New English Translation
Zechariah 1:16
16“‘Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all. ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’
Zechariah 1:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
- New International Version (NIV)“Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘Therefore thus says the Lord: “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it,” says the Lord of hosts, “And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ’
Context of Zechariah 1:16
14Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much moved for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves. “‘Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all. ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’ 17Speak up again with the message of the Lord who rules over all: ‘My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the Lord will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.’” 18(2:1) Once again I looked and this time I saw four horns.
Read all of Zechariah 1Zechariah 1:16 word by word
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה שַׁ֤בְתִּי לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בְּֽרַחֲמִ֔ים בֵּיתִי֙ יִבָּ֣נֶה בָּ֔הּ נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְקָ֥ו יִנָּטֶ֖ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I am returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- with merciesרַחֲמִיםracham · compassionH7356
- my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- shall be builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- in it, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- and a lineקָוֶהqâveh · lineH6961
- and a lineקַוqav qâv · lineH6957
- shall be stretched forthנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
Cross-references for Zechariah 1:16
- Zechariah 2:10“Sing out and be happy, Zion my daughter! For look, I have come; I will settle in your midst,” says the Lord.
- Zechariah 8:3The Lord says, ‘I have returned to Zion and will live within Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem will be called “truthful city,” “mountain of the Lord who rules over all,” “holy mountain.”’
- Isaiah 12:1At that time you will say: “I praise you, O Lord, for even though you were angry with me, your anger subsided, and you consoled me.
- Isaiah 54:8In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord.
- Jeremiah 31:22How long will you vacillate, you who were once like an unfaithful daughter? For I, the Lord, promise to bring about something new on the earth, something as unique as a woman protecting a man!’”
- Jeremiah 33:10“I, the Lord, say: ‘You and your people are saying about this place, “It lies in ruins. There are no people or animals in it.” That is true. The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem will soon be desolate, uninhabited either by people or by animals. But happy sounds will again be heard in these places.
- Ezekiel 37:24“‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes.
- Ezekiel 39:25“Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name.
- Ezekiel 48:35The circumference of the city will be six miles. The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”
- Zechariah 4:9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple, and his hands will complete it.” Then you will know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you.
- Ezra 6:14The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo continued prophesying. They built and brought it to completion by the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
- Isaiah 44:26who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants and brings to pass the announcements of his messengers, who says about Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up,’
- Haggai 1:14So the Lord energized and encouraged Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the whole remnant of the people. They came and worked on the temple of their God, the Lord who rules over all.
- Zechariah 2:1(2:5) I looked again, and there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- Job 38:5Who set its measurements – if you know – or who stretched a measuring line across it?
- Isaiah 34:11Owls and wild animals will live there, all kinds of wild birds will settle in it. The Lord will stretch out over her the measuring line of ruin and the plumb line of destruction.
Commentaries on Zechariah 1:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies - Before, he came to them in judgments; and the principal mercy is, the house of the Lord shall be rebuilt, and the ordinances of' the Lord re-established. And a line shall be stretched forth - The circuit shall be determined, and the city built according to the line marked out.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Therefore - This being so, since God was so jealous for His people, so displeased with their persecutors, “thus saith the Lord,” Dionysius, “I who “in wrath remember mercy, am returned” Habakkuk 3:2, not by change of place, who am uncircumscribed, not existing in place, to the people of Judah and Jerusalem in mercies, manifoldly benefiting them by various effects of My love.” The single benefits, the rebuilding of His House, and so the restoration of His…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-17Verses 7-17 The prophet saw a dark, shady grove, hidden by hills. This represented the low, melancholy condition of the Jewish church. A man like a warrior sat on a red horse, in the midst of this shady myrtle-grove. Though the church was in a low condition, Christ was present in the midst, ready to appear for the relief of his people. Behind him were angels ready to be employed by him, some in acts of judgment, others of mercy, others in mixed events…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-17Zechariah's first vision shows God's concern for Jerusalem (Zechariah 1:7–15). This is followed by a response (Zechariah 1:16–17) that confirms God's plans to rebuild the temple and restore the city's prosperity.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. I am returned--whereas in anger I had before withdrawn from her (Ho 5:15). with mercies--not merely of one kind, nor once only, but repeated mercies. my house shall be built--which at this time (the second year of Darius, Zec 1:1) had only its foundations laid (Hag 2:18). It was not completed till the sixth year of Darius (Ezr 6:15). line--(Job 38:5). The measuring-line for building, not hastily, but with measured regularity. Not only the temple, but…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 1:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 1
- 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
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