Paragraph 1:63–66

1:63a

In this verse Zechariah wrote on a writing tablet. The text does not state explicitly that someone brought him the tablet, but it is implied. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

⌊Someone brought him the tablet,⌋ and ⌊then⌋

Zechariah asked for a tablet: The verb asked for here means “indicated that he wanted.” Zechariah showed his visitors that he wanted something to write on. He could not yet talk, so he motioned, probably with his hands, to show that he wanted to write something.

tablet: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as tablet refers to a small wooden board that someone had covered with wax. People could write by making marks in the wax with a pointed object that was shaped like a pen.

1:63b

And they were all amazed: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they were all amazed means “all the people ⌊who saw what Zechariah wrote⌋ were amazed.” The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as amazed also occurs in 1:21. See the note in 1:21b on “wondering why he took so long in the temple.”

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