Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Adonai came to the prophet Zechariah^[a], son of Berechiah son of Iddo, saying:

² “Adonai has been furious with your fathers. ³ Therefore tell them, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, ‘Return to Me’^[b]—it is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot—‘and I will return to you,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot. ⁴ Do not be like your fathers to whom the former prophets cried out saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, ‘Turn back now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me.’ It is a declaration of Adonai.

⁵ “Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ But My words and My decrees, which I commanded My servants the prophets—did they not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said ‘As He determined, Adonai-Tzva’ot has dealt with us according to our ways and our deeds.’”

Among the Myrtle Trees

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shevat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Adonai came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying: ⁸ “In the night I saw, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse was standing among the myrtle trees that were in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel and white horses.^[c]

⁹ Then I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’

Now the angel speaking with me said to me, ‘I will show you what these are.’

¹⁰ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are the ones Adonai has sent to walk back and forth throughout the earth.’

¹¹ They answered the angel of Adonai who stood among the myrtle trees saying, ‘We have walked throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth sits quietly and is still.’

¹² Then the angel of Adonai answered and said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot, how long will You withhold compassion on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah with whom You have been angry for 70 years?’ ¹³ Adonai answered the angel who was speaking to me with pleasant, comforting words.

¹⁴ Then the angel speaking to me said, ‘Cry out saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “I am exceedingly zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion ¹⁵ and I am infuriated with the haughty nations. I was a little angry with them, but they furthered their own calamity.”

¹⁶ “Therefore,” thus says Adonai, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion. My House will be built there,” declares Adonai-Tzva’ot “and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ¹⁷ Again cry out, saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity and Adonai will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem.’”^[d]

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

2 Then I lifted up my eyes and behold, I saw four horns! ² I said to the angel speaking with me, ‘What are these?’

He said to me, ‘These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’

³ Then Adonai showed me four craftsmen. ⁴ I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?’

He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could raise his head, but the craftsmen have come to frighten them, to cast down the horns of the nations that have lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.’

Measuring Jerusalem

⁵ I lifted up my eyes—and behold, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. ^{[a] 6} I asked, ‘Where are you going?’

He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is.’^[b]

⁷ Then behold, the angel speaking with me left and another angel went out to meet him, ⁸ saying to him, ‘Run, speak to this young man saying: “Jerusalem will be inhabited as a village without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. ⁹ For I”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“will be a wall of fire around it and I will be the glory inside it. ¹⁰ Oy, oy! Flee from the land of the north”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“because I scattered you like the four winds of heaven”—it is a declaration of Adonai. ¹¹ “Oy, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.”

¹² “For thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, He has sent me after glory to the nations that plundered you—because whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye— ¹³ ‘For behold, I will shake My hand against them and they will be plunder to their servants.’ Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me.

¹⁴ “‘Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will live among you’^[c]—it is a declaration of Adonai. ¹⁵ ‘In that day many nations will join themselves to Adonai and they will be My people and I will dwell among you.’ Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me to you. ¹⁶ Adonai will inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land and will once again choose Jerusalem. ¹⁷ Be silent before Adonai, all flesh, for He has aroused Himself from His holy dwelling.”