A Call to Repentance

In the eighth month of the second year of (A)Darius, the word of the Lord came to (B)Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of (C)Iddo saying, “The Lord was very (D)angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(E)Return to Me,” declares the Lord of armies, “[a]that I may return to you,” says the Lord of armies. “Do not be (F)like your fathers, to whom the (G)former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(H)Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did (I)not listen or pay attention to Me,” declares the Lord. “Your (J)fathers, where are they? And the (K)prophets, do they live forever? But did My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, not [b](L)overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘(M)Just as the Lord of armies planned to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”’”

Patrol of the Earth

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, that is, the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, [c]as follows: I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a (N)red horse, and he was standing among the (O)myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, [d]sorrel, and (P)white horses behind him. Then I said, “What are these, my (Q)lord?” And the (R)angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.” 10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees responded and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to [e](S)patrol the earth.” 11 So they responded to the angel of the Lord who was (T)standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have [f]patrolled the earth, and behold, (U)all the earth is [g]still and quiet.”

12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord of armies, (V)how long will You (W)take no pity on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been (X)indignant for these (Y)seventy years?” 13 And the Lord responded to the (Z)angel who was speaking with me with [h]gracious words, (AA)comforting words. 14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “(AB)Proclaim, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “I am (AC)exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. 15 But I am very (AD)angry with the nations who are (AE)carefree; for while I was only a little angry, they [i](AF)furthered the disaster.” 16 Therefore the Lord says this: “I will (AG)return to Jerusalem with compassion; My (AH)house will be built in it,” declares the Lord of armies, “and a measuring (AI)line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’ 17 Again, proclaim, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “My (AJ)cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again (AK)comfort Zion and again (AL)choose Jerusalem.”’”

18 [j]Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns. 19 So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the (AM)horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four (AN)craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the (AO)horns that have scattered Judah so that no one lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to frighten them, to (AP)throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 1:3 Or and I will
  2. Zechariah 1:6 Or reach
  3. Zechariah 1:7 Lit saying
  4. Zechariah 1:8 I.e., light reddish-brown
  5. Zechariah 1:10 Lit walk about through
  6. Zechariah 1:11 Lit walked about through
  7. Zechariah 1:11 Lit sitting
  8. Zechariah 1:13 Lit good
  9. Zechariah 1:15 Lit helped for evil
  10. Zechariah 1:18 Ch 2:1 in Heb

A Call to Return to the Lord

In the eighth month, (A)in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (B)Zechariah, the son of (C)Berechiah, son of (D)Iddo, saying, (E)“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: (F)Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and (G)I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. (H)Do not be like your fathers, (I)to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, (J)Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But (K)they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? And (L)the prophets, do they live forever? (M)But my words and my statutes, which I commanded (N)my servants the prophets, did they not (O)overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, (P)‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for (Q)our ways and (R)deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”

A Vision of a Horseman

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (S)Zechariah, the son of (T)Berechiah, son of (U)Iddo, saying, “I saw in the night, and behold, (V)a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were (W)red, sorrel, and white horses. Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ (X)The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So (Y)the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, (Z)‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to (AA)patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered (AB)the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, (AC)‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth (AD)remains at rest.’ 12 Then (AE)the angel of the Lord said, (AF)‘O Lord of hosts, (AG)how long will you (AH)have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these (AI)seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered (AJ)gracious and comforting words to (AK)the angel who talked with me. 14 So (AL)the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: (AM)I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 (AN)And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are (AO)at ease; (AP)for while I was angry but a little, (AQ)they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, (AR)I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; (AS)my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and (AT)the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: (AU)My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, (AV)and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again (AW)choose Jerusalem.’”

A Vision of Horns and Craftsmen

18 [a] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, (AX)four horns! 19 And I said to (AY)the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, (AZ)“These are the 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?” He said, (BA)“These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come (BB)to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations (BC)who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 1:18 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew