Zechariah 1 9

Zechariah 1:9 kjv

Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

Zechariah 1:9 nkjv

Then I said, "My lord, what are these?" So the angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you what they are."

Zechariah 1:9 niv

I asked, "What are these, my lord?" The angel who was talking with me answered, "I will show you what they are."

Zechariah 1:9 esv

Then I said, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me said to me, 'I will show you what they are.'

Zechariah 1:9 nlt

I asked the angel who was talking with me, "My lord, what do these horses mean?" "I will show you," the angel replied.

Zechariah 1 verses

Zechariah 1 9 Meaning

Zechariah 1:9 marks the pivotal transition in Zechariah's first night vision from observation to divine interpretation. Following his viewing of the horses and their riders patrolling the earth, the prophet, Zechariah, humbly and respectfully asks the angel who had been speaking to him for an explanation of what he has just seen. In response, the interpreting angel promises to reveal the meaning of the vision. This exchange establishes a crucial pattern for the subsequent visions in the book, highlighting the need for divine illumination to comprehend prophetic imagery.

Zechariah 1 9 Context

Zechariah 1:9 initiates the interpretation of Zechariah's first of eight night visions, which he received in the second year of Darius I (around 520 BC). This was a crucial post-exilic period, about 16 years after the first wave of exiles returned to Judah. The Jewish community was rebuilding the temple, but faced significant challenges, including opposition and a sense of discouragement, reflected also in Haggai's prophecies. The people needed assurance of God's continued presence, power, and ultimate plan for Jerusalem's restoration. The previous verse (Zech 1:8) described Zechariah's observation of the four horses and their riders patrolling the earth, which were central to this first vision. This verse, Zech 1:9, thus begins the essential dialogue between the prophet and the interpreting angel, where the symbolic vision will be explained. The broader context for the original audience was a blend of spiritual apathy, discouragement over the slow rebuilding, and concerns about Persian dominance. The vision and its subsequent interpretation offer divine assurance, promising divine oversight, eventual peace, and judgment on nations that oppressed Judah, thus counteracting despair and humanistic skepticism.

Zechariah 1 9 Word analysis

• Then I said: In Hebrew, וָאֹמַר (va'omer), literally "And I said." This shows Zechariah's active engagement with the divine encounter. It is not merely a passive reception of information but an active desire to comprehend God's revelation.
• "Oh, my lord": Hebrew, אֲדֹנִי (Adoni). This term is a respectful address to someone in authority, in this context, the angel who has been speaking to him. It signifies Zechariah's humility and recognition of the angel's higher position as a divine messenger. It is distinct from Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) which specifically refers to God, although Adoni can be used for God too, but context here suggests the angel.
• "What are these?": Hebrew, מָה אֵלֶּה (Mah elleh?). A direct and immediate question reflecting the prophet's perplexity and lack of inherent understanding of the symbolic imagery (the horses and their riders from verse 8). It underscores that prophetic visions often require divine interpretation, as they are not self-explanatory.
• And the angel who talked with me: Hebrew, וְהַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי (v'hammalakh haddover bi). This phrase explicitly identifies the interlocutor. This angel serves as Zechariah's guide and interpreter throughout the night visions, mediating God's revelation. The continuous presence of "the angel who talked with me" throughout Zechariah (e.g., Zech 1:13-14, 2:3, 4:1, 5:5, 6:4) emphasizes the angel's critical role as an interpretive mediator of complex spiritual truths.
• said to me: Standard narrative transition indicating a direct response.
• "I will show you": Hebrew, אֲנִי אַרְאֶךָּ (ani ar'eka). Literally "I, I will cause you to see/know." This is a definitive promise of clarification. It assures Zechariah that his earnest inquiry will be met with divine illumination, highlighting God's readiness to reveal His plans and purposes to His prophets.
• "what these are": Reiteration of Zechariah's earlier question, now framed as the object of the promised revelation. This indicates that a complete explanation of the vision's meaning is forthcoming.

• "Then I said, ‘Oh, my lord, what are these?'": This phrase encapsulates the prophet's essential role in apocalyptic literature: to witness profound divine realities and then, recognizing their mysterious nature, to seek divine illumination for understanding. It illustrates human dependency on God for insight into spiritual matters. This act of humble inquiry opens the door for further revelation.
• "And the angel who talked with me said to me, 'I will show you what these are.'": This second phrase is God's gracious response to Zechariah's seeking. It affirms that God does not hide His purposes from those who genuinely seek to understand, especially His prophets (Amo 3:7). The interpreting angel's role is confirmed as the reliable source of God's unveiling, assuring that clarity will follow the initial mystery of the vision. This sets the stage for the rest of Zechariah's book, where visions are presented, inquired about, and then explained.

Zechariah 1 9 Bonus section

The interplay between the prophet's inquiry and the angel's promise of interpretation is a foundational dynamic in biblical prophecy, particularly within the apocalyptic genre. This pattern teaches that spiritual discernment often requires both direct revelation from God (the vision itself) and subsequent divine explanation. The angel who "talked with me" is sometimes identified by scholars as distinct from the "Angel of the LORD" who stands among the myrtle trees in Zechariah 1:11, though both serve as agents of revelation. This distinction highlights a sophisticated angelic hierarchy in prophetic encounters. Furthermore, Zechariah's earnest seeking mirrors a principle found throughout Scripture: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find" (Matt 7:7), extending this promise to the understanding of divine mysteries. The prophetic tradition relies on such interpretative exchanges because spiritual realities, especially those concerning future events, often defy human understanding without divine aid.

Zechariah 1 9 Commentary

Zechariah 1:9 is a pivotal verse, moving from observation to comprehension within the prophet's first vision. It reveals Zechariah's posture of humble curiosity, an essential trait for receiving divine revelation. His respectful query, "Oh, my lord, what are these?" is not born of skepticism but a sincere desire to understand God's message conveyed through symbolic imagery. The interpreting angel's immediate response, "I will show you what these are," establishes the angelic role as God's designated messenger to unveil mysteries, common in apocalyptic literature (as seen in Daniel and Revelation). This interaction assures the audience that complex spiritual truths are made accessible by divine will, demonstrating God's eagerness to communicate His plans for their future. The verse underscores that God's people do not navigate in ignorance, but are promised understanding of His sovereign control and redemptive purposes.