Zechariah 12:8 -- As HaElohim, As an Angel of Jehovah

In that day shall Jehovah defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God [ha elohim], as the angel of Jehovah before them. -- Zechariah 12:8, American Standard Version.

But [Jehovah] will protect the people in Jerusalem. Even the man who trips and falls will become a great soldier like David. And the men from David’s family will be like gods—like [Jehovah]’s own angel leading the people. -- Easy-to-Read Version; We have placed "[Jehovah]" where God's Holy Name appears in the Hebrew.

On that day Yahweh will defend those who live in Jerusalem so that even those who stumble will be like David, and David’s family will be like Elohim, like the Messenger of Yahweh ahead of them. -- Names of God Bible.

In that day, Jehovah will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like the mighty ones, like an angel of Jehovah before them. -- Restoration Light Improved Version.

In the Hebrew, there is no definite article attached to "angel". Translators add the definite article "the" before angel, thus making it appear to refer to one specific angel, based on the false teaching that there is only one "angel of Jehovah". Many would demand that this one angel is the prehuman Jesus. Many also mistakenly link "before them" to the angel spoken of in Exodus 23:20, which refers to an angel going ahead of the Israelites. Then, based on the imagined assumption that this angel is Jesus, they claim that the angel of Zechariah 12:8 is the Lord Jesus, who they usually claim to be God. They would evidently desire HaElohim to be speaking of an angel of Jehovah, although the scripture does not actually state what is being imagined and assumed. Indeed, we haven't found anything in any version of Zechariah 12:8 that calls any "angel of Jehovah" "God" (HaElohim). That thought has to read into what is stated. 

More than likely, however, HaElohim in Zechariah 12:8 is not referring to the Supreme Mighty One. It could be referring to kings, princes, in general as a class of mighty ones, "gods", similar to the way the KJV applies it in Exodus 21:6; 22:8,9,28. It is our conclusion that HaElohim in Zechariah 12:8 refers to angels, as in Psalm 8:5 (Hebrews 2:7). 

Benson states that it refers to "angels, as the word אלהים, Elohim, is rendered, Psalm 8:3". [Evidently this was meant to be Psalm 8:5] -- Benson Commentary on the Old and New Testaments.

The Hebrew does not have the linking verb, which many translations supply as "shall be" or "will be", which matches the context of "in that day", indicating the future.

With the above in mind, we believe the better rendering to the final part of the verse should be: "the house of David shall be as the mighty beings [ha elohim], as an angel of Jehovah before them." This could be seen as paralleling "an angel of Jehovah" as representative of the ELOHIM being referred to.

Many believe the house of David refers to those of old who had faith as spoken of in Hebrews 12. Antitypical, we believe it could be seen also as referring to the church, and David himself represents Jesus, as in Psalm 16:9-11 (Acts 2:25-36) and Ezekiel 34:23,24; 37:24 (John 10:11,14,16,29; Acts 3:15; 5:30), the head of the church. Every member of the church will indeed have to become like Jehovah, in God-like character. This includes all who belong to Jesus in this age (irrespective of what reward one receives), as well as the "other sheep" of the age to come. If the antitypical "house of David" is limited to Jesus and joint-heirs with him, every one of these will not only be like the mighty ones, like an angel of Jehovah who is before the house of David, but they will evidently be exalted with Jesus above these mighty angels of Jehovah, and be given all power with Jesus.

Regardless, there is no mention in this verse, or anywhere else in the Bible, of a triune God, or that the Son of God is his own God and Father. Jehovah is definitely not presented as being more than one person. 

Even if HaElohim is referring to Jehovah, it should not be understood as applying HaElohim with such a meaning to an angel of Jehovah. 

We certainly should not conclude that the house of David is actually an angel of Jehovah, but rather that the preposition, rendered as "as" or "like", designates that the house of David is to become like the ELOHIM (angels), that is, like an angel of Jehovah. The idea that the House of David is Jehovah, or a person of Jehovah, etc, certainly has to be imagined, assumed, added to, and read into what is stated. The same is true of the expression "angel of Jehovah".