What is the meaning of Zechariah 2:4?

and said to him,

• The speaker is “the angel who was speaking with me” (Zechariah 2:3). Angelic messengers always carry the very words of God, so what follows bears divine authority (Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 22:6).

• The brief clause reminds us that God takes the initiative to reveal His plans—His people do not have to guess (Amos 3:7).

• Because the context is a night vision (Zechariah 1:7), the entire scene underscores that even in darkness God communicates clearly and purposefully (Psalm 119:105).

---

Run and tell that young man:

• “Run” signals urgency; the message cannot wait (Habakkuk 2:2; Luke 2:15).

• “That young man” is the one seen earlier with the measuring line (Zechariah 2:1). God singles him out, valuing youthful zeal while correcting short-sighted plans (1 Timothy 4:12).

• Measuring Jerusalem for walls would have limited the city. God interrupts—He has a far larger design (Proverbs 19:21).

---

Jerusalem will be a city without walls

• The statement is startling in an age when walls meant safety (Nehemiah 1:3). God promises security that outstrips masonry: “I will be a wall of fire around her” (Zechariah 2:5; Psalm 125:2).

• “Without walls” also hints at openness to the nations. Later prophecy pictures nations streaming to Zion unhindered (Isaiah 2:2; Zechariah 8:20–23; Acts 15:16–17).

• Ultimately the scene points forward to the Messianic kingdom and finally the New Jerusalem whose gates are never shut (Revelation 21:25).

---

because of the multitude of men and livestock within it.

• Population and prosperity will overflow current boundaries—“enlarge the place of your tent” (Isaiah 54:2–3).

• Livestock symbolizes economic blessing and peace; animals graze safely only when enemies are gone (Micah 4:4; Ezekiel 34:25–28).

• God envisions not a cramped remnant but a teeming, vibrant community: “I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and beast” (Jeremiah 31:27; Revelation 7:9).

---

summary

Zechariah 2:4 overturns limited, human-sized expectations. God races an angel to stop mere wall-building and declares a future Jerusalem so expansive and secure that masonry is obsolete. He Himself will protect, populate, and prosper His city, welcoming multitudes and signaling the ultimate fulfillment of His covenant promises through the Messiah.