A Vision of a Horseman

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (A)Zechariah, the son of (B)Berechiah, son of (C)Iddo, saying, “I saw in the night, and behold, (D)a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were (E)red, sorrel, and white horses. Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ (F)The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So (G)the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, (H)‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to (I)patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered (J)the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, (K)‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth (L)remains at rest.’ 12 Then (M)the angel of the Lord said, (N)‘O Lord of hosts, (O)how long will you (P)have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these (Q)seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered (R)gracious and comforting words to (S)the angel who talked with me. 14 So (T)the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: (U)I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 (V)And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are (W)at ease; (X)for while I was angry but a little, (Y)they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, (Z)I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; (AA)my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and (AB)the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: (AC)My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, (AD)and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again (AE)choose Jerusalem.’”

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First night vision

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat[a]) in the second year of Darius, the Lord’s word came to Zechariah the prophet, Berechiah’s son and Iddo’s grandson:

Tonight I looked and saw a man riding on a red horse,
        which was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley;
        and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
I said, “What are these, sir?”
The messenger speaking with me said,
        “I will show you what they are.”
10 The man standing among the myrtles responded,
        “These are the ones the Lord sent to patrol the earth.”
11 Then they responded to the Lord’s messenger,
    who was standing among the myrtles,
        “We have patrolled the earth. The whole earth is peaceful and quiet.”
12 Then the Lord’s messenger, who was speaking with me, said:
    Lord of heavenly forces,
            how long will you withhold compassion from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah,
                with whom you have been angry these seventy years?”
13 The Lord responded to the messenger who was speaking with me
    with kind and compassionate words.
14 The messenger speaking with me called out,
    “This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says:
        I care passionately about Jerusalem and Zion.
15         And I am exceedingly angry with those carefree nations.
            Though I was somewhat angry, they added to the violence.”
16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
    I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion.
    My house will be built in it, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
    Let a measuring line be stretched over Jerusalem.
17 “Call out again,
    The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
        My cities will again overflow with prosperity.
            The Lord will again show compassion to Zion
                and will again choose Jerusalem.”

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 1:7 January–February