New King James Version
Zechariah 1:16
16‘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.” ’
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 Living Translation (NLT)“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.’
Context of Zechariah 1:16
14So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. 15I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped—but with evil intent.” ‘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.” ’ 17“Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The Lord will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ” 18Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were 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 and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord.
- Zechariah 8:3“Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’
- Isaiah 12:1And in that day you will say: “O Lord, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
- Isaiah 54:8With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.
- Jeremiah 31:22How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— A woman shall encompass a man.”
- Jeremiah 33:10“Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast,
- Ezekiel 37:24“David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.
- Ezekiel 39:25“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name—
- Ezekiel 48:35All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”
- Zechariah 4:9“The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
- Ezra 6:14So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
- Isaiah 44:26Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,’ To the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’ And I will raise up her waste places;
- Haggai 1:14So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
- Zechariah 2:1Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- Job 38:5Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
- Isaiah 34:11But the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it, Also the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. And He shall stretch out over it The line of confusion and the stones of emptiness.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries