Zechariah 2

1 I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and look, 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 I asked, "Where are you going?" He said to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length."

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

3 Look, the angel who 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 will be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it.

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 around it, and I will be the glory in the midst 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 Come. Come. Flee from the land of the north,' says the LORD; 'for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the sky,' 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 'Come, Zion. Escape, you who 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: 'For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of my 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, look, I will shake my hand over them, and they will be a spoil to those who served them; and you will 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, daughter of Zion; for, look, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you,' says the LORD.

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

11 Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst 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 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

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, all flesh, before the LORD; for he has roused himself from his holy habitation."

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