Chapter 1

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,²

The LORD hath been sore displeased¹ with your fathers.

Therefore say¹ thou unto them, Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts; Turn³ ye unto me, saith⁷ the LORD of hosts, and I will turn⁴ unto you, saith¹ the LORD of hosts.

Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried,¹ saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts; Turn³ ye now from your evil ways, and [from] your evil doings: but they did not hear,¹ nor hearken⁵² unto me, saith⁷ the LORD.

Your fathers, where [are] they? and the prophets, do they live⁴ for ever?

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded¹⁴ my servants the prophets, did they not take hold⁵² of your fathers? and they returned⁴ and said,⁴ Like as the LORD of hosts thought¹ to do² unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt¹ with us.

Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh ⁶²⁴⁰ month, which [is] the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,²

I saw¹ by night, and behold a man riding⁶ upon a red horse, and he stood⁶ among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white.

Then said⁴ I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked⁶ with me said⁴ unto me, I will shew⁵⁵ thee what these [be].

And the man that stood⁶ among the myrtle trees answered⁴ and said,⁴ These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent¹ to walk⁹⁹ to and fro through the earth.

And they answered⁴ the angel of the LORD that stood⁶ among the myrtle trees, and said,⁴ We have walked to and fro⁹⁸ through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still,⁶ and is at rest.⁶

Then the angel of the LORD answered⁴ and said,⁴ O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy¹⁷ on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation¹ these threescore and ten years?

And the LORD answered⁴ the angel that talked⁶ with me [with] good words [and] comfortable words.

So the angel that communed⁶ with me said⁴ unto me, Cry³ thou, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts; I am jealous¹⁴ for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

And I am very sore displeased⁶ with the heathen [that are] at ease: for I was but a little displeased,¹ and they helped¹ forward the affliction.

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD; I am returned¹ to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built¹¹ in it, saith⁷ the LORD of hosts, and a line ⁶⁹⁶¹ shall be stretched forth¹¹ upon Jerusalem.

Cry³ yet, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad;⁴ and the LORD shall yet comfort¹⁴ Zion, and shall yet choose¹ Jerusalem.

Then lifted I up⁴ mine eyes, and saw,⁴ and behold four horns.

And I said⁴ unto the angel that talked⁶ with me, What [be] these? And he answered⁴ me, These [are] the horns which have scattered¹⁴ Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

And the LORD shewed⁵⁵ me four carpenters.

Then said⁴ I, What come⁶ these to do?² And he spake,⁴ saying,² These [are] the horns which have scattered¹⁴ Judah, so that no man did lift up¹ his head: but these are come⁴ to fray⁵³ them, to cast out¹⁵ the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up⁶ [their] horn over the land of Judah to scatter¹⁵ it.