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3. The Structure of Individual Sections of Zechariah 117
We have discovered a carefully constructed whole with clear inclusios
and chiastic arrangements, even though the sense is not always
entirely clear, and the arrangement does not always seem to us the
most logical. There seems to be a sensitivity to the sounds of words,
and it might be worthwhile to give more attention to this aspect of the
text. (E.g. naiD-nnan, ]«-]»», IJP-TM)
My primary concern is not with the question of authorship of the
book of Zechariah. If it were, then I believe the evidence we have
uncovered in looking at the structure of ch. 3 would be worth a more
thorough investigation. It seems to me that the method of the writing
employed in vv. 1-7 and 8-10 is remarkably similar to that which we
saw in chs. 1-2.
Since we have now discovered evidence of a concern for structure
in three out of three chapters, the chances that chs. 1-8 are carefully
constructed are increased. If the editor who arranged the final form of
chs. 1-8 was responsible for chs. 1-14, then we should expect to see
signs of his hand there too. If we do not find this then it becomes
more likely that we have two independent works that have been joined
together at a later date. We might find evidence of a different type of
sectional and/or overall editing.
Zechariah 4.1-6aa, 6ap-10aa, 10ap-14
As previously a table of words occurring at least twice in the chapter
is given (figure 5). The centre section, Zech. 4.6a-10a, is, in precise
terms, 4.6.#5-10.#12.
Virtually all scholars regard the middle section of this chapter as a
parenthesis, and most agree that it was inserted by a later editor. 1
It has strong connections with other editorial sections (cf. 2.13,
15; 6.15), so we have here a clear example of an editor's work. We
1. The Meyers' (Haggai, Zechariah, pp. 265-72) regard it as having been added
by the prophet himself, or (less probably) by a disciple; Beuken finds a core of
original material in 4.1-3 + 4-5 + 6a + lOb + 6a-7, to which were added in this order:
vv. 8-10a; 11 + 13-14; lOb moved to its present position; 12 (Haggai-Sacharja,
pp. 259-63, esp. p. 264). This cannot be more than an interesting theory from the
point of view of the enquiry we are engaged in. Petersen treats vv. 6a-10a as a later
interpolation, and in addition makes the novel suggestion that v. 12 was added in
order to 'cloud what was a rather clear picture of divine dependence' (Haggai and
Zechariah, pp. 236-37).