A Vision of a Man with a Measuring Line

[a] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, (A)a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, (B)“To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And behold, (C)the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, (D)‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited (E)as villages without walls, because of (F)the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her (G)a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

Up! Up! (H)Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have (I)spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. (J)Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me[b] to the nations who plundered you, (K)for he who touches you touches (L)the apple of his eye: “Behold, (M)I will shake my hand over them, (N)and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then (O)you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 10 (P)Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for (Q)behold, I come (R)and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 11 (S)And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. (T)And I will dwell in your midst, and (U)you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 12 (V)And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again (W)choose Jerusalem.”

13 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 Ch 2:5 in Hebrew
  2. Zechariah 2:8 Or he sent me after glory

The Vision of the Measuring Line

[a]Then I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going?”

He responded, “To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and length.”

Look! That angel who was talking to me left, and another angel came forward to meet him. That other angel told him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be an inhabited city without walls due to the number of people and livestock within it. I myself will be an encircling rampart of fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be the glory in her midst.’

“‘Come now! Come now! Flee from the land of the north,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I have dispersed you like the four winds of heaven,’ declares the Lord.

“‘Come now, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the residents of Babylon. For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “In pursuit of glory I was sent to the nations who plundered you, because whoever injures you injures the pupil of my eye. And look, I will shake my fist over them, and they will become plunder for their former[b] slaves. And you will know that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies sent me.”’”

The Lord will Live in Zion

10 “Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion! Take note! I am coming to live in your midst,” declares the Lord. 11 “Many nations will cling to the Lord at that time[c] and will become my people. I will live in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will take possession of Judah as his own property in the Holy Land—and he will choose Jerusalem again. 13 Be silent, every living thing, in the presence of the Lord, because he is emerging[d] from his Holy Place.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 This v. is 2:5 in MT, and so throughout the chapter
  2. Zechariah 2:9 The Heb. lacks former
  3. Zechariah 2:11 Lit. day
  4. Zechariah 2:13 Lit. awakened