ÿWPCÁ  aU.ð %#$ 0(3 [ gs!ƒ ) /"{F<Ô6X9`+CourierXCanon BJ-200BJ200.PRS8H|,XhhhhX,ÿHÀ‰#È´#Ô^($¡¡ÿÿÈDÿÿHD'„¬ =#|v&þÿ"AHOZq|~ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿïÿE?ÿÿÿÿÿþÿÀÌ0³ËÌ0ÀÏ<Àü00//ÿÿÿÿÿÿN÷ÿÿà«ÿððHð‡Ÿÿ€È2RP€@LL  <Ô6X9`+CourieryE‰?xxxxhXxgÔþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÝ ƒ!ÝÝ W ÝTitle:€€€€€Joshua€the€high€priest€and€the€interpretation€ofÏZechariah€3.ÌSubject:€€€€€€BIBLE€--€Hermeneutics€€ÌSource:€€€€€€Catholic€Biblical€Quarterly,€Oct91,€Vol.€53€Issue€4,Ïp553,€18p€€ÌAuthor:€€€€€€Vanderkam,€James€C.€€ÌAbstract:à0 ` àAddresses€the€exegetical€issues€encountered€inÐ ` ° ÐZechariah€3,€particularly€the€background€against€whichÏthe€oracle€in€3:8-10€should€be€read.€VisionaryÏexperience€with€Joshua,€the€angel€of€the€Lord,€satan,Ïthe€Lord€and€possibly€Zechariah;€Theories€on€whichÏverses€in€6-10€are€original.€€Ð ` (#` (# ÐAN:€9603275492€€ISSN:€0008-7912ÌÌNote:€€€€€€This€title€is€held€locallyÌÌMagazine:€The€Catholic€Biblical€Quarterly,€October€1991€ÌÌÓ  ÓJOSHUA€THE€HIGH€PRIEST€AND€THEÌINTERPRETATION€OF€ZECHARIAH€3ÌÓÙÓÌTHE€PROPHECIES€OF€ZECHARTAH€are€one€of€the€most€important€sourcesÏfor€reconstructing€the€status€of€the€high€priest€at€the€time€ofÏthe€return€to€Zion.€Joshua,€the€first€to€hold€the€office€afterÏthe€exile,€is€mentioned€in€Ezra€as€a€leader€of€the€first€groupÏthat€returned€to€Jerusalem€(2:2€=€Neh€7:7;€1€Esdr€5:5,€8).€EzraÏ3:2€further€identifies€him€as€a€son€of€Jozadak,€who€was€in€turnÏthe€son€of€the€last€reigning€high€priest€of€the€first€temple€(2ÏKgs€25:€18;€1€Chr€6:15;€Jer€52:24).€Joshua€himself€is€never€givenÏthe€title€high€priest€in€Ezra--a€fact€which€is€in€harmony€withÏthe€tendency€of€the€book€to€avoid€titles.(n1)€Among€theÏactivities€of€Joshua,€the€book€notes€that€he€participated€inÏconstructing€the€altar,€that€he€offered€sacrifices€on€it,€joinedÏin€starting€construction€of€the€second€temple,€and€played€a€roleÏat€least€at€the€beginning€of€the€successful€drive€to€complete€theÏstructure€(3:1-13;€5:1-2;€1€Esdr€5:47-58;€6:1-2).€Strangely,€heÏdoes€not€figure€in€the€celebratory€passage€about€the€dedicationÏof€the€temple€(6:15-22;€1€Esdr€7:4-15).€His€only€other€appearanceÏin€Ezra€is€in€10:18€(1€Esdr€9:19),€where€it€is€reported€that€someÏof€his€descendants€married€foreign€women€whom€they€agreed€toÏexpel€under€heavy€pressure€from€Ezra.€ÌÌIf€one€had€access€to€Ezra€and€1€Esdras€alone,€one€would€learnÏlittle€about€the€status€and€normal€day-to-day€responsibilities€ofÏthe€high€priest,€and€still€less€about€what€people€expected€fromÏthis€official.€The€prophecies€of€Haggai€do€little€to€rectify€theÏsituation.€Joshua€is€named€five€times€in€the€l€little€propheticÏwork;€in€each€case€he€is€identified€as€the€high€priest€and€as€theÏson€of€Jehozadak€(1:1,12,14;€2:2,4).€His€name€always€follows€thatÏof€Zerub€babel,€and€he€is€not€included€with€the€Davidic€heir€inÏthe€oracle€that€concludes€the€book€(2:20-23).€Here€one€learnsÏnothing€about€his€activities€beyond€what€Ezra€records.€ÌÌIt€is€only€from€the€visions€and€oracles€of€Zechariah€that€oneÐ .h)5 Ðñ$ñÔ% € Ôñ$ñgains€a€fuller€impression€about€what€at€least€one€person€thoughtÏthe€duties€of€Joshua€should€be.€He€is€named€in€chaps.€3€and€6Ï(3:1,3,6,8,9;€6:11),€and€chap.€4,€represents€him€as€one€of€theÏtwo€"sons€of€oil."€Zechariah,€like€Haggai,€uses€the€title€"highÏpriest"€for€him€(3:1,8)€and€also€mentions€his€father€JehozadakÏ(6:11).€The€much-disputed€oracle€in€6:9-15€speaks€of€crowns€forÏJoshua€and€for€someone€termed€Branch;€it€offers€the€picture€foundÏconsistently€in€the€book:€Joshua€and€a€Davidic€ruler€are€dualÏheads€of€the€new€community.€But€chap.€3€alone€focuses€on€Joshua,Ïas€it€deals€with€his€investiture,€his€roles€in€the€new€temple,Ïand€the€effect€for€the€nation.€ÌÌ€The€chapter€divides€neatly€into€two€parts.€Vv€1-5€describe€aÏvisionary€scene€in€the€heavenly€courtroom,€a€scene€that€isÏclearly€marked€off€from€the€preceding€section€by€the€introductoryÏverb€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text).€V€6Ïthen€introduces€an€oracle€from€the€Lord€which€is€delivered€by€hisÏangel;€it€extends€from€v€7€to€the€end€of€the€chapter.€Zech€4:1Ïbegins€a€new€unit,€as€one€can€infer€from€the€fact€that€the€angelÏwho€arouses€Zechariah€from€his€sleep€is€called€"the€angel€whoÏtalked€with€me,"€a€designation€that€is€absent€from€chap.€3.€TheÏperson€who€was€responsible€for€the€present€shape€of€Zechariah€1-8Ïhas€made€a€successful€attempt€to€call€attention€to€the€vision€ofÏchap.€3€both€by€the€place€where€he€has€situated€it€and€by€theÏspecial€features€that€he€has€given€to€it.€With€chap.€4,€itÏoccupies€the€middle€place€in€the€sequence€of€eight€visions€inÏ1:7-6:15,€all€of€which€are€presented€as€if€they€came€to€theÏprophet€on€the€night€of€the€24th€day€of€the€11th€month€in€Darius'Ïsecond€year.€Among€the€unique€traits€of€chap.€3,€are€theÏfollowing:€(1)€It€lacks€the€interpreting€angel€who€normallyÏspeaks€with€Zechariah,€with€the€result€that€the€seer€is€unable€toÏquestion€him€about€what€he€sees.€(2)€The€prophet€sees€aÏhistorical€character€who€is€identified€by€name.€(3)€The€satan€isÏmentioned.€(4)€Someone€shows€Zechariah€the€vision€(elsewhere,€heÏsees€it).(n2)€ÌÌ€In€this€paper€I€will€address€some€of€the€exegetical€issuesÏencountered€in€Zechariah€3,€especially€the€background€againstÏwhich€the€oracle€in€3:8-10€should€be€read.€Part€I€surveys€theÏvisionary€section€(vv€1-5);€part€II€deals€with€the€oracularÏmaterial€in€vv6-10€and€the€dominant€ways€of€interpreting€vv8-10;Ïand€part€III€advances€a€new€proposal€for€understanding€vv8-10.ÏThe€whole€is€meant€to€be€a€contribution€toward€reconstructing€theÏposition€of€the€high€priest€in€the€early€postexilic€period.€ÌÌ€I.€The€Vision€(3:1-5)€The€visionary€scene€is€a€courtroom€inÏwhich€the€principal€characters€in€order€of€appearance€are:ÏJoshua,€the€angel€of€the€Lord,€the€satan,€the€Lord,€and€possiblyÏZechariah€(v€5).€The€reader€is€ushered€into€the€drama€in€mid-actÏbecause€the€first€words€exchanged€presuppose€that€an€accusationÏhas€been€made€by€the€satan€against€Joshua.€The€Lord€rebukes€theÏaccuser€and€characterizes€himself€as€the€one€who€has€chosenÏJerusalem€(cf.€1:14-1.7;€2:1-5,€10,16€[Engl.€1:18-21;€2:6,12]).ÏAt€the€end€of€v€2€the€Lord€refers€to€someone€or€something€as€aÐ .h)5 Ð"brand€plucked€from€the€fire."(n3)€Although€Jerusalem€is€theÏnearest€possible€referent€to€the€pronoun€*€(These€charactersÏcannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text),€the€context€proves€that€theÏgraphic€expression€describes€Joshua.€Jerusalem,€of€course,€isÏconsidered€a€feminine€noun€(see€the€suffixes€in€2:6,8,9€[Engl.Ï2:2,4,5]).€Moreover,€the€situation€virtually€requires€that€JoshuaÏbe€the€one€intended.€Twice€it€is€said€of€him€that€he€is€clad€inÏfilthy€garments€(3:3,4).€The€word€translated€"filthy"€(*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text))€is€used€here€aloneÏin€the€Bible,€but€its€nominal€cognates€(*€(These€charactersÏcannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€express€the€filth€of€humanÏexcrement€(Deut€23:14€[Engl.€v€13];€2€Kgs€18:27)€and€a€drunkard'sÏvomit€(Isa€28:8).(n4)€Thus,€Joshua's€clothing€was€not€a€littleÏsoiled;€it€was€thoroughly€filthy€and€beyond€cleaning.