Chronological
Return to the Lord
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Adonai came to the prophet Zechariah[a], son of Berechiah son of Iddo, saying:
2 “Adonai has been furious with your fathers. 3 Therefore tell them, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, ‘Return to Me’[b]—it is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot—‘and I will return to you,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot. 4 Do not be like your fathers to whom the former prophets cried out saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, ‘Turn back now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me.’ It is a declaration of Adonai.
5 “Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But My words and My decrees, which I commanded My servants the prophets—did they not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said ‘As He determined, Adonai-Tzva’ot has dealt with us according to our ways and our deeds.’”
Among the Myrtle Trees
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shevat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Adonai came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying: 8 “In the night I saw, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse was standing among the myrtle trees that were in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel and white horses.[c]
9 Then I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’
Now the angel speaking with me said to me, ‘I will show you what these are.’
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are the ones Adonai has sent to walk back and forth throughout the earth.’
11 They answered the angel of Adonai who stood among the myrtle trees saying, ‘We have walked throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth sits quietly and is still.’
12 Then the angel of Adonai answered and said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot, how long will You withhold compassion on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah with whom You have been angry for 70 years?’ 13 Adonai answered the angel who was speaking to me with pleasant, comforting words.
14 Then the angel speaking to me said, ‘Cry out saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “I am exceedingly zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion 15 and I am infuriated with the haughty nations. I was a little angry with them, but they furthered their own calamity.”
16 “Therefore,” thus says Adonai, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion. My House will be built there,” declares Adonai-Tzva’ot “and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.” 17 Again cry out, saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity and Adonai will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem.’”[d]
Four Horns and Four Craftsmen
2 Then I lifted up my eyes and behold, I saw four horns! 2 I said to the angel speaking with me, ‘What are these?’
He said to me, ‘These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’
3 Then Adonai showed me four craftsmen. 4 I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?’
He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could raise his head, but the craftsmen have come to frighten them, to cast down the horns of the nations that have lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.’
Measuring Jerusalem
5 I lifted up my eyes—and behold, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. [e] 6 I asked, ‘Where are you going?’
He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is.’[f]
7 Then behold, the angel speaking with me left and another angel went out to meet him, 8 saying to him, ‘Run, speak to this young man saying: “Jerusalem will be inhabited as a village without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. 9 For I”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“will be a wall of fire around it and I will be the glory inside it. 10 Oy, oy! Flee from the land of the north”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“because I scattered you like the four winds of heaven”—it is a declaration of Adonai. 11 “Oy, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.”
12 “For thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, He has sent me after glory to the nations that plundered you—because whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye— 13 ‘For behold, I will shake My hand against them and they will be plunder to their servants.’ Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me.
14 “‘Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will live among you’[g]—it is a declaration of Adonai. 15 ‘In that day many nations will join themselves to Adonai and they will be My people and I will dwell among you.’ Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me to you. 16 Adonai will inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land and will once again choose Jerusalem. 17 Be silent before Adonai, all flesh, for He has aroused Himself from His holy dwelling.”
Joshua the Kohen Gadol
3 Then he showed me Joshua the kohen gadol standing before the angel of Adonai and the satan[h], standing at his right hand to accuse him. [i] 2 Adonai said to the satan, ‘Adonai rebukes you, the satan. Indeed Adonai, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you.[j] Is not this man a brand plucked out of the fire?’
3 Now Joshua was wearing filthy garments and standing before the angel 4 who answered and spoke to those standing before him saying, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him.’ Then to Joshua he said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you and will dress you with fine clothing.’[k]
5 Then I said, ‘Place a clean turban on his head.’
So they put a pure turban on his head and clothed him with garments while the angel of Adonai stood by.
6 The angel of Adonai exhorted Joshua saying:
7 ‘Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then you will judge My House and watch over My courts and I will give you a place to walk among these standing here. 8 Listen well, Joshua kohen gadol, both you and your companions seated before you, because they are men who are a sign—behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch. 9 For behold! The stone I have laid before Joshua is one stone with seven facets. On it I will engrave an inscription,” declares Adonai-Tzva’ot, “that I will remove the iniquity of this land in one day. 10 In that day,” declares Adonai-Tzva’ot, “every man will invite his neighbor to sit under the vine and under the fig tree.’”
Two Olive Trees and the Capstone
4 Then the angel who had been speaking with me returned and woke me—like a man who is wakened from his sleep.
2 He asked me, ‘What do you see?’
I replied, ‘Behold, I see a solid gold menorah with its bowl at the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven pipes for the lamps that are on the top of it. 3 Also two olive trees are by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on the left side of it.’[l]
4 Then I responded by saying to the angel speaking with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’
5 The angel who spoke with me responded by asking me, ‘You do not know what these are?’
I replied, ‘No, my lord.’
