A Call to Repentance(A)

In the eighth month (B)of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came (C)to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of (D)Iddo the prophet, saying, “The Lord has been very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return (E)to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “Do not be like your fathers, (F)to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: (G)“Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord.

“Your fathers, where are they?
And the prophets, do they live forever?
Yet surely (H)My words and My statutes,
Which I commanded My servants the prophets,
Did they not overtake your fathers?

“So they returned and said:

(I)‘Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us,
According to our ways and according to our deeds,
So He has dealt with us.’ ” ’ ”

Vision of the Horses

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet: I saw by night, and behold, (J)a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were (K)horses: red, sorrel, and white. Then I said, (L)“My lord, what are these?” So the angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what they are.

10 And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, (M)“These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.”

11 (N)So they answered the Angel of the Lord, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is [a]resting quietly.”

The Lord Will Comfort Zion

12 Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said, “O Lord of hosts, (O)how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry (P)these seventy years?”

13 And the Lord answered the angel who talked to me, with (Q)good and comforting words. 14 So the angel who spoke with me said to me, [b]“Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“I am (R)zealous[c] for Jerusalem
And for Zion with great [d]zeal.
15 I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease;
For (S)I was a little angry,
And they helped—but with evil intent.

16 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord:

(T)“I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy;
My (U)house (V)shall be built in it,” says the Lord of hosts,
“And (W)a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ’

17 “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“My cities shall again [e]spread out through prosperity;
(X)The Lord will again comfort Zion,
And (Y)will again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ”

Vision of the Horns

18 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four (Z)horns. 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?”

So he answered me, (AA)“These are the [f]horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?”

So he said, “These are the (AB)horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but [g]the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that (AC)lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Vision of the Measuring Line

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, (AD)a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?”

And he said to me, (AE)“To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: (AF)‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be (AG)a wall of fire all around her, (AH)and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”

Future Joy of Zion and Many Nations

“Up, up! Flee (AI)from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have (AJ)spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. “Up, Zion! (AK)Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.”

For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who (AL)touches you touches the [h]apple of His eye. For surely I will (AM)shake My hand against them, and they shall become [i]spoil for their servants. Then (AN)you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.

10 (AO)“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I (AP)will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 (AQ)“Many nations shall be joined to the Lord (AR)in that day, and they shall become (AS)My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then (AT)you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. 12 And the Lord will (AU)take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 (AV)Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused (AW)from His holy habitation!”

Vision of the High Priest

Then he showed me (AX)Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and (AY)Satan[j] standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, (AZ)“The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who (BA)has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! (BB)Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

Now Joshua was clothed with (BC)filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, (BD)and I will clothe you with rich robes.”

And I said, “Let them put a clean (BE)turban on his head.”

So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

The Coming Branch

Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will (BF)keep My command,
Then you shall also (BG)judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts;
I will give you places to walk
Among these who (BH)stand here.

‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you,
For they are (BI)a[k] wondrous sign;
For behold, I am bringing forth (BJ)My Servant the (BK)BRANCH.
For behold, the stone
That I have laid before Joshua:
(BL)Upon the stone are (BM)seven eyes.
Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘And (BN)I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 (BO)In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts,
‘Everyone will invite his neighbor
(BP)Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 1:11 Lit. sitting and quiet
  2. Zechariah 1:14 Lit. Cry out
  3. Zechariah 1:14 Or jealous
  4. Zechariah 1:14 Or jealousy
  5. Zechariah 1:17 Or overflow with good
  6. Zechariah 1:19 Kingdoms or powers
  7. Zechariah 1:21 Lit. these
  8. Zechariah 2:8 Lit. pupil
  9. Zechariah 2:9 booty or plunder
  10. Zechariah 3:1 Lit. the Adversary
  11. Zechariah 3:8 Lit. men of a sign or wonder

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