Zechariah 1:12
New International Version
Then the angel of the LORD said, “LORD Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?”

New Living Translation
Upon 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?”

English Standard Version
Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’

Berean Standard Bible
Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?”

King James Bible
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

New King James Version
Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?”

New American Standard Bible
Then the angel of the LORD said, “LORD of armies, how long will You take no pity on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant for these seventy years?”

NASB 1995
Then the angel of the LORD said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?”

NASB 1977
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, “O LORD of hosts, how long wilt Thou have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which Thou hast been indignant these seventy years?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?”

Amplified Bible
Then the Angel of the LORD said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will You withhold mercy and compassion from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which You have had indignation and anger these seventy years [of the Babylonian captivity]?”

Christian Standard Bible
Then the angel of the LORD responded, “How long, LORD of Armies, will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that you have been angry with these seventy years? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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?”

American Standard Version
Then the angel of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

Contemporary English Version
At this, the angel said, "LORD All-Powerful, for 70 years you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. When are you ever going to have mercy on them?"

English Revised Version
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the Messenger of the LORD said, "LORD of Armies, how much longer until you show compassion to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You've been angry with them for 70 years."

Good News Translation
Then the angel said, "Almighty LORD, you have been angry with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah for seventy years now. How much longer will it be before you show them mercy?"

International Standard Version
And the angel of the LORD replied, "LORD of the Heavenly Armies, how long will it be until you show mercy to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, with whom you have been angry for these past seventy years?"

Majority Standard Bible
Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?”

NET Bible
The angel of the LORD then asked, "LORD who rules over all, how long before you have compassion on Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years?"

New Heart English Bible
Then the angel of the LORD replied, "O LORD of hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years.

World English Bible
Then 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?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the Messenger of YHWH answers and says, “YHWH of Hosts! Until when do You not pity Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, that You have abhorred these seventy years?”

Young's Literal Translation
And the messenger of Jehovah answereth and saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts! till when dost Thou not pity Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, that Thou hast abhorred these seventy years?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the messenger of Jehovah will answer and say, O Jehovah of armies, how long wilt thou not compassionate Jerusalem and the cities of Judah with whom thou wert very angry this seventy years?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the angel of the Lord answered, and said: O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Juda, with which thou hast been angry? this is now the seventieth year.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the angel of the Lord answered and said, “Lord of hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, with which you have been angry? This is now the seventieth year.”

New American Bible
Then the angel of the LORD replied, “LORD of hosts, how long will you be without mercy for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that have felt your anger these seventy years?”

New Revised Standard Version
Then the angel of the LORD said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which you have been angry these seventy years?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Angel of LORD JEHOVAH answered and said: ”LORD JEHOVAH of Hosts, how long are you not merciful to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judea, for you were angry with them, behold, seventy years!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then the angel of the LORD spoke and said: 'O LORD of hosts, how long wilt Thou not have compassion on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which Thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord Almighty, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem, and the cities of Juda, which thou has disregarded these seventy years?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Vision of the Horses
11And the riders answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and tranquil.” 12Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?” 13So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.…

Cross References
Daniel 9:2
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

Jeremiah 25:11-12
And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. / But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation.

Jeremiah 29:10
For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.

Isaiah 40:2
“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.”

2 Chronicles 36:21
So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Lamentations 5:20
Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?

Psalm 74:10
How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever?

Psalm 79:5
How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?

Habakkuk 1:2
How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?

Isaiah 62:6-7
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD shall take no rest for yourselves, / nor give Him any rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

Revelation 6:10
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?”

Matthew 24:22
If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

Luke 18:7
Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?

Romans 11:25-26
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. / And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

Hebrews 10:37
For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.


Treasury of Scripture

Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these three score and ten years?

the angel.

Zechariah 1:8,10,11
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 were there red horses, speckled, and white…

Exodus 23:20-23
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared…

Isaiah 63:9
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

how.

Psalm 74:10
O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

Psalm 69:5
O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

Psalm 102:13
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

thou hast.

