the man

December 28, 2017

The conversation about measuring Jerusalem (Zech 2:2-2:5)

“Then I said.

‘Where are you going?’

He answered me.

‘To measure Jerusalem!

To see what is its width!

To see what is its length!’

Then the angel,

Who talked with me,

Came forward.

Another angel

Also came forward

To meet him.

He said to him.

‘Run!

Say to that young man!

Jerusalem shall be inhabited

Like villages without walls,

Because of the multitude

Of people,

As well as animals

In it.’

‘I will be

A wall of fire

All around it.’

Says Yahweh.

‘I will be the glory

within it.’”

Zechariah then questioned the man with the measuring cord in his hand.  He responded that he was going to measure Jerusalem to find out its width and length.  The angel that had been talking to Zechariah heard from another angel that the new Jerusalem would not need walls, because so many people and animals would be there.  Instead, Yahweh would provide protection with a wall of fire all around it, like a ring of fire.  Yahweh was going to bring glory to Jerusalem, because he was going to bring his glory to Jerusalem.

February 23, 2015

How much should they give Raphael? (Tob 12:1-12:5)

“When the wedding celebration was ended, Tobit called his son Tobias.

‘My child,

See to the paying the wages of the man who went with you.

Give him a bonus as well!’

He replied.

‘Father, how much shall I pay him?

It would do no harm to give him half of the possession

That I brought back with me.

He has led me back to you safely.

He cured my wife.

He brought the money back with me.

He also healed you.

How much extra shall I give him as a bonus?’

Tobit said.

‘He deserves,

My child,

To receive half of all that he brought back.’

So Tobias called him.

‘Take for your wages half of all that you two brought back.

Farewell!’”

After the big celebration, Tobit called his son aside and asked him if he had paid the man who went with him. They both agreed that he should be paid a bonus. However, Tobias wanted to know how much he should pay him. He wanted to give him half of all the possessions he had brought back with him. After all, he had done a lot. Besides bringing him back safely, he also cured his wife, and his father, as well as got the money from Rages. Then Tobit agreed to give him half of what had come back to the house. Tobit called Raphael and told him to take half the possessions. Then he simply said “farewell.”