The Abridged Book of Zechariah

1:1. In month number eight, during Darius’s second year as king, God's message came to a man named Zechariah, Whose dad was Berechiah and granddad was Iddo.

1:2. God was really unhappy with how Zechariah’s ancestors had behaved.

1:3. So God tells Zechariah to tell the people: "Come back to me and I’ll come back to you," says God.

1:4. Don't be stubborn like your ancestors. The prophets before warned them time and again: "Change your bad behaviors and actions!” But they wouldn’t listen or pay attention to God.

1:5. Those ancestors of yours – where are they now? And do prophets live forever?

1:6. Still, the things I said through my prophets caught up with them eventually, didn't they? In the end, they understood what happens when I respond based on how they behave.

1:7. Then, on the twenty-fourth day of month eleven of the same year under King Darius, God sent another message to Zechariah œ who was Berechiah’s son and Iddo’s grandson.

1:8. During the night, I had a vision of a man on a red horse standing in a valley full of myrtle trees; red, speckled, and white horses were behind him.

1:9. Curious, I asked, "What do these mean?" The angel speaking with me replied, "I will explain it to you."

1:10. Then the man standing in the myrtle trees explained, "These are messengers God has sent to travel across the earth."

1:11. The messengers reported back to the angel in the myrtle trees: "We've traveled all over the earth and everywhere is calm and peaceful."

1:12. At this point, the angel asked God how long it would be before God showed compassion to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah that had been under God's disapproval for seventy years.

1:13. In response, God spoke reassuring and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

1:14. Then that angel told me to announce: "This is what God says: 'I am fiercely devoted to Jerusalem and Zion with intense devotion.'"

1:15. I'm really upset with the nations that are relaxed and unconcerned; my annoyance was minor, yet they made the situation worse by their actions.

1:16. So this is what God says: I've come back to Jerusalem and brought compassion with me. My temple will be reconstructed here, as God promises, and measurement will begin for the restoration.

1:17. Continue to proclaim this message from God: My cities will again overflow with good fortune; God will provide comfort to Zion and has once more selected Jerusalem for special favor.

1:18. Then I looked up and saw four strong animals.

1:19. 

1:19. I turned to my guide, the angel, and asked, "What are these?" The angel replied, "These animals represent the forces that have pushed apart Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

1:20. Then God showed me four craftsmen.

1:21. I questioned their purpose, asking the angel again, "What are they here to achieve?" And he explained to me: "They're here to confront those strong animals that scattered Judah so nothing could hold up; they have come to drive away those nations' overpowering strength that once devastated Judah's land."

2:1. I looked up again, and I saw a person with a tape measure in their hand.

2:2. I asked them, "Where are you going?" They replied to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is."

2:3. Suddenly, the messenger who was speaking with me left, and another messenger came to meet them,

2:4. They told the other messenger, "Go quickly and tell this young person that Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the number of people and animals it will contain.

2:5. Because I, God, will protect it like an invisible ring of fire, and I will be the source of its pride and beauty."

2:6. Get moving! Leave the land in the north, God says because I've spread you far and wide like the winds across the heavens.

2:7. You must save yourself, people of Zion who live among those from Babylon.

2:8. God tells us: "I have been sent to the nations that have caused you harm, because attacking you is like attacking the most sensitive part of God's self.

2:9. Watch as I threaten those who have harmed you, and they will end up being taken over by those who once served them; this way, you will see that I am acting on God's command.

2:10. Burst into song and celebrate, people of Zion, because God is saying 'Look! I'm coming to live among you.'

2:11. And on that day, a lot of nations will unite with God and become part of God's people; I'll live among you, and you'll realize that I was sent to you by God.

2:12. And God will value the land of Judah as a treasured place in the holy country and once again prefer Jerusalem.

2:13. Let everyone be quiet in God's presence: for God has left their sacred place."

3:1. I saw Joshua the high priest standing in front of God's messenger, with an adversary on his right side ready to oppose him.

3:2. God spoke to the adversary saying, "God challenges you; leave him alone! Hasn’t this man been saved from disaster?"

3:3. Joshua's clothes were terribly dirty as he stood in front of the messenger.

3:4. The one giving orders said to the bystanders, "Take off his dirty clothes." Turning to Joshua, he said, "See, you are clean of your mistakes now, and I'm going to give you new clothes."

3:5. I suggested, "Why not put a clean turban on his head too?" So they did just that and gave him a fresh outfit while God's messenger watched.

3:6. Then God’s messenger gave Joshua some advice:

3:7. “This is what God commands: 'If you do as I instruct and follow my guidance faithfully, then you'll have authority over my house and manage my courts - I'll allow you privileged access among those gathered here."

3:8. "Listen carefully Joshua, you and your colleagues seated here are extraordinary people because I am going to introduce my servant—someone significant and transformative."

3:9. Regarding the stone I've provided for Joshua—it will have seven facets with unique engravings that I myself will inscribe," says God Almighty, “and through this act I’ll cleanse the country’s wrongdoings swiftly."

3:10. “That day,” declares God Almighty, "you’ll invite your neighbor over for a relaxing time beneath the grapevines and fig trees."

4:1. The messenger who had been speaking to me came back and woke me up, much like someone suddenly waking up from sleep.

4:2. They asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a pure gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven tubes connected to those lights."

4:3. There are also two olive trees next to it, one on the right side of the bowl and one on the left."

4:4. I replied to the messenger speaking to me, "What's the meaning of this?"

4:5. The messenger responded, "Don't you know what these things represent?" I admitted, "No, I don't."

4:6. They explained, "This message was given by God to Zerubbabel: 'You won't succeed by force or strength, but by embracing God's presence.'"

4:7. They continued, "So what if there's a huge obstacle in Zerubbabel's way? It will be flattened out. And when he finishes building this temple, people will celebrate by cheering for God's kindness."

4:8. And then, God spoke to me again,

4:9. Zerubbabel has started building the temple and he will complete it. When he does, you'll realize that God has sent me to you.

4:10. Why would anyone look down on humble beginnings? People will celebrate Zerubbabel when they see him with a level in his hand, along with the seven who represent God’s watchful attention over the earth.

4:11. I then asked, "What do these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand mean?"

4:12. I continued to ask, "And what is the meaning of the two branches of olive trees dispensing golden oil through two gold tubes?"

4:13. He replied, "Don’t you understand what these symbolize?" And I admitted, "No, I don't."

4:14. He said, "These represent the two who are chosen by God to serve on Earth."

5:1. Then I looked up again, and saw something like a large scroll flying in the sky.

5:2. Someone asked me, "What do you see?" I replied, "I see a scroll flying, about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide."

5:3. They explained to me, "This represents a warning that will spread across the entire world: everyone who steals will be punished on one side of the scroll; everyone who lies will be punished on the other side."

5:4. God said that they would make sure this warning enters the homes of those who steal and those who lie in God's name: it will stay in their house and destroy everything in it, even the wood and stone.

5:5. Then the angel I had been speaking with told me to look up once more to see what was appearing.

5:6. I asked what it was, and they told me it was a measuring basket used in the temple and said that this same image is seen throughout the earth.

5:7. Suddenly, a lead cover was lifted to reveal a woman sitting inside the basket.

5:8. They told me this woman represents wrongdoing and forced her back into the basket, sealing its opening with the lead cover.

5:9. When I looked again, I saw two women with powerful wings like those of a stork fly out carrying off the basket through the sky.

5:10. Curious, I asked my angelic guide where they were takingthe basket.

5:11. The angel said they were taking it to build a temple for it in Babylonia where it would be placed firmly on its own pedestal.

6:1. Then I looked up and saw four chariots coming between two tall mountains, and these mountains were made of bronze.

6:2. The first chariot had red horses; the second chariot had black horses;

6:3. The third chariot had white horses, and the fourth chariot had spotted and strong brown horses.

6:4. I asked the angel speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?"

6:5. The angel replied, "These are the four spirits of heaven, sent out after standing in the presence of God who rules over all the earth.

6:6. The black horses go north; the white ones follow them; and the spotted ones go south."

