The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

1 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying,2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’3 “Thus says the LORD, `I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts {will be called} the Holy Mountain.’4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age.5 `And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’6 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of hosts.7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west;8 and I will bring them {back} and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’

9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, {those} who {spoke} in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built.10 `For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another.11 `But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the LORD of hosts.12 `For {there will be} peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these {things.}13 `It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.’

14 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, `Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of hosts, `and I have not relented,15 so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear!16 `These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.17 `Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the LORD.

18 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,19 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth {months} will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.’

20 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `{It will} yet {be} that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.21 `The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.22 `So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’23 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’

Hearts like Flint

1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth {day} of the ninth month, {which is} Chislev.2 Now {the town of} Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,3 speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?4 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,5 “Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, `When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?6 `When you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves?7 `Are not {these} the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’

8 Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying,9 “Thus has the LORD of hosts said, `Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;10 and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’11 “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.12 “They made their hearts {like} flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.13 “And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen, says the LORD of hosts;14 “but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.

The Four Chariots

1 Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains {were} bronze mountains.2 With the first chariot {were} red horses, with the second chariot black horses,3 with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses.4 Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?5 The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth,6 with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country.7 “When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth. And He said, “Go, patrol the earth. So they patrolled the earth.8 Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, “See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north.

9 The word of the LORD also came to me, saying,10 “Take {an offering} from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.

The Symbolic Crowns11 “Take silver and gold, make an {ornate} crown and set {it} on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.12 “Then say to him, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD.13 “Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.’14 “Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah.15 “Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the LORD. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God.

The Flying Scroll

1 Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, {there was} a flying scroll.2 And he said to me, “What do you see? And I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side.4 “I will make it go forth, declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.

5 Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.6 I said, “What is it? And he said, “This is the ephah going forth. Again he said, “This is their appearance in all the land7 (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.8 Then he said, “This is Wickedness! And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening.9 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.10 I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?11 Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.

The Golden Lampstand and Olive Trees

1 Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep.2 He said to me, “What do you see? And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;3 also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.4 Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?5 So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are? And I said, “No, my lord.6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, `Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.7 `What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel {you will become} a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!’

8 Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying,9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish {it.} Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.10 “For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel–{these are} the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.

11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?12 And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden {oil} from themselves?13 So he answered me, saying, “Do you not know what these are? And I said, “No, my lord.14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.

Joshua, the High Priest

1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.2 The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel.4 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him. Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head. So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by.

6 And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying,7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing {here.}

The Branch8 `Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you–indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.9 `For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ declares the LORD of hosts, `and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.10 `In that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, `every one of you will invite his neighbor to {sit} under {his} vine and under {his} fig tree.’

God’s Favor to Zion

1 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, {there was} a man with a measuring line in his hand.2 So I said, “Where are you going? And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.3 And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him,4 and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, `Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it.5 `For I,’ declares the LORD, `will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’

6 “Ho there! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD, “for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens, declares the LORD.7 “Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.9 “For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.10 “Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD.11 “Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.12 “The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

13 “Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.

A Call to Repentance

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo saying,2 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.3 “Therefore say to them, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me, declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you, says the LORD of hosts.4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me, declares the LORD.5 “Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?6 “But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, `As the LORD of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.”

Patrol of the Earth

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, as follows:8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and white horses behind him.9 Then I said, “My lord, what are these? And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.11 So they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet.

12 Then the angel of the LORD said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?13 The LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words.14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.15 “But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.16 `Therefore thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.’17 “Again, proclaim, saying, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’

18 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, {there were} four horns.19 So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these? And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.21 I said, “What are these coming to do? And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these {craftsmen} have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up {their} horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.

The Builders Encouraged

1 On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying,2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying,3 `Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?4 `But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, `take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, `and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts.5 `As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’6 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, `Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.7 `I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.8 `The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts.9 `The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, `and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.

10 On the twenty-fourth of the ninth {month,} in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,11 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `Ask now the priests {for} a ruling:12 `If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any {other} food, will it become holy?’ And the priests answered, “No.13 Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will {the latter} become unclean? And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.14 Then Haggai said, “ `So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the LORD, `and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.15 `But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,16 from that time {when} one came to a {grain} heap of twenty {measures,} there would be only ten; and {when} one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be {only} twenty.17 `I smote you {and} every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you {did} not {come back} to Me,’ declares the LORD.18 `Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth {month;} from the day when the temple of the LORD was founded, consider:19 `Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne {fruit.} Yet from this day on I will bless {you.}’ 20 Then the word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth {day} of the month, saying,21 “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, `I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.22 `I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’23 `On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, `I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, `and I will make you like a signet {ring,} for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD of hosts.

Haggai Begins Temple Building

1 In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, `This people says, “The time has not come, {even} the time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt.’3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying,4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house {lies} desolate?5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways!6 “You have sown much, but harvest little; {you} eat, but {there is} not {enough} to be satisfied; {you} drink, but {there is} not {enough} to become drunk; {you} put on clothing, but no one is warm {enough;} and he who earns, earns wages {to put} into a purse with holes.

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways!8 “Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified, says the LORD.9 “{You} look for much, but behold, {it comes} to little; when you bring {it} home, I blow it {away.} Why? declares the LORD of hosts, “Because of My house which {lies} desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.10 “Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce.11 “I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the LORD.13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke by the commission of the LORD to the people saying, “ `I am with you,’ declares the LORD.14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.