Zechariah 2:2
New International Version
I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”

New Living Translation
“Where are you going?” I asked. He replied, “I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.”

English Standard Version
Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Where are you going?” I asked. “To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “and to determine its width and length.”

Berean Literal Bible
And I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

King James Bible
Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

New King James Version
So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

New American Standard Bible
So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”

NASB 1995
So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”

NASB 1977
So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”

Amplified Bible
So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”

Berean Annotated Bible
“Where are you going? I asked. “To measure Jerusalem (city of peace), he replied, “and to determine its width and length.

Christian Standard Bible
I asked, “Where are you going? ” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.”

American Standard Version
Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

Contemporary English Version
and I asked, "Where are you going?" "To measure Jerusalem," was the answer. "To find out how wide and long it is."

English Revised Version
Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I asked him, "Where are you going?" He answered, "I am going to measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is."

Good News Translation
"Where are you going?" I asked. "To measure Jerusalem," he answered, "to see how long and how wide it is."

International Standard Version
I asked, "Where are you going?" He responded, "To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and length."

NET Bible
I asked, "Where are you going?" He replied, "To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and its length."

New Heart English Bible
Then I asked, "Where are you going?" He said to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth, and what is its length.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
“Where are you going?” I asked. “To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “and to determine its width and length.”

World English Bible
Then I asked, “Where are you going?” He said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I say, “To where are you going?” And he says to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how much [is] its breadth and how much its length.”

Berean Literal Bible
And I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

Young's Literal Translation
And I say, 'Whither are thou going?' And he saith unto me, 'To measure Jerusalem, to see how much is its breadth, and how much its length.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And saying, Whither goest thou? And he will say to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see according to what its breadth, and according to what its length.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I said: Whither goest thou? and he said to me: To measure Jerusalem, and to see how great is the breadth thereof, and how great the length thereof.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, so that I may see how great its width and how great its length may be.”

New American Bible
I asked, “Where are you going?” And he said, “To measure Jerusalem—to see how great its width is and how great its length.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I said to him, Where are you going? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I said to him: ”Where are you going?” And he said to me, ”I shall measure Jerusalem and I shall see how great its length and how great its width”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said I: 'Whither goest thou?' And he said unto me: 'To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I said to him, Whither goest thou? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth of it, and what is the length of it.

Additional Translations ...



Context
The Vision of the Measuring Line
1Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2“Where are you going?” I asked. “To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “and to determine its width and length.” 3Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel came out to meet him…

Cross References
“Where are you going?” I asked.

John 13:36
“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”

John 14:5
“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”

John 16:5
Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
“To measure Jerusalem,” he replied,

2 Kings 21:13
I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.

Jeremiah 31:38-39
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for Me, from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. / The measuring line will once again stretch out straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn toward Goah.

Revelation 11:1-2
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. / But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.
“and to determine its width and length.”

Revelation 21:15-17
The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls. / The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height. / And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using.

Ezekiel 48:16-17
and will have these measurements: 4,500 cubits on the north side, 4,500 cubits on the south side, 4,500 cubits on the east side, and 4,500 cubits on the west side. / The pastureland of the city will extend 250 cubits to the north, 250 cubits to the south, 250 cubits to the east, and 250 cubits to the west.

1 Kings 6:2-3
The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. / The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple was twenty cubits long, extending across the width of the temple and projecting out ten cubits in front of the temple.
Ezekiel 40:3-5
So He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze. He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. / “Son of man,” he said to me, “look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Report to the house of Israel everything you see.” / And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high.

Isaiah 49:16
Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.

Nehemiah 2:13-15
So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Well of the Serpent and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire. / Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to get through; / so I went up the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I headed back and reentered through the Valley Gate.

Amos 7:7-9
This is what He showed me: Behold, the Lord was standing by a wall true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. / “Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD. “A plumb line,” I replied. “Behold,” said the Lord, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them: / The high places of Isaac will be deserted, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with My sword.”

Ezekiel 42:15-20
Now when the man had finished measuring the interior of the temple area, he led me out by the gate that faced east, and he measured the area all around: / With a measuring rod he measured the east side to be five hundred cubits long. / He measured the north side to be five hundred cubits long. …

Isaiah 54:2-3
“Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep. / For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.

Psalm 48:12-13
March around Zion, encircle her, count her towers, / consider her ramparts, tour her citadels, that you may tell the next generation.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said I, Where go you? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

Whither.

Zechariah 5:10
Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?

John 16:5
But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

To.

Jeremiah 31:39
And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.

