Zechariah 2
1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring-line in his hand.
Then I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line/tape.
2 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.
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 who talked with me went forth, and another angel went forth 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 that young man, saying: Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls On account of the multitude of men and of cattle within her.
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 And I will be to her, saith Jehovah, A wall of fire round about, And glory will I be within 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 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.
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 Ho, 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 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.)
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 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.
[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, behold, I will come, And I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith Jehovah;
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 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.
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 Jehovah will possess 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 Jehovah! For he riseth up 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].
