Zechariah 1:9 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Then said I, O my Lord, what are these What is the meaning of these appearances, or visions? And the angel that talked with me said “This was another heavenly minister, sent, probably, to present the visions to the prophet's imagination, as well as to explain them. Angelus comes et interpres, “an accompanying angel and interpreter.” And under his direction the prophet receives satisfactory information from the month of the first angel and his attendants.” Blayney. I will show thee what these be “I will cause that it shall be explained to thee by the angel who stands first among the myrtles. This may have been done by a sign given to that angel, or by words omitted in the relation.” Newcome. And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees This was an angel of an order superior to him mentioned in the preceding verse, who either prevents that angel, and takes upon him to return an answer to the prophet's question, or else sends his answer to Zechariah by that angel, as Christ sent his revelation to St. John by an angel, Revelation 1:1. These are they whom the Lord hath sent They are the messengers or ministering spirits of Jehovah. And they The rest of the angels, implied at the end of Zechariah 1:8, and who came after the first; answered, We have walked to and fro through the earth We have been diligent to execute that office which was allotted to us. And behold all the earth sitteth still, &c. This must be understood here, and in many other places, in a restricted sense, for all the nations with whom the Jews had a connection. It means here chiefly the Persian empire, which enjoyed peace at that time. But the state of the Jews was unsettled: see Zechariah 1:16: which circumstance gives occasion to the following intercession.