Ezekiel 45:6
And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

Ezekiel 48:15-17,30-35
And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof…

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Zechariah 2
1. God, in the care of Jerusalem, sends to measure it.
6. The redemption of Zion.
10. The promise of God's presence.












“Where are you going?” I asked.

Zechariah addresses the man carrying a measuring line in a vision given during the return from Babylonian exile. Jerusalem lay damaged and sparsely populated, and its future was uncertain.

Jhn 13:36 “Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked.…
Jhn 14:5 “Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going…”…
Jhn 16:5 Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me;…

“To measure Jerusalem,” he replied,

The measuring line indicates that God had marked the city for restoration. Jerusalem would not remain desolate or forgotten, but would be rebuilt according to His purpose.

2Ki 21:13 I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line…
Jer 31:38-39 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD,…
Rev 11:1-2 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told,…

“and to determine its width and length.”

The vision anticipates a Jerusalem expanded beyond its former limits, filled with people and livestock. Its security would rest not merely in walls or boundaries, but in the Lord’s presence among His people.

Rev 21:15-17 The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod…
Ezk 48:16-17 and will have these measurements: 4,500 cubits…
1Ki 6:2-3 The house that King Solomon built for the LORD…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Zechariah
A prophet who received visions from God, encouraging the Israelites during the post-exilic period.

2. The Man with the Measuring Line
A symbolic figure representing God's intention to restore and protect Jerusalem.

3. Jerusalem
The city central to Jewish identity and worship, symbolizing God's presence and future glory.

4. The Vision
A prophetic revelation given to Zechariah, illustrating God's plans for Jerusalem's restoration.

5. The Exiles
The Jewish people returning from Babylonian captivity, seeking hope and reassurance of God's promises.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Plans
The act of measuring signifies God's control and detailed plans for His people. Just as He had a plan for Jerusalem, He has a plan for our lives.

Restoration and Hope
The vision of measuring Jerusalem is a message of hope and restoration. In times of despair, we can trust in God's promise to restore and renew.

Divine Protection
The measuring line indicates God's protection over Jerusalem. Similarly, believers are assured of God's protection and care in their spiritual journey.

Faith in God's Promises
The vision encourages faith in God's promises. Despite current circumstances, God's word assures us of a future filled with His presence and glory.

Spiritual Growth and Expansion
Just as Jerusalem was to expand, believers are called to grow spiritually, expanding their influence and witness for God's kingdom.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Zechariah 2:2?

2. How does Zechariah 2:2 inspire us to trust God's plans for our future?

3. What does the measuring line symbolize in Zechariah 2:2 for Jerusalem's restoration?

4. How can we apply the concept of divine protection from Zechariah 2:2 today?

5. What connections exist between Zechariah 2:2 and God's promises in other Scriptures?

6. How does Zechariah 2:2 encourage us to participate in God's work on earth?

7. What is the significance of the man with a measuring line in Zechariah 2:2?

8. How does Zechariah 2:2 relate to God's promise of protection for Jerusalem?

9. What historical context surrounds the vision in Zechariah 2:2?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Zechariah 2?


Verse 2. - What is the breadth thereof. The man measures to see what shall be the dimensions of the restored city, for from ver. 12 it is apparent that the building is not yet completed, nor are we to think that the rebuilding of the material ruined walls is meant.

Zechariah’s simple exchange reveals a profound message: God is personally overseeing Jerusalem’s restoration. The question draws us into His purposes; the measuring line shows His claim, care, and precision; the stated dimensions promise a spacious, secure future. What looked like a ruined town to the exiles is, in God’s plan, already being surveyed for glory.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Where
אָ֖נָה (’ā·nāh)
Interrogative
Strong's 575: Where?, whither?, when?, hither and thither

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

going?”
הֹלֵ֑ךְ (hō·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

I asked.
וָאֹמַ֕ר (wā·’ō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“To measure
לָמֹד֙ (lā·mōḏ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4058: To stretch, to measure, to be extended

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

he replied,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“and to determine
לִרְא֥וֹת (lir·’ō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7200: To see

its width
רָחְבָּ֖הּ (rā·ḥə·bāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7341: Breadth, width

and length.”
אָרְכָּֽהּ׃ (’ā·rə·kāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 753: Length


Additonal Resources
Zechariah 2:2 Blue Letter Bible
Zechariah 2:2 Bible Gateway
Zechariah 2:2 Bible.com

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Zechariah 2:2 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Zechariah 2:2 Then I asked Where are you going? (Zech. Zec Zc)

Zechariah 2:1
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