Zechariah 6:10

Zec 6:10 Take of [them of] the captivity, [even] of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;

Ver. 10. Take of them of the captivity] i.e. Of the returned captives,

even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah] Men famous in the congregation, men of renown, Num 16:2. That these four mentioned here (taking in Josiah, who is also called Hen, Zec 6:14), were ambassadors from the godly Jews in Babylon, and brought their gifts, as Junius thinketh, I cannot affirm; but that they were the same with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, as the Jews and Jerome tell us, I do not believe. Josiah seemeth to be the host to the other three; as Gaius was to St Paul, and other good people; though some think, rather, he was either treasurer for the temple, or else a goldsmith, and one that could make crowns. Calvin conjectures from Zec 6:14 (where it is said, that the crown shall be to these men for a memorial), that being men of authority, they were deeply guilty of infidelity and impatience, because they saw not a present performance of the promises; they were discontented themselves, and discouraged others, "Ye have need of patience," saith the apostle to those short spirited Hebrews, Heb 10:36, who found it more easy to suffer evil than to wait for the promised good.

And come thou the same day] Either the same day these men came from Babylon, or the selfsame day that the Lord spake to the prophet, is he commanded to go, not to put it off a day longer; for the people needed a speedy and hasty comfort. No sooner had God prepared the people, but the thing was done suddenly, as 2Ch 29:36. No sooner were they ripe, but he was ready. He is a God of judgment, a wise God, that knows when to deal forth his favours; as till then he waits to be gracious, Isa 30:18. His fingers itch to be doing good in his good pleasure to Zion; as the mother’s breasts ache when now it is time the child had suck. He exalteth the lowly, he filleth the hungry with good things. When once David is poor and needy God will make no tarriance, Psa 40:17; when his soul is even as a weaned child, then he shall have the kingdom, Psa 131:2.

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.

6:10 Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah were apparently couriers designated by Jews in Babylon to carry donations to the Temple building fund.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To receive of him and the other three, money to make the two crowns: which were men of great authority among the Jews, and doubted of the restitution of the kingdom, and of the Priesthood, and hurt others by their example.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

NINTH VISION. THE CROWNING OF JOSHUA. (Zac 6:9-15)

Take of them of the captivity--Take silver and gold (Zac 6:11) from them. The three named came from Babylon (where some of the exiled Jews still were left) to present gifts of silver and gold towards the building of the temple. But in Zac 6:11, Zac 6:14, "crowns" are directed to be made of them, then to be set on Joshua's head, and to be deposited in the temple as a memorial of the donors, until Messiah shall appear.

Heldai--meaning "robust." Called Helem below.

Tobijah--that is, "the goodness of God."

Jedaiah--that is, "God knows."

which are come from Babylon--This clause in the Hebrew comes after "Josiah son of Zephaniah." Therefore, MOORE thinks Josiah as well as the three "came from Babylon." But as he has a "house" at Jerusalem, he is plainly a resident, not a visitor. Therefore English Version is right; or MAURER, "Josiah son of Zephaniah, to whom they are come (as guests) from Babylon."

the same day--No time was to be lost to mark the significancy of their coming from afar to offer gifts to the temple, typifying, in the double crown made of their gifts and set on Joshua's head, the gathering in of Israel's outcasts to Messiah hereafter, who shall then be recognized as the true king and priest.

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

Verse 10. Take of them of the captivity] The names that follow were probably those to whom the silver and golden vessels of the temple were intrusted; and who might have had bullion of silver and gold, for particular purposes, about the ornaments of the temple.

