Jewish-Roman war. Zechariah takes on various roles in these prophetic actions - he acts as God, Jesus, the Judahites, Judas, the chief priests, and Satan.

The passage below in 11:4-17 is arranged in the form of a three-unit chiasmus:

A1 11:4-7a The Good Shepherd; Wicked Judahites are slaughtered (26AD-70AD)
  B1 11:7b The staffs: The two covenants (26AD-70AD)
    C1 11:8-9 Christ dies on the cross (30AD)
      X 11:10-11 The staffs: The Favor staff is broken (70AD)
    C2 11:12-13 Christ dies on the cross (30AD)
  B2 11:14 The staffs: The Union staff is broken (70AD)
A2 11:15-17 The Wicked Shepherd; Wicked Judahites are slaughtered (from 70AD)

Subunit A1: The Good Shepherd; Wicked Judahites are slaughtered (26AD-70AD) (11:4-7a)

In vs 11:4 and 11:7a, Zechariah performs a prophetic act that represents Christ's ministry - these verses bracket the subunit. The pivot in vs 5-6, is a parenthetical remark about the War of 70AD.

Chapter 11 4 This is what the Lord my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter.

God tells Zechariah to shepherd some flock marked for slaughter. The "flock marked for slaughter" represent the Judahites of this Period and their shepherd is Christ. Christ is to guide the Judahites with his Gospel to save as many of them as possible from the slaughter of 70AD. All the Judahites who do not believe in Christ and do not follow his message will be killed.

Chapter 11 5 Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not pity them. 6 For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”

This parenthetical passage in vs 5-6 expands on the "slaughter" of vs 4, 7.

The Roman commander Titus made a covenant with God that enabled the Romans (the "buyers") to slaughter the Judahites without guilt or fear of repercussion [2] (they "go unpunished"). The Judahites' ruler Herod Agrippa II (the "seller") abandoned the Judahites to the Romans in 66AD, and Herod was well compensated for this betrayal with territories and titles ("I am rich!"). The Judahites' "own shepherds" - God, Jesus and the Archangel Michael (the three shepherds of vs 8 below) - no longer cared for them (Michael, their protector, stood by - Dan 12:1). So God allowed those among the Judahites ("people of the land") who rejected Christ to perish through internecine quarrels ("neighbors") and at the hands of the Roman Caesar ("their king" - see John 19:15). ( For details on the First Jewish-Roman war, see our paper on the "70 weeks of Daniel" [2].)

Chapter 11 7a So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the humble of the flock.

The prophet shepherds the flock to represent Christ's ministry among the Judahites. Christ pays special attention to the Judahites who are open to his message, the poor in spirit ("humble") - these Judahites are spared the slaughter.

Subunit B1: The staffs: The two covenants (26AD-70AD) (11:7b)

Chapter 11 7b Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.

Acting as God, Zechariah took up two staffs that represent covenants between God and the Israelites. The staff called Favor represents the Old Covenant that bestowed a favoured spiritual status to the Israelites (Exodus 19:5-8); the staff called Union represents the bond between the Israelites and the land of Israel, a bond that was created through promises from God (see Genesis 15:18–21, Genesis 28:13, Exodus 23:31–33). This prophetic action by Zechariah indicates that, throughout this Period, the Judahites would continue under these covenants - they were only revoked in 70AD at the end of this Period.

Subunit C1: Christ dies on the cross (30AD) (11:8-9)

Chapter 11 8a In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.

Playing the role of the non-believing Judahites, Zechariah got rid three shepherds in one month to indicate that when the Judahites rejected Christ by crucifying him, they rejected all three shepherds - God, Christ and the Holy Spirit (Archangel Michael). One month or around 30 days represents 30 years, with one day of the prophet's action representing one prophetic year (as in a similarly prophetic action in Ezekiel 4). The 30 years is the time Jesus spent among the Judahites - between the year Jesus was called out of Egypt after Herod's death (Hosea 11 1) (c. 1BC) and the year in which Christ died (30AD).

Chapter 11 8b The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them 9 and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”

God gave up on the Judahites who showed contempt for Him by their rejection of Christ, and He let them die horrifically through the Roman attack. During the Roman siege of Jerusalem, the Judahites were literally reduced to eating human flesh to survive. ( This passage in 11:8b-9 is a remark from God on 11:8a.)

Pivot X: The staffs: The Favor staff is broken (11:10-11) (30AD)

Chapter 11 10 Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the peoples.

The prophet, representing God, broke the staff called "Favor", to indicate that the Israelites ('peoples') were no longer the spiritually favoured people of God; for, with the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD, the Old Covenant was revoked. When Jesus died on the cross, a New Covenant came into effect (Hebrews 9:15), and this Covenant was for all mankind.

Chapter 11 11 It was revoked on that day, and surely the humble of the flock who gave heed to me knew it was the word of the Lord.

