they have stabbed. The single Hebrew word dāqārû, from the root dqr (“to
stab, wound, pierce”), is surely one of the major interpretive cruxes in Second
Zechariah, if not in all of prophecy. The outpourings of scholarly discussion
do not center on the actual meaning of the word but rather on the identity of
the one stabbed, the identity of those who commit this act of violence, the
meaning of such an act, the relationship—if any—of this deed to general
historical reality, and the possible allusion to this text to a specific
political event. . . . Let us first establish that the root dqr does not
mean “to kill” but rather “to stab, pierce, wound” with a thrusting weapon,
notably a sword (e.g., Lam 4:9; Isa 13:15; 1 Sam 31:4 = 2 Chron 10:4). In several
instances it is clear that the victim of such an attack died (as in Num 25:8
and Jug 9:54, in addition to the references just cited). But the very addition of
another term (as “and he died”) indicates that although death would be expected
because sword thrusts generally inflicted mortal wounds, this would not be
necessarily or always the case. Indeed, Jer 37:10 mentions “wounded” soldiers
who remain in their “tents” . . . and Jer 51:4 may also indicate serious but
nonfatal battle wounds.
The
question of whether the “stabbed” one in this verse has in fact died thus must
remain open. That the perpetrators of the stabbing are not held accountable in
terms of being themselves subject to the death penalty may indicate that the
stabbing in this instance was serious but nonfatal. This leads to the possibility
that the image of confrontation, of violent opposition, is that is intended
here in a somewhat more figurative sense. Still, the next image is that of
mourning; here it is likely that death is involved but that divine favor toward
the future Davidides and other leaders precludes the ultimate penalty.
. . .
. . . the
same word—“stab”—is found once more in Second Zechariah, in the next chapter.
Although not used for an attack on true prophets, it depicts a legitimate
confrontation with false prophets, whereby those who prophesy falsely in God’s
name will immediately be recognized for what they are by those falsely in God's
name will immediately be recognized for what they are by those who know them
most intimately, and then they will be stabbed ( . . “Then . . will stab him”
in 13:3). Because the case of Uriah demonstrates that swords were used against
accused prophets, which are the weapons most likely to cause the stab wounds
indicated by dqr, the use of “stab” may have come to denote all violent
acts against prophetic figures, whether mortal or not.
Third, the
retrospective nature of much of Second Zechariah must be taken into account.
This prophet is keenly aware of centuries of Israelite history and tradition.
He cites or alludes to the division of the monarchy (11:7, 14; . . . ), the
exile of the northerners (10:10; . . .), and the fall of Judah (11:10; . . .).
Furthermore, as we have explained above, the perpetrators of the stabbing are
those who held power before the Exile. This too may thus be a retrospective reflection
of the historical struggle between prophecy and the ruling establishment, a
struggle that will come to an end in the future age described here.
. . .
. . . the
prophet is not simply indulging in historical sentimentality. The very fact
that this stabbing holds such a powerful position in chapter 12, with the
subsequent morning developed through a series of similes and a subsequent Catalog
of Mourners, suggests that the prophet is motivated by what he is experiencing
in his own day, both personally and as a member of Yehudite society. As we have
suggested elsewhere, the recurrent theme of the tension between prophetic
groups—true and false prophets—surely indicates the prophet’s direct and probably
difficult involvement in the ongoing struggle. Here and in 13:2-6 he sees it
resolved: those who attempted to thwart prophecy in the past are remorseful and
mourn their wrongdoings, and any future false prophets that arise will be cut
down at their roots, so to speak-by their own parents. (Carol L. Meyers and Eric
M. Meyers, Zechariah 9-14: A New Translation with Introduction and
Commentary [AB 25C; New York: Doubleday, 1993], 337, 338, 339)