Zec 2 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Zech 2:1-5: 2:1-5 The scope of the visions narrows from the cosmos (vision 1), to the nations (vision 2), to the city of Jerusalem. The vision itself (2:1-3 ) is followed by an explanation of its meaning (2:4-5 ).

Summary for Zech 2:1-5: 2:1-5 ^a The scope of the visions narrows from the cosmos (vision 1), to the nations (vision 2), to the city of Jerusalem. The vision itself (2:1-3 ^b) is followed by an explanation of its meaning (2:4-5 ^c).
2:2 ^d how wide and how long it is (Or how long and wide it is to be): By taking this measurement, God showed that he was planning for Jerusalem’s future.
2:5 ^e The wall of fire represents divine protection (cp. 2 Kgs 6:17 ^f).

• I, myself, will be: The emphatic construction of the verb “to be” might be a direct reference to God’s name (Exod 3:14-15 ^g).

• Fire and glory allude to the Exodus (see Exod 13:22 ^h; 14:20 ⁱ; 40:34 ^j).
Summary for Zech 2:6-13: 2:6-13 ^k God’s call for the exiles’ return from Babylon anticipated his people’s restoration to the land of Israel (2:6-9 ^l) and the restoration of his presence to his people in Jerusalem (2:10-13 ^m). 2:6 ⁿ Come away! The emphatic command carries the force of a promise that the Lord would lead his people out of exile and into a restored Jerusalem (cp. Isa 55:1 ^o).

• the land of the north: It was necessary to travel north in order to move to the east, so Babylonia was thought of as lying in the north.

• four winds: The Hebrew exiles would return to Judah and Jerusalem from all directions (see Ezek 12:14 ^p; 37:9 ^q).
2:8 ^r Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession (literally Anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye): This might refer to Israel as God’s elect; it might also mean that those who harmed Israel poked themselves in the eye by bringing God’s judgment upon themselves.
2:9 ^s their own slaves will plunder them: At the Exodus, the Egyptians paid the Israelites to leave their land (see Exod 11:2-3 ^t; 12:35-36 ^u).
2:12 ^v Israel is the Lord’s inheritance or special possession—the people of Israel belonged to the Lord (Deut 32:9-10 ^w).

• The land was holy because of God’s glorious presence in the Jerusalem Temple (see Pss 11:4 ^x; 15:1 ^y).
2:13 ^z Be silent: The force of the Hebrew word (has) is similar to our English word “hush” (see Hab 2:20 ^aa; Zeph 1:7 ^ab).