THE PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS
INTRODUCTION
Zacharias began to prophesy in the same year as Aggeus, and upon the same occasion. His prophecy is full of mysterious figures and promises of blessings, partly relating to the synagogue and partly to the Church of Christ. (Challoner) — He is the “most obscure and longest of the twelve [minor prophets];” (St. Jerome) though Osee wrote the same number of chapters. (Haydock) — Zacharias has been confounded with many others of the same name. Little is known concerning his life. Some have asserted that the ninth and two following chapters were written by Jeremias, in whose name chap. xi. 12., is quoted [in] Matthew xxvii. 9. But that is more probably a mistake of transcribers. Zacharias speaks more plainly of the Messias and of the last siege of Jerusalem than the rest, as he live nearer those times. (Calmet) — His name signifies, “the memory of the Lord.” (St. Jerome) — He appeared only two months after Aggeus, and shewed that the Church should flourish in the synagogue, and much more after the coming of Christ, who would select his first preachers from among the Jews. Yet few of them shall embrace the gospel, in comparison with the Gentiles, though they shall at last be converted. (St. Jerome ad Paulin.) (Worthington)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Commentary of St Jerome
In Sophoniam
Prologus
antequam sophoniam aggrediar, qui nonus est in ordine duodecim prophetarum, respondendum uidetur his qui me irridendum aestimant, quod omissis uiris, ad uos scribam potissimum, o paula et eustochium. qui si scirent oldam, uiris tacentibus, prophetasse, et debboram iudicem pariter et propheten, hostes israel, barac timente, superasse; et iudith et esther, in typo ecclesiae, et occidisse aduersarios, et periturum israel de periculo liberasse; numquam post tergum meum manum curuarent in ciconiam. taceo de anna et elisabeth, et ceteris sanctis mulieribus, quarum uelut siderum igniculos, clarum mariae lumen abscondit. ad gentiles feminas ueniam, ut et apud saeculi philosophos uideant animorum differentias quaeri solere non corporum. plato inducit aspasiam disputantem, sappho cum pindaro scribitur et alcaeo; themista inter sapientissimos graeciae philosophatur; corneliam gracchorum, id est uestram, tota romanae urbis turba miratur; carneades eloquentissimus philosophorum, acutissimus rhetorum, qui apud consulares uiros et in academia plausus excitare consueuerat, non erubuit in priuata domo, audiente matrona, de philosophia disputare. quid referam catonis filiam, bruti coniugem, cuius uirtus facit ne patris mariti que constantiam tantopere miremur? plena est historia tam graeca quam latina uirtutibus feminarum, et quae integros libros flagitent. mihi tantum, quia aliud operis incumbit, in fine prologi dixisse sufficiat, dominum resurgentem primum apparuisse mulieribus, et apostolorum illas fuisse apostolas, ut erubescerent uiri non quaerere, quem iam fragilior sexus inuenerat.