Zechariah 4:6-10:10

6So 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 Almighty.

7“What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’ ” 8Then the word of the LORD came to me:

9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.

10“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone Or the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

11Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said. 14So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to Or two who bring oil and serve the Lord of all the earth.”

The Flying Scroll 1I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.

2He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide. That is, about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide or about 9 meters long and 4.5 meters wide ” 3And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished.

4The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’ ”

The Woman in a Basket 5Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”

6I asked, “What is it?” He replied, “It is a basket.” And he added, “This is the iniquity Or appearance of the people throughout the land.” 7Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!

8He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.

9Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

10“Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me. 11He replied, “To the country of Babylonia Hebrew Shinar to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”

Four Chariots 1I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. 2The first chariot had red horses, the second black, 3the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful.

4I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?” 5The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits Or winds of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.

6The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, Or horses after them and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

7When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

8Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit Or spirit rest in the land of the north.”

A Crown for Joshua 9The word of the LORD came to me: 10“Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak 12Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD . 13It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he Or there will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14The crown will be given to Heldai, Syriac; Hebrew Helem Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen Or and the gracious one, the son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the LORD . 15Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.”

Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting 1In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev. 2The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the LORD

3by asking the priests of the house of the LORD Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” 4Then the word of the LORD Almighty came to me: 5“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? 6And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?

7Are these not the words the LORD proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?’ ” 8And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: 9“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.

10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ 11“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.

12They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry. 13“ ‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the LORD Almighty. 14‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’ ”

The LORD Promises to Bless Jerusalem 1The word of the LORD Almighty came to me.

2This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

3This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.” 4This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age.

5The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

6This is what the LORD Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the LORD Almighty. 7This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.

8I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.” 9This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets said who were present when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD Almighty. 10Before that time there were no wages for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor.

11But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD Almighty. 12“The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people.

13Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse That is, your name has been used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, you have been regarded as under a curse. among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Or and your name will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or and you will be seen as blessed Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.” 14This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the LORD Almighty, 15“so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. 16These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;

17do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD .

18The word of the LORD Almighty came to me.

19This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” 20This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, 21and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’

22And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.” 23This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’ ”

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies 1A prophecy: The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus— for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the LORD — Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,

2and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful.

3Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

4But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

5Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted.

6A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod, and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.

7I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.

The Coming of Zion’s King 9Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River That is, the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

11As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

13I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword.

The LORD Will Appear 14Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,

15and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling Or bowl, / like the corners of the altar.

16The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. 17How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

The LORD Will Care for Judah 1Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.

2The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.

3“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle.

4From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler.

5Together they Or ruler, all of them together. / 5 They will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.

6“I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.

7The Ephraimites will become like warriors, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD .

8I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before.

9Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return.

10I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them.