€It€has€beenÏsuggested€that€in€this€case€the€image€is€consistent€with€theÏdesignation€of€Joshua€as€a€"brand€plucked€[literally:€saved,Ïrescued]€from€the€fire";€his€clothing€became€soiled€as€a€resultÏof€being€burned.(n5)€ÌÌ€It€is€reasonable€to€suppose€that€the€reference€is€to€Joshua'sÏexperience€in€exile,€specifically€in€Babylon.(n6)€Perhaps€theÏwording€itself€suggests€as€much.€The€term€translated€as€"brand€"Ïis€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text),€whichÏoccurs€rarely€in€Biblical€Hebrew€but€resembles€the€name€of€theÏsouthern€Babylonian€city€Ur€from€which€Abram€had€come€(GenÏ11:28,31;€15:7;€Neh€9:2).€In€later€versions€of€the€Abram€stories,Ïthis€city-name,€interpreted€as€the€Hebrew€word€for€"fire,€flame,"Ïserved€as€a€convenient€springboard€for€the€idea€that€Abram€burnedÏthe€idol€temple€in€Ur,€the€event€which€caused€him€to€leave€theÏarea€because€of€the€danger€in€which€it€put€him€(see€Jub.Ï12:12-15).€In€some€later€stories€Joshua€himself€is€said€to€haveÏbeen€rescued€from€a€Babylonian€furnace€(cf.€Isa€31:9,€where€*Ï(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€and€*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€are€parallel€withÏone€another).(n7)€Perhaps€Zechariah€knew€of€such€embellishmentsÏof€the€Abram€stories€and€chose€his€words€accordingly€ÌÌIn€the€verses€that€follow,€Joshua's€offensive€clothing€becomesÏthe€center€of€attention.€The€angel€(apparently)€orders€those€whoÏstand€in€his€presence€to€remove€the€filthy€garments€from€him€(vÏ4).€Only€then€is€one€told€the€full€meaning€of€the€apparel:€"AndÏhe€said€to€him,€`Behold,€I€have€taken€your€iniquity€*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€away€from€you,€andÏI€will€clothe€you€with€rich€apparel"'€(v€4)€The€term€renderedÏ"rich€apparel"€(*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCIIÏtext))€is€used€only€twice€in€Biblical€Hebrew,€here€and€in€IsaÏ3:22,€where€it€refers€to€the€clothing€worn€by€the€wealthy€ladiesÏof€Jerusalem.€BDB(n8)€relates€it€to€the€verb€*€(These€charactersÏcannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text),€which€in€the€qal€means€"drawÏof"f€(e.g.,€a€sandal,€Deut€25:9),€in€the€niphal"be€delivered"Ï(Prov€11:8),€and€in€the€piel€"rescue"€(e.g.,€Ps€6:5€[Engl.€v€4]).ÏFrom€this€rather€unpromising€information€they€infer€that€the€nounÏmeans€a€"robe€of€state€(taken€of€fin€ordinary€life)."€It€is€moreÏplausible€to€follow€the€lead€of€D.€Winton€Thomas,€who€associatesÐ .h)5 Ðit€with€the€same€root€consonants€of€a€word€attested€in€Arabic€andÏAkkadian€and€having€to€do€with€purifying€(Arabic€halasa€=€to€beÏpure,€unmixed;€Akkadian€halasu€=€to€purify).(n9)€Thus,€*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€"designates€theÏpurified€garments,€the€`pure€vestments"€with€which€Joshua€isÏclothed€once€his€filthy€or€impure€ones€have€been€removed.€SinceÏthe€term€does€not€appear€in€any€of€the€detailed€descriptions€ofÏpriestly€vestments€in€Exodus€or€Leviticus,€the€term€clearlyÏcannot€refer€to€a€specific€type€of€garment€but€rather€to€theÏstate€of€the€apparel€so€denoted."(n10)€Also,€the€fact€that€theÏword€is€plural€is€probably€significant:€it€is€a€cover€term,€as€itÏwere,€for€a€full€outfit,€not€a€single€part€of€one.(n11)€ThisÏpoint€emerges€also€from€the€context€in€which€*€(These€charactersÏcannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€and€the€general€word€*€(TheseÏcharacter€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€are€parallel€(vvÏ4-5):€the€line€"I€will€clothe€you€with€rich€apparel"€is€balancedÏby€"[they]€clothed€him€with€garments."€ÌÌ€Removal€of€Joshua's€objectionable€clashing€symbolizes€removal€ofÏhis€guilt;€dressing€him€with€pure€garments€will€also€have€itsÏimplications,€as€the€sequel€relates.€But€the€final€part€of€theÏvisionary€section€highlights€a€single€item€of€Joshua's€garb€whichÏis€otherwise€spoken€of€only€in€general€terms.€V€5€reports€that€aÏpure€or€clean€turban€is€placed€on€his€head.€The€MT,€through€itsÏuse€of€the€1st€pers.€sg.€form€*€(These€characters€cannot€beÏconverted€in€ASCII€text),€makes€this€the€command€of€ZechariahÏhimself€who€here€intervenes€for€the€only€time€in€the€chapter:Ï"And€I€said,€`Let€them€put€a€clean€turban€on€his€head.'"(n12)€TheÏLXX€omits€the€first-person€verb€and€makes€this€another€of€theÏangel's€commands.€Whatever€may€have€been€the€original€form€of€theÏtext,€the€accent€laid€upon€the€turban€is€not€affected.€A€turbanÏis€one€of€the€four€items€of€clothing€that€Exodus€28€marks€out€asÏunique€to€Aaron's€dress€(with€the€ephod,€breastpiece,€and€specialÏrobe).€It€is€the€only€one€of€these€items€that€is€named€explicitlyÏin€Zechariah€3,€and€the€envelope€structure€of€vv€4-5€wraps€theÏtwo€references€to€it€between€the€two€more€generic€words€forÏclothing.(n13)€But€the€prophet€has€not€used€exactly€the€same€termÏfor€the€turban€as€in€Exodus€28.€He€employs€*€(These€charactersÏcannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€whereas€the€Torah€has€*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€(Exod€28:4,37,39;Ï29:6;€39:28,31;€Lev€8:9;€16:4).€Zechariah's€word€occurs€lessÏfrequently€in€the€Bible.€Isa€3:23€includes€turbans€among€the€richÏapparel€of€Jerusalem's€wealthy€ladies;€and€Isa€62:3€uses€theÏphrase€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)Ï(qere;€ketib€is€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCIIÏtext)€refers€to€a€piece€of€headgear€worn€by€well-placedÏindividuals,€including€royalty€(see€also€Sir€11:5;€40:4;€47:6).ÏAs€a€result,€it€has€been€claimed€that€Zechariah€has€intentionallyÏopted€for€it€rather€than€the€form€in€the€Torah€to€imply€thatÏJoshua€would€now€fill€a€quasi-royal€position€in€society.(n14)ÏNevertheless,€biblical€usage€shows€that€both€forms€may€have€royalÏovertones,€with€neither€conveying€a€stronger€nuance€than€theÏother.€Ezek€21:31€(Engl.€v€26)€places€*€(These€characters€cannotÏbe€converted€in€ASCII€text)€and€*€(These€characters€cannot€beÐ .h)5 Ðconverted€in€ASCII€text)€in€parallel:€"Remove€the€turban,€andÏtake€off€the€crown."(n15)€That€is,€Joshua's€new€and€pure€headgearÏcommunicates€the€same€royal€associations€that€Aaron's€turban€did.€ÌÌ€In€the€vision,€then,€Joshua€has€progressed€from€an€accusedÏperson€who€is€dressed€in€filthy€clothing€and€on€trial€in€theÏheavenly€courtroom€to€one€who€is€exonerated€and€clothed€in€pure,Ïrich€apparel,€including€the€royal€turban€of€the€high€priest.€TheÏchange€of€clothing€symbolizes€the€movement€from€guilty€defilementÏto€purity.(n16)€ÌÌ€II.€The€Oracular€Section€(Zech€3:6-10)€A.€Survey.€As€the€extantÏtext€presents€it,€the€oracular€material€follows€directly€from€theÏvision.€The€visionary€character€who€voices€the€words€is€the€angelÏof€the€Lord€before€whom€Joshua€stood€at€the€beginning€and€who€wasÏactive€throughout€the€vision.€He€does€not€use€his€own€words,Ïhowever,€but€quotes€the€Lord€of€hosts€(v€7).€The€oracles€in€vvÏ7-10€do€not€explain€obscure€symbols€in€the€vision€or€identifyÏcharacters;€rather,€the€vision€supplies€the€setting€or€situationÏfrom€which€the€divine€word€issues€forth.(n17)€That€word€buildsÏupon€what€has€been€said€and€done€in€the€vision€and€drawsÏimportant€consequences.