THE UNITY OF HAGGAI-ZECHARIAH-MALACHI

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These three books have been closely associated in the minds of many biblical scholars not only due to their proximity in the canon but also because of their common concerns and history. From a literary point of view, various relationships of a closer nature have been proposed for some or all of these scriptures. If one were to diagram all of the possible symmetrical couplings of these books, the following schemes would result:

1. Haggai                                         1. Haggai                                     1. Haggai 

1'. Zechariah I                                         2. Zechariah I                              2. Zechariah I

        2. Zechariah II                                 2'. Zechariah II                     1'. Zechariah II

        2'. Malachi                              1'. Malachi                                           2'. Malachi

        A                                                         B                                                  C

Much has been written concerning elements of the first two possibilities, but not about the third. The arguments that follow demonstrate that these books are actually intertwined in all three ways, as well as by other interlocking devices.

Scheme A

Haggai and Zechariah I

Stylistically, Zech. 1-8 and the book of Haggai are in places so similar that it is clear both books are intended to be read together. One indication of these books' literary unity is that the key introductory phrase “thus spoke Yahweh of Hosts” appears exactly 24 times in Haggai-Zech. I.  The most obvious unifying device used is the sequence of seven date markers, with none in Zech. II. The first sequences in each work are presented chiastically (month/day – day/month), and Darius' unique designation as hammelek in place of melek in these two verses also clearly marks out the first and last dates in the combined Hag-Zech. I corpus. Meyers and Meyers also discern the following pattern to all the dates in these books that “provide a structure for the work as a whole.”

A. Three separate dates (Hag. 1:1; 1:15; 2:1)

B. One repeated date (Hag. 2:10,20) for the temple re-foundation ceremony

A'. Three separate dates (Zech. 1:1; 1:7; 7:1)

Zechariah II and Malachi

The major evidence for connecting these units is the three opening formulas “oracle / word of Yahweh” occurring only at Zech. 9:1, 12:2 and Mal. 1:1. The idea that the name of God is (or will be) great in all the world is found at the end of Zech. II (14:9) and the beginning of Malachi (1:11,14). In addition, there are exactly seven appearances of the word “covenant” in Hag-Zech-Mal, all appearing in Zech. II and Malachi.

Scheme B

Haggai and Malachi

Little has been said in print regarding any direct connection of Haggai with Malachi. The word mal'ak, meaning an earthly messenger of Yahweh rather than angel, does appear in Hag. 1:13 and Mal. 2:7. Conversely, the only prophetic books besides Obadiah in which 'ap (“anger”) does not appear are Haggai and Malachi. 

Zechariah I and Zechariah II

Most evidence for the pattern of Scheme B relies on the parallels within the two parts of the canonical book of Zechariah.  Even among those who admit to at least two separate authors and a protracted period of composition for the book of Zechariah, some recognize the value of considering its present form. Computer analyses have been performed on linguistic features of Zech. 1-14, with conflicting results regarding its unity depending on the methodologies employed while others argue for a connection between chs. 1-8 and 9-14 based on a “shared rhetorical structure.” Some of the factors cited in favor of the unity of Zechariah are as follows:

a. The word “prophet” occurs exactly twelve times in the book and the vocative address ten times. There is a chiasm of sorts in some of these:

Zion (2:7)

daughter of Zion (2:10)

                                                daughter of Zion/Jerusalem (9:9)

Zion (9:13).

b. Echoes of Micah 4-5 have been detected in both Zech. I (3:10; 8:20-21) and Zech. II (9:9,10).

c. An interesting possible inclusio for Zech. I-II is formed by the similarly sounding words mesulla (“deep”) in 1:8 and mesilla(“bell”) in 14:20, both in conjunction with horses.

d. Zech. 1-6 and 12-14 have been characterized as apocalyptic in character. If so, this suggests the unified structure:

A. Apocalyptic (Zech. 1-6)

        B. Prophetic (Zech. 7-11)

A'. Apocalyptic (Zech. 12-14)

Scheme C

A review of the four individual structures of the books in question shows that, overall, they take the form of Scheme C if one pairs up those with similar organizing principles:

A. Haggai

Cycle 1 with 3 subunits

                        Cycle 2 with 3 subunits

B. Zechariah I

Introduction

Central chiasm

Conclusion

A'. Zechariah II

Cycle 1 with 3 subunits

                        Cycle 2 with 3 subunits

B'. Malachi

Introduction

Central chiasm

Conclusion

Additional Organizing Principles

One trait characterizing this compiled work is the frequent use of the phrase “Yahweh of Hosts,” comprising more than one-third of the usages in the entire OT. The introductory phrase “the word of Yahweh to” appears exactly 14 times, spanning Hag. 1 to Mal. 1. “Peace” occurs exactly seven times in Hag-Zech; “name” appears seven times in all Zechariah; and God's name is referenced ten times in Malachi.

The words “gold” and “silver,” separately or as a pair, occur 12 times in Hag.-Zech.-Mal, often in apocalyptic passages. If Zech. 9:3 is excluded due to its use of a different Hebrew word for gold, an elaborate interlocking literary pattern emerges:

                        Haggai:                        silver and gold (2:8)

Zechariah I:          gold (4:2) gold (2x) (4:12)

silver and gold (6:11)

Zechariah IIa:     silver (9:3) silver (2x) (11:12-13)

                        Zechariah IIb:             silver and gold (13:9)

gold and silver (14:14)

Malachi:                             silver (3:3a)

gold and silver (3:3b)

Central Role of Zechariah I

Zech. 1-8 provides important literary links between the books that precede and follow it in the canon. But these links are not evenly distributed within Zech. I. There are many references to Zech. II, but the only cross-references to Zech. I are to its introduction (1:1-6) and conclusion (chs. 7-8), none to the central Visions section. Zech. 1:1-6 similarly functions as a bridge between the Book of Haggai and the rest of Zechariah I. Haggai also has close structural similarities with Zech. 7:1-8:23.

One can thus argue that the apparent structural focus of these last three books in the Christian OT canon is at the center point of all three schemes we have examined, the border between Zech. I and Zech. II. At this key juncture, Zechariah 8:20-23, we learn that the ultimate reason for the building, founding and purification of the temple is to bring the Gentile nations to a true worshiping relationship with the one true God.