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)
Zechariah 1
New International Version
A call to return to the Lord
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
King James Version
1In 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,2The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.3Therefore 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.4Be 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.5Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?6But 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.7Upon 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,8I 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.9Then 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 .10And 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.11And 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.12Then 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?13And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.14So 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.15And 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.16Therefore 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.17Cry 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.18Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.19And 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.20And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.21Then 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.
Zechariah 1
New International Reader’s Version
The Lord wants his people to return to him
1A message from the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet. Zechariah was the son of Berekiah. Berekiah was the son of Iddo. It was the eighth month of the second year that Darius was king of Persia. Here is what Zechariah said.2The LORD who rules over all was very angry with your people of long ago.3And now he says to us, ‘Return to me. Then I will return to you,’ announces the LORD.4‘Do not be like your people of long ago. The earlier prophets gave them my message. I said, “Stop doing what is evil. Turn away from your sinful practices.” But they would not listen to me. They would not pay any attention,’ announces the LORD.5‘Where are those people now? And what about my prophets? Do they live for ever?6I commanded my servants the prophets what to say. I told them what I planned to do. But your people refused to obey me. So I had to punish them. ‘Then they had a change of heart. They said, “The LORD who rules over all has punished us because of how we have lived. He was fair and right to do that. He has done to us just what he decided to do.” ’
A vision of a horseman among some myrtle trees
7A message from the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet. Zechariah was the son of Berekiah. Berekiah was the son of Iddo. The message came during the second year that Darius was king. It was the 24th day of the 11th month. That’s the month of Shebat.8I had a vision at night. I saw a man sitting on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a valley. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.9An angel was talking with me. I asked him, ‘Sir, what are these?’ He answered, ‘I will show you what they are.’10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke. He said, ‘They are the messengers the LORD has sent out. He told them to go all through the earth.’11They brought a report to the angel of the LORD. He was standing among the myrtle trees. They said to him, ‘We have gone all through the earth. We’ve found the whole world enjoying peace and rest.’12Then the angel of the LORD spoke up. He said, ‘LORD, you rule over all. How long will you avoid showing your tender love to Jerusalem? How long will you keep it from the towns of Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years.’13So the LORD replied with kind and comforting words. He spoke them to the angel who talked with me.14Then the angel said, ‘Announce this message. Say, “The LORD who rules over all says, ‘I am very jealous for my people in Jerusalem and Zion.15And I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry with my people. But the nations went too far and tried to wipe them out.’16‘ “So the LORD says, ‘I will return to Jerusalem. I will show its people my tender love. My temple will be rebuilt there. Workers will use a measuring line when they rebuild Jerusalem,’ announces the LORD.17‘ “He says, ‘My towns will be filled with good things once more. I will comfort Zion. And I will choose Jerusalem again.’ ” ’
A vision of four horns and four skilled workers
18Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.19I spoke to the angel who was talking with me. ‘What are these horns?’ I asked. He said, ‘They are the powerful nations that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’20Then the LORD showed me four skilled workers.21I asked, ‘What are they coming to do?’ He answered, ‘The horns are the powerful nations that scattered the people of Judah. That made Judah helpless. But these four skilled workers have come to terrify the horns. The workers will destroy the power of those nations. Those nations had used their power to scatter Judah’s people.’