Jerusalem Measured
A man measuring the width and breadth of Jerusalem is told of a multitude of people who will live there. Then he's told Yahvah will be in the middle of it. The number in the story points at the census counts of Israel and the camp arrangement with Yahvah in the middle.
Zechariah 2
FE 1I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
Zechariah 2:12I said to him, Where are you going? Zechariah 2:2aHe said to me, To measure Jerusalem to see what is its breadth and what is its length.
Zechariah 2:2b3The king who spoke with me went forth and another king came to meet him.
4He said to him, Run and say to that youth, Jerusalem will be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of the children of men and cattle in it.
5For I will be in the middle of her, says the Master, as a wall of fire around it and will be the glory in the middle of her.
Zechariah 2:3-56Ah. Ah. Flee from the land of the north, says the Master. For I have scattered you abroad as the 4 winds of the skies, says the Master.
Zechariah 2:67Deliver yourself Zion. Deliver yourself, you who live with the daughter of Babel.
8For, thus says the Master of hosts, after the glory he has sent me against the peoples who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.
9For I will stretch out my hand against them and their works will become plunder and you will know that the Master of hosts has sent me.
Zechariah 2:7-910Sing and rejoice daughter of Zion, for I will come and I will live in the middle of you, says the Master. I Isaiah 1:15
11Many peoples will follow the Master in that day and will be his people and he will live in the middle of you and you will know that the Master of hosts has sent me to you.
12The Master will inherit Judah his portion in his holy land and will be pleased with Jerusalem again.
13All flesh will be afraid of the Master, for he is watchful from his high and holy habitation. Zechariah 2:10-13 (Zechariah 2 BRB)
Count
4 = Numbers
Numbers
It's a meaningful, but curious, layering of ideas in scripture when the measure of a building or city is crossed with a count of people as happens here in Zechariah. Zechariah's use of this device is reinforced by the numeric cross reference to Numbers where a count of the people is a measure of the city.
FE 1The Master spoke with Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tent of time in the 1st day of the 2nd month in the 2nd year after the children of Israel came out of the land of Mizraim and said to him,
2Take a census of all the assembly of the children of Israel by their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls.
3From 20 years old and up, all who are able to go forth to war in Israel, you and Aaron your brother will number them, by their hosts. Numbers 1:1-15 (Numbers 1:1-3 BRB)
This passage in Zechariah also speaks repeatedly of the way Yahvah would be in the "middle" of Jerusalem. In Numbers this is seen in the arrangement of the camp of Israel into 4 winds, or compass points, around Yahvah's tent.
FE 1The Master spoke with Moses and with Aaron and said to them,
2Every man will camp by his own banner with the mark of the house of his father of the children of Israel around the tent of time.
Numbers 2:1-23Those who camp 1st toward the east will be of the banner of the camp of Judah according to their hosts and the head of the children of Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab.
4The number of his host was 74,600.
Numbers 2:3-45Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Issachar and the head of the children of Issachar Nethanel son of Zuar.
6The number of his host was 54,400.
Numbers 2:5-67Then will camp the tribe of Zebulun and the head of the children of Zebulun Eliab son of Helon.
8The number of his host was 57,400.
Numbers 2:7-89The total number of the camp of Judah was 186,400 throughout their hosts. They will march 1st.
Numbers 2:910On the south side will be the banner of the camp of Reuben according to their hosts and the head of the children of Reuben Elizur son of Shedeur.
11The number of his host was 46,500.
Numbers 2:10-1112Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Simeon and the head of the children of Simeon Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
13The number of his host was 59,300.
Numbers 2:12-1314Then will camp the tribe of Gad and the head of the children of Gad Eliasaph son of Reuel.
15The number of his host was 45,650.
Numbers 2:14-1516The total number of the camp of Reuben was 151,450 throughout their hosts. They will march second.
Numbers 2:1617Then the tent of time will march with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. As they camped so they will march every man by his banner.
Numbers 2:1718On the west side will be the banner of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts and the head of the children of Ephraim Elishama son of Ammihud.
19The number of his host was 40,500.
Numbers 2:18-1920Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Manasseh and the head of the children of Manasseh Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
21The number of his host was 32,200.
Numbers 2:20-2122Then will camp the tribe of Benjamin and the head of the children of Benjamin Abidan son of Gideoni.
23The number of his host was 35,400.
Numbers 2:22-2324The total number of the camp of Ephraim was 108,100 throughout their hosts. They will march third.
Numbers 2:2425The banner of the camp of Dan will be on the north side by their hosts and the head of the children of Dan Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
26The number of his host was 62,700.
Numbers 2:25-2627Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Asher and the head of the children of Asher Pagiel son of Ocran.
28The number of his host was 41,500.
Numbers 2:27-2829Then will camp the tribe of Naphtali and the head of the children of Naphtali Ahira son of Enan.
30The number of his host was 53,400.
Numbers 2:29-3031The total number of the camp of Dan was 157,600. They will march last with their banners. Numbers 2:31 (Numbers 2:1-31 BRB)
Yahvah also said through Zechariah that Jerusalem would be a city without walls because he would be around it like a wall of fire. This idea plays to the pillar of fire that protected and lead the Israelites on their journeys.