6:7. The strong brown horses wanted to roam across the earth, and God said, "Go, roam across the north." So they roamed throughout it.

6:8. Then God called out to me and said, "Look! Those heading north have brought peace to my spirit in that region."

6:9. God gave me a message,

6:10. To bring with me Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah from those who were taken captive, all coming from Babylon. That same day, go to Josiah, Zephaniah's son's home.

6:11. Then take some silver and gold to make several crowns and place them on the head of Joshua, the high priest and son of Josedech.

6:12. Tell him this: "The LORD Almighty says, 'Here is the man called The Branch. He will emerge and be responsible for building God's house.

6:13. He's the one who will construct God's house; he'll be honored for it. He will govern as a king from his throne while also serving as a priest. He'll bring unity and peace between the two roles."

6:14. The crowings will act as items to remember for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen–Zephaniah's son within God's house.

6:15. Even those who live far away will come to work on building God's house, and you'll realize that the LORD Almighty was behind my coming to you. But this will happen only if you truly follow what God tells you to do.

7:1. In the fourth year of King Darius's reign, God spoke to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month of Chisleu.

7:2. This happened when Sherezer, Regemmelech, and their companions were sent to God's house to pray.

7:3. They asked the priests and the prophets in God's house whether they should continue to mourn and keep themselves apart in the fifth month, as they had been doing for many years.

7:4. Then God spoke to me with a message,

7:5. "Tell everyone, including the priests: 'When you fasted and grieved in the fifth and seventh months for seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?

7:6. And when you ate and drank, was it not just for your own benefit that you did so?

7:7. Shouldn't you listen to the message that God proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem was full and prospering, with towns all around it and people living in peace in the southern regions?

7:8. God spoke to Zechariah with these words:

7:9. God commands you to make fair decisions and be kind and understanding to one another.

7:10. Do not take advantage of widows, children without parents, foreigners, or those who are struggling; and never plan to harm your fellow person.

7:11. But they wouldn’t listen, turned their backs, and ignored the message.

7:12. Indeed, they hardened their hearts like diamond, so they wouldn’t be influenced by the directives God sent through earlier messengers; that's why God was greatly displeased.

7:13. So just as they ignored when God called out to them, God decided not to listen when they called for help.

7:14. As a result, God spread them far across nations they didn't recognize, leaving their land empty; nobody travelled or came back there because they turned an abundant place into ruins.

8:1. Once more I heard what God wanted to tell me:

8:2. God told me, "I cared for Zion deeply and was upset on her behalf with a mighty passion."

8:3. God said, "I have returned to Zion and I will live in the heart of Jerusalem: Jerusalem will be known as the city of honesty, and its sacred hill will belong to God.

8:4. God told me that old men and women will once again sit in Jerusalem's streets, each one leaning on a cane because of their age.

8:5. The city's streets will be filled with boys and girls joyfully playing.

8:6. God said, "Even if this seems unbelievable now to the survivors of these times, should it seem unbelievable to me?"

8:7. God said, "Watch as I rescue my people from lands in the east and in the west;

8:8. I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be their faithful and just God."

8:9. God says to stay determined, all of you who have listened to the prophets lately — the same ones who spoke while the temple was beginning construction.

8:10. There was a time when no one got paid for their work, whether people or animals, and no one felt safe traveling because everyone was hostile to one another — that's the reality I made.

8:11. But now, God promises that things will not go as they did before for those who remain.

8:12. Crops will grow well; grapevines will bear fruit; the soil will be fertile; and rain will fall. God will ensure that those who are left will experience all of this prosperity.

8:13. Just as you were once considered a bad influence among other nations, Judah and Israel, I'll rescue you, and you'll be known for goodness. Don’t be afraid; instead, keep up your spirit.

8:14. God warns that there was a time when God had decided to punish your ancestors for making God angry—and that decision did not change.

8:15. In contrast, in these days, I plan on being kind to Jerusalem and Judaha: do not be afraid.

8:16. What you need to do is this: always tell each other the truth; make sure your local decisions are fair and lead to peaceable outcomes.

8:17. Don't think about harming others or making promises you don't intend to keep; I do not like any of that, God says.

