Zechariah 1:7-6:8

Other Translations of Zechariah 1:7-6:8

King James Version

The Vision of the Horses

⁷ Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh 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, ⁸ 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, speckled: or, bay and white. ⁹ Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. ¹⁰ And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. ¹¹ And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. ¹² 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? ¹³ And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. ¹⁴ So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. ¹⁵ And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. ¹⁶ Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. ¹⁷ Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity prosperity: Heb. good shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

The Vision of the Horns and Carpenters

¹⁸ Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. ¹⁹ And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. ²⁰ And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. ²¹ Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

The Exiles Summoned

2¹ I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² 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. ³ And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, ⁴ And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: ⁵ For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

⁶ Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. ⁷ Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. ⁸ For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. ⁹ For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.

¹⁰ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. ¹¹ And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. ¹² And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. ¹³ Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

The Prophet's Vision of Joshua the High Priest

3¹ And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan Satan: that is, an adversary standing at his right hand to resist him. ² And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? ³ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. ⁴ And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. ⁵ And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. ⁶ And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, ⁷ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, charge: or, ordinance then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

⁸ Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. ⁹ For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. ¹⁰ In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

The Candlestick and the Olive Trees

4¹ And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, ² And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl a bowl: Heb. her bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: ³ And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. ⁴ So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? ⁵ Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. ⁶ Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, might: or, army nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. ⁷ Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. ⁸ Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ⁹ The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. ¹⁰ For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

¹¹ Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? ¹² And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through through: Heb. by the hand of the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? ¹³ And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. ¹⁴ Then said he, These are the two anointed anointed...: Heb. sons of oil ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

The Flying Roll

5¹ Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. ² And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. ³ Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth every one that stealeth...: or, every one of this people that stealeth holdeth himself guiltless, as it doth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. ⁴ I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

The Woman in the Ephah

⁵ Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. ⁶ And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. ⁷ And, behold, there was lifted up a talent talent: or, weighty piece of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. ⁸ And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. ⁹ Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. ¹⁰ Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? ¹¹ And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

The Four Chariots

6¹ And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. ² In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; ³ And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay bay: or, strong horses. ⁴ Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? ⁵ And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits spirits: or, winds of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶ The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. ⁷ And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. ⁸ Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.

English Standard Version

The Vision of the Horses

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, ⁸ "I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. ⁹ Then I said, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me said to me, 'I will show you what they are.' ¹⁰ So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, 'These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.' ¹¹ And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, 'We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.' ¹² 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?' ¹³ And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. ¹⁴ So the angel who talked with me said to me, 'Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. ¹⁵ And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. ¹⁶ Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. ¹⁷ Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'"

The Vision of the Horns and Carpenters

¹⁸ Ch 2:1 in Hebrew And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! ¹⁹ And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these?" And he said to me, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." ²⁰ Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. ²¹ And I said, "What are these coming to do?" He said, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."

The Exiles Summoned

2¹ Ch 2:5 in Hebrew And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! ² 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." ³ And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him ⁴ and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. ⁵ And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.'"

⁶ Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. ⁷ Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. ⁸ For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent meOr he sent me after glory to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: ⁹ "Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me.

¹⁰ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. ¹¹ And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. ¹² And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem." ¹³ Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

The Prophet's Vision of Joshua the High Priest

3¹ Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and SatanSatan means the accuser standing at his right hand to accuse him. ² And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brandThat is, a burning stick plucked from the fire?" ³ Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. ⁴ And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments." ⁵ And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. ⁶ And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, ⁷ "Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.

⁸ Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. ⁹ For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes,Or facets I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. ¹⁰ In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree."

The Candlestick and the Olive Trees

4¹ And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. ² And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. ³ And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left." ⁴ And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" ⁵ Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord." ⁶ Then he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. ⁷ Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" ⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁹ "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. ¹⁰ For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth."

¹¹ Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" ¹² And a second time I answered and said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oilHebrew lacks oil is poured out?" ¹³ He said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord." ¹⁴ Then he said, "These are the two anointed onesHebrew two sons of new oil who stand by the Lord of the whole earth."

The Flying Roll

5¹ Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! ² And he said to me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits."A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters ³ Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falselyHebrew lacks falsely (supplied from verse 4) shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. ⁴ I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones."

