God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 2:4
4and said to him, “Run, and say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because it will have so many people and animals in it.
Zechariah 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:
- New International Version (NIV)and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it.
Context of Zechariah 2:4
2I asked him, “Where are you going?” He answered, “I am going to measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is.” 3Then the angel who was speaking with me left. Another angel came out to meet him and said to him, “Run, and say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because it will have so many people and animals in it. 5I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the Lord. I will be the glory within it.’ 6“Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. I’ve scattered you to the four winds of heaven.
Read all of Zechariah 2Zechariah 2:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו רֻ֗ץ דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־הַנַּ֥עַר הַלָּ֖ז לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּרָזוֹת֙ תֵּשֵׁ֣ב יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם מֵרֹ֥ב אָדָ֛ם וּבְהֵמָ֖ה בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, Runרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
- speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- to thisהַלָּזhallâz · thisH1975
- young manנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- shall be inhabitedיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- towns without wallsפְּרָזָהperâzâh · villageH6519
- for the multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
- of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- and cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- thereinתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
Cross-references for Zechariah 2:4
- Jeremiah 1:6I, Jeremiah, said, “Almighty Lord, I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy!”
- Daniel 1:17God gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
- 1 Timothy 4:12Don’t let anyone look down on you for being young. Instead, make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers.
- Zechariah 1:17“Announce again: This is what the Lord of Armies says: My cities will overflow with prosperity once more. The Lord will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem.”
- Zechariah 8:4This is what the Lord of Armies says: Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. Each will have a cane in hand because of old age.
- Zechariah 12:6“On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a fire on a pile of wood and like a burning torch among freshly cut straw. They will burn up all the surrounding nations to the right and to the left. But the people of Jerusalem will remain safe in Jerusalem.
- Zechariah 14:10The whole earth will become like the plains from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site, from Benjamin Gate to the place of First Gate, Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.
- Isaiah 33:20Look at Zion, the city of our festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem as a peaceful place. It is a tent that can’t be moved. Its tent pegs will never be pulled out, and none of its ropes will be broken.
- Isaiah 44:26He confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the plan of his messengers. He says about Jerusalem, “It will be inhabited.” He says about the cities of Judah, “They will be rebuilt.” He says about their ruins, “I will restore them.”
- Jeremiah 30:18“This is what the Lord says: I’m going to bring the captives back to Jacob’s tents and show compassion on their homes. Cities will be built on the ruins, and fortified palaces will be built in their rightful place.
- Jeremiah 31:24Judah and all its cities will live there together. Farmers and shepherds will also live there.
- Jeremiah 31:38“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to Corner Gate.
- Jeremiah 33:10“This is what the Lord says: You have said that this place is ruined and that no people or animals live in it. It’s true! The cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem are deserted. No people or animals live there. But once again you will hear
- Ezekiel 36:10I will increase the number of people who live on you. All the people of Israel, all of them, will live on you. The cities will be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.
- Micah 7:11The day for rebuilding your walls and extending your borders is coming.
Commentaries on Zechariah 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Run, speak to this young man - Nehemiah must have been a young man when he was sakee, or cup-bearer, to Artaxerxes. As towns without walls - It shall be so numerously inhabited as not to be contained within its ancient limits. Josephus, speaking of this time, says, Wars 5:4:2, "The city, overflowing with inhabitants, by degrees extended itself beyond its walls."Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And said unto him, Run, speak unto this young man - The prophet himself, who was to report to his people what he heard. Jeremiah says, “I am a youth” Jeremiah 1:6; and, “the young man,” “the young prophet,” carried the prophetic message from Elisha to Jehu. “Youth,‘” common as our English term in regard to man, is inapplicable and unapplied to angels, who have not our human variations of age, but exist, as they were created. Jerusalem shall be inhabited…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5The visions move from a wide focus to a narrow one. They begin with the whole world (vision 1), then move to the nations (vision 2), and finally focus on the city of Jerusalem. The vision itself appears in 2:1–3, followed by an explanation of its meaning in 2:4–5.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. this young man--So Zechariah is called as being still a youth when prophetically inspired [Grotius]. Or, he is so called in respect to his ministry or service (compare Nu 11:27; Jos 1:1) [Vatablus]. Naturally the "angel that talked with" Zechariah is desired to "speak to" him the further communications to be made from the Divine Being. towns without walls for the multitude ... Cattle--So many shall be its inhabitants that all could not be contained…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries