Zechariah 1

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechyah, the son of 'Iddo the prophet, saying,

2 'Jehovah was wroth against your fathers — wrath!

The Lord hath been greatly angry with your fathers.

3 And thou hast said unto them, Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, turn back unto Me, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I turn back unto you, said Jehovah of Hosts.

And [now] say thou unto them, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Return ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will return unto you: so hath said the Lord of hosts.

4 Ye shall not be as your fathers, To whom the former prophets called, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Turn back I pray you, From your evil ways and from your evil doings, And they did not hearken, Nor attend to Me — an affirmation of Jehovah.

Be ye not like your fathers, unto whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Do return from your evil ways, and your evil doings; but they did not hear, nor listen unto me, saith the Lord.

5 Your fathers — where [are] they? And the prophets — to the age do they live?

Your fathers, —where are they! and the prophets, — could they live for ever!

6 Only, My words, and My statutes, That I commanded My servants the prophets, Have they not overtaken your fathers, And they turn back and say: As Jehovah of Hosts designed to do to us, According to our ways, and according to our doings, So He hath done to us?'

But my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, behold, they did overtake your fathers: and [then] they returned and said, Just as the Lord of hosts had purposed to do unto us, in accordance with our ways, and in accordance with our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

7 On the twenty and fourth day of the eleventh month, (it [is] the month of Sebat, ) in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:

On the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechyahu, the son of 'Iddo the prophet, saying,

8 I have seen by night, and lo, one riding on a red horse, and he is standing between the myrtles that [are] in the shade, and behind him [are] horses, red, bay, and white.

I saw this night, and behold there was a man riding upon a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle-trees that were in the deep valley; and behind him were red, pale, and white horses.

9 And I say, 'What [are] these, my lord?' And the messenger who is speaking with me saith unto me, 'I — I do shew thee what these [are].'

And I said, What are these, O my lord? Then said unto me the angel that spoke with me, I will show thee what these are.

10 And the one who is standing between the myrtles doth answer and say, 'These [are] they whom Jehovah hath sent to walk up and down in the land.'

And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees answered and said, These are those whom the Lord hath sent to traverse the earth.

11 And they answer the messenger of Jehovah who is standing between the myrtles, and say, 'We have walked up and down in the land, and lo, all the land is sitting still, and at rest.'

And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have traversed the earth, and, behold, all the earth is inhabited quietly, and is at rest.

12 And the messenger of Jehovah answereth and saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts! till when dost Thou not pity Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, that Thou hast abhorred these seventy years?'

Then commenced the angel of the Lord, and said, O Lord of hosts, how long yet wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast been indignant these seventy years?

13 And Jehovah answereth the messenger, who is speaking with me, good words, comfortable words.

And the Lord answered the angel that spoke with me with good words and comforting words.

14 And the messenger who is speaking with me, saith unto me, 'Call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: I have been zealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion [with] great zeal.

And the angel that spoke with me said unto me, Proclaim thou, saying, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

15 And [with] great wrath I am wroth against the nations who are at ease, For I was a little wroth, and they assisted — for evil.

And with a great anger will I be angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little angry [with Zion], and they helped forward the mischief.

16 Therefore, thus said Jehovah: I have turned to Jerusalem with mercies, My house is built in it, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And a line is stretched over Jerusalem.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord, I am returned to Jerusalem in mercy: my house shall be rebuilt in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and the measuring-line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

17 Again call, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Again do my cities overflow from good, And Jehovah hath again comforted Zion, And He hath fixed again on Jerusalem.'

Proclaim yet [farther], saying, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, My cities shall again overflow with prosperity: and the Lord will again comfort Zion, and make choice again of Jerusalem.

18 And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, four horns.

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

19 And I say unto the messenger who is speaking with me, 'What [are] these?' And he saith unto me, 'These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.'

And I said unto the angel who spoke with me, What are these? And he said unto me, These are the horns that have dispersed Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

20 And Jehovah doth shew me four artisans.

And the Lord showed me four carpenters.

21 And I say, 'What [are] these coming in to do?' And He speaketh, saying: 'These [are] the horns that have scattered Judah, so that no one hath lifted up his head, and these come in to trouble them, to cast down the horns of the nations who are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah — to scatter it.'

Then said I, What are these coming to do? And he said as followeth, These are the horns that have dispersed Judah, to the extent that no man could lift up his head; but these are come to terrify them, to cast off the horns of the nations, that have been lifting up their horn over the land of Judah to disperse it.