Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee. On account of the magnitude of what He is about to say, He now demands solemn attention.
Thy fellows that sit before thee - thy subordinate colleagues in the priesthood; not that they were actually then sitting before him; but their usual posture in consultations was on chairs or benches before him, while he sat on an elevated seat as their president.
For they are. From speaking to Joshua, He passes to speaking of him and them, in the third person, to the attendant angels (cf. Zechariah 3:9).
Men wondered at - Hebrew х 'ansheey (H376) mowpeet (H4159)], 'men of omen,' 'sign,' 'pertent,' or 'wonder' - i:e., having a typical character (Isaiah 8:18; Isaiah 20:3; Ezekiel 12:11; Ezekiel 24:24). Joshua the high priest typifies Messiah, as Joshua's "fellows" typify believers whom Messiah admits to share His priesthood (1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 5:10). This, the typical character of the priesthood, then, is a pledge to assure the desponding Jews that the priesthood shall be preserved until the great Antitype comes. There may be also an indirect reproof of the unbelief of the multitude who "wonder" at God's servants, and even at God's Son, incredulously, (Psalms 71:7; Isaiah 8:18; Isaiah 53:1, etc.)
For, behold - marking the greatness of what follows.
I will bring forth my servant - the characteristic title of Messiah (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 49:3; Isaiah 50:10; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11; Ezekiel 34:23-24). The BRANCH - Messiah, a tender branch from the almost extinct royal line of David (Zechariah 6:12; Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15; Luke 1:78 х anatolee (G395)], where for "dayspring," branch may be substituted: Malachi 4:2, however, favours the English version). The reference cannot be to Zerubbabel (as Grotius thinks), because he was then in the full discharge of his office, whereas "The Branch" here is regarded as future.