8:18. And God communicated with me again,

8:19. God declares; the fasts in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be times of happiness and celebration for the people of Judah; so, focus on honesty and harmony.

8:20. God announces; a time will come when people from various places will come together,

8:21. Residents from one city will invite those from another to join them in earnest prayer and in seeking God eagerly: "I'll be there too," they'll say.

8:22. Indeed, people from many powerful nations will come together to search for God in Jerusalem and to offer their prayers.

8:23. God says that during that time, individuals from different cultures and nations will eagerly approach a Jew and say, "We want to accompany you because we understand that God is with you."

9:1. God has a message for the land of Hadrach, and Damascus will take notice: everyone, including all the tribes of Israel, will look to God.

9:2. Hamath will be close by, as well as the cities of Tyre and Sidon, which are known for their intelligence.

9:3. Tyre has built strong defenses and has piled up silver like dust and gold like mud in the streets.

9:4. But God will forcefully remove Tyre, attack their sea power, and set the city on fire.

9:5. When this happens, nearby cities like Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron will be scared; Gaza will mourn deeply because its leader will be gone, and Ashkelon will be empty.

9:6. Someone unwanted will live in Ashdod as God reduces the pride of those living there.

9:7. God will get rid of their violent ways and corrupt actions; but those who change their ways will belong to God, becoming leaders in Judna and turning Ekron into a peaceful place.

9:8. God plans to protect their home from invading armies and any threat; no one who harms others will come through because God is now watching over them.

9:9. People of Zion should celebrate joyfully, people of Jerusalem shout out loud: Look! Your just King is coming bringing peace—humble and riding on a donkey's colt!

9:10. I will take away the weapons and vehicles of war from Ephraim, and the same from Jerusalem. I will make peace with other nations, and my influence will extend from coast to coast, from rivers to the farthest points of the earth.

9:11. Thanks to our special agreement, marked by blood, I have freed your captives from a place that’s like a dry well.

9:12. Return to a place of safety, you hopeful captives. Today, I promise to reward you generously.

9:13. As soon as I have prepared Judah as my weapon, equipped Ephraim as my arrow, and summoned your people, O Zion, to face your adversaries from Greece – then will you emanate the power of a heroic warrior.

9:14. God's presence will be obvious above them; God's decisions swift like lightning. God will sound their arrival like a trumpet and arrive swiftly like the southern storms.

9:15. God will protect them; they will fiercely overcome their opponents and celebrate triumphantly as if drunk with wine. They’ll be overflowing with joy like offerings at an altar’s corners.

9:16. God will rescue them on that day, cherishing them like a shepherd does their flock; they'll shine radiantly in the land like jewels in a crown.

9:17. Consider how generous and wonderful God is! Harvests will bring joy to young men and new wine will cheer young women.

10:1. Pray to God for rain when the autumn season comes; God will create dazzling clouds and bless you with rain that makes the grass grow in every field.

10:2. The false gods talk nonsense, fortune-tellers see things that aren't there, and dream interpreters tell lies to give false hope. That's why people were lost and in distress, like sheep without someone to guide them.

10:3. I was angry with the leaders, and I punished those who led others astray; for God observed the people of Judah acting faithfully and made them as strong as a warhorse.

10:4. From this group of people will come leaders, protectors, warriors, and rulers united together.

10:5. They will be brave warriors, crushing enemies underfoot in the mud of the streets during battle; they will fight because God is on their side, confusing those who ride horses.

10:6. And I will give strength to Judah's descendants and save Joseph's descendants; I will bring them back together because I have compassion on them. They'll be treated like my own people – as if I never rejected them – because I am God their Creator who listens to their prayers.

10:7. The people from Ephraim will be brave, and their happiness will be like the excitement from drinking wine. Even their children will see this joy and feel happy, and they will all celebrate with God.

10:8. I will signal to them and bring them together, for I have set them free. They will multiply just as they did before.

10:9. I will spread them out among different nations, and they will think of me even in distant lands. They'll live with their children and eventually return to their roots.

10:10. I'll bring them back from Egypt and Assyria and take them to Gilead and Lebanon's lands, but the land will be so full that it'll seem there isn't enough space for them all.

