Zechariah 1

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

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

2 “The LORD was very displeased with your fathers.

Jehovah was greatly displeased with your fathers.

3 Therefore tell them, the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to me,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of Hosts.

Therefore say thou to them, Thus says Jehovah of hosts: Return to me, says Jehovah of hosts, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of hosts.

4 Don’t you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: The LORD of Hosts says, ‘Return now from your evil ways and from your evil doings;’ but they didn’t hear nor listen to me, says the LORD.

Be ye not as your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus says Jehovah of hosts: Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings, but they did not hear, nor hearken to me, says Jehovah.

5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6 But my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, didn’t they overtake your fathers? “Then they repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.’”

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? And they turned and said, Like as Jehovah of hosts thought to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so he has dealt with us.

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

8 “I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood amongst the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.

I saw in the night, and, behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom. And behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white.

9 Then I asked, ‘My lord, what are these?’” The angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”

Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the agent who talked with me said to me, I will show thee what these are.

10 The man who stood amongst the myrtle trees answered, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to go back and forth through the earth.”

And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom Jehovah has sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

11 They reported to the LORD’s angel who stood amongst the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked back and forth through the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and in peace.”

And they answered the agent of Jehovah who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sits still, and is at rest.

12 Then the LORD’s angel replied, “O LORD of Hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?”

Then the agent of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of hosts, how long will thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou have had indignation these seventy years?

13 The LORD answered the angel who talked with me with kind and comforting words.

And Jehovah answered the agent who talked with me with good words, comforting words.

14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘The LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

So the agent who talked with me said to me, Cry thou, saying, Thus says Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

15 I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity.”

And I am very greatly displeased with the nations that are at ease. For I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

16 Therefore the LORD says: “I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My house shall be built in it,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and a line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’

Therefore thus says Jehovah: I have returned to Jerusalem with mercies. My house shall be built in it, says Jehovah of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

17 “Proclaim further, saying, ‘The LORD of Hosts says: “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem.”’”

Cry yet again, saying, Thus says Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

18 I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns.

And I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns.

19 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

And I said to the agent who talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

20 The LORD showed me four craftsmen.

And Jehovah showed me four smiths.

21 Then I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Then I said, What are these coming to do? And he spoke, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head. But these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.