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Zechariah 2
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 2

Second Vision: The Four Horns and the Four Smiths. 1 I raised my eyes and looked and there were four horns.[a] 2 Then I asked the angel who spoke with me, “What are those?” He answered, “Those are the horns that scattered[b] Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”(A)

3 Then the Lord showed me four workmen.[c] 4 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” And the Lord said, “Those are the horns that scattered Judah, so that none could raise their heads any more;(B) and these have come to terrify them—to cut down the horns of the nations that raised their horns to scatter the land of Judah.”

Third Vision: The Man with the Measuring Cord. 5 I raised my eyes and looked, and there was a man with a measuring cord[d] in his hand.(C) 6 I asked, “Where are you going?” And he said, “To measure Jerusalem—to see how great its width is and how great its length.”

7 Then the angel who spoke with me advanced as another angel came out to meet him 8 and he said to the latter, “Run, speak to that official:[e] Jerusalem will be unwalled, because of the abundance of people and beasts in its midst.(D) 9 I will be an encircling wall of fire[f] for it—oracle of the Lord—and I will be the glory in its midst.”(E)

Expansion on the Themes of the First Three Visions. 10 Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north[g]—oracle of the Lord;—For like the four winds of heaven I have dispersed you—oracle of the Lord.(F) 11 Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell in daughter Babylon! 12 For thus says the Lord of hosts after the Lord’s glory had sent me, concerning the nations that have plundered you: Whoever strikes you strikes me directly in the eye.(G) 13 Now I wave my hand over them, and they become plunder for their own servants.(H) Thus you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 14 Sing and rejoice, daughter Zion! Now, I am coming to dwell in your midst—oracle of the Lord. 15 Many nations will bind themselves to the Lord on that day.(I) They will be my people,[h] and I will dwell in your midst. Then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 16 The Lord will inherit Judah(J) as his portion of the holy land,[i] and the Lord will again choose Jerusalem. 17 Silence, all people, in the presence of the Lord, who stirs forth from his holy dwelling.(K)

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 Four horns: symbols of the total political and military might of Judah’s imperial adversaries, probably representing Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia. The number four represents universality rather than any specific number of foes.
  2. 2:2 Scattered: sent part of the population into exile. This was standard imperial policy initiated in the ancient Near East by the Assyrians for dealing with a conquered state.
  3. 2:3 Four workmen: four agents of God’s power. The imagery follows that of four horns: the workers cut down, or make ineffectual, the horns, i.e., enemy.
  4. 2:5 Measuring cord: a string for measuring, as opposed to a builder’s string, 1:16.
  5. 2:8 That official: probably the man with the measuring cord of v. 5.
  6. 2:9 Encircling wall of fire: divine protection for an unwalled Jerusalem. Urban centers were generally walled, and Jerusalem’s walls were eventually rebuilt in the late fifth century B.C. (Neh 2:17–20).
  7. 2:10 Land of the north: refers to Babylon (v. 11), in a geographic rather than a political sense, as the place from which exiles will return. The designation is “north” because imperial invaders historically entered Palestine from that direction (see Jer 3:18; 23:8).
  8. 2:15 Many nations…my people: a way of expressing God’s relationship to people in covenant language. The covenant between God and Israel (see Jer 31:33; 32:38) is here universalized to include all nations.
  9. 2:16 The holy land: the Lord’s earthly territory, a designation found only rarely in the Old Testament.
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Zechariah 2
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Third Vision: The Man with a Measuring Line

2 [a] I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 Then I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” 3 Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it. 5 For I will be a wall of fire all around it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.”

Interlude: An Appeal to the Exiles

6 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. 7 Up! Escape to Zion, you that live with daughter Babylon. 8 For thus said the Lord of hosts (after his glory[b] sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.[c] 9 See now, I am going to raise[d] 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. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. 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.

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

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 Ch 2.5 in Heb
  2. Zechariah 2:8 Cn: Heb after glory he
  3. Zechariah 2:8 Heb his eye
  4. Zechariah 2:9 Or wave
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Zechariah 2
New American Standard Bible

God’s Favor to Zion

2 [a]Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a (A)measuring line in his hand. 2 So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To (B)measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” 3 And behold, the (C)angel who had been speaking with me was going out, and another angel was going out to meet him. 4 And he said to him, “Run, speak to that (D)young man there, saying, ‘(E)Jerusalem will be inhabited (F)as open country because of the (G)multitude of people and cattle within it. 5 But I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a (H)wall of fire to her on all sides, and I will be the (I)glory in her midst.’”

6 “[b]You there! (J)Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “because I have (K)spread you out like the four winds of the heavens,” declares the Lord. 7 “[c]You, Zion! (L)Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” 8 For the Lord of armies says this: “After (M)glory He has sent me against the nations that plunder you, for the one who touches you, touches the [d](N)apple of His eye. 9 For behold, I am going to (O)wave My hand over them so that they will be (P)plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of armies has sent Me. 10 (Q)Shout for joy and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will (R)dwell in your midst,” declares the Lord. 11 “And (S)many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day and will become My people. Then I will (T)dwell in your midst, and you will (U)know that the Lord of armies has sent Me to you. 12 And the Lord will [e](V)possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again (W)choose Jerusalem.

13 “[f](X)Be silent, all [g]mankind, before the Lord; for He has (Y)roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 Ch 2:5 in Heb
  2. Zechariah 2:6 Lit Hoy
  3. Zechariah 2:7 Lit Hoy
  4. Zechariah 2:8 Lit pupil
  5. Zechariah 2:12 Or inherit
  6. Zechariah 2:13 Lit Hush
  7. Zechariah 2:13 Lit flesh
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Zechariah 2
New International Version

A Man With a Measuring Line

2 [a]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”(A)

3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls(B) because of the great number(C) of people and animals in it.(D) 5 And I myself will be a wall(E) of fire(F) around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory(G) within.’(H)

6 “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered(I) you to the four winds of heaven,”(J) declares the Lord.(K)

7 “Come, Zion! Escape,(L) you who live in Daughter Babylon!”(M) 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye(N)— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[b](O) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.(P)

10 “Shout(Q) and be glad, Daughter Zion.(R) For I am coming,(S) and I will live among you,”(T) declares the Lord.(U) 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.(V) I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(W) 12 The Lord will inherit(X) Judah(Y) as his portion in the holy land and will again choose(Z) Jerusalem. 13 Be still(AA) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.(AB)”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:5-17.
  2. Zechariah 2:9 Or says after … eye: 9 “I … plunder them.”
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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