6 Then he responded to me by saying, ‘This is the word of Adonai to Zerubbabel saying: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Ruach!” says Adonai-Tzva’ot. 7 “What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. He will bring out the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace” to it.’”
8 Again the word of Adonai came to me saying: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this House. His hands will also finish it. Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me to you. 10 For who despises the day of small things? These seven—which are the eyes of Adonai that run back and forth throughout the whole earth—will rejoice when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
11 Then I responded by asking him, “What are these two olive trees, on the right and on the left of the menorah?” 12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two golden pipes that empty the golden oil out of them?”
13 He said to me, “You do not know what these are?”
I said, “No, my lord.”
14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Flying Scroll and Basket
5 Once again I lifted up my eyes and behold, I saw a flying scroll!
2 Then the angel asked me, “What do you see?”
I replied, “I see a flying scroll twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.”
3 He said to me: “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land: everyone who steals will be swept away from here according to it, and everyone who swears will be swept away from here according to it.” 4 “I will send it out”—it is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot—“and it will enter into the house of the thief and into the house of the one who swears falsely by My Name and will reside inside his house destroying it, both its wood and its stones.”
5 Then the angel speaking with me came forward, and said to me, “Now lift up your eyes and see what is appearing.”
6 I asked, “What is it?”
He replied, “This is the measuring basket[m] that goes out.” He continued, “This is their eye in all the land.” 7 Then behold, a lead cover was lifted and a woman was sitting in the middle of the measuring basket. 8 The angel exclaimed, ‘This is Wickedness!’ Then he shoved her back inside the measuring basket, throwing the lead weight over its mouth.
9 After this I lifted up my eyes and behold, I saw two women emerging with the wind in their wings (they had wings like the wings of a stork) and they raised the measuring basket between the earth and the heaven.
10 I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the measuring basket?”
11 He said, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will live there in her own place.”
Four Chariots
6 Again I lifted up my eyes, and behold, I saw four chariots emerging from between the two mountains—mountains of bronze! 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses, 3 the third chariot white horses and the fourth chariot had strong dapple horses.[n]
4 Then I responded by saying to the angel speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 The angel answered me saying, “These are the four winds of heaven that go forth from the presence of the Lord of all the earth. [o] 6 The chariot with the black horses is going to the land of the north and the white ones have gone out after them, but the dappled ones have gone out to the land of the south.” 7 When the strong ones went out, they requested to go to walk throughout the earth. He said, “Go! Walk throughout the earth.” So they walked throughout the earth.”
8 Then he called and spoke to me saying, ‘Look! Those going toward the land of the north have given rest to My Ruach in the north country.’
Crowns for Joshua
9 And the word of Adonai came to me saying: 10 ‘Take from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah who have come from Babylon, and go the same day, go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah! 11 Take silver and gold, make crowns and set on the head of Joshua son of Johozadak, the kohen gadol. 12 Then speak to him saying, “Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: Behold, a man whose Name is the Branch will branch out from his place and build the Temple of Adonai. 13 He will build the Temple of Adonai. He will bear splendor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus He will be a kohen on His throne. So a counsel of shalom will be between them both. 14 The crowns will be in the Temple of Adonai as a memorial to Helem, Tobijah and Jedaiah, and to Chen son of Zephaniah. 15 Those who are far off will come and build in the Temple of Adonai.” Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me to you. It will come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of Adonai your God.”
Justice and Chesed
7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of Adonai came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, in Kislev. 2 Now Bethel sent Sarezer and Regem-melech together with his men to seek the favor of Adonai, 3 and to speak to the kohanim of the House of Adonai-Tzva’ot and to the prophets saying, “Should I mourn and consecrate myself in the fifth month as I have done for so many years?”
4 Then the word of Adonai-Tzva’ot came to me saying: 5 “Speak to all the people of the land and to the kohanim saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh months for the past seventy years, did you really fast for Me? 6 When you eat and drink, are you not eating and drinking for yourself? 7 Are not these the words that Adonai proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem with its surrounding cities were inhabited and prosperous, when the Negev and the lowland were inhabited?’”
8 Again the word of Adonai came to Zechariah saying, 9 “Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: ‘Administer true judgment and practice mercy and compassion each to his brother. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the outsider or the poor. Furthermore, do not let any of you devise evil against one another in your heart.’
11 “But they refused to pay attention. They stubbornly turned their backs and stopped their ears from hearing. 12 Indeed, they made their hearts as hard as flint preventing them from hearing the Torah or the words that Adonai-Tzva’ot sent by His Ruach through the former prophets. Consequently, great wrath came from Adonai-Tzva’ot. 13 It came about that just as He called and they did not listen, so they would call and I would not listen,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot. 14 ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations they have not known. Thus the land was left so desolate behind them that no one passed through or returned, for they made the pleasant land desolate.’”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.