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Zechariah 1-4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Zechariah 1-4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Plea for Repentance
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius,(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah(B) son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: 2 “The Lord was extremely angry with your ancestors. 3 So tell the people: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Return to Me”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. 4 Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.(C) But they did not listen or pay attention to Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 5 “Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? 6 But didn’t My words and My statutes that I commanded My servants the prophets overtake your ancestors? They repented and said: As the Lord of Hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so He has dealt with us.”(D)
The Night Visions
7 On 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 son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:
First Vision: Horsemen
8 I looked out in the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?”
The angel who was talking to me replied, “I will show you what they are.”
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”
11 They reported to the Angel of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and right now the whole earth is calm and quiet.”(E)
12 Then the Angel of the Lord responded, “How long, Lord of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that You have been angry with these 70 years?”(F) 13 The Lord replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.
14 So the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim: The Lord of Hosts says: I am extremely jealous(G) for Jerusalem and Zion. 15 I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made it worse. 16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: In mercy, I have returned to Jerusalem; My house will be rebuilt within it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.
17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”(H)
Second Vision: Four Horns and Craftsmen
18 [a]Then I looked up and saw four horns. 19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?”
And he said to me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are they coming to do?”
He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so no one could raise his head. These craftsmen have come to terrify them, to cut off the horns of the nations that raised their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
Third Vision: Surveyor
2 [b]I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”
He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.”
3 Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him. 4 He said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and livestock in it.”(I) 5 The declaration of the Lord: “I will be a wall(J) of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it.”
6 “Get up! Leave the land of the north”(K)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 7 “Go, Zion! Escape, you who are living with Daughter Babylon.” 8 For the Lord of Hosts says this: “He has sent Me[c] for His glory against the nations who are plundering you, for anyone who touches you touches the pupil[d] of His[e] eye. 9 I will move against them with My[f] power, and they will become plunder for their own servants.(L) Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me.[g]
10 “Daughter Zion, shout for joy and be glad, for I am coming to dwell among you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 11 “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day and become My[h] people.(M) I will dwell among you, and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me[i] to you. 12 The Lord will take possession of Judah as His portion in the Holy Land, and He will once again choose Jerusalem.(N) 13 Let all people be silent(O) before the Lord, for He is coming from His holy dwelling.”
Fourth Vision: High Priest and Branch
3 Then he showed me Joshua(P) the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord,(Q) with Satan[j](R) standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord[k] said to Satan: “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”(S)
3 Now Joshua was dressed with filthy[l] clothes(T) as he stood before the Angel.(U) 4 So the Angel of the Lord[m] spoke to those[n] standing before Him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then He said to him, “See, I have removed your guilt from you,(V) and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”
5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban(W) on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him in garments while the Angel of the Lord was standing nearby.
6 Then the Angel of the Lord charged Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord of Hosts says: If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, you will both rule My house and take care of My courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here.
8 “Listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring My servant, the Branch.(X) 9 Notice the stone(Y) I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes.(Z) I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and I will take away the guilt of this land in a single day. 10 On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.”(AA) This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
Fifth Vision: Gold Lampstand
4 The angel who was speaking with me then returned and roused me as one awakened out of sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I replied, “I see a solid gold lampstand there with a bowl on its top. It has seven lamps on it and seven channels for each of[o] the lamps on its top. 3 There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 Then I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 “Don’t you know what they are?” replied the angel who was speaking with me.
I said, “No, my lord.”
6 So he answered me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’(AB) says the Lord of Hosts. 7 ‘What are you, great mountain?(AC) Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain.(AD) And he will bring out the capstone accompanied by shouts of: Grace, grace to it!’”
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:(AE) 9 “Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation of this house,(AF) and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. 10 For who scorns the day of small things?(AG) These seven eyes of the Lord, which scan throughout the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line[p] in Zerubbabel’s hand.”(AH)
11 I asked him, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” 12 And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold conduits, from which golden oil pours out?”
