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

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

2 “ The Lord was very angry with your fathers.

“Yahweh was very displeased with your fathers.

3 T herefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “ Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.

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

4 “ Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “ Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the Lord.

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

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

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

6 B ut did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘ As the Lord of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”’” Patrol of the Earth

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

7 O n the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, as follows:

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

8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and white horses behind him.

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

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

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

10 A nd the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”

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

11 S o 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 is peaceful and quiet.”

They reported to Yahweh’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.”

12 T hen the angel of the Lord said, “O Lord of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?”

Then Yahweh’s angel replied, “O Yahweh 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?”

13 T he Lord answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words.

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

14 S o the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “ Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.

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

15 B ut I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.”

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

16 T herefore thus says the Lord, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’

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

17 A gain, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”’”

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

18 T hen I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns.

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

19 S o I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

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.”

20 T hen the Lord showed me four craftsmen.

Yahweh showed me four craftsmen.

21 I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”

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, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”