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Zechariah 1:1-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Zechariah 1:1-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 1
Call for Obedience. 1 In the second year of Darius,[a] in the eighth month, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: 2 The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.[b](A) 3 Say to them: Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return to me—oracle of the Lord[c] of hosts—and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your ancestors to whom the earlier prophets[d] proclaimed: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Turn from your evil ways and from your wicked deeds.(B) But they did not listen or pay attention to me(C)—oracle of the Lord.— 5 Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, can they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, with which I charged my servants the prophets, did these not overtake your ancestors?(D) Then they repented[e] and admitted: “Just as the Lord of hosts intended to treat us according to our ways and deeds, so the Lord has done.”
First Vision: Horses Patrolling the Earth.(E)
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- 1:1 Darius: Darius I, emperor of Persia from 522 to 486 B.C. The second year…eighth month: October/November 520 B.C., i.e., prior to the latest date in Haggai (Dec. 18, 520 B.C., Hg 2:10). Unlike other prophets, Haggai and Zechariah 1–8 contain specific chronological information, probably because they were sensitive to the imminent end of the expected seventy years of exile. See note on Zec 1:12.
- 1:2 Your ancestors: refers to the preexilic people of Judah, who were subjected to Babylonian destruction and exile.
- 1:3 Oracle of the Lord: a phrase used extensively in prophetic books to indicate divine speech.
- 1:4 Earlier prophets: preexilic prophets of the Lord. There are many allusions to them in Zechariah, indicating their influence on the postexilic community (see 7:7, 12).
- 1:6 Repented: the Hebrew word shub literally means “turn back.” This term is often used to speak of repentance as a return to the covenantal relationship between Israel and the Lord.
Zechariah 1:1-6
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Zechariah 1:1-6
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Israel Urged to Repent
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Dari′us, the word of the Lord came to Zechari′ah the son of Berechi′ah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or heed me, says the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.”
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Zechariah 1:1-6
Good News Translation
Zechariah 1:1-6
Good News Translation
The Lord Calls His People to Return to Him
1 (A)In the eighth month of the second year that Darius was emperor of Persia, the Lord gave this message to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo. 2 The Lord Almighty told Zechariah to say to the people, “I, the Lord, was very angry with your ancestors, 3 but now I say to you, ‘Return to me, and I will return to you. 4 Do not be like your ancestors. Long ago the prophets gave them my message, telling them not to live evil, sinful lives any longer. But they would not listen to me or obey me. 5 Your ancestors and those prophets are no longer alive. 6 Through my servants the prophets I gave your ancestors commands and warnings, but they disregarded them and suffered the consequences. Then they repented and acknowledged that I, the Lord Almighty, had punished them as they deserved and as I had determined to do.’”
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Zechariah 1:1-6
New American Standard Bible
Zechariah 1:1-6
New American Standard Bible
A Call to Repentance
1 In the eighth month of the second year of (A)Darius, the word of the Lord came to (B)Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of (C)Iddo saying, 2 “The Lord was very (D)angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(E)Return to Me,” declares the Lord of armies, “[a]that I may return to you,” says the Lord of armies. 4 “Do not be (F)like your fathers, to whom the (G)former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(H)Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did (I)not listen or pay attention to Me,” declares the Lord. 5 “Your (J)fathers, where are they? And the (K)prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, not [b](L)overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘(M)Just as the Lord of armies planned to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”’”
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- Zechariah 1:3 Or and I will
- Zechariah 1:6 Or reach
Zechariah 1:1-6
New International Version
Zechariah 1:1-6
New International Version
A Call to Return to the Lord
1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah(B) son of Berekiah,(C) the son of Iddo:(D)
2 “The Lord was very angry(E) with your ancestors. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return(F) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’(G) says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors,(H) to whom the earlier prophets(I) proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways(J) and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me,(K) declares the Lord.(L) 5 Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not my words(M) and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?(N)
“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve,(O) just as he determined to do.’”(P)
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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