1 I n 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,

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

2 “ The Lord was very angry with your fathers.

Jehovah hath been very wroth with your fathers.

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

And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

4 D o 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.

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

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

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

6 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

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

7 O n 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.

Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

8 D uring 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.

I saw by night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the low valley; and behind him were red, bay, and white horses.

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

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

10 S o 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.”

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

11 A nd 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

And they answered the angel of Jehovah 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 T hen 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.”

And the angel of Jehovah answered and said, Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

13 A nd the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

And Jehovah answered the angel that talked with me good words, comforting words.

14 S o 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.

And the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy,

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

and I am wroth exceedingly with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little wroth, and they helped forward the affliction.

16 S o 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.

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

17 A lso 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

Cry further, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

18 T hen I looked up and saw four horns.

And I lifted up mine 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 said, “These are the horns which have divided the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

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

20 T hen the Lord showed me four workmen.

And Jehovah shewed me four craftsmen.

21 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.”

And I said, What come these to do? And he spoke, saying, Those are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these are come to affright them, to cast out the horns of the nations, which lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.