Study Desk

Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the same, is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, as followeth:

I looked by night, And lo! a man riding upon a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees, in the shade; and, after him, were horses, red, bay, and white.

Then said I, What are these, my lord? And the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, I, will shew thee what these, are.

So the man who was standing among the myrtle-trees responded, and said, - These, are they whom Yahweh, hath sent, to go to and fro through the earth.

Then responded they to the messenger of Yahweh, who was standing among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth, - and lo! all the earth, resteth and is quiet.

Then the messenger of Yahweh responded, and said, O Yahweh of hosts! How long wilt, thou, not have compassion upon Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, - against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?

And Yahweh answered the messenger who was speaking with me, in words that were pleasant, - words that were consoling,

Then the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, Proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion, with a great jealousy;

And, with a great displeasure, am I displeased with the careless nations, - in that, when, I, was displeased (for) a little, then, they, helped forward the calamity,

Wherefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, I have returned to Jerusalem, with compassions,, My house, shall be built therein, declareth Yahweh of hosts, and, a line, shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

Further, proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet, shall my cities overflow with blessing! So will Yahweh yet, have compassion, upon Zion, and yet make choice of Jerusalem.