A Call to Repentance (Jeremiah 3:11–25; Hosea 14:1–3)
1 ULT In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, BSB BSB: In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:
2 ULT “Yahweh was angry{ with} anger toward your fathers. BSB BSB: “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.
3 ULT And you shall say to them,‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies,“Return to me”— the declaration of Yahweh of Armies—“and I will return to you”, says Yahweh of Armies. BSB BSB: So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’
4 ULT “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets called out, saying,‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies,“Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.”’ But they did not hear, and they did not pay attention to me”— the declaration of Yahweh. BSB BSB: Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.
5 ULT “Your fathers, where{ are} they? And the prophets, do they live forever? BSB BSB: Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?
6 ULT But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? And they returned and said,‘Just as Yahweh of Armies planned to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, thus he has done with us.’”’” BSB BSB: But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to us.’”
The Vision of the Horses 7 ULT On the twenty- fourth day of the eleventh month, which{ is} the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: BSB BSB: On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.
8 ULT I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees that{ are} in the deep valley, and behind him{ were} red, reddish- brown, and white horses. BSB BSB: I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
9 ULT And I said,“What{ are} these, my lord?” And the angel who was speaking with me said to me,“I will show you what these{ are}.” BSB BSB: “What are these, my lord?” I asked. And the angel who was speaking with me replied, “I will show you what they are.”
10 ULT And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said,“These{ are} the ones whom Yahweh has sent to walk about in the earth.” BSB BSB: Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.”
11 ULT And they answered the angel of Yahweh who was standing among the myrtle trees, and they said,“We have walked about in the earth, and behold, all of the earth is sitting and is at rest.” BSB BSB: And the riders answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and tranquil.”
12 ULT And the angel of Yahweh answered and said,“Yahweh of Armies, until when will you not have compassion on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, with which you have been indignant these 70 years?” BSB BSB: Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?”
13 ULT And Yahweh answered the angel who was speaking with me{ with} good words, words of comfort. BSB BSB: So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.
14 ULT And the angel who was speaking with me said to me,“Call out, saying,‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies,“I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion{ with} a great jealousy. BSB BSB: Then the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,
15 ULT And{ with} a great anger I, I am angry with the nations that{ are} at ease, for I, I was angry{ only} a little, but they helped toward the evil.” BSB BSB: but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’
16 ULT Therefore, thus says Yahweh,“I have returned to Jerusalem with compassions. My house will be built in her”— the declaration of Yahweh of Armies—“and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’ BSB BSB: Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’
17 ULT Again, call out, saying,‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies,“My cities will again overflow from goodness, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion, and he will again choose Jerusalem.”’” BSB BSB: Proclaim further that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”
The Vision of the Horns and the Craftsmen 18 ULT And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and behold, four horns. BSB BSB: Then I looked up and saw four horns.
19 ULT And I said to the angel who was speaking with me,“What{ are} these?” And he said to me,“These{ are} the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” BSB BSB: So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he told me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 ULT And Yahweh showed me four craftsmen. BSB BSB: Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.
21 ULT And I said,“What{ are} these coming to do?” And he said,“These{ are} the horns that scattered Judah, according to the mouth of a man{ who} has not lifted up his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, the ones lifting up a horn against the land of Judah to scatter her.” BSB BSB: “What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”