Prophets, Priests and Stones that See - :14-4:7

ָר ִ֥נּי וְ ִשׂ ְמ ִ֖חי ַבּת־ ִצ ֑יּוֹן ִ֧כּי ִהנְנִי־ ָ֛בא וְ ָשׁ ַכנְ ִ֥תּי ְבתוֹ ֵ֖כ נְ ֻאם־ ׳ה ׃ וְנִ ְלו ֩וּ גוֹ֨יִם ַר ִ֤בּים ֶאל־ ׳ה ַבּ ֣יּוֹם ַה ֔הוּא וְ ָ֥היוּ ִ֖לי ְל ָ֑עם וְ ָשׁ ַכנְ ִ֣תּי ְבתוֹ ֔ ֵכ וְיָ ַ֕ד ַע ְתּ ִכּי־ ׳ה ְצ ָב ֖אוֹת ְשׁ ָל ַ֥חנִי ֵא ָ ֽליִ׃ וְנָ ֨ ַחל ׳ה ֶאת־יְהוּ ָד ֙ה ֶח ְל ֔קוֹ ַ֖על אַ ְד ַ֣מת ַה ֑קּ ֹ ֶדשׁ וּ ָב ַ֥חר ֖עוֹד ִבּירוּ ָשׁ ָ ִֽל͏ם׃ ַ֥הס ׇכּל־ ָבּ ָ֖שׂר ִמ ְפּ ֵ֣ני ׳ה ִ֥כּי נֵ ֖עוֹר ִמ ְמּ ֥עוֹן ׇק ְד ֽשׁוֹ׃

2:`4-17 Shout for joy, Fair Zion! For lo, I come; and I will dwell in your midst—declares the LORD. In that day many nations will attach themselves to the LORD and become His people, and He will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that I was sent to you by the LORD of Hosts. The LORD will take Judah to Himself as His portion in the , and He will choose once more. Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD! For He is roused from His holy habitation.

וַיַּ ְר ֗ ֵאנִי ֶאת־יְהוֹ ֻ֙שׁ ַ֙ע ַהכּ ֹ ֵ֣הן ַה ָגּ ֔דוֹל ע ֹ֕ ֵמד ִל ְפ ֵ֖ני ַמ ְל ַ֣א ׳ה וְ ַה ָשּׂ ָ֛טן ע ֹ ֵ֥מד ַעל־יְ ִמי ֖נוֹ ְל ִשׂ ְטנֽוֹ׃ וַ֨יּ ֹא ֶמר ׳ה ֶאל־ ַה ָשּׂ ֗ ָטן יִ ְג ֨ ַער יְה ָֹ֤וה ְבּ ֙ ַה ָשּׂ ֔ ָטן וְיִ ְג ַ֤ער ׳ה ְבּ ֔ ַהבּ ֹ ֵ֖חר ִבּי ֽרוּ ָשׁ ִָ֑ל͏ם ֲה ֧לוֹא ֶז֦ה ֖אוּד ֻמ ָ֥צּל ֵמ ֵ ֽאשׁ׃

3:1-2 He further showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the LORD, and the Accuser standing at his right to accuse him. But [the angel of] the LORD said to the Accuser, “The LORD rebuke you, O Accuser; may the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! For this is a brand plucked from the fire.”

וִיהוֹ ֕ ֻשׁ ַע ָה ָ֥יה ָל ֻ֖בשׁ ְבּ ָג ִ֣דים צוֹ ִ֑אים וְע ֹ ֵ֖מד ִל ְפ ֵ֥ני ַה ַמּ ְל ָ ֽא׃ וַ ַ֣יּ ַען וַ֗יּ ֹא ֶמר ֶאל־ ָהע ֹ ְמ ִ֤דים ְל ָפנָי ֙ו ֵלא ֔מ ֹר ָה ִ֛סירוּ ַה ְבּ ָג ִ֥דים ַהצּ ִֹ֖אים ֵמ ָע ָ֑ליו וַ֣יּ ֹא ֶמר ֵא ֗ ָליו ְר ֨ ֵאה ֶה ֱע ַ֤ב ְר ִתּי ֵמ ָע ֶל֙י ֙ ֲע ֺו ֔נֶ וְ ַה ְל ֵ֥בּשׁ א ֹ ְת ֖ ַמ ֲח ָל ֽצוֹת׃ וָא ֹ֕ ַמר יָ ִ֛שׂימוּ ָצ ִ֥ניף ָט ֖הוֹר ַעל־ר ֹא ֑שׁוֹ וַיָּ ִ֩שׂימ ֩וּ ַה ָצּ ֨נִיף ַה ָטּ ֜הוֹר ַעל־ר ֹא ֗שׁוֹ וַיַּ ְל ִבּ ֻ֙שׁה ֙וּ ְבּ ָג ִ֔דים וּ ַמ ְל ַ֥א ׳ה ע ֹ ֵ ֽמד׃

3-5 Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments when he stood before the angel. The latter spoke up and said to his attendants, “Take the filthy garments off him!” And he said to him, “See, I have removed your guilt from you, and you shall be clothed in [priestly] robes.” Then he gave the order, “Let a pure diadem be placed on his head.” And they placed the pure diadem on his head and clothed him in [priestly] garments, as the angel of the LORD stood by.

וַ֙יָּ ַע ֙ד ַמ ְל ַ֣א ׳ה ִבּיהוֹ ֻ֖שׁ ַע ֵלא ֽמ ֹר׃ כּ ֹה־אָ ֞ ַמר ׳ה ְצ ָב ֗אוֹת ִאם־ ִבּ ְד ָר ַ֤כי ֵתּ ֵל ֙ וְ ִ֣אם ֶאת־ ִמ ְשׁ ַמ ְר ִ֣תּי ִת ְשׁ ֔מ ֹר וְ ַגם־ ַא ָתּ ֙ה ָתּ ִ֣דין ֶאת־ ֵבּי ֔ ִתי וְ ַ֖גם ִתּ ְשׁ ֣מ ֹר ֶאת־ ֲח ֵצ ָ֑רי וְנָ ַת ִ֤תּי ְל ֙ ַמ ְה ְל ֔ ִכים ֵ֥בּין ָהע ֹ ְמ ִ֖דים ָה ֵ ֽא ֶלּה׃ ְ ֽשׁ ַ ֽמע־ ֞נָא יְהוֹ ֻ֣שׁ ַע ׀ ַהכּ ֹ ֵ֣הן ַה ָגּ ֗דוֹל ַא ָתּ ֙ה וְ ֵר ֶ֙עי ֙ ַהיּ ֹ ְשׁ ִ֣בים ְל ָפ ֔נֶי ִכּֽי־אַנְ ֵ֥שׁי מוֹ ֵ֖פת ֵ֑ה ָמּה ִכּֽי־ ִהנְ ִ֥ני ֵמ ִ֛ביא ֶאת־ ַע ְב ִ֖דּי ֶ ֽצ ַמח׃ ִ֣כּי ׀ ִה ֵ֣נּה ָה ֗ ֶא ֶבן ֲא ֶ֤שׁר נָ ַ֙ת ִתּ ֙י ִל ְפ ֵ֣ני יְהוֹ ֔ ֻשׁ ַע ַעל־ ֶ֥א ֶבן אַ ַ֖חת ִשׁ ְב ָ֣עה ֵעי ָ֑ניִם ִהנְ ִ֧ני ְמ ַפ ֵ֣תּ ַח ִפּ ֻתּ ֗ ָחהּ נְ ֻא ֙ם ׳ה ְצ ָב ֔אוֹת וּ ַמ ְשׁ ִ֛תּי ֶאת־ ֲעֺ֥ון ָה ָ ֽא ֶרץ־ ַה ִ֖היא ְבּ֥יוֹם ֶא ָ ֽחד׃ ַבּ ֣יּוֹם ַה ֗הוּא נְ ֻא ֙ם ׳ה ְצ ָב ֔אוֹת ִתּ ְק ְר ֖אוּ ִ֣אישׁ ְל ֵר ֵ֑עהוּ ֶאל־ ַ֥תּ ַחת ֶ֖גּ ֶפן וְ ֶאל־ ַ֥תּ ַחת ְתּ ֵא ָנֽה׃

