Zec 2 | CalvinCommentaries | STEP | Chapter 2 1. I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. 1. Et sustuli oculos meos et vidi; et ecce vir in ejus manu funiculus mensurae. 2. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. 2. Et dixi , Quo tu vadis? et dixit mihi , Ad metiendum Ierusalem , ut videam quanta latitudo ejus , et quanta longitudo ejus. 3. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, 3. Et ecce angelus qui loquebatur mecum egressus est , et alter angelus egressus est in occursum ejus; 4. And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: 4. Et dixit ad eum , Curre , dic puero huic , dicendo , In villis (vel , pagis) habitabitur Ierusalem prae multitudine hominis et pecoris (id est , honinum et pecorum) in medio ejus. Added now is another vision for the same end; not that the former was difficult to be understood, but because there was need of confirmation in a state of things so disturbed; for though the return of the people was no common evidence of the goodness and favor of God yet as Jerusalem was not flourishing as formerly, as the temple was like a cottage as there was no form of a kingdom and no grandeur, it was difficult to believe what had been already exhibited. This is the reason why God confirms by many proofs the same thing; for we know how difficult the contest is, owing to the infirmity of the flesh, when grievous and sharp trials assail us. Hence Zechariah says, that he saw in the hand of a man a measuring line . He calls him a man, who appeared in the form of man; and it is well known, and a common thing, that angels are called men. For though they put on a human form only for a time, yet as it was the Lord’s will that they should be seen in that form, they are called men, though with no propriety. If it be asked, whether angels did really put on human nature? the obvious answer is, that they never, strictly speaking, became really men. But we know that God treats us as children; and there is the same reason for the expression as for the thing itself. How was it that angels appeared in human form? even that their access to men might be easier. Hence God calls them men as in this place. Zechariah then says, that an angel appeared to him in the form of a man, having in his hand a measuring line.

‏ Zechariah 2

Chapter 2

Zechariah 2:1-4

1. I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

1. Et sustuli oculos meos et vidi; et ecce vir in ejus manu funiculus mensurae.

2. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

2. Et dixi, Quo tu vadis? et dixit mihi, Ad metiendum Ierusalem, ut videam quanta latitudo ejus, et quanta longitudo ejus.

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

3. Et ecce angelus qui loquebatur mecum egressus est, et alter angelus egressus est in occursum ejus;

4. And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

4. Et dixit ad eum, Curre, dic puero huic, dicendo, In villis (vel, pagis) habitabitur Ierusalem prae multitudine hominis et pecoris (id est, honinum et pecorum) in medio ejus.

Added now is another vision for the same end; not that the former was difficult to be understood, but because there was need of confirmation in a state of things so disturbed; for though the return of the people was no common evidence of the goodness and favor of God yet as Jerusalem was not flourishing as formerly, as the temple was like a cottage as there was no form of a kingdom and no grandeur, it was difficult to believe what had been already exhibited. This is the reason why God confirms by many proofs the same thing; for we know how difficult the contest is, owing to the infirmity of the flesh, when grievous and sharp trials assail us.

Hence Zechariah says, that he saw in the hand of a man a measuring line. He calls him a man, who appeared in the form of man; and it is well known, and a common thing, that angels are called men. For though they put on a human form only for a time, yet as it was the Lord’s will that they should be seen in that form, they are called men, though with no propriety. If it be asked, whether angels did really put on human nature? the obvious answer is, that they never, strictly speaking, became really men. But we know that God treats us as children; and there is the same reason for the expression as for the thing itself. How was it that angels appeared in human form? even that their access to men might be easier. Hence God calls them men as in this place. Zechariah then says, that an angel appeared to him in the form of a man, having in his hand a measuring line.