Zechariah 2

¹ Then, raising my eyes, I saw a vision. It was this: there were four horns.

² I said to the angel who was talking to me, ‘What are these horns, my lord?’ He said to me, ‘These are the horns which have scattered Judah (Israel) and Jerusalem’.

³ Yahweh then showed me four smiths.

⁴ And I said, ‘What are these coming to do?’ He said to me, ‘(Those are the horns which have so scattered Judah that no one has dared to raise his head; but) these have come to lay them low (to strike down the horns of the nations who lifted their hands against the land of Judah, in order to scatter it)’.

⁵ Then, raising my eyes, I saw a vision. It was this: there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.

⁶ I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out her breadth and her length’.

⁷ and then, while the angel who was talking to me stood still, another angel came forward to meet him.

⁸ He said to him, ‘Run, and tell that young man this, “Jerusalem is to remain unwalled, because of the great number of men and cattle there will be in her.

⁹ But I – it is Yahweh who speaks – I will be a wall of fire for her all round her, and I will be her glory in the midst of her.”‘

¹⁰ Up, up, and leave the land of the North (it is Yahweh who speaks)!(For to the four winds of heaven I have scattered you – it is Yahweh who speaks.)

¹¹ Zion, up! Dweller in Babylon, flee!

¹² For Yahweh Sabaoth says this (he whose glory has sent me here) as regards the nations who despoiled you (for whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye):

¹³ See now, I raise my hand over them, for them to be plunder for their slaves. (And you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me.)

¹⁴ Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion; for I am coming to dwell in the middle of you – it is Yahweh who speaks.

¹⁵ Many nations will join Yahweh, on that day; they will become his people. (But he will remain among you, and you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me to you.)

¹⁶ But Yahweh will hold Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his very own.

¹⁷ Let all mankind be silent before Yahweh! For he is awaking and is coming from his holy dwelling.