呼喚人民歸向耶和華

大流士王二年八月,耶和華對易多的孫子、比利迦的兒子撒迦利亞先知說: 「耶和華曾對你們的祖先大發怒氣。 因此,你要告訴百姓,萬軍之耶和華說,『你們要歸向我,我就回到你們那裡。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 不要像你們的祖先一樣。以前的先知曾呼喚他們要聽從萬軍之耶和華的話,改邪歸正,停止作惡,他們卻置若罔聞,不予理會。這是耶和華說的。 現在你們的祖先在哪裡呢?那些先知能活到永遠嗎? 然而,我吩咐我僕人——眾先知的訓言和律例豈不應驗在你們祖先的頭上了嗎?後來他們悔改了,說,萬軍之耶和華按著我們的所作所為報應了我們,正如祂所言。』」

有關騎士的異象

大流士王二年十一月,即細罷特月二十四日,耶和華的話傳給了易多的孫子、比利迦的兒子撒迦利亞先知。 我在夜間看到異象,見有人騎著一匹紅馬,站在谷中的番石榴樹林間,後面有紅馬、棕馬和白馬騎士。 我就問:「主啊,這是什麼意思?」那位跟我說話的天使說:「我會告訴你這是什麼意思。」 10 站在番石榴樹林間的那位對我說:「這些是耶和華派來巡視大地的。」 11 其他騎士向站在番石榴樹林間的那位耶和華的天使報告說:「我們已經巡視了大地,到處都安寧平靜。」

12 耶和華的天使說:「萬軍之耶和華啊,你向耶路撒冷和猶大的城邑發怒已經七十年了,還要多久你才會憐憫他們呢?」 13 耶和華用仁慈、安慰的話回答那位與我說話的天使。

14 那位天使對我說:「你要宣告,萬軍之耶和華說,『我對耶路撒冷,對錫安充滿了火熱的愛。 15 我對安逸的列國充滿憤怒,因為我只是對我的子民稍微不滿,列國卻大肆禍害他們。』 16 因此,耶和華說,『我必懷著憐憫的心回到耶路撒冷,我的殿必在那裡重建,必有準繩丈量耶路撒冷。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。』 17 你還要宣告,萬軍之耶和華說,『我的城邑必再次繁榮昌盛,耶和華必再次安慰錫安,揀選耶路撒冷。』」

有關角和工匠的異象

18 我又舉目觀看,見有四個角。 19 於是,我問與我說話的天使:「這是什麼?」他回答說:「這些是驅散猶大、以色列和耶路撒冷的角。」 20 耶和華又讓我看見四個工匠。 21 於是我問:「他們來做什麼?」他說:「這些角驅散了猶大,以致無人能抬頭,但這些工匠是來威嚇列國,並打掉他們用來攻擊和驅散猶大的角。」

The Lord Calls His People Back

In the eighth month [C October/November on our calendar; the Hebrew month of Cheshvan] of the second year Darius was king [C 520 bc; Darius was king of Persia 522–486 bc], the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo [C a priestly family; Neh. 12:4, 16]. The Lord said, “The Lord was very angry with your ·ancestors [fathers]. So tell the people: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. Don’t be like your ·ancestors [fathers]. ·In the past the [The former/earlier] prophets said to them: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘·Stop [Turn from] your evil ways and evil actions.’ But they wouldn’t listen or pay attention to me, says the Lord. Your ·ancestors [fathers] ·are dead [L where are they…?], and those prophets ·didn’t [L do they…?] live forever. I commanded my words and ·laws [statutes] to my servants the prophets, and ·they preached to [or they came true to; L did they not overtake…?] your ·ancestors [fathers], who returned to me. They said, ‘The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] did as he ·said he would [determined to do]. He punished us for ·the way we lived and for what we did [L our ways and deeds].’”

The Vision of the Horses

It was on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month [C February 15, 519 bc], which is the month of Shebat, in Darius’s second year as king [v. 1]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo.

During the night I had a vision. I saw a man ·riding [or sitting on] a red horse. He was standing among some myrtle trees in a ravine, with red, brown, and white horses behind him [Rev. 6].

I asked, “What are these, ·sir [or my lord]?”

The ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me answered, “I’ll show you what they are.”

10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord ·sent [L sent to walk/patrol] through all the earth.”

11 Then they spoke to the ·Lord’s angel [or angel of the Lord; C an OT figure closely identified with the Lord himself; Gen. 16:11; 22:11–12], who was standing among the myrtle trees. They said, “We have ·gone [walked; patrolled] through all the earth, and [L look; T behold] everything is calm and quiet.”

12 Then the ·Lord’s angel [angel of the Lord; v. 11] asked, “Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], how long will ·it be before you show [L you withhold] mercy to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You have been angry with them for seventy years now.” 13 So the Lord answered the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, and his words were comforting and good.

14 Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking to me said to me, “Announce this: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘I ·have a strong love [am very jealous/zealous; Nah. 1:2] for Jerusalem. 15 And I am very angry with the nations that feel so ·safe [secure; at ease]. I was only a little angry at them, but they ·made things worse [added to/increased the calamity/disaster].’

16 “So this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy. My ·Temple [L house] will be rebuilt,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], ‘and the measuring line will be ·used to rebuild [L stretched out over] Jerusalem.’

17 “Also announce: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘My towns will ·be rich again [L overflow with prosperity]. The Lord will comfort Jerusalem again, and I will again choose Jerusalem.’”

The Vision of the Horns

18 Then I looked up and saw four ·animal horns [L horns; C animal horns symbolized strength]. 19 I asked the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, “What are these?”

He said, “These are the horns that scattered the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

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

He answered, “They have come to ·scare [terrify] and throw down the horns. These horns scattered the people of Judah so that no one could even lift up his head. These horns stand for the nations that ·attacked [L lifted up their horns against] the people of Judah and scattered them.”