Zechariah 7:5
Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

2 Chronicles 36:21
To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Jeremiah 25:11,12
And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years…

Jump to Previous
Almighty Angel Angry Armies Burning Cities Compassion Hosts Indignant Indignation Jerusalem Judah Mercy Messenger Seventy Ten Threescore Towns Wilt Withhold Wrath
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Almighty Angel Angry Armies Burning Cities Compassion Hosts Indignant Indignation Jerusalem Judah Mercy Messenger Seventy Ten Threescore Towns Wilt Withhold Wrath
Zechariah 1
1. Zechariah exhorts to repentance.
7. The vision of the horses.
12. At the prayer of the angel comfortable promises are made to Jerusalem.
18. The vision of the four horns and the four carpenters.














Then the angel of the LORD said
The phrase "the angel of the LORD" is significant in the Old Testament, often representing a divine messenger or even a theophany, a visible manifestation of God. In Hebrew, "mal'ak YHWH" can imply a special envoy of God, distinct from other angels. This angel acts as an intercessor, showing God's intimate involvement with His people. Historically, this reflects the period after the Babylonian exile, where divine intervention was sought for restoration.

O LORD of Hosts
The title "LORD of Hosts" (YHWH Sabaoth) emphasizes God's supreme command over the heavenly armies and all creation. It is a title of power and authority, reassuring the Israelites of God's ability to protect and restore them. This title is used frequently in prophetic literature to remind the people of God's sovereignty, especially during times of distress.

how long will You withhold mercy
The cry "how long" is a common lament in the Psalms and prophetic books, expressing a deep yearning for God's intervention. The Hebrew root "chanan" for "mercy" implies grace and favor, suggesting a plea for God's compassionate action. This reflects the Israelites' longing for the end of their suffering and the beginning of restoration.

from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah
"Jerusalem and the cities of Judah" represent the heart of the Jewish nation, both politically and spiritually. Jerusalem, as the site of the Temple, held immense religious significance. The mention of these locations underscores the devastation experienced during the Babylonian exile and the hope for their rebuilding and renewal.

which You have afflicted
The acknowledgment that God "afflicted" them highlights the theological understanding of divine discipline. The Hebrew root "ra'a" suggests a purposeful action by God to correct and purify His people. This reflects the covenant relationship where God disciplines those He loves, as seen throughout the Old Testament narrative.

these seventy years
The "seventy years" refers to the prophesied duration of the Babylonian exile, as mentioned in Jeremiah 25:11-12. This period symbolizes a complete cycle of judgment and purification. Historically, it marks the time from the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC to the decree of Cyrus allowing the Jews to return in 538 BC. This timeframe reassures the faithful of God's faithfulness to His promises and the certainty of their return and restoration.

Verse 12. - Answered. He answered the feeling in the prophet's mind, the unexpressed longing of his heart. O Lord of hosts. The angel is the intercessor for the people. So Christ prays to the Father (John 17.). How long wilt thou not have mercy, etc.? He prays that the weary waiting for deliverance may speedily come to an end, and Jerusalem be restored, and Judaea be again inhabited by a happy population. These three score and ten years. The predicted seventy years of captivity (Jeremiah 25:11; Jeremiah 29:10) were past; it was time that the punishment should cease. There are two computations of this period. The first dates from the first capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, B.C. 606, when Judaea was made tributary to Babylon (2 Kings 24:1: 2 Chronicles 36:6; Daniel 1:1, etc.), unto the return of the company of exiles under Zerubbabel, B.C. 536; the second dates from the final destruction of Jerusalem, B.C. 588, unto the second year of Darius, B.C. 519, when Zechariah saw these visions. However reckoned, the dark period was now over; might they not now expect the commotion among the nations which was to precede their own restitution?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the Angel
מַלְאַךְ־ (mal·’aḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

of the LORD
יְהוָה֮ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said,
וַיֹּאמַר֒ (way·yō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“How long,
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

O LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

of Hosts,
צְבָא֔וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

will You
אַתָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

withhold mercy
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

from Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

and the cities
עָרֵ֣י (‘ā·rê)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

of Judah,
יְהוּדָ֑ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

with which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

You have been angry
זָעַ֔מְתָּה (zā·‘am·tāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2194: To foam at the mouth, to be enraged

these
זֶ֖ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

seventy
שִׁבְעִ֥ים (šiḇ·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 7657: Seventy (a cardinal number)

years?”
שָׁנָֽה׃ (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year


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OT Prophets: Zechariah 1:12 Then the angel of Yahweh replied O (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 1:11
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