A fruitfull commentarie vpon the twelue small prophets briefe, plaine, and easie, going ouer the same verse by verse, and shewing every where the method, points of doctrine, and figures of rhetoricke, to the no small profit of all godly and well disposed readers, with very necessarie fore-notes for the vnderstanding of both of these, and also all other the prophets. The text of these prophets together with that of the quotations omitted by the author, faithfully supplied by the translatour, and purged of faults in the Latine coppie almost innumerable, with a table of all the chiefe matters herein handled, and marginall notes very plentifull and profitable; so that it may in manner be counted a new booke in regard of these additions. VVritten in Latin by Lambertus Danæus, and newly turned into English by Iohn Stockwood minister and preacher at Tunbridge.

Vers. 1.

And in the fourth yere of King Darius, the word of the Lord came vnto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth moneth, e∣uen in Chisleu.

* 1.1HItherto the Prophet at the commandement of God, hath she∣wed and set downe those things, the which did appertaine eui∣dently vnto the confirmation of the building, restoring, and preser∣uing of the nation of the Iewes, the Citie, and Temple: now he an∣swereth vnto a question moued vnto him by the people and the priests, to wit, the demanders of the same being Sareezer,* 1.2 and Re∣guemmelech, men of good place and countenance. For these were appoynted or chosen to aske this question, as it were the messen∣gers and Embassadors for the whole people, who should shew vn∣to both the priests, and also the Prophets, the des••res and requests of the whole people: these I say, were chosen hereunto by the whole people, the which were returned from the captiuitie of Babylon, & dwelt at Ierusalem, and in the whole land. And by occasion of this question, God doth againe rehearse his promises toward the natiō of the Iewes, and the citie of Ierusalem, and confirmeth the former. And this question of the people was a most true testimonie or wit∣nes of the fulfilling of the former promises now alreadie begun. For the Iewes that were returned from the captiuitie propoūd or moue this question:* 1.3 Whether they ought to afflict or punish and humble themselues, as they did before, and likewise to fast, when as they see with their owne eyes, the Temple for the most part now builded a∣gaine,

and doe feele their condition and estate changed, and of that which before was most miserable, to bee made now more ioyfull. All which things are the effects of God his promises, foretolde by the Prophet Zacharias. Now there is a time to mourne, and a time to reioyce, Ecclesiast. 3. So then when as the occasion of that affli∣ction and mourning was ceased, they doe demand of the Prophets of God, and of the Priests, Whether they ••••ght to mourne stil not∣withstanding, and doe the selfe same things, the which they did in the chiefest state and time of their sorowe.* 1.4 The answer is, ver. 20. of the eight chapter following, That they ought not.

* 1.5But touching this verse, the same containeth two things. First, a confirmation of the doctrine, and answer following. It is the word of the Lord,* 1.6 and not the Prophet Zacharias his owne word. Second∣ly, it noteth the time, to wit, the fourth yeare of the reigne of Da∣rius. The former promises were deliuered in the second yeare of the reigne of the sayd King:* 1.7 and the Temple of God was finished in the sixt yeare of Darius, Esdr. 6. Thus by the circumstance of the time we doe vnderstand that now alreadie the worke of the Tem∣ple for the most part was in a good forwardnes, and that there shi∣ned a ioyfull hope of better successe of things in the Iewes owne countrey.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The prophet answereth a question mo∣ued by the Iewes.
• * 1.2

  Sareezer, and Reguemme∣lech moue the question at the appointment of the whol•• people.
• * 1.3

  The question of the Iewes.
• * 1.4

  The answere.
• * 1.5

  Two parts of this verse.
• * 1.6

  1. A confirmatiō of the doctrine folowing.
• * 1.7

  2. The time of the deliuerie of the same.