The Woman in the Ephah

⁵ Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, "Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out." ⁶ And I said, "What is it?" He said, "This is the basketHebrew ephah; also verses 7-11. An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters that is going out." And he said, "This is their iniquityOne Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts eye in all the land." ⁷ And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! ⁸ And he said, "This is Wickedness." And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening. ⁹ Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. ¹⁰ Then I said to the angel who talked with me, "Where are they taking the basket?" ¹¹ He said to me, "To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base."

The Four Chariots

6¹ Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. ² The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, ³ the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses--all of them strong.Or and the fourth chariot strong dappled horses ⁴ Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" ⁵ And the angel answered and said to me, "These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶ The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country." ⁷ When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, "Go, patrol the earth." So they patrolled the earth. ⁸ Then he cried to me, "Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country."

The Message

The Vision of the Horses

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month in the second year of the reign of Darius, the Message of God was given to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: ⁸ One night I looked out and saw a man astride a red horse. He was in the shadows in a grove of birches. Behind him were more horses - a red, a chestnut, and a white. ⁹ I said, "Sir, what are these horses doing here? What's the meaning of this?" The Angel-Messenger said, "Let me show you." ¹⁰ Then the rider in the birch grove spoke up, "These are the riders that God sent to check things out on earth." ¹¹ They reported their findings to the Angel of God in the birch grove: "We have looked over the whole earth and all is well. Everything's under control." ¹² The Angel of God reported back, "O God-of-the-Angel-Armies, how long are you going to stay angry with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? When are you going to let up? Isn't seventy years long enough?" ¹³ God reassured the Angel-Messenger - good words, comforting words - ¹⁴ who then addressed me: "Tell them this. Tell them that God-of-the-Angel-Armies has spoken. This is God's Message: 'I care deeply for Jerusalem and Zion. I feel very possessive of them. ¹⁵ But I'm thoroughly angry with the godless nations that act as if they own the whole world. I was only moderately angry earlier, but now they've gone too far. I'm going into action. ¹⁶ "'I've come back to Jerusalem, but with compassion this time.' This is God speaking. 'I'll see to it that my Temple is rebuilt.' A Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies! 'The rebuilding operation is already staked out.' ¹⁷ Say it again - a Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies: 'My cities will prosper again, God will comfort Zion again, Jerusalem will be back in my favor again.'" Second Vision: Four Horns and Four Blacksmiths

The Vision of the Horns and Carpenters

¹⁸ I looked up, and was surprised by another vision: four horns! ¹⁹ I asked the Messenger-Angel, "And what's the meaning of this?" He said, "These are the powers that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem abroad." ²⁰ Then God expanded the vision to include four blacksmiths. ²¹ I asked, "And what are these all about?" He said, "Since the 'horns' scattered Judah so badly that no one had any hope left, these blacksmiths have arrived to combat the horns. They'll dehorn the godless nations who used their horns to scatter Judah to the four winds."

The Exiles Summoned

2¹ I looked up and was surprised to see a man holding a tape measure in his hand. ² I said, "What are you up to?" "I'm on my way," he said, "to survey Jerusalem, to measure its width and length." ³ Just then the Messenger-Angel on his way out ⁴ and said, "Run! Tell the Surveyor, 'Jerusalem will burst its walls - bursting with people, bursting with animals. ⁵ And I'll be right there with her' - God's Decree - 'a wall of fire around unwalled Jerusalem and a radiant presence within.'"

⁶ "Up on your feet! Get out of there - and now!" God says so. "Return from your far exile. I scattered you to the four winds." God's Decree. ⁷ "Escape from Babylon, Zion, and come home - now!" ⁸ God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the One of Glory who sent me on my mission, commenting on the godless nations who stripped you and left you homeless, said, "Anyone who hits you, hits me - bloodies my nose, blackens my eye. ⁹ Yes, and at the right time I'll give the signal and they'll be stripped and thrown out by their own servants." Then you'll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission.

¹⁰ "Shout and celebrate, Daughter of Zion! I'm on my way. I'm moving into your neighborhood!" God's Decree. ¹¹ Many godless nations will be linked up with God at that time. ("They will become my family! I'll live in their homes!") And then you'll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission. ¹² God will reclaim his Judah inheritance in the Holy Land. He'll again make clear that Jerusalem is his choice. ¹³ Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something's afoot in his holy house. He's on the move!

