Zechariah 1:1-6
Legacy Standard Bible
Return to Me, Declares Yahweh
1 In the eighth month of the second year of (A)Darius, the word of [a]Yahweh came to (B)Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of (C)Iddo, saying, 2 “Yahweh was very (D)wrathful against your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “(E)Return to Me,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says Yahweh of hosts. 4 “Do not be (F)like your fathers, to whom the (G)former prophets called out, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “(H)Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did (I)not listen or give heed to Me,” declares Yahweh. 5 “Your (J)fathers, where are they? And the (K)prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My slaves the prophets, (L)overtake your fathers? Then they [b]returned and said, ‘(M)As Yahweh of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has done with us.’”’”
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- Zechariah 1:1 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
- Zechariah 1:6 Or repented
Zechariah 1:1-6
New English Translation
Introduction
1 In the eighth month of Darius’[a] second year,[b] the Lord’s message came to the prophet Zechariah,[c] son of Berechiah son of Iddo:
2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.[d] 3 Therefore say to the people:[e] The Lord of Heaven’s Armies[f] says, ‘Turn[g] to me,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘and I will turn to you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said, “Turn now from your evil wickedness.”’ But they would by no means obey me, says the Lord. 5 As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever? 6 But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers?[h] Then they paid attention[i] and confessed, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”
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- Zechariah 1:1 sn Darius is Darius Hystaspes, king of Persia from 522-486 b.c.
- Zechariah 1:1 sn The eighth month of Darius’ second year was late October—late November, 520 b.c., by the modern (Julian) calendar. This is two months later than the date of Haggai’s first message to the same community (cf. Hag 1:1).
- Zechariah 1:1 sn Both Ezra (5:1; 6:14) and Nehemiah (12:16) speak of Zechariah as a son of Iddo only. A probable explanation is that Zechariah’s actual father Berechiah had died and the prophet was raised by his grandfather Iddo. The “Zechariah son of Barachiah” of whom Jesus spoke (Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51) was probably the martyred prophet by that name who may have been a grandson of the priest Jehoiada (2 Chr 24:20-22).
- Zechariah 1:2 tn Heb “fathers” (so KJV, NAB); NIV “forefathers” (also in vv. 4, 5).
- Zechariah 1:3 tn Heb “to them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Zechariah 1:3 sn The epithet Lord of Heaven’s Armies occurs frequently as a divine title throughout Zechariah (53 times total). This name (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, yehvah tsevaʾot), traditionally translated “Lord of hosts” (so KJV, NAB, NASB; cf. NIV, NLT “Lord Almighty”; NCV, CEV “Lord All-Powerful”), emphasizes the majestic sovereignty of the Lord, an especially important concept in the postexilic world of great human empires and rulers. For a thorough study of the divine title, see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 123-57.
- Zechariah 1:3 tn The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv) is common in covenant contexts. To turn from the Lord is to break the covenant and to turn to him (i.e., to repent) is to renew the covenant relationship (cf. 2 Kgs 17:13).
- Zechariah 1:6 tc BHS suggests אֶתְכֶם (ʾetkhem, “you”) for the MT אֲבֹתֵיכֶם (ʾavotekhem, “your fathers”) to harmonize with v. 4. In v. 4 the ancestors would not turn but in v. 6 they appear to have done so. The subject in v. 6, however, is to be construed as Zechariah’s own listeners.
- Zechariah 1:6 tn Heb “they turned” (so ASV). Many English versions have “they repented” here; cf. CEV “they turned back to me.”
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