1 I n the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord to Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Zechariah the man of God, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

2 T he Lord was very angry with your fathers.

“The Lord was very angry with your fathers.

3 T herefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return to Me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you; it is the utterance of the Lord of hosts.

So tell them, ‘The Lord of All says, “Return to Me, that I may return to you.

4 B e not as your fathers to whom the former prophets cried, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return now from your evil ways and your evil doings; but they would not hear or listen to Me, says the Lord.

Do not be like your fathers. The men who spoke for Me in the past told them, ‘The Lord of All says, “Return from your sinful ways and from your sinful works.”’ But they did not listen to Me,” says the Lord.

5 Y our fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

“Where are your fathers now? And the men who spoke for Me, do they live forever?

6 B ut My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake and take hold of your fathers? So they repented and said, As the Lord of hosts planned and purposed to do to us, according to our ways and according to our doings, so has He dealt with us.

I gave My Words and My Laws to your fathers through My servants who spoke for Me. But they would not listen and so they were punished. Then they were sorry for their sins and said, ‘The Lord of All has punished us for our ways and our works, as He said He would.’”’” Zechariah Sees Horses during the Night

7 U pon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of the reign of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet. Zechariah said,

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 Zechariah the man of God, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.

8 I saw in the night and behold, a Man riding upon a red horse, and He stood among the myrtle trees that were in a low valley or bottom, and behind Him there were horses, red, bay or flame-colored, and white.

During the night while I was sleeping I saw a man traveling on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the narrow valley, with red, brown, and white horses behind him.

9 T hen said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel who talked with me said, I will show you what these are.

I asked, “My lord, what are these?” And the angel who was speaking with me said, “I will show you what these are.”

10 A nd the Man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro through the earth and patrol it.

So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to travel all over the earth to keep watch.”

11 A nd the men on the horses answered the Angel of the Lord Who stood among the myrtle trees and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth and behold, all the earth sits at rest.

And they said to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have looked over all the earth, and saw that the whole earth is at rest and in peace.” The Lord Comforts Jerusalem

12 T hen the Angel of the Lord said, O Lord of hosts, how long will You not have mercy and lovingkindness for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which You have had indignation these seventy years ?

Then the angel of the Lord said, “O Lord of All, how long will You have no loving-pity for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You have been angry with them for seventy years now.”

13 A nd the Lord answered the angel who talked with me with gracious and comforting words.

And the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

14 S o the angel who talked with me said to me, Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Make this known: ‘The Lord of All says, “I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.

15 A nd I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was but a little displeased, they helped forward the affliction and disaster.

But I am very angry with the nations who take it easy. When I was only a little angry, they added to the trouble.”

16 T herefore thus says the Lord: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion (lovingkindness and mercy). My house shall be built in it, says the Lord of hosts, and a measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.

So the Lord says, “I will return to Jerusalem with loving-pity. My house will be built in it and all Jerusalem will be built again,” says the Lord of All.

17 C ry yet again, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall yet again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

Also make this known: ‘The Lord of All says, “My cities will again be filled with riches. The Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”’” Zechariah Sees Horns

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

Then I looked up and saw four horns.

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

So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he said, “These are the horns which have divided the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

20 T hen the Lord showed me four smiths or workmen.

Then the Lord showed me four workmen.

21 T hen said I, What are these coming to do? And he said, These are the horns or powers that scattered Judah so that no man lifted up his head. But these smiths or workmen have come to terrorize them and cause them to be panic-stricken, to cast out the horns or powers of the nations who lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.

I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns which have sent the people of Judah everywhere, so that no man raised his head. But these workmen have come to make them afraid and to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah so the people would be sent everywhere.”