he shape of a man. It was probably Michael, the
guardian angel of the church of God.

1:9. And I said: What are these, my lord? and the angel that spoke in
me, said to me: I will shew thee what these are:

1:10. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered, and said:
These are they, whom the Lord hath sent to walk through the earth.

These are they, etc... The guardian angels of provinces and nations.

1:11. And they answered the angel of the Lord, that stood among the
myrtle trees, and said: We have walked through the earth, and behold all
the earth is inhabited, and is at rest.

1:12. And the angel of the Lord answered, and said: O Lord of hosts, how
long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Juda,
with which thou hast been angry? this is now the seventieth year.

The seventieth year... Viz., from the beginning of the seige of
Jerusalem, in the ninth year of king Sedecias, to the second year of
king Darius. These seventy years of the desolation of Jerusalem and the
cities of Juda, are different from the seventy years of captivity
foretold by Jeremias; which began in the fourth year of Joakim, and
ended in the first year of king Cyrus.

1:13. And the Lord answered the angel, that spoke in me, good words,
comfortable words.

1:14. And the angel that spoke in me, said to me: Cry thou, saying: Thus
saith the Lord of hosts: I am zealous for Jerusalem, and Sion with a
great zeal.

1:15. And I am angry with a great anger with the wealthy nations: for I
was angry a little, but they helped forward the evil.

1:16. Therefore thus saith the Lord: I will return to Jerusalem in
mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts: and the
building line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

1:17. Cry yet, saying: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: My cities shall yet
flow with good things: and the Lord will yet comfort Sion, and he will
yet choose Jerusalem.

1:18. And I lifted up my eyes, and saw: and behold four horns.

Four horns... The four horns represent the empires, or kingdoms, that
persecute and oppress the kingdom of God.

1:19. And I said to the angel that spoke in me: What are these? And he
said to me: These are the horns that have scattered Juda, and Israel,
and Jerusalem.

1:20. And the Lord shewed me four smiths.

Four smiths... The four smiths, or carpenters ( for faber may signify
either) represent those whom God makes his instruments in bringing to
not