1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, this word of GOD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo:aA clause like “Say to the people” is here understood; cf. 7.5.
2GOD was very angry with your ancestors.
3Say to them further:Thus said GOD of Hosts: Turn back to me—says GOD of Hosts—and I will turn back to you—said GOD of Hosts.
4Do not be like your ancestors! For when the earlier prophets called to them, “Thus said GOD of Hosts: Come, turn back from your evil ways and your evil deeds, they did not obey or give heed to Me—declares GOD.
5Where are your ancestors now? And did the prophets live forever?
6But the warnings and the decrees with which I charged My servants the prophets overtook your ancestors—did they not?—and in the end they had to admit, ‘GOD of Hosts purposed to deal with us according to our ways and our deeds; that is just what has been done to us.’”
7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month of the second year of Darius—the month of Shebat—this word of GOD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo:
8In the night, I had a vision. I saw a figure, mounted on a bay horse, standing among the myrtlesbamong the myrtles Septuagint reads “between the mountains”; cf. 6.1. In 6.1ff. four teams of horses leave that abode to roam the four quarters of the earth; in 1.8ff. they are about to reenter God’s abode after such a reconnaissance. in the Deep, and behind him were bay,cbay Septuagint adds “dappled”; cf. 6.3. sorrel,dsorrel Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “black”; cf. 6.2. and white horses.
9I asked, “What are those, my lord?” And the angel who talked with me answered, “I will let you know what they are.”
10Then the figure who was standing among the myrtleseamong the myrtles See the first note at v. 8. spoke up and said, “These were sent out by GOD to roam the earth.”
11And in fact, they reported to the angel of GOD who was standing among the myrtles,famong the myrtles See the first note at v. 8. “We have roamed the earth, and have found all the earth dwelling in tranquility.”gdwelling in tranquility Upheavals at the start of Darius’ reign had encouraged hopes of an early restoration of the Davidic dynasty (cf. Hag. 2.21ff.). Now these hopes were dashed.
12Thereupon the angel of GOD exclaimed, “O GOD of Hosts! How long will You withhold pardon from Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, which You placed under a curse seventy years ago?”
13GOD
replied with kind, comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
14Then the angel who talked with me said to me: “Proclaim! Thus said GOD of Hosts: I am very jealous for Jerusalem—for Zion—
15and I am very angry with those nations that are at ease; for I was only angry a little, but they overdid the punishment.
16Assuredly, thus said GOD: I graciously return to Jerusalem. My House shall be built in her—declares GOD of Hosts—the measuring line is being applied to Jerusalem.
17Proclaim further: Thus said GOD of Hosts: My towns shall yet overflow with bounty. For GOD will again comfort Zion—and will again choose Jerusalem.”