The humble of the flock - those who believed in Christ and heeded God's word - knew that this revocation of the Old Covenant came from God. They knew that all Judahites would have to alter their worship of God, so that it was according to the New Covenant that came through Jesus. ( Verse 11:11 is a comment on 11:10.)

Subunit C2: Christ dies on the cross (30AD) (11:12-13)

Chapter 11 12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.

The prophet acts as Judas in this passage. Judas proposes to the high priests that he would betray Jesus, and asks to be paid if they agreed to the proposal. He was given 30 pieces of silver (Matt. 26:14-16).

Chapter 11 13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.

After Jesus was condemned to die, Judas remorsefully threw the reward money in the temple and left. The chief priests decided not to deposit the blood money in the temple treasury but instead used it to buy a potter's field (Matt. 27:1-10). Zechariah predicts both these events with his prophetic act of throwing the silver at a potter in the temple - he portrays both Judas and the chief priests simultaneously.

The phrase, "the handsome price at which they valued me", is a remark from God. The 30 pieces of silver, sarcastically called "handsome", was equivalent to the reimbursement for the accidental death of a slave (Exodus 21:32). This was the price they set for the capture of Christ, God's representative.

Note: We believe that Matt 27:9,10 refers to Jer. 32:37-41 and not to 11:13 in this passage. In a similarly prophetic action in Jer. 32, Jeremiah purchased a potters field in Anathoth as a sign that God would return the people of Israel to their own land. When Christ died to redeem all mankind (including the Israelites), God, in His great love, used the blood money (money that was paid by some Israelites to crucify Christ) to affirm His promise of a glorious Millennial Kingdom (Jer. 32:37-41) through the purchase of a field (Matt. 27:9,10). We believe that in Matt 27:9,10, Matthew connects Christ's death to the symbolism and promise of Jeremiah 32 by inserting parenthetical paraphrases of this passage in Zechariah into a paraphrase of parts of Jer. 32:8,9. Matthew structures the passage so as to obscure its meaning because of its prophetic nature, making it appear to refer to this passage, 11:13, in Zechariah. ( Similarly, Mark 1:2 inserts a parenthetical quote from Malachi to associate John the Baptist with a quote from Isaiah.)


Subunit B2: The staffs: The Union staff is broken (70AD) (11:14)

Chapter 11 14 Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the bond between Judah and Israel.

Zechariah, as God, broke the Union staff to indicate that the bond between the Israelites and the land of Israel (Genesis 15:18–21) was broken after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. So after the First Jewish-Roman war, most of the Judahites spread out into other regions, and Israel has been primarily occupied by other races since then. This breaking of the bond also indicates that the New Israel of the Millennial Reign will be located elsewhere.

Subunit A2: The Wicked Shepherd; Wicked Judahites are slaughtered (from 70AD) (11:15-17)

Chapter 11 15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a wicked shepherd.

Zechariah takes up the implements of the Wicked Shepherd to indicate that, with the bond between the Judahites and the land of Israel broken, the land will be handed over to one of Satan's fallen angels - God's angel no longer controls the land.

Chapter 11 16 For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.

This fallen angel will not care about the residents of his land the way God does. He will take advantage of the population for his own benefit and deal with them cruelly. (Verses 11:16-17 are remarks from God on the prophetic action of 11:15.)

Chapter 11 17 “Woe to the idol shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”

During the First Jewish-Roman war, God used the Romans to kill the Pharisees and their kind, those whose teachings were corrupted by Satanic ideas (John 8:42-44). By killing these wicked Judahites, God destroyed some of the fallen angel's most influential and effective servants - they were his right hand and his right eye. ( Note that the fallen angel is called an "idol", because the idols of pagan religions represent these fallen angels or demon gods.)

5.3 Alexander's conquests in the vicinity of the Holy Land (333-331BC) (Ch 9 Vs 1-8, Ch 10 Vs 5b, Ch 11 Vs 1-3)

In 334BC, Alexander embarked on one of the greatest military campaigns in history with the goal of conquering all of Asia. After defeating the Persian emperor Darius III at the battle of Issus (333BC), Alexander continued to the region of the Holy Land. This Period of the prophecy deals with the conquests of Alexander around Israel.

This Period is structured as a chiasmus. In the pivot, X [9:6b-7], a remnant of the Philistines joins Judah and worships its God. The subunits, A1 [9:1-6a] and A2 [9:8,10:5b,11:1-3], are regarding Alexander's campaign in the Levant.

Subunit A1: Alexander's campaign in the Levant: Syria to Philistia (9:1-6a)

Chapter 9 1 A prophecy: The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus—for the LORD has an eye on mankind as well as on all the tribes of Israel— 2a and on Hamath too, which borders on it,

God used Alexander as an instrument of His judgement on the people of the nations surrounding Israel ("The word of the Lord is against..."). For God watches all nations and punishes them for their transgressions, just as He does in the case of Israel.

