Zechariah 1

Turn From Your Evil Ways

1 In the eighth month of Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. He said,2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.3 Tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me, declares the Lord of Armies, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.’4 Don’t be like your ancestors, who heard the earlier prophets preach to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.’ But they didn’t listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.5 Your ancestors—where are they now? And the prophets—are they still alive?

6 Didn’t my warnings and my laws, which I’ve commanded my servants the prophets to preach, finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, ‘The Lord of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.’ ”

The Lord Will Comfort Zion

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) in Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo.8 During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.9 “What do these horses mean, sir?” I asked.The angel who was speaking with me answered, “I will show you what they mean.”10 The man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They’re the horses the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”

11 Then they reported to the Messenger of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth. The whole world is at rest and in peace.”
12 Then the Messenger of the Lord said, “Lord of Armies, how much longer until you show compassion to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You’ve been angry with them for 70 years.”

13 The Lord responded to the angel who was speaking with me, using kind and comforting words.
14 The angel who was speaking with me said, “Announce: This is what the Lord of Armies says: I’m very jealous about Jerusalem and Zion,15 and I’m very angry with the nations who think they are at ease. I was only a little angry, but they made things worse.

16 This is what the Lord of Armies says: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My house will be rebuilt in it, declares the Lord of Armies. A measuring line will be used to rebuild Jerusalem.
17 “Announce again: This is what the Lord of Armies says: My cities will overflow with prosperity once more. The Lord will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem.”t

Punishment for the Nations That Scattered Judah

18 I looked up and saw four animal horns.

19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What do these horns mean?”
He said to me, “These are the horns of the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.

21 I asked, “What are they going to do?”
He answered, “Those horns scattered Judah so widely that no one could lift up his head. But the craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations. The nations raised their horns to scatter the land of Judah.”

Zechariah 1

Introduction

1 In the eighth month of Darius’s second year,s the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah,s son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
2 The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.t3 Therefore say to the people:t The Lord who rules over alls says, “Turnt to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will turn to you,” says the Lord who rules over all.4 “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn now from your evil wickedness,”’ but they would by no means obey me,” says the Lord.5 “As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever?

6 But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers?s Then they paid attentiont and confessed, ‘The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”

The Introduction to the Visions

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month Shebat, in Darius’ second year,s the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:

The Content of the First Vision

8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seatedt on a red horse that stood among some myrtle treess in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel,s and white horses.

The Interpretation of the First Vision

9 Then I asked one nearby, “What are these, sir?” The angelic messengert who replied to me said, “I will show you what these are.”10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk abouts on the earth.”11 The riders then agreed with the angel of the Lord,s who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been walking about on the earth, and now everything is at rest and quiet.”12 The angel of the Lord then asked, “Lord who rules over all,s how long before you have compassion on Jerusalems and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years?”s13 The Lord then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me.14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much movedt for Jerusalem and for Zion.

15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted.t I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.

The Oracle of Response

16 “‘Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘I have become compassionatet toward Jerusalems and will rebuild my templet in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all. ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’

17 Speak up again with the message of the Lord who rules over all: ‘My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the Lord will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.’”

Vision Two: The Four Horns

18 s Once again I looked and this time I saw four horns.19 So I asked the angelic messengert who spoke with me, “What are these?” He replied, “These are the hornss that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”s20 Next the Lord showed me four blacksmiths.ts

21 I asked, “What are these going to do?” He answered, “These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen.t But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah’s enemiest and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people.”t