God’s Favor to Zion

[a]Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a (A)measuring line in his hand. 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.” And behold, the (C)angel who had been speaking with me was going out, and another angel was going out to meet him. 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. 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.’”

[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. [c]You, Zion! (L)Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” 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. 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

And I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold a man, with a measuring line in his hand.

And I said: Whither goest thou? and he said to me: To measure Jerusalem, and to see how great is the breadth thereof, and how great the length thereof.

And behold the angel that spoke in me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him.

And he said to him: Run, speak to this young man, saying: Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls, by reason of the multitude of men, and of the beasts in the midst thereof.

And I will be to it, saith the Lord, a wall of fire round about: and I will be in glory in the midst thereof.

O, O flee ye out of the land of the north, saith the Lord, for I have scattered you into the four winds of heaven, saith the Lord.

O Sion, flee, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon:

For thus saith the Lord of hosts: After the glory he hath sent me to the nations that have robbed you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye:

For behold I lift up my hand upon them, and they shall be a prey to those that served them: and you shall know that the Lord of hosts sent me.

10 Sing praise, and rejoice, O daughter of Sion: for behold I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: saith the Lord.

11 And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me to thee.

12 And the Lord shall possess Juda his portion in the sanctified land: and he shall yet choose Jerusalem.

13 Let all flesh be silent at the presence of the Lord: for he is risen up out of his. holy habitation.

Third Vision: The Man with the Tape Measure

1-5 I looked up and was surprised to see
    a man holding a tape measure in his hand.
I said, “What are you up to?”
    “I’m on my way,” he said, “to survey Jerusalem,
    to measure its width and length.”
Just then the Messenger-Angel on his way out
    met another angel coming in and said,
“Run! Tell the Surveyor, ‘Jerusalem will burst its walls—
    bursting with people, bursting with animals.
And I’ll be right there with her’—God’s Decree—‘a wall of fire
    around unwalled Jerusalem and a radiant presence within.’”

* * *

6-7 “Up on your feet! Get out of there—and now!” God says so.
    “Return from your far exile.
I scattered you to the four winds.” God’s Decree.
    “Escape from Babylon, Zion, and come home—now!”

* * *

8-9 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the One of Glory who sent me on my mission, commenting on the godless nations who stripped you and left you homeless, said, “Anyone who hits you, hits me—bloodies my nose, blackens my eye. Yes, and at the right time I’ll give the signal and they’ll be stripped and thrown out by their own servants.” Then you’ll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission.

* * *

10 “Shout and celebrate, Daughter of Zion!
    I’m on my way. I’m moving into your neighborhood!”
        God’s Decree.

* * *

11-12 Many godless nations will be linked up with God at that time. (“They will become my family! I’ll live in their homes!”) And then you’ll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission. God will reclaim his Judah inheritance in the Holy Land. He’ll again make clear that Jerusalem is his choice.

* * *

13 Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something’s afoot in his holy house. He’s on the move!