Zechariah 2

1 And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a man, and in his hand a measuring line.

Then I looked again and I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.

2 And I say, 'Whither are thou going?' And he saith unto me, 'To measure Jerusalem, to see how much [is] its breadth, and how much its length.'

“Where are you going?” I asked him. “I'm going to Jerusalem to measure its width and length,” he replied.

3 And lo, the messenger who is speaking with me is going out, and another messenger is going out to meet him,

The angel I was talking to came forward and another angel came to meet him

4 and he saith unto him, 'Run, speak unto this young man, saying: Unwalled villages inhabit doth Jerusalem, From the abundance of man and beast in her midst.

and told him, “Run, and tell the young man that Jerusalem will have so many people and farm animals that it will be too big to have walls.”

5 And I — I am to her — an affirmation of Jehovah, A wall of fire round about, And for honour I am in her midst.

The Lord declares, I myself will be a wall of fire all around the city, and I will be the glory inside it.

6 Ho, ho, and flee from the land of the north, An affirmation of Jehovah, For, as the four winds of the heavens, I have spread you abroad, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Run! Run! Run away from the northern land, says the Lord, because I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven.

7 Ho, Zion, be delivered who art dwelling [with] the daughter of Babylon.

Run away, people of Zion! All of you who live in Babylon must escape.

8 For thus said Jehovah of Hosts: After honour He hath sent me unto the nations who are spoiling you, For he who is coming against you, Is coming against the daughter of His eye.

For this is what the Lord Almighty said: Afterwards the glorious Lord sent me against the nations that plundered you—for those who touch you touch the apple of his eye.

9 For lo, I am waving my hand against them, And they have been a spoil to their servants. And ye have known that Jehovah of Hosts hath sent me.

I will raise my hand against them and their former slaves will plunder them. Then you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me.

10 Singe, and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, For lo, I am coming, and have dwelt in thy midst, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Sing in celebration, people of Zion, for I am coming to live with you, declares the Lord.

11 And joined have been many nations unto Jehovah in that day, And they have been to Me for a people, And I have dwelt in thy midst, And thou hast known that Jehovah of Hosts hath sent me unto thee.

Many nations will become believers in Lord on that day, and they shall be my people. I will live among you, and you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

12 And Jehovah hath inherited Judah, His portion on the holy ground, And He hath fixed again on Jerusalem.

The people of Judah will be the Lord's special people in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem as his special city.

13 Hush, all flesh, because of Jehovah, For He hath been roused up from His holy habitation!'

Be silent before the Lord, everyone, for he has risen from the holy place where he lives.