Turn to the LORD

1In 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,

2The LORD has been greatly displeased with your fathers.

3Therefore say you unto them, Thus says the LORD of hosts; Turn you unto me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, says the LORD of hosts.

4Be you not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus says the LORD of hosts; Turn you now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, says the LORD.

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

6But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our deeds, so has he dealt with us.

Vision of the Man Among the Myrtle Trees

7Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, 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,

8I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the hollow; and behind him there were red, speckled, and white horses.

9Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show you what these are.

10And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

11And 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 sits quietly, and is at rest.

Mercies to Jerusalem

12Then 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 have had indignation these threescore and ten years?

13And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good and comforting words.

14So the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry, saying, Thus says the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

15And I am very much displeased with the nations that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they furthered the disaster.

16Therefore thus says the LORD; I have returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and a measuring line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

17Cry again, saying, Thus says the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall again be spread abroad; and the LORD shall again comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

Vision of Four Horns

18Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.

19And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

20And the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

21Then said I, What are these coming to do? And he spoke, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these have come to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations, who lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.