< Zechariah 2 >

1 Then I looked again and I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring-line in his hand.
2 “Where are you going?” I asked him. “I'm going to Jerusalem to measure its width and length,” he replied.
Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
3 The angel I was talking to came forward and another angel came to meet him
And behold, the angel who talked with me went forth, and another angel went forth to meet him,
4 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.”
and said to him, Run, speak to that young man, saying: Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls On account of the multitude of men and of cattle within her.
5 The Lord declares, I myself will be a wall of fire all around the city, and I will be the glory inside it.
And I will be to her, saith Jehovah, A wall of fire round about, And glory will I be within her.
6 Run! Run! Run away from the northern land, says the Lord, because I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven.
Ho! ho! flee ye out of the land of the North, saith Jehovah; For toward the four winds of heaven have I scattered you abroad, saith Jehovah.
7 Run away, people of Zion! All of you who live in Babylon must escape.
Ho, Zion, escape, Thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon!
8 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.
For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: For glory hath he sent me to the nations which plundered you; (For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.)
9 I will raise my hand against them and their former slaves will plunder them. Then you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me.
For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, And they shall be a spoil to those that served them; And ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me.
10 Sing in celebration, people of Zion, for I am coming to live with you, declares the Lord.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For, behold, I will come, And I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith Jehovah;
11 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.
And many nations shall join themselves to Jehovah in that day, And shall be my people; And I will dwell in the midst of thee; And thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me to thee.
12 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.
And Jehovah will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, And will again choose Jerusalem.
13 Be silent before the Lord, everyone, for he has risen from the holy place where he lives.
Be silent, all flesh, before Jehovah! For he riseth up from his holy habitation.

< Zechariah 2 >