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¶ In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

The LORD has been sore displeased with your fathers.

Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Turn unto me, said the LORD of the hosts, and I will turn unto you, said the LORD of the hosts.

Do not be as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Turn now from your evil ways and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, said the LORD.

Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my slaves the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? Therefore they returned from captivity and said, Like as the LORD of the hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our doings, so has he dealt with us.

¶ Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were red horses, speckled, and white.

Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee who these are.

10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are those whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees and said, We have walked to and fro through the land, and, behold, all the earth sits still and is at rest.

12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of the hosts, when wilt thou have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

13 And the LORD answered good words unto the angel that talked with me, words of consolation.

14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of the hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

15 And I am very sore displeased with the Gentiles that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

16 Therefore thus hath the LORD said, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my house shall be built in her, saith the LORD of the hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of the hosts, My cities through abundance of good shall yet be widened; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

18 ¶ Then I lifted up my eyes and saw and behold four horns.

19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

20 And the LORD showed me four carpenters.

21 Then I said, What do these come to do? And he spoke, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no one lifted up his head, but these are come to cause them to tremble, to cut down the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

A Call to Return to the Lord

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)

“The Lord was very angry(E) with your ancestors. 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. 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) Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 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)

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.(Q)

During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red(R) horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.(S)

I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel(T) who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”(U)

10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”(V)

11 And they reported to the angel of the Lord(W) who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”(X)

12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long(Y) will you withhold mercy(Z) from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah,(AA) which you have been angry with these seventy(AB) years?” 13 So the Lord spoke(AC) kind and comforting words(AD) to the angel who talked with me.(AE)

14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous(AF) for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.(AG) I was only a little angry,(AH) but they went too far with the punishment.’(AI)

16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return(AJ) to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line(AK) will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.(AL)

17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort(AM) Zion and choose(AN) Jerusalem.’”(AO)

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”

He answered me, “These are the horns(AP) that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are these coming to do?”

He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns(AQ) against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”[a](AR)

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 1:21 In Hebrew texts 1:18-21 is numbered 2:1-4.