10:11. They’ll go through rough waters, but they'll overpower the waves of the sea; even the deepest parts of rivers will dry up. The power of Assyria will be diminished, and Egypt's rule shall fade away.

10:12. I'll give them strength in connection with God; they’ll freely celebrate this strength in their lives as a promise from God.

11:1. Let the mountain regions of Lebanon open up, so that the flames may consume their high trees.

11:2. Cry out, pine trees, because the cedars have fallen; the powerful have been ruined. Start wailing, oaks of Bashan, because your thick woods have been chopped down.

11:3. There’s a sound of shepherds crying because they have lost their status. One can also hear young lions roaring because their wilderness by the Jordan River has been ruined.

11:4. God is saying to me: "Take care of the people who are doomed to die;

11:5. The ones who are killed by those who do not hold themselves responsible for it; those who profit from selling them say, 'Thank God, I'm wealthy,' and their own caretakers don't feel sorry for them."

11:6. "I will no longer feel sorry for the people in this land," says God. Instead, I will let everyone be betrayed by their neighbors and rulers and they will harm the land— and I won’t rescue them from such fate.

11:7. Moreover, I will provide for the needy among the doomed. I picked up two sticks; I named one 'Beauty' and the other 'Unity,' and I took care of those in need.

11:8. Within a single month, I got rid of three caretakers that I had become disgusted with, and they also grew to despise me intensely.

11:9. Eventually, I declared that it wasn't my job to take care of them anymore: if some are dying, let them die; if others need to go away foreover let that happen too; and may those who are left devour each other in their struggle to survive.

11:10. I broke my beautiful walking stick to show that the agreement I had with everyone was over.

11:11. That very day it happened, and the neediest who counted on me understood it was God’s message.

11:12. I told them, "Pay me whatever you think I deserve, but if you don’t want to, then don't." They ended up giving me thirty silver coins.

11:13. God told me, "Throw this amount to the potter—that’s the value they put on me." So I took the coins and threw them to the potter at God's house.

11:14. Next, I broke my second walking stick called Unity to show that the bond between Judah and Israel was also broken.

11:15. Then God instructed me to equip myself with the tools of a shepherd who doesn’t care about their sheep.

11:16. Look out for a shepherd who won’t look after those who are lost, won’t search for the young, won’t heal the injured, or feed those standing still. Instead, that shepherd will eat well from the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves.

11:17. Disaster is coming for a worthless shepherd who neglects their sheep! They will be defenseless and lose vision, with one arm useless and one eye blind.

12:1. This is a message from God for Israel: God, who created the skies, set the foundation of the earth, and gave life to every person, has something to say.

12:2. Watch as I turn Jerusalem into something that will cause great anxiety to all the neighboring nations when they attack both Judah and Jerusalem.

12:3. On that future day, I'll make sure that dealing with Jerusalem will be tough for all nations: anyone who tries to conquer it will be severely hurt, even if all nations unite against it.

12:4. At that time, I will confuse the horses and drive their riders insane; I will watch over Judah but blind the horses of their enemies.

12:5. The leaders of Judah will realize their strength comes from God who supports the people of Jerusalem.

12:6. Those same leaders will be like a blazing fire among dry wood or like a flaming torch among farm bundles; they'll defeat and overcome the surrounding nations, ensuring Jerusalem remains safely in its rightful location—Jerusalem itself.

12:7. God will first deliver those who live in rural areas of Judah so that the prestigious families there and people in Jerusalem won't feel superior to those in the countryside.

12:8. On that day, God will protect the people of Jerusalem; even the weakest person will be as strong as David, and David's lineage will be as if touched by God, blessed like a divine messenger in front of them.

12:9. When the time comes, I will act to eliminate all countries that attack Jerusalem.

12:10. I will bless David's descendants and the residents of Jerusalem with forgiveness and a desire to pray; they will realize the depth of their actions against me and feel profound sorrow, just as one grieves for an only child, consumed with deep sadness like that for a firstborn.

12:11. That day will bring immense grief to Jerusalem, comparable to the historic sorrow at Hadadrimmon in Megiddo's valley.