€ÌÌ€The€first€statement€is€introduced€as€a€solemn€charge€or€even€asÏa€warning€to€Joshua€([Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€beÏrepresented€in€ASCII€text]).€Zech€3:7€explains€how€ZechariahÏconceived€of€the€high€priest's€office€and€responsibilities.€ItÏlists€five€duties€or€privileges€that€he€will€or€may€have.€V€7€hasÏaroused€debate€because€it€is€phrased€as€a€condition€in€which€itÏis€not€fully€clear€where€the€ptotases€end€and€the€apodoses€orÏapodosis€begins.€One€option€is€to€read€two€protases€(only€twoÏclauses€are€introduced€by€[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€beÏrepresented€in€ASCII€text])€and€three€apodoses;€this€is€theÏcourse€adopted€by€versions€such€as€the€NAB€and€the€RSV:€"If€youÏwill€walk€in€my€ways€and€keep€my€charge,€then€you€shall€rule€myÏhouse€and€have€charge€of€my€courts,€and€I€will€give€you€the€rightÏof€access€among€those€who€are€standing€here."(n18)€AnotherÏpossibility€is€that€the€first€four€clauses€are€protases,€withÏonly€the€final€one€introducing€the€consequences.(n19)€The€factÏthat€only€clauses€I€and€2€are€introduced€by€a€conditional€wordÏand€the€change€in€sentence€structure€at€clause€3€(verbs€come€lastÏin€clauses€1-2,€but€occur€in€their€normal€early€positions€in€3-5)Ïimply€that€the€first€option€is€the€more€likely.€However,€underÏeither€interpretation€of€the€syntax,€the€meaning€is€not€greatlyÏaffected:€all€five€clauses€express€desirable€duties€andÏprivileges€that€are€envisaged€as€possibilities€for€Joshua.€ÌÌ€Commentators€have€observed€that€the€verse€moves€from€the€moreÏgeneral€to€the€more€specific.(n20)€The€first€two€clauses--"if€youÏwill€walk€in€my€ways€and€keep€my€charge"--enunciate€broadÏreligious€(cf.€Exceed€18:20)€and€priestly€requirements€(Lev€22:9Ï[for€priests];€Ezek€40:45-46;€44:8,14€[for€levitical€priests,€theÏsons€of€Zadok])€respectively.€The€conditional€"keep€my€charge"Ïwould€include€supervision€of€the€cult€and€possibly€care€of€theÐ .h)5 Ðsanctuary€as€well.(n21)€The€second€two€clauses,€which€areÏprobably€parts€of€the€apodosis€and€thus€articulate€elements€ofÏthe€promise€to€Joshua,€use€more€specific€language:€"then€youÏshall€rule€[[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€inÏASCII€text]]€my€house€and€have€charge€[[Multiple€line€equation(s)Ïcannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text]]€of€my€courts."€The€verbÏ[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text]Ïis€not€used€elsewhere€with€a€building€as€its€object--a€fact€whichÏsuggests€something€unusual€about€its€meaning€here.€Its€primaryÏsense€is€juridical,€but€it€is€possible,€given€the€parallelÏ[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text],Ïthat€it€"does€not€denote€an€exclusive€judicial€activity€but€moreÏbroadly€the€administration€and€management€of€the€temple."(n22)€ItÏshould€not€be€forgotten€however€that€some€biblical€passages€doÏspeak€of€the€levitical€priests€as€dispensing€justice€(DeutÏ17:9-11€;€21:5;€Ezek€44:24€[at€the€sanctuary];€2€Chr€19:8,11),Ïwhile€others€view€this€as€a€royal€responsibility€(2€Sam€15:1-4;€1ÏKgs€3:16-28;€Jer€21:11-12;€22:1-4).€It€may€be,€then,€that€theÏprophet€does€intend€a€legal€nuance€and€that€he€is€crediting€theÏhigh€priest€with€greater€responsibilities€in€a€domain€that€wasÏformerly€dominated€by€the€king.(n23)€The€two€parallel€terms€"myÏhouse"€and€"my€courts"€help€to€express--within€this€context--theÏnotion€that€the€high€priest€is€to€serve€as€the€highest€authorityÏin€the€entire€temple€complex.€He€is€to€be€the€sole€ruler€there,Ïwith€no€civil€power€to€rival€him--a€condition€that€wasÏunprecedented€in€monarchic€times.(n24)€ÌÌ€The€final€clause,€the€only€one€that€is€certainly€a€reward€forÏobedience€to€the€conditions€stipulated,€should€be€central€to€theÏpassage€but€it€is€difficult€to€interpret:€"I€will€give€you€theÏright€of€access€among€those€who€are€standing€here."€"Those€whoÏare€standing€here"€are€the€members€of€the€heavenly€court€(vvÏ4-5).€In€other€words,€Joshua€is€being€promised€that€if€he€meetsÏthe€conditions€which€the€Lord€has€set,€he€will,€like€the€prophetsÏof€old,€be€present€in€some€sense€among€the€courtiers€of€God.€TheÏword€translated€"right€of€access"€may,€however,€not€express€aÏmeaning€that€is€quite€so€direct€and€forceful.€[Multiple€lineÏequation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text]€is€handled€byÏmany€translators€and€commentators€in€line€with€the€suggestionÏthat€it€is€the€plural€of€[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€beÏrepresented€in€ASCII€text]€which€means€"walk,€journey."€Zech€3:7Ïwould,€if€this€were€the€case,€be€the€only€place€in€which€theÏplural€occurs.€For€its€sense€here€BDB€advances€the€suggestionÏthat€it€means€"goings,€i.e.€free€access."(n25)€The€ancientÏversions,€however,€have€understood€it€as€referring€to€individualsÏwho€go€about€in€the€divine€courtroom€(LXX€has€[Multiple€lineÏequation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text]--As€theÏMasoretes€have€pointed€the€word,€it€is€not€the€expected€plural€ofÏ[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text],Ïand€it€may€be€an€Aramaic€loanword€in€which€the€causativeÏparticipial€form€has€an€intransitive€meaning.(n26)€It€is€quiteÏwell€possible,then,€that€the€promise€to€Joshua€is€more€indirect:Ïhe€will€be€given€individuals€who€have€direct€access€to€the€divineÏpresence--that€is,€the€same€promise€as€expressed€in€the€BDBÐ .h)5 Ðapproach€but€at€one€remove.€In€either€case,€whether€JoshuaÏhimself€is€offered€direct€access€or€whether€the€promise€ofÏindirect€access€is€held€out€to€him,€he€is€encouraged€with€theÏconditional€privilege€of€the€sort€of€communion€with€God€and€hisÏcourt€that€was€claimed€by€prophets€like€Micaiah€(1€Kgs€22:19-23),ÏIsaiah€(6:1-13),€Jeremiah€(23:18),€and€now€Zechariah€himself.ÏHere,€it€appears,€the€high€priest€is€represented€as€one€whoÏshould€be€able€to€exercise€a€prerogative€that€once€belonged€toÏthe€prophet€and€still€does€in€the€experience€of€Zechariah.€InÏfact,€the€promise€may€refer€to€the€ongoing€presence€of€peopleÏsuch€as€Zechariah.€In€this€way€and€through€the€temple€dutiesÏanticipated€for€Joshua,€v€7€suggests€expansions€of€high-priestlyÏpower€into€areas€formerly€associated€with€kings€and€prophets.€ÌÌZechariah€3:8-10€is€presented€as€continuing€the€divine€word€toÏJoshua€who€is€now€joined€by€his€colleagues.€It€is€very€likelyÏthat€they€are€fellow€priests;€possibly,€they€are€an€assembly€ofÏpriests€such€as€the€one€known€from€Elephantine€(AP€30.1).€JoshuaÏand€they€are€commanded€to€listen,€and€the€colleagues,€perhapsÏincluding€Joshua,(n27)€are€dubbed€"men€of€good€omen."€That€is,Ïthey€are€signs€or€emblems€of€what€is€to€come.€Isaiah€and€hisÏchildren€or€disciples€were€called€"signs€and€portents€in€IsraelÏfrom€the€Lord€of€hosts€who€dwells€on€Mount€Zion"€(8:18);€so,€now,ÏJoshua€and€his€fellows€"are€prophetic€of€good€to€the€communityÏthey€are€serving."(n28)€The€good€that€they€portend€is€a€messageÏfrom€God,€and€its€contents€seem€to€be€indicated€in€what€follows.€ÌÌDirectly€after€this€characterization,€Zechariah€introduces,Ïthrough€a€[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€inÏASCII€text]-clause,€the€first€reference€in€the€entire€book€toÏsomeone€named€Branch€or€Shoot:€"behold,€I€will€bring€my€servantÏthe€Branch"€[there€is€no€definite€article€in€the€text].