The Prophet Zechariah

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- Chapter 1 -

(Jeremiah 3:11–25; Hosea 14:1–3)

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius’ reign, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

“Yahweh was exceedingly angry with your fathers!

Say to them, ’Yahweh of hosts says this: Turn to me!-this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts-and I will return to you, says Yahweh of hosts.

Do not be like your fathers to whom the prophets cried out previously, saying, “Yahweh of hosts says this: Turn from your evil ways and wicked practices!” But they would not hear and did not pay attention to me-this is Yahweh’s declaration.’

Your fathers, where are they? Where are the prophets, are they here forever?

But my words and my decrees that I commanded my servants the prophets, have they not overtaken your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘Just as Yahweh of hosts planned to do to us what our ways and actions deserved, so he has dealt with us.’”

The Vision of the Horses

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

“I saw in the night, and, look! a man was riding on a red horse, and he was among the myrtle trees that are in the valley; and behind him there were red, reddish brown, and white horses.”

I said, “What are these things, Lord?” Then angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what these things are.”

Then the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those Yahweh has sent out to roam throughout the earth.”

They answered the angel of Yahweh who stood among the myrtle trees; they said to him, “We have been roaming throughout the earth; see, all the earth sits still and is at rest.”

Then the angel of Yahweh answered and said, “Yahweh of hosts, how long will you show no compassion to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah that have suffered indignation these seventy years?”

Yahweh answered the angel who had talked with me, with good words, words of comfort.

So the angel who had talked with me said to me, “Call out and say, ’Yahweh of hosts says this: I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great passion!

I am very angry with the nations that are at ease. When I was only a little angry with them, they made the disaster worse.

Therefore, Yahweh of hosts says this: I have returned to Jerusalem with mercies. My house will be built within her-this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts-and the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem!’

Again call out, saying, ’Yahweh of hosts says this: My cities will once again overflow with goodness, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion, and he will once again choose Jerusalem.’”

The Vision of the Horns and the Craftsmen

Then I lifted up my eyes and saw four horns!

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

Then Yahweh showed me four craftsmen.

I said, “What are these people coming to do?” He answered, and said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no man would lift up his head. But these people are coming to drive them out, to cast down the horns of the nations that lifted up any horn against the land of Judah to scatter her.”

(Jeremiah 3:11–25; Hosea 14:1–3)

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

“The LORD was very displeased with your fathers.

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

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

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

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 Armies determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.’”

The Vision of the Horses

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,

“I had a vision in the night, and behold,(b) 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.

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

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

They reported to the LORD’s angel who stood among 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Vision of the Horns and the Craftsmen

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

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.”

The LORD showed me four craftsmen.

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.”

Footnotes

(a)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:8 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.