Zechariah 1

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:

2 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.

3 So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’

4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.

5 Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to us.’”

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.

8 I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

9 “What are these, my lord?” I asked. And the angel who was speaking with me replied, “I will show you what they are.”

10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.”

11 And the riders answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and tranquil.”

12 Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?”

13 So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

14 Then the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,

15 but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’

16 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’

17 Proclaim further that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”

18 Then I looked up and saw four horns.

19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he told me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

21 “What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

1 ¶ In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,

2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.

3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and [from] your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.

5 Your fathers, where [are] they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

7 ¶ Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which [is] the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,

8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white.

9 Then said I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these [be].

10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me [with] good words [and] comfortable words.

14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen [that are] at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

18 ¶ Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.

19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What [be] these? And he answered me, These [are] the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.

21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These [are] the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up [their] horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius the king, came this word of the LORD unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo the prophet, saying:

2 The LORD was wroth with your fathers.

3 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

4 Be not ye as your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Turn ye from your wicked ways, and from your evil doings. But they hearkened not, neither hearkened unto me, saith the LORD.

5 Where then are your fathers, and the prophets? Are they still alive?

6 Is it not so, that my words and my judgments, which I commanded by my servants the prophets, came upon your fathers, that they turned and said, As the LORD of hosts purposed to do unto us, after that we went and did, so hath he done unto us?

7 In the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the moon of Zebath, in the second year of Darius the king, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo the prophet, saying:

8 I looked by night, and, behold, a man sat upon a red horse, and he stopped among the myrtles in the meadow; and behind him were red horses, and brown horses, and white horses.

9 And I said, My lord, who are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee who these are.

10 And the man that kept among the myrtles answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to pass through the land.

11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that kept among the myrtles, and said: We have passed through the land; and, behold, all the countries sit still.

12 And the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast been wroth these seventy years?

13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with words of kindness and comfort.

14 And the angel that talked with me said unto me, Preach, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I have been very jealous over Jerusalem and over Zion;

15 But I am very wroth with the proud Gentiles: for I was but a little wroth, but they help to destruction.

16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I will return unto Jerusalem with mercy, and my house shall be built therein, saith the LORD of hosts; and the cord shall be drawn in Jerusalem.

17 And preach again, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall be well with my cities again; and the LORD will comfort Zion again, and will choose Jerusalem again.

18 And I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there were four horns.

19 And I spake unto the angel that talked with me: Who are these? And he said unto me, They are the horns which have scattered Judah with Israel and Jerusalem.

20 And the LORD showed me many smiths.

21 And I said, What will they do? And he said, The horns that scattered Judah, that no man might lift up his head to scatter them, are these come to cast off the horns of the heathen, which have lifted up the horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.