€It€is€notÏsurprising,€in€light€of€other€references€in€the€Hebrew€Bible€andÏin€Zechariah,€that€almost€all€expositors€see€in€the€words€"myÏservant"€and€"Branch"€references€to€Zerubbabel,€with€Branch€beingÏa€play€on€the€meaning€of€the€first€pan€of€his€name.€In€Hag€2:23Ïthe€Lord€calls€Zerubbabel€"my€servant,"€and€in€Jer€23:5-6;Ï33:14-15,€Branch€is€a€title€for€a€Davidic€ruler€of€the€future.ÏMoreover,€Zech€6:€12-13€designates€the€one€who€will€build€(eachÏverb€used€is€future€tense)€the€temple€as€Branch,€while€4:7-10Ïpresents€Zerubbabel€as€the€temple-builder.€Yet,€if€Branch€in€3:8Ïis€an€epithet€for€Zerubbabel,€the€text€contains€a€puzzlingÏfeature:€the€Lord€says€that€he€is€bringing€or€will€bringÏ([Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text]Ïa€participle)€Branch.€Zerubbabel,€however,€had€been€in€JerusalemÏfor€years,€according€to€Ezra€2-5.€It€does€seem€peculiar€that€inÏthe€prophet's€first€reference€to€Zerubbabel,€where€he€fails€toÏname€him,€he€predicts€that€he€will€be€brought€to€a€place€where€heÏhas€been€for€eighteen€or€nineteen€years.€In€light€of€theseÏunsettling€facts,€it€is€understandable€that€some€have€opted€toÏsay€no€more€than€that€Zechariah,€in€his€use€of€the€title€Branch,Ïhas€in€mind€some€future€ruler€from€David's€line.(n29)€It€must€beÏadmitted,€nevertheless,€that€Zerubbabel€is€probably€intended,Ïalthough€the€vagueness€surrounding€"my€servant€Branch"€hints€thatÐ .h)5 Ðthe€emphasis€here€does€not€lie€on€Zerubbabel.€If€the€prophetÏwants€to€highlight€him,€he€names€him,€as€he€does€in€4:6b-10a.€ÌÌ€Zechariah€3:9€offers€a€second€[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannotÏbe€represented€in€ASCII€text]-clause€to€introduce€anotherÏphenomenon:€a€stone€placed€in€front€of€Joshua.€Apparently,€thisÏtoo€is€something€for€which€Joshua€and€his€colleagues€are€"men€ofÏgood€omen."€"For€behold,€upon€the€stone€which€I€have€set€beforeÏJoshua,€upon€a€single€stone€with€seven€facets,€I€will€engrave€itsÏinscription,€says€the€Lord€of€hosts,€and€I€will€remove€the€guiltÏof€this€land€in€a€single€day."€That€stone€has€already€been€setÏbefore€Joshua€([Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€representedÏin€ASCII€text]),€but€the€Lord€has€yet€to€engrave€it€([MultipleÏline€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€in€ASCII€text]).€TheÏmeaning€of€this€verse€will€be€discussed€in€detail€later€in€theÏpaper;€it€provides€the€key€for€understanding€the€oracle€in€3Ï8-10.€The€structure€of€w€8-9€indicates€that€once€Branch€comes€andÏthe€stone€is€engraved,€the€guilt€of€the€land€will€be€removed€onÏthat€very€day,€and,€according€to€v€10,€ideal€social€conditionsÏwill€prevail:€"In€that€day,€says€the€Lord€of€hosts,€every€one€ofÏyou€will€invite€his€neighbor€under€his€vine€and€under€his€figÏtree."€ÌÌ€B.€The€Stone€of€Zech€3:9.€There€are€several€theories€about€whichÏverses€in€6-10€are€original€to€the€chapter€and€which€were€addedÏlater.€V€6€is€not€part€of€the€problem€because€it€merelyÏintroduces€the€oracular€words.€The€writer€has€marked€3:7€off€byÏhaving€it€addressed€to€Joshua€alone,€while€3:8-10€are€spoken€toÏhis€colleagues€and€to€Joshua€as€well.€Something€of€the€variety€ofÏscholarly€conclusions€about€the€formation€of€vv€7-10€can€beÏglimpsed€by€listing€the€views€found€in€four€recent€studies:ÏPetitjean€and€Meyers-Meyers€think€that€3:8-10€form€aÏsupplementary€oracle;€Beuken€finds€the€original€oracle€m€3:8-10,Ïwhile€w€6-7€were€added€later;€and€Petersen€contends€that€thereÏare€three€oracular€responses:€w€6-7,€9€and€v€8€are€two€responsesÏwhich€did€not€belong€originally€with€the€vision;€and€v€10€is€aÏdeuteroprophetic€response€which€builds€upon€the€earlier€two.(n30)ÏSuch€diversity,€especially€the€fact€that€Petitjean€andÏMeyers-Meyers€on€the€one€hand€and€Beuken€on€the€other€can€come€toÏthe€opposite€conclusion€about€what€is€primary€and€what€secondary,Ïsuggests€that€this€sort€of€division€is€not€based€on€very€strongÏevidence.€Other€theories€about€the€fitting€place€for€w€8-10€areÏparts€of€larger€hypotheses€regarding€the€reading€of€these€verses.€ÌÌ€These€hypotheses€center€around€how€one€is€to€understand€theÏenigmatic€stone€that€is€introduced€abruptly€in€v€9.€OlderÏcommentators€found€it€symbolic€of€varied€phenomena€such€as€theÏkingdom€of€God;(n31)€but€in€more€recent€times€two€views€have€comeÏto€dominate€the€field:€that€the€stone€is€part€of€Joshua'sÏhigh-priestly€outfit;€and€that€the€stone€is€part€of€the€newÏtemple.€Each€of€these€views€should€be€examined€now€because€theyÏdetermine€how€w€8-10€are€to€be€understood€and,€to€a€certainÏextent,€affect€how€one€reads€Zechariah's€hopes€for€the€highÏpriest€of€the€new€temple.€Ð .h)5 Ї€1.€The€Vestments€Approach:€The€expositors€who€consider€the€stoneÏa€part€of€Joshua's€high-priestly€clothing€presuppose€a€directÏconnection€between€this€stone€and€the€vision€of€vv€1-5.€As€theÏvision€highlighted€Joshua's€apparel€and€the€removal€of€personalÏguilt€that€his€investiture€entailed,€so€the€oracle€alludes€to€hisÏclothing€and€the€implications€it€has€for€the€nation.€That€is,€theÏdefenders€of€this€approach€attach€greater€import€to€the€presentÏcontext€of€v€9€than€do€those€who€advocate€the€temple-buildingÏview.€ÌÌ€The€background€information€for€this€interpretation€comes€fromÏExodus€28€primarily€(also€chaps.€29;€39;€Leviticus€8;€16).€AsÏnoted€above,€the€turban€which€was€placed€on€Joshua€in€vv€4-5€isÏone€of€the€four€special€items€of€Aaron's€clothing€that€Exodus€28Ïdescribes.€More€importantly€for€v€9,€Exodus€28€also€speaks€ofÏprecious€stones€in€Aaron's€splendid€clothing:€two€were€to€be€inÏthe€ephod€and€twelve€in€the€breastpiece.€Each€of€these€was€toÏhave€something€engraved€on€it€(using€the€same€words€for€engravingÏas€in€Zech€3:9):€each€of€the€two€in€the€ephod€was€to€have€theÏnames€of€six€of€the€sons€of€Israel,€while€each€of€the€twelve€inÏthe€breastpiece€was€to€have€the€name€of€one€of€his€sons€engravedÏinto€it.€Moreover,€the€promise€found€in€Zech€3:9€("I€will€removeÏthe€guilt€of€this€land€in€a€single€day")€can€be€explained€on€theÏbasis€of€Exodus€28:38.€In€reference€to€the€engraved€plate€whichÏis€on€Aaron's€forehead,€it€says€that€he€is€to€"take€upon€himselfÏany€guilt€[[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€inÏASCII€text]]€incurred€in€the€holy€offering...."€As€a€consequence,Ïthis€plate€([Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€inÏASCII€text])€has€been€identified€as€the€referent€of€Zechariah'sÏstone.(n32)€Exod€28:36-38€describes€it€thus:€ÌÌ€And€you€shall€make€a€plate€of€pure€gold,€and€engrave€on€it,€likeÏthe€engraving€of€a€signet,€"Holy€to€the€Lord."€And€you€shallÏfasten€it€on€the€turban€by€a€lace€of€blue;€it€shall€be€on€theÏfront€of€the€turban.€It€shall€be€upon€Aaron's€forehead,€and€AaronÏshall€take€upon€himself€any€guilt€incurred€in€the€holy€offeringÏwhich€the€people€of€Israel€hallow€as€their€holy€gifts;€it€shallÏalways€be€upon€his€forehead,€that€they€may€be€accepted€before€theÏLord.€ÌÌ€There€is€obviously€much€in€this€paragraph€that€is€reminiscent€ofÏthe€wording€in€Zech€3:9;€and€the€plate€is€literally€tied€to€theÏturban€which€was€so€prominent€in€the€vision.