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3. The Structure of Individual Sections of Zechariah 91
It is clear that to delete v. 12 would spoil this pattern. We note also that
the two key words, Dm and on], of vv. 12 and 13 are not taken up until
vv. 16 and 17 respectively. It is possible that they are used in the latter
verses to form a chiasmus and emphasize further vv. 14-15. These
would already be recognized as a climax by the parallel and contrast:
^p becomes nwp for Jerusalem; *]xp for Jerusalem becomes *]2ip for
the nations (cf. also 310 vv. 13, 17; and nto* m.T vv. 12, 14a, 16, 17).
The pattern for the speakers during this section may be represented
as follows (where Zech. = Zechariah; As = the angel who spoke with
me; Ay signifies the expression 'angel of Yahweh' ; Mm = man
standing among the myrtle trees; Y = Yahweh; H = horse(man) +
horses?/horsemen?).
9
10
11
12
13
14-15
Zech. to
As to
Mm to
As to
'my lord'
Zech.
(Zech.)
H
Zech.
(Mm?)
to
Ay
Y
Aym
toY
to As
It seems impossible to draw any far-reaching result out of this, but it
seems to confirm that the unit cannot end before v. 14 (and therefore
probably v. 15). Verses 14-17 have the form of oracles, but vv. 14-
15 are more closely related to the vision in that 'the angel who spoke
with me' is the speaker. Speeches are a common feature of the vision
in any case, and the whole of vv. 8ff., would reach an unsatisfactory
end at v. 13.
Verses 16-17, on the other hand, could be detached without causing
a hiatus, and it may be that Rothstein, Sellin, Petitjean, Rudolph and
others are right in separating them. Rignell argued that Zechariah
himself added vv. 16-17 when the visions were first written down. 1
Beuken argued that p 1 ? in v. 16 indicated an announcement that
belonged with the motivation of v. 15. 2 This seems to me to be right,
for someone, whether author or redactor, intended it that way. Who is
to say that it could not have been Zechariah? I do not think that
v. 15b already provides a satisfactory explanation for the menace of
1. Die Nachtgesichte, pp. 57-59.
2. Haggai-Sacharja, pp. 242-43.