1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo:
2 “Yahweh was very angry with your ancestors.
3 Then you will tell them these words of Yahweh Sabaoth: ‘Return to me and I will return to you.’
4 Do not be like your ancestors whom the earlier prophets warned, reiterating to them Yahweh Sabaoth’s words: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your wicked deeds.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me. Yahweh asks you,
5 “Where are your ancestors now? Those prophets also died
6 but my words and decrees entrusted to my servants, the proph ets, overtook your ancestors. They repented and confessed: “Yahweh Sabaoth has treated us just as he had determined to do, according to our ways and deeds.”
The visions
7 On the twenty-fourth of Shebat, the eleventh month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, in the following manner.
8 In a vision at night, I saw a man riding a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine, and behind him were red, brown and white horses.
9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel with whom I was talking answered, “You will know.”
10 The man standing among the myrtle trees spoke, “They are those whom Yahweh sent to patrol the earth.”
11 These then reported to Yah weh’s angel standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the whole earth and found it peaceful and tranquil.”
12 The angel of Yahweh spoke, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long will you be without mercy for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which you have afflicted in anger these seventy years?”
13 Yahweh replied with comforting words to the angel who spoke to me.
14 This angel then turned to me and said, “Proclaim this word which Yahweh Sabaoth speaks: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,
15 but I am very angry with complacent nations. At first I was only a little angry with Jerusalem, but they made things worse.’
16 Therefore Yahweh says: ‘I will turn again with mercy to Jeru salem, where my house will be rebuilt and the measuring line stretched.’”
Then Yahweh Sabaoth said,
17 “Pro claim this as well: ‘My towns will once more overflow with prosperity; Yahweh will again comfort Zion and make Jerusalem his favorite.’”
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Comments Zechariah, Chapter 1
• 1.1 Zechariah is blessed with a series of night visions in which the plan of God, fixed and determined in heaven, is revealed to him. The events will certainly take place.
– First vision, 1:7-17, apparently nothing in the external situation leads one to think that the day of the Lord is drawing near. However, the Lord is watching and does not forget Jerusalem.
– Second vision, 2:1-4, the powers which will destroy their political enemies are already in place.
– Third vision, 2:5-9, if now the Jews have to protect Jerusalem with walls, God will shortly provide complete security.