Zechariah 1

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: —

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:

2 Yahweh, was sore displeased, with your fathers:

“The LORD was very angry with your fathers.

3 therefore shalt thou say unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return ye unto me, urgeth Yahweh of hosts, —that I may return unto you, saith Yahweh of hosts.

So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’

4 Do not become like your fathers, unto whom the former prophets, proclaimed, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return, I pray you, from your wicked ways, and from your wicked practices; but they heard not, nor hearkened unto me, declareth Yahweh.

Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.

5 Your fathers, where are they? and, the prophets, to times age-abiding, do they live?

Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6 Howbeit, as for my words and my statutes with which I charged my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and so they returned and said, Just as Yahweh of hosts planned to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our practices, So hath he dealt with us?

But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to us.’”

7 Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the same, is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, as followeth:

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.

8 I looked by night, And lo! a man riding upon a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees, in the shade; and, after him, were horses, red, bay, and white.

I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

9 Then said I, What are these, my lord? And the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, I, will shew thee what these, are.

“What are these, my lord?” I asked. And the angel who was speaking with me replied, “I will show you what they are.”

10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle-trees responded, and said, —These, are they whom Yahweh, hath sent, to go to and fro through the earth.

Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.”

11 Then responded they to the messenger of Yahweh, who was standing among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth, —and lo! all the earth, resteth and is quiet.

And the riders answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and tranquil.”

12 Then the messenger of Yahweh responded, and said, O Yahweh of hosts! How long wilt, thou, not have compassion upon Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, —against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?”

13 And Yahweh answered the messenger who was speaking with me, in words that were pleasant, —words that were consoling,

So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

14 Then the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, Proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion, with a great jealousy;

Then the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,

15 And, with a great displeasure, am I displeased with the careless nations, —in that, when, I, was displeased (for) a little, then, they, helped forward the calamity,

but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’

16 Wherefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, I have returned to Jerusalem, with compassions, My house, shall be built therein, declareth Yahweh of hosts, and, a line, shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’

17 Further, proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet, shall my cities overflow with blessing! So will Yahweh yet, have compassion, upon Zion, and yet make choice of Jerusalem.

Proclaim further that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”

18 Then lifted I up mine eyes and looked, —and lo! Four Horns.

Then I looked up and saw four horns.

19 And I said unto the messenger who was speaking with me, What are these? And he said unto me, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he told me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

20 Then Yahweh shewed me Four Craftsmen.

Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

21 And I said, What are these coming in to do? And he spake, saying, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head, but these [others] have come in to put them in fear, to cast down the horns of the nations, the which have lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter her.

“What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”