The house of Josiah] Probably an artificer in silver, gold, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Let us now inquire, why the Prophet was bid to take gold from four men; for he says, Take from the transmigration. The word הגולה, egule, is to be taken in a collective sense, as in many other places. Take then from the exiles, who have now returned from Babylon to their own country. But he afterwards mentions four men; and there is some abruptness in the passage, but nothing that obscures the meaning of the Prophet; for he says, Take frown Heldai, and from Tobiah, and from Jedaiah; and then he adds, go in that day, enter the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. The Prophet no doubt had been commanded to go to these four, and to enter the house of one of them; and this is evident from the end of the tenth verse, where he says, who have come from Babylon He had spoken only of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; and then he adds, that they had come from Babylon. I come now to the answer. Some interpreters think that these four men supplied the gold and the silver, because they were chief men among the people, and excelled others in piety. Hence they think that these four men were chosen, as a mark of distinction, to supply the gold and the silver to make the crowns: but I conjecture from the end of the chapter that their weakness is here pointed out, even because they were weak in faith and did not believe the promises of God, and thus disheartened others by their example. It is indeed certain that they were men in high authority, and excelled all others, so that the eyes of all were fixed on them; this is certain. But yet their want of faith is what is here reproved, because they did not attend sufficiently to God’s promises, and thought themselves disappointed of their hope; for they had left Babylon, where they enjoyed great abundance, and returned to the holy land, and found it uncultivated and desolate. There was indeed required great patience, when they had to plow among thorns and brambles; for that land, as I have already said, had not been regularly cultivated. Those indeed who had been sent from the East, dwelt here and there in it; but lions and wild beasts had come into it, so that the desolation of the land rendered much work necessary, when the Jews returned. I hence doubt not but that the Holy Spirit does here reprove these four men, who ought to have been leaders and standard-bearers to others; on the contrary, they broke down the confidence of the common people. And this, I say, may be learnt from the end of the chapter, where God commands the two crowns to be placed in the temple, to be a memorial to them, that they might see there the condemnation of their unbelief, as we shall show in its place.

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.

THE SYMBOLICAL CROWNING OF JOSHUA.

(10) Of them of the captivity.—Even those who had returned from the Captivity were so called (Ezr_4:1; Ezr_6:19). These were probably, however, Jews who intended to remain in the land of their exile, but who were come on a visit to Jerusalem, bringing offerings of silver and gold, to show their sympathy with their brethren who were carrying on the work of the rebuilding of the Temple.

Heldai is called “Helem” in Zec_6:14, and Josiah seems to be called “Hen.” It is very common for a person to be called by several different names in the Bible; thus Hobab, Jethro, Reuel, &c., are some of the names of Moses’ father-in-law. LXX. interpret the proper names as follows:—Heldai as “rulers,” Tobijah as “their useful men,” Jedaiah as “those who understood them.”

The same day.—Literally, on that day: viz., on the same day on which thou takest, &c.

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

10. Take] Lit. to take. This has been thought to be a general direction, extending to all that they had brought, “let (their offerings) be received, or accepted;” the special taking of silver and gold for a particular purpose by the prophet being mentioned in the next verse. But there is no reason whatever to suppose that the Jews who were rebuilding the temple had ever any scruple about receiving such offerings even from heathens (Ezr_1:4; Ezr_1:6-7; Ezr_6:8-10), so that such a direction would have been superfluous. It is better, therefore, to render with A. V. “take (thou)” sc. “silver and gold,” the direction being interrupted to tell the prophet where to meet with these men, and resumed at the beginning of Zec_6:11.

the captivity] used of the Jews who had returned from exile to their own land, Ezr_9:4; Ezr_10:8; but also, as here, of those who were still in exile, Eze_1:1; Eze_3:11; Eze_3:15.

which are come from Babylon] This clause is transposed in A. V. from the end of the verse where it stands in the Hebrew. It should be left there, as in R. V., and rendered, to which they are come from Babylon. It will then read: Take of the captivity, even of Heldai of Tobijah and of Jedaiah (their messengers and representatives)—and come thou (thyself to take it in person), even come into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, to which they have come from Babylon—and take silver and gold, &c.

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.

