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The Blue Letter Bible

Zechariah 1 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

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A Call to Return to the LORD
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:1 - In November[fn] of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo:
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:2 - “I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:3 - Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:4 - Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:5 - “Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:6 - But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’”
A Man among the Myrtle Trees
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:7 - Three months later, on February 15,[fn] the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:8 - 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:9 - I asked the angel who was talking with me, “My lord, what do these horses mean?”
“I will show you,” the angel replied.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:10 - The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth.”
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:11 - 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.”
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:12 - 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?”
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:13 - And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:14 - 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:15 - 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:16 - “‘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.[fn]
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:17 - “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.’”
Four Horns and Four Blacksmiths
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:18 - [fn]Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:19 - “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.”
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:20 - Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths.
Unchecked Copy BoxZec 1:21 - “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.”
NLT Footnotes
Hebrew In the eighth month. A number of dates in Zechariah can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Persian records and related accurately to our modern calendar. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of October and November 520 B.C.
Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius. This event occurred on February 15, 519 B.C.; also see note on 1:1.
Hebrew and the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.
Verses 1:18-21 are numbered 2:1-4 in Hebrew text.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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For more information on this translation, see the NLT Preface.

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Zechariah Chapter 1 — Additional Translations: