Zechariah, 1

1. In the second year of Darius, in the eighth month, the word of Yahweh was addressed to the prophet Zechariah (son of Berechiah), son of Iddo, as follows,

1. In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

2. 'Yahweh was deeply angry with your ancestors.

2. "The LORD was very angry with your fathers.

3. So say this to them, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Return to me -- Yahweh Sabaoth declares -- and I will return to you, says Yahweh Sabaoth.

3. Therefore say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.

4. Do not be like your ancestors when the prophets in the past cried to them: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Turn back from your evil ways and evil deeds -- they would not listen or pay attention to me -- Yahweh declares.

4. Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or heed me, says the LORD.

5. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live for ever?

5. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever?

6. But did not my words and statutes, with which I had charged my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors just the same?" ' So they repented and said, 'Yahweh Sabaoth has treated us as he resolved to do, and as our ways and deeds deserved.'

6. But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us."

7. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat), in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh was addressed to the prophet Zechariah (son of Berechiah), son of Iddo, as follows,

7. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet; and Zechari'ah said,

8. 'I had a vision during the night. There was a man riding a red horse standing among the deep-rooted myrtles; behind him were other horses-red, chestnut and white.

8. "I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

9. I said, "What are these, my lord?" And the angel who was talking to me said, "I will show you what they are."

9. Then I said, `What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me said to me, `I will show you what they are.'

10. The man standing among the myrtles then replied, "Those are they whom Yahweh has sent to patrol the world."

10. So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, `These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.'

11. They reported to the angel of Yahweh as he stood among the myrtles, "We have been patrolling the world, and indeed the whole world is still and at peace."

11. And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, `We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.'

12. The angel of Yahweh then spoke and said, "Yahweh Sabaoth, how long will you wait before taking pity on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, on which you have inflicted your anger for the past seventy years?"

12. Then the angel of the LORD said, `O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?'

13. Yahweh then replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was talking to me.

13. And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

14. The angel who was talking to me then said to me, "Make this proclamation: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I am burning with jealousy for Jerusalem and Zion

14. So the angel who talked with me said to me, `Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.

15. but am deeply angry with the nations now at ease; before, I was only mildly angry, but they contributed to the disaster.

15. And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little they furthered the disaster.

16. So now Yahweh says this: In compassion I have returned to Jerusalem; my Temple will be rebuilt there -- Yahweh Sabaoth declares -- and the measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.

16. Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.

17. Make this proclamation too: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: My cities are once more to be very prosperous. Yahweh will comfort Zion once again, and again make Jerusalem his choice." '

17. Cry again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'"

18.

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

19.

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

20.

20. Then the LORD showed me four smiths.

21.

21. And I said, "What are these coming to do?" He answered, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man raised his head; and these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."