Then take silver and gold, &c. Which the Jewish writers suppose were brought by the above men from their brethren in Babylon, as a free will offering towards the building of the temple:

and make crowns; two at least, one of silver, and another of gold; the one to be put upon the head of Joshua the high priest; the other upon the head of Zerubbabel, as Kimchi conjectures; though, according to the text, they seem to be both, or all of them, be they as many as they will, to be put upon the head of Joshua; and may signify the different states of the priesthood in the present time, and when in its pristine glory; or that both the crown of the priesthood and the crown of the kingdom should meet in his antitype Christ, who is said to have on his head many crowns, Rev 19:12. The Targum renders it, "thou shalt make a great crown"; as if only one crown was to be made of gold and silver mixed together; and so the Arabic version renders it; but more are certainly meant, for it follows:

and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech the high priest; on whose head a fair mitre was set; see Zac 3:5 and with the mitre was wore by the high priest the holy crown, made of pure gold; and which was no other than the plate or "flower" of gold, on which was engraved "Holiness to the Lord", Exo 28:36 and this, according to the Jewish writers (b), was a plate of gold two fingers broad, and reached from ear to ear; though Josephus (c) seems to give a different account of it; he says,

"the golden crown surrounds (either the mitre, or perhaps rather the forehead or temples); and on it were three rows of cups or flowers, like those of the herb we call "saccharus"; and the Grecian botanists "hyosciamus";''

or henbane; and after describing the herb, and the figure of the buds, cups, or flowers of it, he adds,

"like to these is made a crown reaching from the hinder part of the head unto both temples; for the flowers do not encompass the forehead; but there is a golden plate, which has the name of God engraved in sacred letters;''

which seems to disagree with the accounts of other Jewish writers; unless, as Braunius (d) observes, they may be thus reconciled, that the crown was nothing else but the plate that was two fingers broad, and was in length from ear to ear; so that about the temples it was ornamented with three rows of henbane flowers on each side: and these three rows may give occasion for the use of the word in the plural number; and some have called it a triple crown (e); and Popish writers fail not to improve it in favour of the crown their pontiff wears; and Lyra (f) speaks of little crowns or coronets, even in the mitres of the common priests; which (he says) were circles in the lower part of them so called; wherefore the rows of flowers in the high priest's crown, from whence it might be called a flower, might with more propriety bear that name. Philo the Jew (g), speaking of the golden plate, says it was like a crown engraven with four letters of the name (Jehovah); and further observes, that

"the mitre under it kept the plate from touching the head, on which the "cidaris" or diadem was put; for it was like the cidaris which the eastern kings used for a diadem:''

and indeed this crown, and the three rows of flowers in it, were a hieroglyphic or emblem of the threefold office of Christ, whom the high priest represented, kingly, priestly, and prophetic; and so may be fitly signified here by crowns in the plural number; and it is usual with the Jewish writers to speak of three crowns, the crown of the law, the crown of the kingdom, and the crown of the priesthood (h); and very probably from the high priest among the Jews wearing crowns it was that the priests among the Heathens had the same ornaments on their heads; and to be crowned was with them the same as to exercise the office of priesthood (i), and who was an eminent type of the Messiah, and in this of having crowns put upon his head, as the following words show.

(b) Maimon. Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 1. Jarchi in Exod. xxviii. 36. (c) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 7. (d) De Vestitu Sacerdot. Hebr. l. 2. c. 28. sect. 18. p. 807. (e) Fortunatus Scacchus in Myrothec. l. 3. c. 40. p. 1000. Solerius de Pileo, sect. 13. p. 266. (f) In Exod. xxxix. 27. (g) De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 670, 671. (h) Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 13. (i) Paschalius de Coronis, l. 4. c. 13.

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

Take of the captivity - Of that which they had brought with them. “The captivity” was, in Jeremiah ), and Ezekiel Eze 1:2; Eze 3:11, Eze 3:15; Eze 11:24-25, the title of those who had been actually carried captive and were at that moment in captivity. Ezra continues it of those who had been in captivity, though now returned from exile. Yet not without a reference to the circumstances or causes of that captivity. It is the “captivity” Ezr 1:11 which Sheshbazzar brings from Babylon, or Ezra subsequently; the “children of the captivity” Ezr 8:35, who set themselves to build the temple of God Ezr 4:1; who dedicated it and kept the passover . The title is used apparently as an aggravation of sin, like that which had been chastened by that captivity. Here, the term seems to imply some blame, that they remained of their own accord in this state of severance from the altar, where alone special worship of God and sacrifice could be offered. They had been removed against their will; yet, as Christians often do, acquiesced in the loss, rather than forego their temporal advantages. Still they wished to take part in the work of restoring the public worship, and so sent these men, with their contribution of gold and silver, to their brethren, who had returned; as, in the first times of the Gospel, the Christians everywhere made collections for the poor saints, who dwelt in Jerusalem. And this their imperfect zeal was instantly accepted.

