Zechariah 2

1 I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and look, a man with a measuring line in his hand.

Then I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line/tape.

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."

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 Look, the angel who talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

Then the angel who had been talking to me started to leave, and another angel walked toward 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 'Come, Zion. Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.'

You people [who previously lived in] Jerusalem and who [now] live in Babylon, flee from there!

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.

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, 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.

[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, daughter of Zion; for, look, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you,' says 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 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.

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 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose 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 has roused himself from 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].