| Zechariah 2:1
| And I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold a man, with a measuring line in his hand.
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| Zechariah 2:2
| And I said: Whither goest thou? and he said to me: To measure Jerusalem, and to see how great is the breadth thereof, and how great the length thereof.
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| Zechariah 2:3
| And behold the angel that spoke in me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him.
| Another. The angel who measured spoke to Michael. (Calmet)
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| Zechariah 2:4
| And he said to him: Run, speak to this young man, saying: Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls, by reason of the multitude of men, and of the beasts, in the midst thereof.
| Walls. This must be understood of the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church of Christ. (Challoner) --- According to St. Augustine (in Psalm lxxi.) when the literal sense cannot be verified, we must have recourse to the thing prefigured; and thus what is here written, must be explained of the Church rather than of Jerusalem. (Worthington) --- A little before the fall of the latter, it was become so populous that the houses which had been built without the walls were enclosed. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:6.) --- This multitude was a sort of pledge or figure of the crowds which should embrace the gospel.
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| Zechariah 2:5
| And I will be to it, saith the Lord, a wall of fire round about: and I will be in glory in the midst thereof.
| Fire, to enlighten and protect it. Arms will be unnecessary, Micheas 5:10., and Isaias 2:4. The Church shall enjoy peace.
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| Zechariah 2:6
| O, O flee ye out of the land of the north, saith the Lord, for I have scattered you into the four winds of heaven, saith the Lord.
| North. Many Jews had not yet returned, Esther, etc. --- Winds, Ezechiel 5:2, 12. (Calmet) --- Gentiles, and ye children of Sion, flee from Babylon and from sin into the true Church. (Worthington)
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| Zechariah 2:7
| O Sion, flee thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon:
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| Zechariah 2:8
| For thus saith the Lord of hosts: After the glory he hath sent me to the nations that have robbed you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye:
| Glory. After restoring you to your own country, and rebuilding your cities, I will punish your enemies. (Calmet) --- After they have enjoyed prosperity, they shall feel the reverse. Hebrew Cabod, (Haydock) means also "a burden."
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| Zechariah 2:9
| For behold, I lift up my hand upon them, and they shall be a prey to those that served them: and you shall know that the Lord of hosts sent me.
| Prey. Two years after this (Calmet) the Assyrians revolted, and seized Babylon. (Justin i.) --- They slew the useless women: but Zopyrus betrayed the place to Darius, who hung 3,000 of the principal inhabitants, and demolished the walls. (Herodotus 3:150.; Usher, year of the world 3489.)
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| Zechariah 2:10
| Sing praise, and rejoice, O daughter of Sion: for behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: saith the Lord.
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| Zechariah 2:11
| And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me to thee.
| Nations. We know of none who embraced the Jewish law. But both the old and the new world submits to Christ. --- Dwell. St. Michael represents the Messias. The latter preached and wrought miracles among the Jews, which rendered them inexcusable, John 15:24. (Calmet)
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| Zechariah 2:12
| And the Lord shall possess Juda, his portion in the sanctified land: and he shall yet choose Jerusalem.
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| Zechariah 2:13
| Let all flesh be silent at the presence of the Lord: for he is risen up out of his holy habitation.
| Silent: obey with reverence. (Haydock) See Habacuc 2:20., and 1 Machabees 1:3. (Calmet) --- Habitation, becoming man. (Menochius)
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