1 I n 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,

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

2 “ Yahweh was very displeased with your fathers.

The LORD has been sore displeased with your fathers.

3 T herefore tell them: Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Return to me,’ says Yahweh of Armies, ‘and I will return to you,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Turn unto me, said the LORD of the hosts, and I will turn unto you, said the LORD of the hosts.

4 D on’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.

Do not be as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Turn now from your evil ways and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, said the LORD.

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

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

6 B ut 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.’”

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my slaves the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? Therefore they returned from captivity and said, Like as the LORD of the hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our doings, so has he 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, Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

¶ Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,

8 “ 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.

I 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 there were red horses, speckled, and white.

9 T hen I asked, ‘My lord, what are these?’” The angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”

Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee who these are.

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

And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are those whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

11 T hey 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.”

And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees and said, We have walked to and fro through the land, and, behold, all the earth sits still and is at rest.

12 T hen 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?”

Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of the hosts, when wilt thou have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

13 Y ahweh answered the angel who talked with me with kind and comforting words.

And the LORD answered good words unto the angel that talked with me, words of consolation.

14 S o 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.

So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of the hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

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

And I am very sore displeased with the Gentiles that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

16 T herefore 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.”’

Therefore thus hath the LORD said, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my house shall be built in her, saith the LORD of the hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

17 “ 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.”’”

Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of the hosts, My cities through abundance of good shall yet be widened; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

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

¶ Then I lifted up my eyes and saw and behold four horns.

19 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.”

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

20 Y ahweh showed me four craftsmen.

And the LORD showed me four carpenters.

21 T hen 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.”

Then I said, What do these come to do? And he spoke, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no one lifted up his head, but these are come to cause them to tremble, to cut down the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.