13 Then he inquired of me, “Don’t you know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
14 “These are the two anointed ones,”[q](AI) he said, “who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”(AJ)
Footnotes
- Zechariah 1:18 Zch 2:1 in Hb
- Zechariah 2:1 Zch 2:5 in Hb
- Zechariah 2:8 Or me
- Zechariah 2:8 Or apple
- Zechariah 2:8 Ancient Jewish tradition reads My
- Zechariah 2:9 Or my
- Zechariah 2:9 Or me
- Zechariah 2:11 LXX, Syr read His
- Zechariah 2:11 Or me
- Zechariah 3:1 Or the adversary
- Zechariah 3:2 Syr reads The Angel of the Lord
- Zechariah 3:3 Probably stained with human excrement
- Zechariah 3:4 Lit He
- Zechariah 3:4 = the angels
- Zechariah 4:2 Or seven lips to
- Zechariah 4:10 Lit the tin stone
- Zechariah 4:14 = Joshua and Zerubbabel
Zechariah 1-4
New International Version
Zechariah 1-4
New International Version
A Call to Return to the Lord
1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah(B) son of Berekiah,(C) the son of Iddo:(D)
2 “The Lord was very angry(E) with your ancestors. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return(F) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’(G) says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors,(H) to whom the earlier prophets(I) proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways(J) and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me,(K) declares the Lord.(L) 5 Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not my words(M) and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?(N)
“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve,(O) just as he determined to do.’”(P)
The Man Among the Myrtle Trees
7 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 the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.(Q)
8 During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red(R) horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.(S)
9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?”
The angel(T) who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”(U)
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”(V)
11 And they reported to the angel of the Lord(W) who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”(X)
12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long(Y) will you withhold mercy(Z) from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah,(AA) which you have been angry with these seventy(AB) years?” 13 So the Lord spoke(AC) kind and comforting words(AD) to the angel who talked with me.(AE)
14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous(AF) for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.(AG) I was only a little angry,(AH) but they went too far with the punishment.’(AI)
16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return(AJ) to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line(AK) will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.(AL)
17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort(AM) Zion and choose(AN) Jerusalem.’”(AO)
Four Horns and Four Craftsmen
18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”
He answered me, “These are the horns(AP) that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I 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(AQ) against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”[a](AR)
A Man With a Measuring Line
2 [b]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”
He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”(AS)
3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls(AT) because of the great number(AU) of people and animals in it.(AV) 5 And I myself will be a wall(AW) of fire(AX) around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory(AY) within.’(AZ)
6 “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered(BA) you to the four winds of heaven,”(BB) declares the Lord.(BC)
7 “Come, Zion! Escape,(BD) you who live in Daughter Babylon!”(BE) 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye(BF)— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[c](BG) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.(BH)
10 “Shout(BI) and be glad, Daughter Zion.(BJ) For I am coming,(BK) and I will live among you,”(BL) declares the Lord.(BM) 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.(BN) I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(BO) 12 The Lord will inherit(BP) Judah(BQ) as his portion in the holy land and will again choose(BR) Jerusalem. 13 Be still(BS) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.(BT)”
Clean Garments for the High Priest
3 Then he showed me Joshua(BU) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[d](BV) standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you,(BW) Satan! The Lord, who has chosen(BX) Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick(BY) snatched from the fire?”(BZ)
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin,(CA) and I will put fine garments(CB) on you.”
5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban(CC) on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements,(CD) then you will govern my house(CE) and have charge(CF) of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.(CG)
8 “‘Listen, High Priest(CH) Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic(CI) of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.(CJ) 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua!(CK) There are seven eyes[e](CL) on that one stone,(CM) and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin(CN) of this land in a single day.
10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit(CO) under your vine and fig tree,(CP)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees
4 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke(CQ) me up, like someone awakened from sleep.(CR) 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”(CS)
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand(CT) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps(CU) on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees(CV) by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.(CW)
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:(CX) ‘Not(CY) by might nor by power,(CZ) but by my Spirit,’(DA) says the Lord Almighty.
7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.(DB) Then he will bring out the capstone(DC) to shouts(DD) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation(DE) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.(DF) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me(DG) to you.
10 “Who dares despise the day(DH) of small things,(DI) since the seven eyes(DJ) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[f] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”(DK)
11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees(DL) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”
12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I said.
14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed(DM) to[g] serve the Lord of all the earth.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 1:21 In Hebrew texts 1:18-21 is numbered 2:1-4.
- Zechariah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:5-17.
- Zechariah 2:9 Or says after … eye: 9 “I … plunder them.”
- Zechariah 3:1 Hebrew satan means adversary.
- Zechariah 3:9 Or facets
- Zechariah 4:10 Or the plumb line
- Zechariah 4:14 Or two who bring oil and
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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