The Prophet's Vision of Joshua the High Priest

3¹ Next the Messenger-Angel showed me the high priest Joshua. He was standing before God's Angel where the Accuser showed up to accuse him. ² Then God said to the Accuser, "I, God, rebuke you, Accuser! I rebuke you and choose Jerusalem. Surprise! Everything is going up in flames, but I reach in and pull out Jerusalem!" ³ Joshua, standing before the angel, was dressed in dirty clothes. ⁴ The angel spoke to his attendants, "Get him out of those filthy clothes," and then said to Joshua, "Look, I've stripped you of your sin and dressed you up in clean clothes." ⁵ I spoke up and said, "How about a clean new turban for his head also?" And they did it - put a clean new turban on his head. Then they finished dressing him, with God's Angel looking on. ⁶ God's Angel then charged Joshua, ⁷ "Orders from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: 'If you live the way I tell you and remain obedient in my service, then you'll make the decisions around here and oversee my affairs. And all my attendants standing here will be at your service.

⁸ "'Careful, High Priest Joshua - both you and your friends sitting here with you, for your friends are in on this, too! Here's what I'm doing next: I'm introducing my servant Branch. ⁹ And note this: This stone that I'm placing before Joshua, a single stone with seven eyes' - Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies - 'I'll engrave with these words: "I'll strip this land of its filthy sin, all at once, in a single day." ¹⁰ "'At that time, everyone will get along with one another, with friendly visits across the fence, friendly visits on one another's porches.'"

The Candlestick and the Olive Trees

4¹ The Messenger-Angel again called me to attention. It was like being wakened out of deep sleep. ² He said, "What do you see?" ³ And there are two olive trees, one on either side of the bowl." ⁴ Then I asked the Messenger-Angel, "What does this mean, sir?" ⁵ The Messenger-Angel said, "Can't you tell?" "No, sir," I said. ⁶ "This is God's Message to Zerubbabel: 'You can't force these things. They only come about through my Spirit,' says God-of-the-Angel-Armies. ⁷ 'So, big mountain, who do you think you are? Next to Zerubbabel you're nothing but a molehill. He'll proceed to set the Cornerstone in place, accompanied by cheers: Yes! Yes! Do it!'" ⁸ After that, the Word of God came to me: ⁹ "Zerubbabel started rebuilding this Temple and he will complete it. That will be your confirmation that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me to you. ¹⁰ Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They'll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!"

¹¹ "And the two olive trees on either side of the lampstand?" I asked. "What's the meaning of them? ¹² And while you're at it, the two branches of the olive trees that feed oil to the lamps - what do they mean?" ¹³ He said, "You haven't figured that out?" I said, "No, sir." ¹⁴ He said, "These are the two who stand beside the Master of the whole earth and supply golden lamp oil worldwide."

The Flying Roll

5¹ I looked up again and saw - surprise! - a book on the wing! A book flying! ² The Messenger-Angel said to me, "What do you see now?" I said, "I see a book flying, a huge book - thirty feet long and fifteen wide!" ³ He told me, "This book is the verdict going out worldwide against thieves and liars. The first half of the book disposes of everyone who steals; the second half takes care of everyone who lies. ⁴ I launched it" - Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies - "and so it will fly into the house of every thief and every liar. It will land in each house and tear it down, timbers and stones." Seventh Vision: A Woman in a Basket

The Woman in the Ephah

⁵ The Messenger-Angel appeared and said, "Look up. Tell me what you see." ⁶ I said, "What in the world is that?" He said, "This is a bushel basket on a journey. It holds the sin of everyone, everywhere." ⁷ Then the lid made of lead was removed from the basket - and there was a woman sitting in it! ⁸ He said, "This is Miss Wicked." He pushed her back down into the basket and clamped the lead lid over her. ⁹ Then I looked up and to my surprise saw two women flying. On outstretched wings they airlifted the bushel basket into the sky. ¹⁰ I said to the Messenger-Angel, "Where are they taking the bushel basket?" ¹¹ He said, "East to the land of Shinar. They will build a garage to house it. When it's finished, the basket will be stored there."

