Bible Strands
Zechariah 1:21
“What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Zechariah asks the interpreting angel what the four craftsmen are coming to do, and the angel responds to explain their divine purpose. This exchange occurs immediately after the Lord shows Zechariah the craftsmen in a vision.
The words — The Hebrew אֵלֶּה ('E.leh) translates literally to "these," repeatedly identifying both the craftsmen and the horns in the vision. The verb בָאִים (va.'Im) means "coming," stressing the active approach of these agents.
The thread — Horns symbolizing proud nations or rulers appear in Psalms 75:4 and Psalms 75:10, where God cuts off the horns of the wicked and exalts the righteous. Lamentations 2:17 also reflects the theme of divine judgment against those who oppose God's people.
Why it lands — The text declares that God will deploy appointed agents to dismantle the powers that oppressed Judah, leaving no room for human retaliation. It requires the reader to accept that divine justice will actively dismantle opposition to God's people.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
Cross-references
- Psalms 75:10 “All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be exalted.”
- Psalms 75:4 I say to the proud, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn.
- Lamentations 2:17 The LORD has done what He planned; He has accomplished His decree, which He ordained in days of old; He has overthrown you without pity. He has let the enemy gloat over you and exalted the horn of your foes.
- Zechariah 1:19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he told me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
- Daniel 12:7 And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, and times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has finally been shattered, all these things will be completed.”