Zechariah 1:7-17
Expanded Bible
The Vision of the Horses
7 It was on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month [C February 15, 519 bc], which is the month of Shebat, in Darius’s second year as king [v. 1]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo.
8 During the night I had a vision. I saw a man ·riding [or sitting on] a red horse. He was standing among some myrtle trees in a ravine, with red, brown, and white horses behind him [Rev. 6].
9 I asked, “What are these, ·sir [or my lord]?”
The ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me answered, “I’ll show you what they are.”
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord ·sent [L sent to walk/patrol] through all the earth.”
11 Then they spoke to the ·Lord’s angel [or angel of the Lord; C an OT figure closely identified with the Lord himself; Gen. 16:11; 22:11–12], who was standing among the myrtle trees. They said, “We have ·gone [walked; patrolled] through all the earth, and [L look; T behold] everything is calm and quiet.”
12 Then the ·Lord’s angel [angel of the Lord; v. 11] asked, “Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], how long will ·it be before you show [L you withhold] mercy to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You have been angry with them for seventy years now.” 13 So the Lord answered the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, and his words were comforting and good.
14 Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking to me said to me, “Announce this: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘I ·have a strong love [am very jealous/zealous; Nah. 1:2] for Jerusalem. 15 And I am very angry with the nations that feel so ·safe [secure; at ease]. I was only a little angry at them, but they ·made things worse [added to/increased the calamity/disaster].’
16 “So this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy. My ·Temple [L house] will be rebuilt,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], ‘and the measuring line will be ·used to rebuild [L stretched out over] Jerusalem.’
17 “Also announce: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘My towns will ·be rich again [L overflow with prosperity]. The Lord will comfort Jerusalem again, and I will again choose Jerusalem.’”
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Zechariah 1:7-17
New American Standard Bible
Patrol of the Earth
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, that is, the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, [a]as follows: 8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a (A)red horse, and he was standing among the (B)myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, [b]sorrel, and (C)white horses behind him. 9 Then I said, “What are these, my (D)lord?” And the (E)angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.” 10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees responded and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to [c](F)patrol the earth.” 11 So they responded to the angel of the Lord who was (G)standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have [d]patrolled the earth, and behold, (H)all the earth is [e]still and quiet.”
12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord of armies, (I)how long will You (J)take no pity on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been (K)indignant for these (L)seventy years?” 13 And the Lord responded to the (M)angel who was speaking with me with [f]gracious words, (N)comforting words. 14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “(O)Proclaim, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “I am (P)exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. 15 But I am very (Q)angry with the nations who are (R)carefree; for while I was only a little angry, they [g](S)furthered the disaster.” 16 Therefore the Lord says this: “I will (T)return to Jerusalem with compassion; My (U)house will be built in it,” declares the Lord of armies, “and a measuring (V)line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’ 17 Again, proclaim, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “My (W)cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again (X)comfort Zion and again (Y)choose Jerusalem.”’”
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- Zechariah 1:7 Lit saying
- Zechariah 1:8 I.e., light reddish-brown
- Zechariah 1:10 Lit walk about through
- Zechariah 1:11 Lit walked about through
- Zechariah 1:11 Lit sitting
- Zechariah 1:13 Lit good
- Zechariah 1:15 Lit helped for evil
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