The Four Chariots

6¹ Once again I looked up - another strange sight! Four chariots charging out from between two mountains. The mountains were bronze. ² The first chariot was drawn by red horses, the second chariot by black horses, ³ the third chariot by white horses, and the fourth chariot by dappled horses. All the horses were powerful. ⁴ I asked the Messenger-Angel, "Sir, what's the meaning here?" ⁵ The angel answered, "These are the four winds of heaven, which originate with the Master of the whole earth. ⁶ The black horses are headed north with the white ones right after them. The dappled horses are headed south." ⁷ The powerful horses galloped out, bursting with energy, eager to patrol through the earth. The Messenger-Angel commanded: "On your way! Survey the earth!" and they were off in every direction. ⁸ Then he called to me and said, "Look at them go! The ones going north are conveying a sense of my Spirit, serene and secure. No more trouble from that direction."

New King James Version

The Vision of the Horses

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet: ⁸ I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. ⁹ Then I said, "My lord, what are these?" So the angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you what they are." ¹⁰ And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, "These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth." ¹¹ So they answered the Angel of the Lord, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, "We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly." ¹² 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?" ¹³ And the Lord answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words. ¹⁴ So the angel who spoke with me said to me, "Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. ¹⁵ I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped--but with evil intent." ¹⁶ 'Therefore thus says the Lord: "I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it," says the Lord of hosts, "And a surveyor's line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem." ' ¹⁷ "Again proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The Lord will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem." ' "

The Vision of the Horns and Carpenters

¹⁸ Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns. ¹⁹ And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these?" So he answered me, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." ²⁰ Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. ²¹ And I said, "What are these coming to do?" So he said, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."

The Exiles Summoned

2¹ Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² 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." ³ And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, ⁴ who said to him, "Run, speak to this young man, saying: 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. ⁵ For I,' says the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.' "

⁶ "Up, up! Flee from the land of the north," says the Lord; "for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven," says the Lord. ⁷ Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon." ⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. ⁹ For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.

¹⁰ "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the Lord. ¹¹ Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. ¹² And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. ¹³ Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"

The Prophet's Vision of Joshua the High Priest

3¹ Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. ² And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" ³ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. ⁴ Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." ⁵ And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by. ⁶ Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, ⁷ "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here.

⁸ 'Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. ⁹ For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,' Says the Lord of hosts, 'And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. ¹⁰ In that day,' says the Lord of hosts, 'Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.' "

The Candlestick and the Olive Trees

4¹ Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. ² And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. ³ Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left." ⁴ So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?" ⁵ Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." ⁶ So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts. ⁷ 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' " ⁸ Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ⁹ "The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. ¹⁰ For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth."

¹¹ Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees--at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" ¹² And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?" ¹³ Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." ¹⁴ So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."

The Flying Roll

5¹ Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll. ² And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I answered, "I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits." ³ Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: 'Every thief shall be expelled,' according to this side of the scroll; and, 'Every perjurer shall be expelled,' according to that side of it." ⁴ "I will send out the curse," says the Lord of hosts; "It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones."

The Woman in the Ephah

⁵ Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, "Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth." ⁶ So I asked, "What is it?" And he said, "It is a basket that is going forth." He also said, "This is their resemblance throughout the earth: ⁷ Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket"; ⁸ then he said, "This is Wickedness!" And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth. ⁹ Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. ¹⁰ So I said to the angel who talked with me, "Where are they carrying the basket?" ¹¹ And he said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base."

The Four Chariots

6¹ Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. ² With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, ³ with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses--strong steeds. ⁴ Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" ⁵ And the angel answered and said to me, "These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶ The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country." ⁷ Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, "Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth." So they walked to and fro throughout the earth. ⁸ And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country."

New Living Translation

The Vision of the Horses

⁷ Three months later, on February 15, the Lord sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. ⁸ In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were riders on red, brown, and white horses. ⁹ I asked the angel who was talking with me, "My lord, what do these horses mean?" "I will show you," the angel replied. ¹⁰ The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, "They are the ones the Lord has sent out to patrol the earth." ¹¹ Then the other riders reported to the angel of the Lord, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace." ¹² 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?" ¹³ And the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. ¹⁴ Then the angel said to me, "Shout this message for all to hear: 'This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. ¹⁵ But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions. ¹⁶ "'Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. ' ¹⁷ "Say this also: 'This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.'"

