Zechariah 1

1In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo the prophet, saying,

2Yahweh was very angry with your fathers.

3Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: Return to me,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I will return to you,’ says Yahweh of hosts.

4Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: Turn back, please, from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” But they did not listen or pay attention to me, declares Yahweh.

5Your fathers—where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6But did not my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they turned back and said, ‘As Yahweh of Armies planned to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so he has dealt with us.’

7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (that is, the month Shebat), in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo the prophet, saying:

8I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees that were in the ravine, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

9Then I said, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”

10Then the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are the ones whom Yahweh has sent to walk throughout the earth.”

11And they answered the angel of Yahweh who was standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have gone throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and quiet.”

12Then the angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long will you have no compassion on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?”

13And Yahweh answered the angel who was speaking with me with good words, comforting words.

14Then the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.’”

15And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was only a little angry, but they helped forward the disaster.

16Therefore, thus says the LORD: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house will be built in her, declares the LORD of hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.

17Call out again, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’