€Petersen€hasÏsuggested€yet€another€point€of€contact:€the€seven€eyes€or€facetsÏof€the€stone€are€a€symbolic€reference€to€the€seven€letters€(thereÏare€eight€in€the€MT's€orthography)€in€the€inscription€etched€intoÏthe€plate:€[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannot€be€represented€inÏASCII€text]€?.€Though€there€are€these€many€similarities,€PetersenÏand€others€have€stressed€that€an€important€difference€separatesÏthem:€in€Exodus€28€the€Israelites€and€Moses€are€told€to€make€theÏgarments€and€Aaron€bears€the€people's€guilt;€in€Zechariah€3€theÏLord€performs€all€of€the€action.(n33)€ÌÌ€The€advantages€of€the€vestments€approach€are€obvious€and€strong.Ð .h)5 ÐIt€reads€the€references€to€the€stone€in€context€and€relates€it€toÏa€topic--Aaron's€garb--that€had€been€mentioned€in€the€vision€andÏwith€which€it€has€detailed€similarities.€While€it€continues€theÏemphasis€of€the€context€on€Joshua,€it€also€explains€the€removalÏof€guilt€which€Exodus€28€names€in€connection€with€the€plate€onÏAaron's€turban.€Nevertheless,€this€approach€also€encountersÏseveral€difficulties€which€it€does€not€adequately€solve.€FirstÏand€most€obviously,€Zech€3:9€speaks€of€a€stone€(twice),€butÏthe-item€with€which€defenders€of€this€view€identify€it€is€not€theÏstones€of€Exodus€28€but€the€plate€of€Exod€28:36-38.€The€term€*Ï(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text):€meansÏ"blossom,€flower"€or€"shining€thing"(n34)€and€it€is€said€to€beÏmade€of€gold.€A€stone€and€a€metallic€plate€are€rather€differentÏphenomena.€Second,€the€guilt€removed€in€Zech€3:9€is€the€guilt€ofÏthe€land,€while€in€Exodus€28€it€is€guilt€incurred€in€presentingÏsacred€offerings.€Thus,€though€both€passages€mention€guilt,€it€isÏa€different€kind€in€each€case.€And€third,€the€suggestion€that€theÏseven€eyes€or€facets€of€the€stone€in€3:9€ñ%ñare€the€seven€letters€inÏthe€inscription€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCIIÏtext)€is€possible€but€depends€on€identifying€the€stone€with€theÏAaronic€plate--a€point€that€is€itself€problematic.€ÌÌ2.€The€Temple-Building€Approach:€Although€this€hypothesis€wasÏfirst€formulated€long€ago,(n35)€it€hasreceived€powerful€supportÏin€recent€decades€through€comparison€of€Zechariah's€visions€andÏoracleswith€evidence€drawn€from€Mesopotamian€sources€for€theÏrites€and€theology€which€surrounded€templeconstruction€andÏrestoration.€In€this€area€the€most€important€work€has€been€doneÏby€A.€Petitjean€who,in€his€article€of€1966€and€book€of€1969,€hasÏpresented€a€thorough€analysis€of€Zechariah's€oracles€andtheÏparallels€to€them€from€Akkadian€sources.(ñ&ñÔ% € Ôñ&ñn36)€His€work€has€beenÏaccepted€to€a€large€extent€byBeuken(n37)€and€supported,€modified,Ïand€furthered€by€others.(n38)€At€the€heart€of€thetemple-buildingÏapproach€is€the€assumption€that€Zech€3:9,€with€its€single€stoneÏand€seven€eyes€orfacets,€is€not€to€be€read€in€its€present€contextÏbut€with€the€material€in€4:6b-10a,€a€passage€that€breaksthe€flowÏof€chap.€4€and€is€independent€of€its€present-setting.(n39)€There,ÏZerubbabel€is€mentioned€fourtimes--the€only€occurrences€of€hisÏname€in€the€book--and€he€is€associated€directly€with€buildingÏthetemple.€The€titles€"my€servant"€and€"Branch"€do€not€appear€inÏthese€verses;€they€do,€however,€showpoints€of€contact€with€3:810.ÏFirst,€both€passages€involve€e€stones:€in€4:7€the€"top€stone"€*Ï(Thesecharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€is€named,€andÏ4:10€speaks€of€the€"plummet"€*€(Thesecharacters€cannot€beÏconverted€in€ASCII€text).€A€second€point€of€similarity€is€thatÏboth€passagesenvision€a€time€of€happiness€or€bliss€which€willÏaccompany€temple€construction.€As€4:7€phrases€it,€"he[Zerubbabel]Ïshall€bring€forward€the€top€stone€amid€shouts€of€'Grace,€grace€toÏit!"'€And€4:10a€adds:"For€whoever€has€despised€the€day€of€smallÏthings€shall€rejoice,€and€shall€see€the€plummet€in€the€handofÏZerubbabel."€Also,€4:€10b,€which€is,€strictly€speaking,€not€partÏof€the€oracle€of€4:6b-10a,€refers€toseven€eyes€and€explains€themÏas:€"These€seven€are€the€eyes€of€the€Lord,€which€range€throughÏthewhole€earth."€When€one€considers€these€parallels€and€the€factÐ .h)5 Ðthat€Zech€6:12-13€proclaims€that€Branchwill€build€the€temple,€itÏis€self-evident€that€defenders€of€this€view€have€fashioned€a€veryÏstrong€case€forreading€Zech€3:8-10€as€a€temple-buildingÏpassage.(n40)€ÌÌUnderstood€in€this€context,€Zech€3:8-10€presents€the€followingÏmessage:€the€stone€is€a€foundationstone€on€which,€inÏAssyro-Babylonian€usage,€inscriptions€were€engraved€to€perpetuateÏthe€memory€ofthe€monarch€who€was€responsible€for€theÏconstruction.€As€in€4:10b,€the€seven€eyes€symbolize€thedivineÏcare€and€favor.€In€Mesopotamia€different€rites€accompanied€theÏsetting€of€the€foundation€stone.These€served€to€remove€impurityÏand€were€focused€on€the€first€brick.€The€same€happens€in€ZechÏ3:9,and€the€atmosphere€of€social€harmony€in€3:10€(where€"in€thatÏday"€refers€to€the€day€when€thefoundation€is€laid)€mirrors€theÏconditions€which€were€to€go€hand-in-hand€with€laying€this€stoneÏinAkkadian€rites.€The€priests€of€3:8€are€the€ones€to€whom€theÐ .h)5 ÐLord,€in€traditional€biblical€fashion,€hascommunicated€hisÏfavorable€decision€about€the€new€edifice;€for€this,€too,ÏMesopotamian€parallels€maybe€found.€The€epithet€*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€places€the€accentÏon€thesuccession€of€the€dynasty€and€is€not€messianic;€*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCIItext)€expresses,€inÏconnection€with€the€line€of€David,€the€notions€of€royalÏsuccession€and€permanence.So,€in€Petitjean's€view,€3:8-10Ïproclaims€Zerubbabel€as€the€legitimate€representative€ofÏDavid'sdynasty€and€as€the€most€eminent€person€of€the€restoration.ÏHe€places€the€first€stone,€and€all€the€powerunleashed€by€that€actÏpurifies€the€land€and€creates€social€bliss.(n41)€€ÌÌThe€temple-building€approach€has€produced€valuable€results€forÏthe€interpretation€of€Zech€4:6b-10a.To€the€points€listed€above,Ïone€may€add€that€the€phrase€*€(These€characters€cannot€beÏconverted€inASCII€text)€in€4:7€probably€means€"the€firstÏbrick"--the€libittu€mahritu€of€Akkadian€texts--the€bricktakenÏfrom€the€rubble€of€the€earlier€sanctuary€and€placed€in€theÏfoundation€of€the€new€one.(n42)€The€*(These€characters€cannot€beÏconverted€in€ASCII€text)€of€the€same€verse€seems€to€be€the€largeÏmoundof€ruins€from€the€first€temple;€it€had€to€be€removed€orÏlevelled€to€permit€construction€of€the€newbuilding.(n43)€And€itÏis€possible€that€the€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€inÏASCII€text)€of€v10€is€a€tin€(other€valuable€metals€were€alsoÏused)€brick€placed€in€the€foundation€and€on€whichinscriptionsÏwere€incised.(n44)€ÌÌOne€must€grant€the€appeal€of€the€temple-building€approach,€butÏit,€too,€must€face€substantial€obstacles.The€first€has€to€do€withÏthe€need€to€rip€3:8-10€from€its€context€and€to€read€it€inÏanother.€There€appearsto€be€no€firm€evidence€to€support€theÏthesis€that€the€oracular€material€in€Zechariah€belongedÏtogetherat€one€time€and€that€later€it€was€sliced€up€andÏdistributed€among€the€visions.(n45)€Also,€theconnections€betweenÏ3:8-10€and€4:6b-10a€are€not€as€close€as€some€claim.