The Vision of the Horns and Carpenters

¹⁸ Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. ¹⁹ "What are these?" I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, "These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." ²⁰ Then the Lord showed me four blacksmiths. ²¹ "What are these men coming to do?" I asked. The angel replied, "These four horns-these nations-scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them."

The Exiles Summoned

2¹ When I looked again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² "Where are you going?" I asked. He replied, "I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is." ³ Then the angel who was with me went to meet a second angel who was coming toward him. ⁴ The other angel said, "Hurry, and say to that young man, 'Jerusalem will someday be so full of people and livestock that there won't be room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls. ⁵ Then I, myself, will be a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the Lord . And I will be the glory inside the city!'"

⁶ The Lord says, "Come away! Flee from Babylon in the land of the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds. ⁷ Come away, people of Zion, you who are exiled in Babylon!" ⁸ After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven's Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, "Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession. ⁹ I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them." Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven's Armies has sent me.

¹⁰ The Lord says, "Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you. ¹¹ Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of Heaven's Armies sent me to you. ¹² The land of Judah will be the Lord 's special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city. ¹³ Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling."

The Prophet's Vision of Joshua the High Priest

3¹ Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord . The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel's right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. ² And the Lord said to Satan, "I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire." ³ Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. ⁴ So the angel said to the others standing there, "Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." ⁵ Then I said, "They should also place a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by. ⁶ Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, ⁷ "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.

⁸ "Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. ⁹ Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. ¹⁰ "And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree."

The Candlestick and the Olive Trees

4¹ Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. ² "What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. ³ And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl." ⁴ Then I asked the angel, "What are these, my lord? What do they mean?" ⁵ "Don't you know?" the angel asked. "No, my lord," I replied. ⁶ Then he said to me, "This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies. ⁷ Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel's way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: 'May God bless it! May God bless it!' " ⁸ Then another message came to me from the Lord : ⁹ "Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven's Armies has sent me. ¹⁰ Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand." (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)

¹¹ Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, ¹² and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?" ¹³ "Don't you know?" he asked. "No, my lord," I replied. ¹⁴ Then he said to me, "They represent the two anointed ones who stand in the court of the Lord of all the earth."

The Flying Roll

5¹ I looked up again and saw a scroll flying through the air. ² "What do you see?" the angel asked. "I see a flying scroll," I replied. "It appears to be about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. " ³ Then he said to me, "This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side of the scroll says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land. ⁴ And this is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely using my name. And my curse will remain in that house and completely destroy it-even its timbers and stones."

The Woman in the Ephah

⁵ Then the angel who was talking with me came forward and said, "Look up and see what's coming." ⁶ "What is it?" I asked. He replied, "It is a basket for measuring grain, and it's filled with the sins of everyone throughout the land." ⁷ Then the heavy lead cover was lifted off the basket, and there was a woman sitting inside it. ⁸ The angel said, "The woman's name is Wickedness," and he pushed her back into the basket and closed the heavy lid again. ⁹ Then I looked up and saw two women flying toward us, gliding on the wind. They had wings like a stork, and they picked up the basket and flew into the sky. ¹⁰ "Where are they taking the basket?" I asked the angel. ¹¹ He replied, "To the land of Babylonia, where they will build a temple for the basket. And when the temple is ready, they will set the basket there on its pedestal."

The Four Chariots

6¹ Then I looked up again and saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. ² The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses, ³ the third by white horses, and the fourth by powerful dappled-gray horses. ⁴ "And what are these, my lord?" I asked the angel who was talking with me. ⁵ The angel replied, "These are the four spirits of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work. ⁶ The chariot with black horses is going north, the chariot with white horses is going west, and the chariot with dappled-gray horses is going south." ⁷ The powerful horses were eager to set out to patrol the earth. And the Lord said, "Go and patrol the earth!" So they left at once on their patrol. ⁸ Then the Lord summoned me and said, "Look, those who went north have vented the anger of my Spirit there in the land of the north."