< Zechariah 2 >

1 Then I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line/tape.
ואשא עיני וארא והנה איש ובידו חבל מדה
2 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.”
ואמר אנה אתה הלך ויאמר אלי למד את ירושלם לראות כמה רחבה וכמה ארכה
3 Then the angel who had been talking to me started to leave, and another angel walked toward him.
והנה המלאך הדבר בי--יצא ומלאך אחר יצא לקראתו
4 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.
ויאמר אלו--רץ דבר אל הנער הלז לאמר פרזות תשב ירושלם מרב אדם ובהמה בתוכה
5 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.”
ואני אהיה לה נאם יהוה חומת אש סביב ולכבוד אהיה בתוכה
6 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!
הוי הוי ונסו מארץ צפון--נאם יהוה כי כארבע רוחות השמים פרשתי אתכם--נאם יהוה
7 You people [who previously lived in] Jerusalem and who [now] live in Babylon, flee from there!
הוי ציון המלטי--יושבת בת בבל
8 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,
כי כה אמר יהוה צבאות אחר כבוד שלחני אל הגוים השללים אתכם כי הנגע בכם נגע בבבת עינו
9 [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.”
כי הנני מניף את ידי עליהם והיו שלל לעבדיהם וידעתם כי יהוה צבאות שלחני
10 Yahweh says, “[You people of] Jerusalem [APO], shout and be happy, [because] I will be coming [to you] and I will live among you!”
רני ושמחי בת ציון--כי הנני בא ושכנתי בתוכך נאם יהוה
11 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.
ונלוו גוים רבים אל יהוה ביום ההוא והיו לי לעם ושכנתי בתוכך--וידעת כי יהוה צבאות שלחני אליך
12 [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.
ונחל יהוה את יהודה חלקו על אדמת הקדש ובחר עוד בירושלם
13 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].
הס כל בשר מפני יהוה--כי נעור ממעון קדשו

< Zechariah 2 >