Zechariah 1
International Children’s Bible
The Lord Calls His People Back
1 It was the eighth month of the second year Darius was king of Persia. The Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah. Berekiah was the son of Iddo. The Lord said:
2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3 So tell the people: This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says: ‘Return to me, and I will return to you.’ 4 Don’t be like your ancestors. In the past the prophets spoke to them. They said: This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says: ‘Stop your evil ways and evil actions.’ But they wouldn’t listen or pay attention to me, says the Lord. 5 Your ancestors are dead. And those prophets didn’t live forever. 6 I commanded my words and laws to my servants the prophets. They preached to your ancestors, who returned to me. They said, ‘The Lord of heaven’s armies did as he said he would. He punished us for the way we lived and for what we did.’”
The Vision of the Horses
7 It was on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is called Shebat. It was Darius’s second year as king. The Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah. Berekiah was the son of Iddo.
8 During the night I had a vision. I saw a man riding a red horse. He was standing among some myrtle trees in the ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.
9 I asked, “What are these, sir?”
The angel who was talking with me answered. He said, “I’ll show you what they are.”
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained. He said, “They are the ones the Lord sent through all the earth.”
11 Then they spoke to the Lord’s angel. He was standing among the myrtle trees. They said, “We have gone through all the earth. Everything is calm and quiet.”
12 Then the Lord’s angel asked, “Lord of heaven’s armies, how long before you show mercy to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years now.” 13 Then the Lord answered the angel who was talking with me. His words were comforting and good.
14 Then the angel told me, “Announce this: This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says: ‘I have a strong love for Jerusalem. 15 And I am very angry with the nations that feel so safe. I was only a little angry, but they made things worse for my people.’
16 “So this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy. My Temple will be rebuilt,’ says the Lord of heaven’s armies. ‘And the measuring line will be used to rebuild Jerusalem.’
17 “Also announce: This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says: ‘My towns will be rich again. I will comfort Jerusalem again. I will still choose Jerusalem.’”
The Vision of the Horns
18 Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. 19 I asked the angel who was talking with me, “What are these?”
He said, “These are the strong nations that scattered the people of Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are they coming to do?”
He answered, “They have come to scare and throw down the horns. Those horns scattered the people of Judah. No one could even lift up his head. The horns stand for the strong nations that attacked the people of Judah and scattered them.”
Zechariah 1
English Standard Version
A Call to Return to the Lord
1 In the eighth month, (A)in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (B)Zechariah, the son of (C)Berechiah, son of (D)Iddo, saying, 2 (E)“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: (F)Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and (G)I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 (H)Do not be like your fathers, (I)to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, (J)Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But (K)they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And (L)the prophets, do they live forever? 6 (M)But my words and my statutes, which I commanded (N)my servants the prophets, did they not (O)overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, (P)‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for (Q)our ways and (R)deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”
A Vision of a Horseman
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (S)Zechariah, the son of (T)Berechiah, son of (U)Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, (V)a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were (W)red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ (X)The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So (Y)the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, (Z)‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to (AA)patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered (AB)the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, (AC)‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth (AD)remains at rest.’ 12 Then (AE)the angel of the Lord said, (AF)‘O Lord of hosts, (AG)how long will you (AH)have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these (AI)seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered (AJ)gracious and comforting words to (AK)the angel who talked with me. 14 So (AL)the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: (AM)I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 (AN)And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are (AO)at ease; (AP)for while I was angry but a little, (AQ)they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, (AR)I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; (AS)my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and (AT)the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: (AU)My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, (AV)and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again (AW)choose Jerusalem.’”
A Vision of Horns and Craftsmen
18 [a] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, (AX)four horns! 19 And I said to (AY)the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, (AZ)“These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, (BA)“These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come (BB)to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations (BC)who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 1:18 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
