1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:2‘The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.3Therefore tell the people: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Return to me,” declares the Lord Almighty, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.4Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.” But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.5Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live for ever?6But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? ‘Then they repented and said, “The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.” ’
The man among the myrtle trees
7On 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 Berekiah, the son of Iddo.8During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.9I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who was talking with me answered, ‘I will show you what they are.’10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, ‘They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.’11And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, ‘We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.’12Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?’13So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.14Then the angel who was speaking to me said, ‘Proclaim this word: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,15and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.”16‘Therefore this is what the Lord says: “I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,” declares the Lord Almighty.17‘Proclaim further: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.” ’
Four horns and four craftsmen
18Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns.19I asked the angel who was speaking to me, ‘What are these?’ He answered me, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’20Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.21I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?’ He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no-one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.’[1]
Zechariah 1
English Standard Version
A Call to Return to the Lord
1In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, (1Ch 6:39; Ezr 6:14; Ne 12:4; Ne 12:16; Hag 1:1; Mt 23:35)2“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. (Jer 2:5)3Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. (Isa 31:6; Jer 3:1; Jer 3:22; Jer 12:15; Eze 18:30; Mic 7:19; Mal 3:7)4Do not be 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 pay attention to me, declares the Lord. (2Ch 36:15; 2Ch 36:16; Ps 78:8; Jer 35:15; Zec 1:3; Zec 7:11)5Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? (Joh 8:52)6But 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.’” (De 28:2; De 28:15; Isa 40:8; La 2:17; Eze 36:31; Da 9:6; Mt 24:35)
A Vision of a Horseman
7On 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 the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, (Zec 1:1)8“I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. (Zec 6:2; Re 6:4; Re 6:8)9Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ (Re 22:6)10So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ (Job 1:7; Zec 1:8; Zec 6:7; Heb 1:14)11And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ (Zec 1:9; Zec 1:10; Zec 1:15)12Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ (Ps 80:4; Ps 89:46; Ps 102:13; Jer 25:11; Jer 29:10; Hab 2:6; Zec 1:9; Zec 7:5; Re 6:10)13And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. (Jer 29:10; Zec 1:9)14So 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. (Joe 2:18; Zec 1:9; Zec 8:2)15And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. (Isa 47:6; Isa 54:7; Joe 3:2; Zec 1:11)16Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. (Ezr 6:14; Jer 31:39; Eze 40:3; Eze 47:3; Zec 4:9; Zec 8:3)17Cry out 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.’” (Isa 40:1; Isa 51:3; Zec 2:4; Zec 2:12)
A Vision of Horns and Craftsmen
18[1] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! (1Ki 22:11)19And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” (Zec 1:9; Zec 1:18)20Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.21And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one 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.” (De 28:26; Ps 75:4; Jer 7:33; Zec 1:18)