Zechariah 2:3

Zec 2:3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

Ver. 3. And behold the angel] Zechariah’s angel, as one calleth him.

Went forth] to take direction from Christ, and to give the prophet further information. {See Trapp on "Zec 1:9"}

And another angel went out to meet him] So ready is Christ to answer prayers and to satisfy his weak but willing people, that draw near unto him with a true heart, Heb 10:22. If any such ask and miss it is because they ask amiss, Jas 4:3.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Now the interpreting angel appears upon the scene.

Went forth — The same verb is translated in the next clause “went out.” This raises the question, whence did the one or the other go forth? For the first verb LXX. reads “stood”; that is, beside the prophet. If the present Hebrew text is retained we must think of the angel as stepping forward from the place where he stood beside the prophet, or from the background to which he had retired after he had interpreted the preceding vision. As he stood forth he was met by another angel who came upon the scene from the opposite direction. This thought is implied also in the reading of LXX. To express the thought more clearly Zec_2:3 might be translated, “And, behold, the angel that talked with me stood forth, and another angel came forth to meet him.” Less natural is the interpretation which makes the interpreting angel come upon the scene from the presence of Jehovah with a new message for the prophet, when he is met by the other angel.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

angel that talked with me . . . another angel--The interpreting angel is met by another angel sent by the measuring Divine Angel to "run" to Zechariah (Zac 2:4). Those who perform God's will must not merely creep, nor walk, but run with alacrity.

went forth--namely, from me (Zechariah).

went out--from the measuring angel.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

It is said, that the angel went forth, and that another angel met him. It hence appears as from the whole of what the Prophet says, how carefully God provides for the safety of his Church; for he has ever angels as his emissaries, who hasten at his nod, and aid the Church in its necessities. Since then angels thus unite to secure the well-being of the Church, we hence perceive how dear to God are the faithful, in whose favor he thus employs all his angels; and we also see, that it was the Lord’s will that this prophecy should be clear and manifest to all the godly: go, and run to that young man, he says, and tell him. Zechariah had indeed asked for an explanation of the measure in the man’s hand, but from the fact that another angel met him, it appears, as I have already said, that God does not neglect the request and prayers of his people, provided only that they are desirous of learning; he will then perform the part of a true and faithful teacher towards them. But the word “run,” ought especially to be noticed: “go,” he says, “and even hasten, lest the youth should longer doubt, and explain the purpose of this prophecy.” He calls the Prophet a youth, because he was then among angels. He would not call him a man of full age, because he had before called an angel man. What rank could the Prophet hold among angels except that of a youth? This circumstance ought therefore to be observed as the reason why Zechariah spoke disparagingly or humbly of himself.

Now as to the import of the prophecy, we have already said, that here is described the heavenly Jerusalem, which is surrounded by no walls, but is open to the whole world, and which depends not on its own strength, but dwells safely though exposed on all sides to enemies; for the Prophet says not without reason, “through the villages shall Jerusalem be inhabited;” that is, it shall everywhere be inhabited, so that it will have no need of defense to restrain or hinder enemies to come near; for a safe rest shall be given to it, when every one shall quietly occupy his own place. It follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(3) Went forth.—Literally, goes forth, from the prophet’s side, in the direction of the man who went to measure. LXX., εἱστήκει.

Went out.—Literally, comes forth: viz., from the invisible—i.e., appears, reveals himself. The same word in Hebrew means to come and to go forth, according to circumstances. (Comp. Zec_5:5-6.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. went forth] from the place where he was standing beside me. Comp. Isa_26:21.

went out] Rather, went forth, the Hebrew word being the same as before. This second angel is seen going forth from the opposite side of the stage on which the vision appears, to meet the interpreting angel as he went forth.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth,.... See Zac 1:9 and he "went forth" from the place where the prophet was, with whom he had been conversing:

and another angel went out to meet him: the same that was seen among the myrtle trees, Zac 1:8 and here, with a measuring line in his hand, Zac 2:1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The angel that talked with me went forth - Probably to receive the explanation which was given him for Zechariah; and another angel, a higher angel, since he gives him a commission, “went forth to meet him,” being (it seems probable) instructed by the Angel of the Lord, who laid down the future dimensions of the city. The indefiniteness of the description, another angel, implies that he was neither the Angel of the Lord, nor (were they different) Michael, or the man with the measuring line, but an angel of intermediate rank, instructed by one higher, instructing the lower, who immediately instructed Zechariah.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Another. The angel who measured spoke to Michael. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The angel that talked; the great and glorious Angel, i.e. Christ Jesus himself, which had so long talked with Zechariah.

Went forth, from the midst of the myrtle trees, where he was first seen: whither he is going is not said; perhaps to standby, direct, and encourage the person that was going to measure Jerusalem.

Another angel went out to meet him; a created angel, or a ministerial angel, as became his office, offers his service to Christ, who is Lord of angels.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Went forth. The interpreting angel leaves the prophet, and goes away to meet another angel who advances from the opposite side. Septuagint, eisthkei , "stood." Another angel went out; went forth, the word being the same as before. This latter angel, sent by God with a revelation, is superior to the interpreter, as the latter receives the message from him to deliver to the prophet.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The angel - Christ, who had so long talked with Zechariah. Went forth - From the midst of the myrtle-trees.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

angel

(See Scofield "Heb 1:4").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

another angel went out to meet him

This angel is a new participant who has not appeared before this verse. (See: Introduction of New and Old Participants)

The second angel said to him

"The second angel said to the angel who had talked with me"

Jerusalem will sit in the open country ... beasts within her

The phrase "will sit in the open country" translates a word that refers to a city that has no walls. There will be so many inhabitants in the city that it will be too large to have walls around it. AT: "Jerusalem will not have walls around it ... beasts within the city" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

I ... will become for her a wall of fire around her

People built walls around their cities for protection. Here Yahweh speaks of protecting Jerusalem as if he himself were a wall of fire around the city. AT: "I ... will protect the city, like a wall of fire around it" (See: Metaphor)

this is Yahweh's declaration

Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Zechariah 1:4. AT: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

translationWords

angel

Yahweh

declare

fire

glory

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

four craftsmen Carpenters who know how to saw the horns. And our Rabbis explained in tractate Sukkah (52b) who they are.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.