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 Daryavesh, the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

2 'Jehovah was wroth against your fathers — wrath!

"Jehovah was very displeased 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.

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

Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: Thus says Jehovah of hosts, 'Return now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings;' but they did not hear, nor listen to me, says Jehovah.

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

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

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 statutes, which I commanded by my Spirit to my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, 'Just as Jehovah of hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our practices, so he has 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 twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, 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 had a vision in the night, and look, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, 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].'

Then I asked, 'My lord, what are these?'" The angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you 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.'

The man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said to me, "They are the ones Jehovah has sent to go back and forth through 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.'

They reported to the angel of Jehovah who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, "We have walked back and forth through the earth, and look, all the earth is at rest and in peace."

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 the angel of Jehovah replied, "Jehovah 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?"

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

Jehovah answered the angel who talked with me with kind 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.

So the angel who talked with me said to me, "Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says Jehovah 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.

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

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 says Jehovah: "I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My house will be built in it," says Jehovah of hosts, "and a 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 further, saying, 'Thus says Jehovah of hosts: "My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem."'"

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

I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and look, 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.'

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."

20 And Jehovah doth shew me four artisans.

Jehovah showed me four craftsmen.

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 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, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."