And go thyself - To make the act more impressive, “on that same day,” as matter of urgency, “and thou shalt come to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, whither they have come from Babylon” . The exiles who had brought presents for the building of the temple, lodged, it seems, in the house of Josiah, whether they doubted or no that their presents would be accepted, since they chose Babylon, not Jerusalem for their abode. This acceptance of their gifts symbolized the incoming of those from afar. It is remarkable that all five names express a relation to God. “Tobiah” in Neh 2:10; Neh 6:1; 3) the Tobias here and 14; 4) Tobit and Tobias in his book), “The Lord is my good;” “Yedaiah,” “God knoweth” or “careth for;” Josiah, “The Lord supporteth” ; “Zephaniah,” “The Lord hideth,” and perhaps “Cheldai,” “The Lord’s world” . They had taken religious instead of worldly names. Probably Zechariah was first to accept the offerings from the three exiles, and then to take the actual gold from the house of Josiah whither they had brought it. The pilgrims from Babylon and their host are included in one common blessing.

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

Holdai, &c. They had brought presents for the temple, which are to be used to make crowns for Jesus and Zorobabel, ver. 13. (Calmet) --- The names are interpreted by the Septuagint, "of the princes and of its useful things, and of those who have known it, (captivity) and thou," &c. (Haydock) --- Helem and Hem are afterwards mentioned instead of Holdai, ver. 14. (St. Jerome)

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).

Take, gold and silver, of those that are come out of Babylon lately, to make their oblation to the Lord, or to bring the oblation of them who yet were in Babylon, but remembered Jerusalem and the temple.

And come thou; go fetch them if they lodge elsewhere, and bring them in thy company.

The same day; the same day in which they come, or else in the same day that I speak unto thee, delay not.

And go into the house of Josiah: some say he was a goldsmith, others, that he was treasurer for the temple, and that these persons before named had brought a rich present to him for the temple and the service of the Lord.

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

Take of them of the Captivity. The verb is in the infinitive for the imperative, "take thou from the Captivity;" what he is to take is noted in the next verse. "Those of the Captivity" are certain envoys sent by the Jews who still dwelt in Babylon, (Eze_1:1 Eze_3:11) bearing gifts for the temple. These messengers the prophet was to visit at the house of Josiah, their host. Heldai; or, Cheldai, in ver. 14 "Helem" or "Chelem," "The Enduring One" (Keil); "The Lord"s Word" (Pussy). The name occurs in 1Ch_27:15. Tobijah; "The Lord is good," a well known name. Jedaiah; "God careth." The name is found in 1Ch_9:10 1Ch_24:7. The LXX explains the names in symbolical fashion, Para twn arcontwn kai para twn crhsimwn authv kai para twn epegnwkotwn authn . "From the chief men, and from its good men, and from those that have understood it." Which are come from Babylon. This clause in the Authorized Version is transposed from its place in the Hebrew, which is at the end of the verse, where it refers to the house of Josiah, and should be rendered, "to which," or "whither they have come from Babylon." Septuagint, Toou ... tou hkontov ek Babulwnov , "The house of Josiah... who came from Babylon." The same day. There was to be no delay; the transaction was to be carried out "on that day," the day made known to the prophet, and by himself in person. The house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. He was, perhaps, treasurer. At any rate, at his house the envoys were entertained, and there were stored the contributions which the Jews in exile had sent to their brethren in Jerusalem. Josiah is the same person as Hen, according to the Authorized Version and the Vulgate, in ver. 14 (where see note). He was probably son of the Zephaniah mentioned in 2Ki_25:18 as in the second rank of priests among those who were deported to Babylon. (comp. Jer_21:1 Jer_37:3)

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

Take - Of those that are come out of Babylon. Come thou - Go fetch them, if they lodge elsewhere. The same day - The same day in which they come.

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

Take from the exiles - from Heldai, etc., who have come from Babylon All these people.

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.