€Actually,€theÏtwo€shareonly€the€word€"stone,"€and€in€both€contexts€where€itÏoccurs€in€chap.€4€it€is€further€identified€throughexpressionsÏthat€can€now€be€explained€from€Akkadian€sources.€The€supposedÏparallel€of€the€seveneyes€does€not€exist€because€it€figures€inÏ4:10b,€which€all€recognize€as€falling€outside€theÏoracularaddition€in€4:6b-10a;€it€explains€not€the€seven€eyes€ofÏthe€stone€in€3€9,€but€the€seven€lamps€(or€sevenlips€on€each)€ofÏ4:2.€The€shout€of€"grace,€grace€on€it"€(4:7)€and€the€joy€of€4:Ï10a€are€only€remotelysimilar€to€the€picture€of€social€harmony€inÏ3:10.€And,€as€4:6b-10a€show,€the€writer€is€quite€capableÏofmentioning€the€temple€and€Zerubbabel€by€name€if€he€wishes€toÏrefer€to€them.€Neither€is€found€explicitlyin€3:8-10.€Only€theÏimposition€of€the€contents€of€4:6b-10a€on€3:8-10€permitsÏdefenders€of€this€thesis€toidentify€temple-building€as€the€themeÏof€the€latter.€ÌÌIII.€A€Proposal€(Zech€3:8-10)€ÌÐ .h)5 ÐBoth€the€vestments€and€temple-building€theories€have€been€foundÏwanting,€but€the€vestments€approachdoes€have€the€advantage€ofÏreading€3:8-10€in€context.€No€new€setting€has€to€be€invented€forÏit.€Itsweaknesses€may€be€remedied€by€retaining€the€connectionÏwith€Exodus€28€and€by€revising€theinterpretation€of€the€stone€inÏZech€3:9.€The€prominence€of€Joshua's€clothing€in€chap.€3€makesÏtheinformation€about€the€high€priest's€garments€the€most€likelyÏcontext€in€which€to€read€the€oraclesattached€to€the€vision,Ïsayings€in€which€only€Joshua€is€named.€It€should€be€recalled€thatÏin€the€visionstripping€Joshua€of€his€soiled€garments€signifiedÏthe€removal€of€his€guilt.€What€does€his€investiture€with"richÏapparel"€connote?€The€answer€seems€to€lie€in€Exodus€28.€€ÌÌThe€items€of€apparel€unique€to€Aaron's€costume€in€Exodus€28€areÏfour:€the€ephod,€breastpiece,€robe,and€turban.€The€ephod€and€theÏbreastpiece,€however,€receive€the€bulk€of€attention€(28:5-30),Ïwhile€therobe€is€under€consideration€only€in€vv€31-35€and€seemsÏto€be€regarded€as€part€of€the€ephod,€since€it€istermed€"the€robeÏof€the€ephod."€The€turban€is€mentioned€more€incidentally€in€vv37Ïand€39€(cf.€v€4).The€turban€figured€prominently€in€Zech€3:4-5;€itÏis€likely€that€the€remaining€parts€of€Joshua's€outfitÏaresignified€in€the€oracles.€This€emerges€from€a€study€of€whatÏExodus€28€says€about€the€ephod€(with€itsrobe)€and€theÏbreastpiece.€ÌÌThe€ephod€and€the€breastpiece€are€highlighted€by€the€author,€whoÏindicates€that€both€are€made€of€thesame€materials:€gold,€blue,Ïpurple,€scarlet€stuff,€and€fine€twined€linen€(Exod€28:6,15).(n46)ÏOf€theephod€he€writes:€"And€you€shall€take€two€onyx€stones,€andÏengrave€*€(These€characters€cannot€beconverted€in€ASCII€text)€theÏnames€of€the€sons€of€Israel,€six€of€their€names€on€the€one€stoneÏ*€(Thesecharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text),€and€theÏnames€of€the€remaining€six€on€the€other€stone,in€the€order€ofÏtheir€birth.€As€a€jeweler€engraves€signets,€so€shall€you€engraveÏthe€two€stones€with€thenames€of€the€sons€of€Israel"€(vv€9-11€a).ÏThese€two€stones€were€to€be€set€"upon€the€shoulder-piecesof€theÏephod,€as€stones€of€remembrance€for€the€sons€of€Israel;€and€AaronÏshall€bear€their€names€beforethe€Lord€upon€his€two€shoulders€forÏremembrance"€(v€12).€These€passages€share€with€Zech€3:9€notonlyÏthe€word€"stone"€(note€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€inÏASCII€text)€in€v€10),€but€alsothe€verb€*€(These€characters€cannotÏbe€converted€in€ASCII€text)€and€the€cognate€noun€*Ï(Thesecharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text).€ÌÌNext€the€writer€turns€to€the€breastpiece.€It€is€not€only€to€beÏmade€of€the€same€materials€as€the€ephodbut€also€to€be€attached€toÏit€(vv€22-28).€Like€the€ephod,€the€breastpiece€also€containedÏstones--fourrows,€each€with€three€precious€stones€of€differentÏkinds.€The€subject€is€introduced€by€the€words:€"youshall€set€inÏit€four€rows,€of€stones,"€which€may€be€somewhat€more€interestingÏin€Hebrew:€*€(Thesecharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)Ï*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCIItext)(v€17),Ïwhere€the€singular€word€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€convertedÏin€ASCII€text)€isnoteworthy,€as€is€the€verb€(ml]€which€is€usedÐ .h)5 Ðelsewhere€(with€*€This€character€cannot€be€converted€inASCIIÏtext)€for€ordaining€priests.€About€the€stones€the€writer€states:Ï"There€shall€be€twelve€stones€withtheir€names€according€to€theÏnames€of€the€sons€of€Israel;€they€shall€be€like€signets,€eachÏengraved€withits€name,€for€the€twelve€tribes"€(v€21).€As€with€theÏephod,€so€with€the€breastpiece€the€stones€are€meantas€reminders:Ï"So€Aaron€shall€bear€the€names€of€the€sons€of€Israel€in€theÏbreastpiece€of€judgment€uponhis€heart,€when€he€goes€into€the€holyÏplace,€to€bring€them€to€continual€remembrance€before€the€Lord.AndÏin€the€breastpiece€of€judgment€you€shall€put€the€Urim€and€theÏThummim,€and€they€shall€be€uponAaron's€heart,€when€he€goes€inÏbefore€the€Lord;€thus€Aaron€shall€bear€the€judgment€of€the€peopleÏofIsrael€upon€his€heart€before€the€Lord€continually"€(vv€29-30).€€ÌÌThese€two€mysterious,€numinous,€and€abundantly€suggestive€piecesÏof€clothing€together€hold€fourteenstones€of€remembrance€whichÏremind€the€Lord€of€his€complete€people€when€the€high€priest€wearsÏthemin€his€presence€and€bears€their€judgment.€It€seems€thatÏZechariah€alludes€to€these€two€unified€piecesof€clothing€by€theÏstone€with€seven€eyes€or€facets.€The€text€of€Zech€3:9€does€notÏtalk€of€a€single€stonewith€seven€eyes€or€facets€but€of€one€stoneÏwith€seven€pairs€of€eyes€(the€noun€is€dual€--€*€(ThesecharactersÏcannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€or€a€total€of€fourteen,€asÏthere€were€fourteen€stones€inAaron's€garments.€By€using€theÏsingular€noun€"stone"€Zechariah€could€remind€his€audience€ofÏtheprecious€stones€in€the€high€priest's€vestments,€and€by€theÏimage€of€the€seven€pairs€of€eyes€he€couldsuggest€the€full€numberÏof€them.€It€is€not€impossible€that€he€names€just€one€stoneÏbecause€for€him€onlythe€house€of€Judah€remained€of€the€twelveÏtribes.(n47)€The€symbol€of€the€seven€pairs€of€eyes,€then,adds€theÏnuance€of€completeness,€despite€the€presence€of€only€one€tribe€inÏthe€restored€community.That€the€eyes€signify€the€fourteen€stonesÏis€evident€also€from€the€fact€that€they€are€said€to€beÏinscribedon€the€stone,€as€the€names€of€the€Israelite€tribes€wereÏengraved€on€Aaron's€stones.€Moreover,€Aaronboth€reminded€the€LordÏof€his€people€through€these€stones€and€bore€their€judgment€whenÏhe€did€so.As€a€result,€guilt€was€removed€through€his€atoning€workÏ(cf.€Leviticus€4-5;€9:7;€10:17).€Also,€it€wasthrough€theÏbreastpiece,€with€its€Urim€and€Thummim,€that€the€divine€will€wasÏcommunicated€to€the€highpriest--a€point€that€recalls€the€issue€ofÏsuccess€to€God€which€was€the€subject€of€3:7.€The€visionÏhadunderscored€one€item€of€the€high€priest's€unique€apparel;€theÏoracle€in€3:9€symbolizes€the€other€three.€ÌÌThe€message€of€the€oracle,€read€in€this€way,€is€joined€closely€toÏthe€contents€of€the€vision.€Joshua€isinvested€with€his€splendidÏgarments€as€a€sign€that€a€new€age€is€dawning.