Zechariah 2
1 And I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measure-cord in his hand.
Then I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line/tape.
2 Then said I, Whither art thou going? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is her breadth, and what is her length.
I asked him, “Where are you going?” He replied, “[I am going] to measure Jerusalem, to determine how wide it is and how long it is.”
3 And, behold, the angel that spoke with me went out, and another angel came out to meet him;
Then the angel who had been talking to me started to leave, and another angel walked toward him.
4 And he said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Without walls shall Jerusalem be inhabited because of the multitude of men and cattle in her midst.
That other angel said to him, “Run and tell that young man that [some day] there will be very many people and livestock in Jerusalem, with the result that there will be too many to live inside the city walls; many will [live outside] the walls.
5 But I—I will be unto her, saith the Lord, a wall of fire round about, and for glory will I be in the midst of her.
And Yahweh says that he [himself] will be [like] [MET] a wall of fire around [the city], and he will be there with his glory.”
6 Up! up! and flee away from the land of the north saith the Lord; for as the four winds of the heaven have I spread you abroad, saith the Lord.
Yahweh declares [to the people who were exiled to Babylonia], “Run! Flee from Babylonia [MTY], the country east [of Israel], and flee in all directions from the places where I caused you to be scattered!
7 Up, Zion, escape, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
You people [who previously lived in] Jerusalem and who [now] live in Babylon, flee from there!
8 For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, For the sake of [your] glory hath he sent me unto the nations that have despoiled you; for whoever toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.
The [armies of the] nations that [attacked you and] took away your valuable possessions have attacked those who are very precious to the Commander of the armies of angels [IDM]. So he says this about me: ‘After I have honored him and sent him to [rebuke] the nations,
9 For, behold, I will swing my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to those that served them: and ye shall acknowledge that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.
[it is as though] I will strike them with my fist, with the result that those who were their slaves will [now] take back their possessions from those who caused them to become slaves.’ And when that happens, you will know that the Commander of the armies of angels is the one who sent me.”
10 Sing, and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I am coming, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.
Yahweh says, “[You people of] Jerusalem [APO], shout and be happy, [because] I will be coming [to you] and I will live among you!”
11 And many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they shall be unto me for a people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
At that time, [people of] many nations will be united to Yahweh and will become his people. He will live among [all of] you; and you will know that the Commander of the armies of angels [is the one who] sent me to you.
12 And the Lord will take Judah as his inheritance upon the holy land; and he will again make choice of Jerusalem.
[The people of] Judah will be a very special part of his sacred country, and Jerusalem will again be the city that he has chosen.
13 Be silent, all flesh! before the Lord; for he is waked up out of his holy habitation.
Everyone, [everywhere, ] should be silent in the presence of Yahweh, because he [again] will come [down] from the sacred place where he lives in heaven [to do great things for us].
