| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: " | 1In November of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo: |
| 2The LORD was extremely angry with your ancestors. | 2“I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. |
| 3So 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. | 3Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’ |
| 4Do 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. But they did not listen or pay attention to Me"--this is the LORD's declaration. " | 4Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’ |
| 5Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? | 5“Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead. |
| 6But 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." | 6But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’” A Man among the Myrtle Trees |
| 7On 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: | 7Three months later, on February 15, the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. |
| 8I 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. | 8In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were riders on red, brown, and white horses. |
| 9I asked, "What are these, my lord?" The angel who was talking to me replied, "I will show you what they are." | 9I asked the angel who was talking with me, “My lord, what do these horses mean?” “I will show you,” the angel replied. |
| 10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth." | 10The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth.” |
| 11They 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." | 11Then the other riders reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.” |
| 12Then 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?" | 12Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD prayed this prayer: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long until you again show mercy to them?” |
| 13The LORD replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. | 13And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. |
| 14So the angel who was speaking with me said, "Proclaim: The LORD of Hosts says: I am extremely jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. | 14Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. |
| 15I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made it worse. | 15But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions. |
| 16Therefore, 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." | 16“‘Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. ’ |
| 17Proclaim 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." | 17“Say this also: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.’” Four Horns and Four Blacksmiths |
| 18Then I looked up and saw four horns. | 18 Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. |
| 19So 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." | 19“What are these?” I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, “These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” |
| 20Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. | 20Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths. |
| 21I 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." | 21“What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “These four horns—these nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them.” |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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