€That€new€age€isÏcharacterizedby€two€facts:€a€Davidic€heir€is€coming,€but€moreÏimportantly€in€this€context€the€temple€cult€will€oncemore€serveÏits€function€of€removing€guilt€and€atoning€for€sin.€Zechariah€3Ïreminds€one€of€Exod40:12-13:€"Then€you€shall€bring€Aaron€and€hisÏsons€to€the€door€of€the€tent€of€meeting,€and€shall€washthem€withÏwater,€and€put€upon€Aaron€the€holy€garments,€and€you€shall€anointÏhim€and€consecrate€him,that€he€may€serve€me€as€priest"€(see€LevÐ .h)5 Ð8:6-12).€This,€of€course,€happens€as€the€tabernacle€isÏbeingdedicated€and€just€before€the€sacrificial€cult€is€detailedÏin€Leviticus€1-7.€Joshua's€clothes€convey€asimilar€religiousÏmessage:€the€garments€that€symbolized€his€cultic€functions€andÏGod's€remembering€hispeople€are€the€focus€of€the€oracle.€AsÏremoval€of€his€filthy€garments€represented€the€erasure€ofÏhisguilt,€so€donning€splendid€high-priestly€vestments€meant€thatÏthe€cult,€headed€by€the€high€priest,€wouldonce€more€effect€itsÏancient€goal€of€restoring€the€damaged€relations€between€God€andÏhis€people.€Itseems,€too,€that€Joshua's€new€clothing€marks€theÏresumption€of€communication€between€God€andpriest:€once€more€hisÏwill€would€be€conveyed€through€priestly€*€(These€charactersÏcannot€be€convertedin€ASCII€text)and€through€the€Urim€and€ThummimÏin€the€breastpiece€of€the€high€priest.€The€resultwould€beÏharmonious€relations€in€society--a€hope€which€the€prophetÏexpresses€in€the€traditional€imageof€visiting€beneath€vine€andÏfig€tree.(n48)€Harmony€and€security€are€not€associated€with€theÏphysicallaying€of€the€temple€foundation€but€with€resumption€ofÏthe€cult.€Investiture€of€the€high€priest€means€thedivineÏremembrance€of€his€people€and€his€regular€communication€withÏthem.€ÌÌTo€conclude,€Zechariah€3,€in€both€the€visionary€and€the€oracularÏsections,€centers€about€Joshua€andhighlights€the€splendidÏvestments€of€the€high€priest.€In€this€chapter,€his€apparel€isÏused€to€symbolize€therestoration€of€a€proper€relationship€betweenÏthe€Lord€and€his€people€after€the€defiling€experience€of€theexileÏand€loss€of€the€temple.€Here€one€finds€the€first€postexilicÏreference€to€this€costume€which€was€tomake€such€a€powerful€effectÏon€the€ancients€who€saw€it€and€wrote€about€it€(e.g.,€Sir€50:5-13;ÏEp.Arist.€96-99;€Ant.€11.8.5€o331-35).€The€crucial€fact€about€theÏchapter€is,€however,€that€it€accents€thecentral€and€expandedÏroles€of€the€high€priest€in€postexilic€Jewish€society.€InÏZechariah€3€Joshua€aloneis€the€protagonist€and€he€does€not€shareÏthe€stage€with€Zerubbabel.(n49)€€ÌÌ(n1)€S.€Japhet,€"Sheshbazzar€and€Zerubbabel€Against€theÏBackground€of€the€Historical€and€ReligiousTendencies€ofÏEzra-Nehemiah,"€ZAW€94€(1982)€73-76,€82-89.€€ÌÌ(n2)€See€C.€L.€Meyers€and€E.€M.€Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8€(ABÏ25B;€Garden€City,€NY:Doubleday,€1987)€179,€213-15;€C.€Jeremias,ÏDie€Nachtgesichte€des€Sacharja€(FRLANT€117;Gottingen:€VandenhoeckÏ&€Ruprecht,€1977)€201-3.€ÌÌ(n3)€All€biblical€citations€are€from€the€RSV.€ÌÌ(n4)€BDB,€844.€ÌÌ(n5)€D.€L.€Petersen,€Haggai€and€Zechariah€1-8€(OTL;€Philadelphia:ÏWestminster,€1984)€193.€ÌÌ(n6)€B.€Uffenheimer,€The€Visions€of€Zechariah:€Prom€Prophecy€toÏApocalyptic€(Jerusalem:€KiryatÐ .h)5 ЇSepher,€1961€[Hebrews€97;€Jeremias,€Die€Nachtgesichte€desÏSacharja,€207-9;€Petersen,€Haggai€andZecharrah€1-8,€195;ÏMeyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€185-88.€Cf.€H.€Mitchell,€AÏCriticaland€Exegetical€Commentary€on€Haggai,€Zechariah,€Malachi,Ïand€Jonah€(ICC;€Edinburgh:€Clark,1912)€150€(=€Mitchell,€ZechariahÏin€future€references);€L.€G.€Rignell,€Die€NachtgesichteÏdesSacharja€(Lund:€Gleerup,€1950)€111.€ÌÌ(n7)€For€midrashic€elaborations€of€the€theme,€based€on€aÏcombination€of€Zech€3:2€and€Jer€29:21-23,see€the€references€in€Y.ÏGreenwald,€The€History€of€the€High€Priests€in€its€relation€to€theÏgeneralpolitical€and€religious€history€of€the€Jewish€People€fromÏthe€earliest€times€till€the€destruction€of€theSecond€Temple€(NewÏYork:€published€privately,€1933€[Hebrew])€50.€€ÌÌ(n8)€BDB,€322-23.€ÌÌ(n9)€D.€Winton€Thomas,€"A€Note€on€mhlswt€in€Zechariah€3:4,"€JTSÏ33€(1931-32)€279-80.€For€theArabic€verb€and€cognates,€see€H.ÏWehr,€A€Dictionary€of€Modern€Written€Arabic€(3d€cd.;€ed.€J.ÏM.Cowan;€Ithaca,€NY:€Spoken€Language€Services,€1976)€254-55;€andÏfor€the€Akkadian,€CAD,€6.€40,50-51.€For€a€discussion,€seeÏMeyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zeehariah€1-8,€190.€€ÌÌ(n10)€Meyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€190.€ÌÌ(n11)€So€Petersen,€Haggai€and€Zechariah€1-8,€196.€ÌÌ(n12)€On€the€first-person€form€and€how€it€relates€the€presentÏpassage€to€other€prophetic€scenes€of€theheavenly€council,€see€N.ÏL.€A.€Tidwell,€"Wa'omar€(Zech€3:5)€and€the€Genre€of€Zechariah'sÏFourthVision,"€JBL€9411975)€343-55;€Jeremias,€Die€NachtgesichteÏdes€Sacharja,€203-6.€ÌÌ(n13)€Meyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€190.€ÌÌ(n14)€Ibid.,€192.€ÌÌ(n15)€Petersen,€Haggai€and€Zechariah€1-8,€198;€Jeremias,€DieÏNachtgesichte€des€Sacharja,€209-11.ÌÌ(n16)€W.€A.€M.€Beuken€(Haggai--Sacharja€1-8€[Studia€SemiticaÏNeerlandica€10;€Assen:€vanÌÌGorcum,€1967]€284,€299),€who€thinks€that€in€the€vision€JoshuaÏrepresents€the€people,€points€to€Gen35:2€and€Lev€16:3-4€as€otherÏpassages€in€which€a€change€of€dress€functions€as€an€atoning€rite.ÏForhim,€Zechariah€3€recounts€the€investiture€of€Joshua€as€highÏpriest,€the€act€which,€in€Exod€29:6;€Lev8:9;€16:4,€precedes€theÏanointing€of€the€priest.€See€also€Jeremias,€Die€Nachtgesichte€desÏSacharja.207-11.€ÌÌ(n17)€Beuken€(Haggai--Sacharja€1-8,€282€[see€also€pp.€283,€258])Ïterms€it€a€Situationsvision.€Ð .h)5 Ї(n18)€This€view€is€accepted,€among€others,€by€Meyers-Meyers,ÏHaggai€Zechariah€1-8,€178,€194;€P.Ackroyd,€Exile€and€RestorationÏ(OTL;€Philadelphia:€Westminster,€1968)€187.€ÌÌ(n19)€So€Uffenheimer,€The€Visions€of€Zechariah,€101;€Beuken,ÏHaggai--Sacharja€1-8,€29193;Petersen,€Haggai€and€Zechariah€1-8,Ï206-8.€Beuken€sees€in€the€conditional€nature€of€the€blessingÏin3:7€an€indication€that€it€did€not€belong€with€the€visionÏoriginally,€since€elsewhere€in€Zechariah€(with€theexception€ofÏ1:3)€the€Lord€performs€the€work€which€is€not€dependent€on€humanÏconditions(Haggai--Sacharja€1-8,€290-91).€ÌÌ(n20)€E.g.,€Beuken,€Haggai--Sacharja€1-8,€292.€ÌÌ(n21)€Meyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€195;€Petersen,€HaggaiÏand€Zechariah€1-8,€204;Beuken,€Haggai--Sacharja€1-8,€292€(notingÏthat€clauses€3€and€4€specify€what€this€general€expressionmeans).€ÌÌ(n22)€V,€Hamp-G.€J.€Botterweck,€[Multiple€line€equation(s)€cannotÏbe€represented€in€ASCII€text],TDOT,€3.€190;€cf.€Jeremias,€DieÏNachtgesichte€des€Sacharja,€214-15.€€ÌÌ(n23)€Meyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€195;€Petersen,€HaggaiÏand€Zechariah€1-8,€205-6;Jeremias,€Die€Nachtgesichte€des€Sacharp,Ï216.€ÌÌ(n24)€Uffenheimer,€The€Visions€of€Zechariah,€102;€Mitchell,ÏZechariah,€154-55.€ÌÌ(n25)€BDB,€23.7.€ÌÌ(n26)€Bcuken,€Haggai-Sacharja€1-8,€293-96.€ÌÌ(n27)€See€A.€Petitjean,€Les€oracles€du€Proto-Zacharie€(EBib;ÏParis:€Gabalda;€Louvain:€ImprimerieOrientaliste,€1969)€164-65.€ÌÌ(n28)€Mitchell,€Zechariah,€156.€If€this€is€the€meaning,€then€thisÏis€another€instance€of€the€priestsassuming€a€prophetic€role€inÏcommunicating€God's€word€to€the€people.