Zechariah 1:7–17

A Vision of a Horseman Among Some Myrtle Trees

⁷During the second year that Darius was king, a message came to me from the Lord. It was the 24th day of the 11th month. That’s the month of Shebat.

⁸I had a vision at night. I saw a man riding a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a valley. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.

⁹An angel was talking with me. I asked him, “Sir, what are these?”

He answered, “I will show you what they are.”

¹⁰Then the man who was standing among the myrtle trees said, “They are the messengers the Lord has sent out. He told them to go all through the earth.”

¹¹They brought a report to the angel of the Lord. He was standing among the myrtle trees. They said to him, “We have gone all through the earth. We’ve found the whole world enjoying peace and rest.”

¹²Then the angel of the Lord spoke up. He said, “Lord, you rule over all. How long will you keep from showing your tender love to Jerusalem? How long will you keep it from the towns of Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years.”

¹³So the Lord replied with kind and comforting words. He spoke them to the angel who talked with me.

¹⁴Then the angel said, “Announce this message. Say, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “I am very jealous for my people in Jerusalem and Zion. ¹⁵But I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry with my people. But the nations went too far and tried to wipe them out.”

¹⁶“ ‘So the Lord says, “I will return to Jerusalem. I will show its people my tender love. My temple will be rebuilt there. Workers will use a measuring line when they rebuild Jerusalem,” announces the Lord.

¹⁷“ ‘He says, “My towns will be filled with good things once more. I will comfort Zion. And I will choose Jerusalem again.” ’ ”