My Messenger

Zec. 2:10-11 (2:14-15 JPS)  

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for, behold! I will come and dwell in your midst,” says YHWH.  

“And many nations shall join YHWH on that day, and they shall be My people, and I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that YHWH of Armies sent me to you” 

Who is speaking here? Who is saying “I will come and dwell in your midst”?  

According to the first verse, YHWH is speaking.  And yet, at the end of the second verse, the speaker says, “And you shall know that YHWH of Armies has sent me to you.” The person who is speaking is someone else, being sent by YHWH.   

Although this individual is called YHWH in verse 11 (14 JPS), he is someone who YHWH sends. Three verses later in Zekariah’s vision, this individual sent by YHWH is His Messenger. Zec. 3:1  

And He showed me Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the Messenger of YHWH. And Satan was standing on his right, to accuse him.”

In the next verse, this Messenger is again called YHWH (as He is in Zec 2:11[14])  

Zec. 3:2  

And YHWH said to Satan: “YHWH rebuke you, O Satan; and YHWH rebuke you, He who chose Jerusalem. Isn’t this one a brand plucked from the fire?”  

The Messenger of YHWH is speaking to the adversary and says, “YHWH shall rebuke you.” This is the reading of Zec. 3:2 in the Peshitta. This is also consistent with the next verse (3:3): 

Now Joshua was wearing filthy garments and standing before the Messenger.”

Next, the Messenger said before the audience “Take the filthy garments off him” (3:4). Then he said: “See, I have removed your iniquity from you and have given you clean garments” (ibid).   

At YHWH’s command, they then put a diadem and crown (Peshitta) on his head and dressed him in clean garments (3:5).  YHWH, speaking through His Messenger, then said to Yeshua:   

If you walk in My ways, and if you keep My charge, you, too, shall judge My house, and you, too, shall guard My courtyards, and I will give you free access among these who stand by (3:7)

Listen now, O Joshua the High Priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are men worthy of a miracle. Behold! I bring My servant, the Shoot” (3:8).  

In the Aramaic Peshitta, this last line is notably different.  

Behold! I bring My servant the Sunrise”  

This Messianic title (Shoot or Sunrise) is repeated in Zekariah 6:12. This individual is the One sent by YHWH in Zec. 2:8 (2:12 JPS), 2:9 (2:13 JPS), 2:11 (2:15 JPS), 4:9, & 6:15.