Zechariah 2

1 And lifting up my eyes, I saw a man with a measuring-line in his hand.

Then I looked again and I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.

2 And I said to him, Where are you going? And he said to me, To take the measure of Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.

“Where are you going?” I asked him. “I'm going to Jerusalem to measure its width and length,” he replied.

3 And the angel who was talking to me went out, and another angel went out, and, meeting him,

The angel I was talking to came forward and another angel came to meet him

4 Said to him, Go quickly and say to this young man, Jerusalem will be an unwalled town, because of the great number of men and cattle in her.

and told him, “Run, and tell the young man that Jerusalem will have so many people and farm animals that it will be too big to have walls.”

5 For I, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire round about her, and I will be the glory inside her.

The Lord declares, I myself will be a wall of fire all around the city, and I will be the glory inside it.

6 Ho, ho! go in flight from the land of the north, says the Lord: for I have sent you far and wide to the four winds of heaven, says the Lord.

Run! Run! Run away from the northern land, says the Lord, because I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven.

7 Ho! Zion, go in flight from danger, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.

Run away, people of Zion! All of you who live in Babylon must escape.

8 For this is what the Lord of armies has said: In the way of glory he has sent me to the nations which have taken your goods: for anyone touching you is touching what is most dear to him.

For this is what the Lord Almighty said: Afterwards the glorious Lord sent me against the nations that plundered you—for those who touch you touch the apple of his eye.

9 For at the shaking of my hand over them, their goods will be taken by those who were their servants: and you will see that the Lord of armies has sent me.

I will raise my hand against them and their former slaves will plunder them. Then you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me.

10 Give songs of joy, O daughter of Zion: for I come, and I will make my resting-place among you, says the Lord.

Sing in celebration, people of Zion, for I am coming to live with you, declares the Lord.

11 And a number of nations will be joined to the Lord in that day, and will become my people; and I will be living among you, and you will see that the Lord of armies has sent me to you.

Many nations will become believers in Lord on that day, and they shall be my people. I will live among you, and you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

12 And Judah will be the Lord's heritage in the holy land, and Jerusalem will again be his.

The people of Judah will be the Lord's special people in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem as his special city.

13 Let all flesh be quiet and make no sound before the Lord: for he is awake and has come from his holy resting-place.

Be silent before the Lord, everyone, for he has risen from the holy place where he lives.