Zechariah 2

1 I lifted up my eyes again, and looked, and behold 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 Then said I, Where go you? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

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

3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

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

4 And said to him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

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 to her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the middle of 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, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, says the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, said 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 Deliver yourself, O Zion, that dwell with the daughter of Babylon.

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

8 For thus says the LORD of hosts; After the glory has he sent me to the nations which spoiled you: for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye.

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, behold, I will shake my hand on them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and you shall know that the LORD of hosts 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 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, see, I come, and I will dwell in the middle of you, says the LORD.

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

11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the middle of you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts 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 the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

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 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

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