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The Vision of the Measuring Line

In another vision I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. “Where are you going?” I asked.

“To measure Jerusalem,” he answered, “to see how long and how wide it is.”

Then I saw the angel who had been speaking to me step forward, and another angel came to meet him. The first one said to the other, “Run and tell that young man with the measuring line that there are going to be so many people and so much livestock in Jerusalem that it will be too big to have walls. The Lord has promised that he himself will be a wall of fire around the city to protect it and that he will live there in all his glory.”

The Exiles Are Called to Come Home

6-7 The Lord said to his people, “I scattered you in all directions. But now, you exiles, escape from Babylonia and return to Jerusalem. Anyone who strikes you strikes what is most precious to me.”

So the Lord Almighty[a] sent me with this message for the nations that had plundered his people: “The Lord himself will fight against you, and you will be plundered by the people who were once your servants.”

When this happens, everyone will know that the Lord Almighty sent me.

10 The Lord said, “Sing for joy, people of Jerusalem! I am coming to live among you!”

11 At that time many nations will come to the Lord and become his people. He will live among you, and you will know that he has sent me to you. 12 Once again Judah will be the special possession of the Lord in his sacred land, and Jerusalem will be the city he loves most of all.

13 Be silent, everyone, in the presence of the Lord, for he is coming from his holy dwelling place.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:8 Hebrew has two additional words, the meaning of which is unclear.

Third Vision: The Man with a Measuring Line

[a]I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.(A) Then I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.”(B) Then the angel who spoke with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like unwalled villages because of the multitude of people and animals in it.(C) For I will be a wall of fire all around it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.”(D)

Interlude: An Appeal to the Exiles

Up, up! Flee from the land of the north, says the Lord, for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven, says the Lord.(E) Up! Escape to Zion, you who live with daughter Babylon. For thus said the Lord of hosts after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.[b](F) For I am going to raise[c] my hand against them, and they shall become plunder for their own slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me.(G) 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord.(H) 11 Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day and shall be my people, and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.(I)

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

Footnotes

  1. 2.1 2.5 in Heb
  2. 2.8 Heb his eye
  3. 2.9 Or wave

(1:18) Then I looked up and saw four horns. (1:19) I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Y’hudah, Isra’el and Yerushalayim.”

(1:20) Next, Adonai showed me four artisans. (1:21) I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “Those horns that scattered Y’hudah so completely that no one could even raise his head — well, these men have come to terrify them, to overthrow the nations that raised their horns against the land of Y’hudah to scatter it.”

(1) I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. (2) I asked, “Where are you going?” He said to me, “To measure Yerushalayim, to determine its width and length.”

(3) Here the angel who was speaking to me went forward, and another angel went out, met him (4) and said to him, “Run and tell this young man, ‘Yerushalayim will be inhabited without walls, because there will be so many people and animals; (5) “for,” says Adonai, “I will be for her a wall of fire surrounding her; and I will be the glory within her. 10 (6) Up!” says Adonai, “Move! Flee the land of the north! For I scattered you like the four winds of the sky,” says Adonai. 11 (7) “Move, Tziyon! You who are living with the daughter of Bavel, escape!” 12 (8) For Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me on a glorious mission to the nations that plundered you, and this is what he says: “Anyone who injures you injures the very pupil of my eye. 13 (9) But I will shake my hand over them, and they will be plundered by those who were formerly their slaves.” Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot sent me. 14 (10) “Sing, daughter of Tziyon; rejoice! For, here, I am coming; and I will live among you,” says Adonai. 15 (11) When that time comes, many nations will join themselves to Adonai. “They will be my people, and I will live among you.” Then you will know that it was Adonai-Tzva’ot who sent me to you. 16 (12) Adonai will take possession of Y’hudah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again make Yerushalayim his choice. 17 (13) Be silent, all humanity, before Adonai; for he has been roused from his holy dwelling.’”