6-10 And the angel of the LORD charged Joshua as follows: “Thus said the LORD of Hosts: If you walk in My paths and keep My charge, you in turn will rule My House and guard My courts, and I will permit you to move about among these attendants. Hearken well, O High Priest Joshua, you and your fellow priests sitting before you! For those men are a sign that I am going to bring My servant the Branch. For mark well this stone which I place before Joshua, a single stone with seven eyes. I will execute its engraving—declares the LORD of Hosts— and I will remove that country’s guilt in a single day. In that day—declares the LORD of Hosts—you will be inviting each other to the shade of vines and fig trees.”

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וַ֕יָּ ׇשׁב ַה ַמּ ְל ָ֖א ַהדּ ֵֹ֣בר ִ֑בּי וַיְ ִעי ֵ֕רנִי ְכּ ִ֖אישׁ ֲא ֶשׁר־יֵ ֥עוֹר ִמ ְשּׁנָ ֽתוֹ׃ וַ֣יּ ֹא ֶמר ֵא ֔ ַלי ָ֥מה ַא ָ֖תּה ר ֶֹ֑אה (ויאמר) [וָא ֹ֡ ַמר] ָר ִ֣אי ִתי ׀ וְ ִה ֵ֣נּה ְמנוֹ ַר ֩ת ָז ֨ ָהב ֻכּ ֜ ָלּהּ וְ ֻג ָ֣לּהּ ַעל־ר ֹא ֗ ָשׁהּ וְ ִשׁ ְב ָ֤עה נֵר ֹ ֶ֙תי ָ֙ה ָע ֔ ֶלי ָה ִשׁ ְב ָ֤עה וְ ִשׁ ְב ָע ֙ה ֽמוּ ָצ ֔קוֹת ַלנֵּ֖רוֹת ֲא ֶ֥שׁר ַעל־ר ֹא ָ ֽשׁ ׃הּ וּ ְשׁ ַ֥ניִם ֵזי ִ֖תים ָע ֶ֑לי ָה ֶא ָח ֙ד ִמי ִ֣מין ַה ֻגּ ֔ ָלּה וְ ֶא ָ֖חד ַעל־ ְשׂמ ֹא ָ ֽלהּ׃

4:1-3 The angel who talked with me came back and woke me as a man is wakened from sleep. He said to me, “What do you see?” And I answered, “I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl above it. The lamps on it are seven in number, and the lamps above it have seven pipes; and by it are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and one on its left.”

וָ ַ֙א ַע ֙ן ָוֽא ֹ֔ ַמר ֶאל־ ַה ַמּ ְל ָ֛א ַהדּ ֵֹ֥בר ִ֖בּי ֵלא ֑מ ֹר ָמה־ ֵ֖א ֶלּה ֲאד ִֹנֽי׃ ֠וַ֠יַּ ַען ַה ַמּ ְל ֞ ָא ַהדּ ֵֹ֥בר ִבּ ֙י וַ֣יּ ֹא ֶמר ֵא ֔ ַלי ֲה ֥לוֹא יָ ַ֖ד ְע ָתּ ָמה־ ֵ֣ה ָמּה ֵ֑א ֶלּה וָא ֹ ַ֖מר ֥א ֲאד ִֹנֽי׃ וַ֜יַּ ַען וַ֤יּ ֹא ֶמר ֵא ַל ֙י ֵלא ֔מ ֹר ֚ ֶזה ְדּ ַבר־ ׳ה ֶאל־ ְז ֻר ָבּ ֶ֖בל ֵלא ֑מ ֹר ֤א ְב ַ֙חיִל֙ וְ ֣א ְב ֔כ ֹ ַח ִ֣כּי ִאם־ ְבּרוּ ֔ ִחי אָ ַ֖מר ׳ה ְצ ָב ֽאוֹת׃ ִ ֽמי־ ַא ָ֧תּה ַ ֽהר־ ַה ָגּ ֛דוֹל ִל ְפ ֵ֥ני ְז ֻר ָבּ ֶ֖בל ְל ִמי ֑שׁ ֹר וְהוֹ ִצי ֙א ֶאת־ ָה ֶ֣א ֶבן ָהר ֹא ֔ ָשׁה ְתּ ֻשׁ ֕אוֹת ֵ֥חן ֵ֖חן ָ ֽלהּ׃

4-7 I, in turn, asked the angel who talked with me, “What do those things mean, my lord?” “Do you not know what those things mean?” asked the angel who talked with me; and I said, “No, my lord.” Then he explained to me as follows: “This is the word of the LORD to : Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit—said the LORD of Hosts. Whoever you are, O great mountain in the path of Zerubbabel, turn into level ground! For he shall produce that excellent stone; it shall be greeted with shouts of ‘Beautiful! Beautiful!’”

Midrash Tanhuma, Vayikra 6:1 So also (in Prov. 6:16-19), “Six things the Lord hates…: Haughty eyes, …. A heart plotting thoughts of deceit, feet quick to run to evil, […]” This refers to Ahab ben Kolaiah and ben Maaseiah (the false prophets of Jer. 29:21-23), who sinned in Jerusalem. And that was not enough for them, but after they had gone into exile in Babylon, they added to their sin. And what had they done in Jerusalem? They were false prophets. Moreover, they did not forsake their trade in Babylon. Now they would pimp for each other. Ahab would go to visit [one of] the great ones in the kingdom and would say to him, “I am so-and-so, a prophet. The Holy One, blessed be He, has sent me to say something to your wife.” [So his interlocutor] would say to him, “Here she is before you. Go on in.” When he was alone with her, he would say to her, “The Holy One, blessed be He, wants to raise up prophets from you. Simply go, have intercourse with Zedekiah, and give birth to prophets from him.” So he would come and have intercourse with her. Then Zedekiah would similarly pimp for Ahab. And this was their trade for several years.

Come and see how wicked they were: They gave themselves a reputation in Babylon for being great prophets. When some woman became pregnant and saw one of them, she would say to him, “If you are a prophet, what is in my womb? A male or a female?” He would say, “A male.” Then he would go to her neighbors and say, “So-and-so will bear a female.” If she bore a male, she would say, “So-and-so, the prophet, told me.” If it was a female, the neighbors would say, “Thus did so-and-so, the prophet, tell us; but he did not want to worry you.” Now they acted in this way until they came to Shemirah, the wife of Nebuchadnezzar.

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Zedekiah said to her, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has sent me to you. Simply go, have intercourse with Ahab, and give birth to prophets from him.” She said to him, “I may not do [this] without the agreement of my husband. Rather, let him come and let him inform us that he wants this thing.” She went to her husband and told [the matter] to Nebuchadnezzar. [So] he called for them and they both came. And he said to them, “Is this what you said to my wife?” They said, “Yes, as the Holy One, blessed be He, wants to raise prophets from her.” He said to them, “But have I not heard about your God that He hates licentiousness; and that as a result of that which Zimri breached sexual mores, twenty-four thousand [men] fell? And you tell me this? Perhaps He recanted? I don’t know if you are false prophets or true prophets, but I have already tested Hannaniah, Mishael and and I burned the fiery finance for them for seven days and threw them inside, and they came out alive and well. But for you, I will only burn it for one day and throw you inside. If you are saved from the furnace, I will know that you are certainly true prophets and we will do whatever you say, according to your testimony.” They said to him, “Hannaniah, Mishael and Azariah were three and we are two; and the miracle is [only] done for three.” He said to them, “Is there a third [person] like you?” They said, Yehosuha the High Priest,” thinking in their hearts that they would be saved by his merit. They brought Yehoshua the High Priest and threw him into the furnace with them. The two of them were burnt [to death], and Yehoshua the High Priest was saved, as stated (Zech. 3:2), “Is this not a brand pulled out of the fire?” (Jer. 29:22:) “And from Ahav and Zedekiah, a curse was taken for all of the exile of Judah in Babylon, saying, ‘May God make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon consigned to the flames!‘“ Who caused these wicked ones to be burned? It was because they ran with their feet towards abominations and sins. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 19:2), “and one who hastens with the feet is a sinner.”

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