Old/New Testament
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.”
Judgment of Babylon
18 After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. 2 He cried out with a mighty voice, saying:
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great![a]
She has become a den for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit
and for every unclean bird
and for every unclean and detestable beast.[b]
3 For all the nations have drunk
of the wine of the fury of her immorality.
The kings of the earth have committed
sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth
grew rich off the power
of her self-indulgence.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,[c]
lest you participate in her sins
and receive her plagues!
5 For her sins have piled up to heaven,[d]
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Pay her back just as she has paid out,
and give her back double for her deeds![e]
In the cup she has mixed—
mix a double dose for her!
7 As she has exalted herself and indulged herself in luxury,
so give her the same measure of torment and grief!
For in her heart she says,
‘I sit as a queen—
I am no widow;
I shall never see grief.’[f]
8 For this reason her plagues will arrive in
a single day—
death and grief and famine—
and she shall be burned down with fire.[g]
For mighty is Adonai Elohim who judges her!”
9 Then the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and indulged in luxury with her shall weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning[h]— 10 standing far off because of the terror of her torment, saying:
“Alas, alas, O great city—
O Babylon, the mighty city!
For in a single hour your judgment has come!”
11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her,[i] because no one buys their merchandise anymore— 12 shipments of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of citron wood; all kinds of ivory products; all kinds of products made of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, oil, fine flour, and wheat; cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; and slaves—that is, human souls.
14 The fruit of your soul’s desire has gone from you,
and all the expensive and beautiful things are lost to you
—never again will people find them.
15 The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, shall stand far off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying,
“Alas, alas, O great city—
clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17 For in a single hour so much wealth has been ruined!”
And every ship captain and passenger, sailors and all who make their living at sea, stood at a distance 18 and were crying out, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning,
“Alas, alas, O great city—
in her all who had ships at sea grew rich from her wealth!
For in a single hour has she been ruined!
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,[j]
and you kedoshim, emissaries and prophets!
For God has judged her condemnation of you!”
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea,[k] saying:
“So shall Babylon, the great city,
be thrown down with violence,
never to be found again!
22 And the sound of harpists and musicians,
flautists and trumpeters,
shall never be heard in you again![l]
And the craftsman of any craft
shall never be found in you again!
And the sound of a mill
shall never be heard in you again!
23 And the light of a lamp
shall never shine in you again!
And the voice of the bridegroom and bride
shall never be heard in you again![m]
For your businessmen were the tycoons of the world,
for all the nations were deceived by your sorcery![n]
24 And in her was found the blood of the prophets and kedoshim
and all those slaughtered on the earth.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.