After the battle of Issus (333BC), Alexander proceeded south into Syria, conquering all on his path. Hadrak was a city in Syria close to Damascus, and Hamath was a region that bordered Damascus. With Alexander's conquest of Damascus in 333 BCE, the city became part of the Hellenistic world for almost a thousand years.

Chapter 9 2b and on Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise. 3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. 4 But the Lord will cast her out and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

After the Syrian conquests, Alexander pushed south into Phoenicia. Tyre and Sidon were punished for their pride - they thought themselves very wise because of their ability to amass wealth (Ezekiel 28:4-5). Tyre was an extremely rich trading port and a strongly fortified city ("stronghold"). The siege and defeat of Tyre (332BC) was one of Alexander's great victories, as he had to build a causeway to reach the fortified island city. Alexander burned the city, destroyed its trading vessels, killed a large number of its residents and sold the rest into slavery ("cast her out").

Chapter 9 5 Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted. 6a A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod.

The coastal cities of nearby Philistia were in terror at the defeat of the well-fortified Tyre. Alexander subdued the great cities of the Philistines, such as: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod. When Gaza was taken (332BC) after a siege, the government ("king") was dissolved, the men were killed and the women and children were sold into slavery. Apparently, Ashkelon was similarly destroyed and emptied of people. Thoroughly defeated, Philistia became part of the Greek empire, and so its cities, like Ashdod, became cosmopolitan ("mongrel people"). ( Note that the calamities listed here as affecting individual cities in Philistia affected them all.)

Pivot X: A remnant of the Philistines joins Judah and worships its God (9:6b-7)

Chapter 9 6b I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines. 7 I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

With this defeat, the Philistines were no longer a proud, independent race. Those who were not taken away into exile or killed moved into Judea; they became a clan of Judah, just as the Jebusites had done at the time of David (see 1 Kings 9:20, 21). These Philistines turned to the God of Israel and began to follow the Mosaic Law, including its dietary restrictions - they no longer ate blood (Lev. 7:26) or other forbidden food (Lev. 11). ( Note that "Ekron" in vs 7 represents all of the remnant of the Philistines.)

Subunit A2: Alexander's campaign in the Levant: Judea to the Transjordan (9:8,10:5b,11:1-3)

Chapter 9 8 I will encamp about my house because of the army, because of him who marches around marauding. The oppressor will not overrun my people as well, for I am keeping watch.

Alexander passed by Judea on the way to Egypt and on the return journey as he made his way to Persia; but he did not attack Jerusalem, because God was watching over His land.

Chapter 10 5b They will prevail because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses will be confounded.

According to Josephus, after Alexander defeated Gaza, he set out towards Jerusalem to subdue the city. When the Greeks on their famous horses reached the city, they were initially confused, because they were met by an army of priests in white robes, led by the High Priest in his ceremonial garments. But Alexander treated the High Priest of the Judahites with great reverence, because he had seen the priest in a vision that predicted his conquest of Persia. At the temple in Jerusalem, he offered a sacrifice to God, and he was shown the book of Daniel that prophesied of his defeat of Persia.

Alexander annexed the regions around Israel; but, with God's help, Judah retained a degree of autonomy, and the Judahites were allowed to live under their own Laws.

Chapter 11 1 Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! 2 Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down!

On his way from Egypt to Persia, Alexander defeated Lebanon and Bashan. In this poetic passage, the various trees represent the armies of these nations - the cedar and juniper represent Lebanon's armies and the oaks represent Bashan's army.

Chapter 11 3 Listen to the wail of the shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions; the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

Alexander also attacked regions along the eastern side of the river Jordan (the Transjordan), when he took a detour south to the Dead Sea.

As a result of Alexander's campaign in the Levant, most of Israel's sometimes hostile neighbours became a part of the Greek Empires - either the Seleucid or Ptolemaic kingdoms.

Conclusion

With this chiastic reconstruction of the text, we show that the passage contains three interwoven prophetic passages. This prophecy makes detailed predictions regarding Alexander that match documented history. The defeat of Israel's hostile neighbours through Alexander in Period 1 appears to be a type of the defeat of Israel's enemies at the start of Christ's Millennial reign in Period 3.

The "king on a donkey" passage in Zech. 9:9 is quoted in the New Testament as referring to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, but the verse appears to be unrelated to the rest of chapter 9. With this chiastic reconfiguration we have placed this and other passages in the proper context for a more coherent interpretation.

References

[1] A Definition of Cryptochiasmus
[2] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The 70 Weeks Of Daniel"
[3] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Daniel 8
[4] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 2-4
[5] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 18
[6] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 23





* First version published on 14 January 2020.