12:12. Each family in the country will grieve on their own; King David's family and their spouses separately;

12:13. The descendants of Nathan and their spouses by themselves; even Levi's lineage and their partners mourn independently.

12:14. All remaining families, each set apart with their spouses, will also experience profound sorrow.

13:1. A special source of spiritual renewal will be available for the leaders and the residents of Jerusalem to cleanse their wrongdoings and impurities.

13:2. God promises that a day will come when idols will be forgotten in the land; even prophets with impure intentions will be removed.

13:3. If someone still claims to speak prophecies, their own parents will reject them for spreading falsehoods in God's name, going so far as to take their life.

13:4. On that day, prophets will feel guilty for the lies they told and won't wear special clothes anymore trying to fool others.

13:5. Instead, one of them will say, "I'm not a prophet; I'm just a farmer. I've learned to take care of animals since I was young."

13:6. Someone might notice scars on his hands and ask about them; he'll admit he was hurt while with his so-called friends.

13:7. God commands the forces of justice against the unfaithful leader: "If you strike down the leader, their followers will scatter, and I'll pay attention to what happens to even the most vulnerable among them."

13:8. Throughout the land, says God, a big part of the population will perish; however, some will survive this purification process.

13:9. The surviving group will be tested like silver and gold are tested by fire. They'll pray to me, and I'll listen to them—I'll consider them as my own people, and they too shall recognize me as their God.

14:1. Look, a big change is coming, and your possessions will be taken and divided right in front of you.

14:2. All countries will come together to attack Jerusalem; they will capture the city, loot the houses, and harm the women. Half the city will be forced into exile, but the rest of the people won't be completely cut off from the city.

14:3. Then God will enter the fight against these countries like in battles long ago.

14:4. God will stand on Mount Olives near Jerusalem on its east side. The mount will split in half creating a huge valley with one side moving north and the other moving south.

14:5. You all need to escape through this mountain valley that extends to Azal, just like you ran from past disasters like the earthquake during King Uzziah's time in Judah — God, along with all who are devoted to God, is coming.

14:6. During this day there will be something peculiar: it won't be completely bright or completely dark.

14:7. It'll be a unique day known by God - not entirely day or night - but as evening comes it'll suddenly turn light.

14:8. On that day, fresh waters will flow out of Jerusalem, splitting in two directions: one part going east and the other part going west. This will happen through all seasons, summer and winter.

14:9. And God will rule over the entire world. On that day, there will only be one ruler, God, recognized worldwide.

14:10. The landscape shall flatten from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. The city will rise and re-establish itself from the Benjamin Gate to the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from Hananeel's Tower to the royal wine-making area.

14:11. People will live there again, and there won't be threats of complete destruction anymore; Jerusalem will be a safe place to live.

14:12. Those who attacked Jerusalem will be punished by God with a terrible disease that rots their flesh while they're still standing, destroying their eyes in their sockets and their tongues in their mouths.

14:13. On that day, a chaotic panic sent by God will grip everyone; they'll attack each other impulsively.

14:14. The people of Judah too will defend Jerusalem; the immense wealth—gold, silver, and clothes—from all the surrounding nations will be collected in Jerusalem.

14:15. The same terrible disease that affects the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all other animals in those camps will happen.

14:16. The survivors from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will go there every year to worship the Supreme Ruler, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters.

14:17. Any family on earth that does not go to Jerusalem to worship the Supreme Ruler will get no rain.

14:18. If the people of Egypt don't participate in this pilgrimage and celebrate this festival, they will also be struck by the disease that God will send to nations who don't observe it.

14:19. That is how Egypt and any other nation that fails to celebrate the Festival of Shelters will be punished.

14:20. On that day, even the bells on horses will be inscribed with "Holy to God," and cooking pots in God's house will be treated as sacred as the bowls used at the altar.

14:21. Indeed, every cooking pot in Jerusalem and throughout Judah will be consecrated to God; anyone who comes to offer a sacrifice will use these pots to boil their meat. On that day, no longer shall there be anyone who disrespects or pollutes God's house.