€See€Meyers-Meyers,ÏHaggai,Zechariah€1-8.€200.€ÌÌ(n29)€Uffenheimer€(The€Visions€of€Zechariah,€1-7)€argues€fromÏbiblical€usage€of€[Multiple€lineequation(s)€cannot€be€representedÏin€ASCII€text]€that€it€never€refers€to€an€individual€existing€atÏtheauthor's€time;€he€is€always€a€figure€of€the€future.€J.€Liver€(ÏThe€House€of€David€From€the€Fall€of€theKingdom€of€Judah€to€theÏFall€of€the€Second€Commonwealth€and€After€[Jerusalem:€Magnes,Ï1959(Hebrew)],€101-2)€sees€Zechariah's€references€to€Branch€inÏconnection€with€his€conviction€that€thepresent€is€a€time€of€smallÏthings€and€that€God€will€bring€redemption€in€his€own€time.ÏZerubbabel€will€bethat€Branch,€but€at€present€Zechariah€does€notÏyet€give€him€the€title.€In€light€of€the€exceptionallyallusive€wayÏin€which€Zechariah€would€here€be€introducing€Zerubbabel,€it€isÏdifficult€to€acceptPetersen's€thesis€(Haggai€and€Zechariah€1-8,Ð .h)5 Ð210-11)€that€the€oracle€in€this€verse€centers€onZerubbabel€andÏserves€as€a€corrective€to€the€high€privileges€accorded€Joshua€inÏthe€preceding€verses.Note€that€Beuken€Haggai--Sacharja€1-8,Ï290-303)€considers€3:8-10€original,€while€vv€6-7€wereadded€toÏexalt€Joshua€at€Zerubbabel's€expense.€M.€Barker€("The€Two€FiguresÏin€Zechariah,"€Hey€J18€[1977]€41-42)€shows€that€the€title€is€notÏnecessarily€Davidic€(referring€especially€to€its€use€in€Isa4:2,€aÏpassage€whose€context€and€Zechariah€3€share€several€terms,€asÏseen€above);€her€conclusionthat€Joshua€is€Shoot€appears€unlikely,Ïsince€the€two€seem€to€be€separated€in€Zechariah.€ÌÌ(n30)€Petitjean,€Les€oracles€du€Proso-Zacharie,€161;ÏMeyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€178;Beuken,ÏHaggai--Sacharja€1-8,€290-300;€and€Petersen,€Haggai€and€ZechariahÏ1-8,€202.€ÌÌ(n31)€For€a€survey€of€older€views,€see€A.€Petitjean,€"La€missionÏde€Zorobabel€et€la€reconstruction€duTemple€Zach.,€III,€8-10,"€ETLÏ42€(1966)€44-46;€A.€E.€Rothy,€"Sieben€Augen€auf€einem€Stein,"€TZÏ13(1957)€525-26.€The€identification€of€the€stone€as€the€kingdomÏof€God€is€found€in€C.€E€Keil€and€F.Delitzsch,€Biblical€CommentaryÏon€the€Old€Testament.€Vol.€10:€The€Twelve€Minor€ProphetsÏ(repr.Grand€Rapids:€Eerdmans,€1973)€2.€261.€ÌÌ(n32)€Among€those€who€make€this€identification€are€Mitchell,ÏZechariah,€157-59;€Rignell,€DieNachtgesiche€des€Sacharja,€130-34;ÏAckroyd,€Exile€and€Restoration,€190-91;€W.€Harrelson,€"ThetrialÏof€the€High€Priest€Joshua:€Zechariah€3,"€El€K€(1982)€120;€andÏPetersen,€Haggai€and€Zechariah1-8,€211-12.€ÌÌ(n33)€Petersen,€Haggai€and€Zechariah€1-8,€212.€See€also€K.ÏGalling,€"Serubbabel€und€derHohepriester€beim€Wiederaufbau€desÏTempels€in€Jerusalem,"€Studien€zur€Geschichte€IsraelsÏimpersischen€Zeitalter€(Tubingen:€Mohr,€1964)€146-47.€ÌÌ(n34)€BDB,€847.€ÌÌ(n35)€For€references€to€older€literature,€see€Ruthy,€"SiebenÏAugen€auf€einem€Stein,"€525;Keil-Delitzsch,€The€Minor€Prophets,Ï2.€261€(who€object€that€the€foundation€stone€had€been€laidÏsomeyears€before€the€time€of€Zechariah's€visions).€ÌÌ(n36)€Petitjean,€"La€mission€de€Zorobabel,"€40-71;€Les€oracles€duÏProto-Zacharie.€ÌÌ(n37)€See,€for€example,€Beuken,€Haggai--Sacharja€1-8,€284-90.€€ÌÌ(n38)€E.g.,€B.€Halpern,€"The€Ritual€Background€of€Zechariah'sÏTemple€Song,"€CBQ€40€(€1978)€ÌÌ(n39)€Petitjean,€"La€mission€de€Zorobabel,-€40-51;€Les€oracles€duÏProto-Zacharie,€173-85.€He€hasadopted€the€view€of€J.€W.€RothsteinÏ(Die€Nachtgesichte€des€Sacharja€[BWANT€8;€Leipzig:ÏHinrichs,1910])€that€the€oracular€material€in€Zechariah€1-8Ð .h)5 Ð(1:1-6;€1:[14-]16-17;€2:10-t7;€3:8-10;€4:6b-10a;6:9-15;€7:4-14;Ï8:1-23)€once€belonged€to€a€separate€cycle€of€oracles,€elements€ofÏwhich€were€lateradded€to€the€vision€reports€(see€"La€mission€deÏZorobabel,"47-49,€50-51;€Les€oracles€du€Proto-Zacharie,€viii)€.€ÌÌ(n40)€See€Petitjean,€"La€mission€de€Zorobabel,"€48-62;€LesÏoracles€du€Proto-Zacharie,€173-206.€ÌÌ(n41)€Petitjean,€"La€mission€de€Zorobabel,"€61-70;€Les€oracles€duÏProto-Zacharie,€191-206.€ÌÌ(n42)€Petitjean,€Les€oracles€du€Proto-Zacharie,€223-24,€241-51;ÏD.€L.€Petersen,€"Zerubbabel€andJerusalem€Temple€Reconstruction,"ÏCBQ€36€(1974)€368-69.€ÌÌ(n43)€Galling,€"Serubbabel,"€134-37;€Petitjean,€Les€oracles€duÏProto-Zacharie,€258-63;€Petersen("Zerubbabel,"€367)€who€finds€inÏthe€words€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCIIÏtext)"adeft€play"€on€*€(These€characters€cannot€be€converted€inÏASCII€text)and€thinks€that€this€passage€is€awarning€to€Joshua€toÏ"leave€matters€of€reconstruction€to€the€royal€house."€If€*€(TheseÏcharacterscannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)€is€a€word-play,€itÏis€hardly€deft;€moreover,€it€seems€highly€unlikelythat€theÏprophet€is€referring€to€a€person€by€this€expression.€€ÌÌ(n44)€Petitjean,€Les€oracles€du€Proto-Zacharie,€230-36;€Petersen,Ï"Zerubbabel,"€370-71;€cf.€Halpern,"The€Ritual€Background,"Ï172-73.€ÌÌ(n45)€See€the€discussions€of€these€matters€in€Harrelson,€"TheÏTrial€of€the€High€Priest,"€119*;€Petersen,Haggai€and€ZechariahÏ1-8,€120-22;€Meyers-Meyers,€Haggai,€Zechariah€1-8,€lix-lx.ÏPetersen,€asnoted€above,€accepts€the€vestments€view€about€theÏstone€in€3:9€and€thus€does€not€read€this€verse€in€thecontext€ofÏ4:6b-10a;€Meyers-Meyers€think€that€both€the€vestment€and€theÏtemple-stone€theories€maybe€intended€by€the€author's€ambiguousÏwords€(see€pp.€204-13).€Halpern€("The€Ritual€Background,-168-70)Ïfollows€an€older€approach€of€setting€4:6b-10a€between€3:8€andÏ3:9;€the€result€is€"a€centralblock€(2:10-3:10)€from€which€theÏinterpreter€is€absent."€However,€the€angel€is€also€absentÏfrom6:9-15,€which€would€still€be€separate€from€this€block;Ïmoreover,€this€relocation€of€4:6b-10a€does€notproduce€a€veryÏsmooth€text.€ÌÌ(n46)€See€M.€Haran,€Temples€and€Temple-Service€in€Ancient€IsraelÏ(repr.€Winona€Lake,€IN:Eisenbrauns,€1985)€165-74.€He€shows€thatÏthe€materials€of€these€garments€relate€them€to€thetabernacleÏitself.€ÌÌ(n47)€He€habitually€names€only€Judah€(with€Jerusalem/Zion):Ï1:12,14,16,17,21€(Hebrew€2:4);€2:2(2:6),4€(2:8),7€(2:11),10Ï(2:14),12€(2:16);€3:2;€7:7;8:2,3,4,8,15,19,22.€Zechariah€mentionsÏIsrael(1:19€[Hebrew€2:2];€8:13),€but€in€both€cases€he€isÏreferring€to€its€dispersion€and€hot€giving€it€a€place€intheÐ .h)5 Ðrestoration.€ÌÌ(n48)€See€1€Kgs€5:5;€Mic€4:4.€In€Micah,€people€stream€to€theÏtemple€because€there€they€receivedivine€teaching€(*€(TheseÏcharacters€cannot€be€converted€in€ASCII€text)[4:2]).€).€In€theÏKingspassage,€the€image€conveys€the€notion€of€security.€See€alsoÏ2€Kgs€18:21;€Isa€36:16.€ÌÌ(n49)€A€version€of€this€paper€was€delivered€at€the€1990€GeneralÏMeeting€of€the€CBA€at€Notre€Dame,IN.€ÌÌ~~~~~~~~ÌÌBy€JAMES€C.€VANDERKAM€University€of€Notre€Dame€Notre€Dame,€INÏ46556€€[Go€To€Citation]ÌÌCopyright€of€Catholic€Biblical€Quarterly€is€the€property€ofÏCatholic€Biblical€Association€of€Americaand€its€content€may€notÏbe€copied€without€the€copyright€holder's€express€writtenÏpermission€except€forthe€print€or€download€capabilities€of€theÏretrieval€software€used€for€access.€This€content€isÏintendedsolely€for€the€use€of€the€individual€user.€Source:ÏCatholic€Biblical€Quarterly,€Oct91,€Vol.€53€Issue€4,€p553,€18p.€ÏItem€Number:€9603275492€ÌÌ€€€€€€€€Result€33€€€€of€33ñ%ñ