Verse 17
17. Chariots of God War chariots. The verse contains a strong anthropomorphism, as Habakkuk 3:8-15, and here represents the triumphal march of God to Zion as exceeding in grandeur all displays of earthly power.
Twenty thousand Literally, Twice ten thousand. The Hebrews could not carry their exact enumeration above ten thousand; beyond this they proceeded by multiplying the myriad. Hence, thousands of angels, are literally, thousands of repetition, that is, thousands many times repeated, or thousands of thousands, a term for a great but indefinite number. The word “angels” is not in the text, but is inferred from Deuteronomy 33:2, where, on the same theme, it reads, “Ten thousands of his holy ones.”
The Lord is among them, as in Sinai The meaning is, that Zion, though not equally honoured with the external displays of the majesty of God, is not inferior to Sinai as the place of the revelation and manifestation of the divine glory. In the same sense the glory of the second temple exceeded that of Solomon. Haggai 2:9
Be the first to react on this!
