Revised Literal Translation

Zechariah 1

1In the eighthהַשְּׁמִינִ֔יha.she.mi.NiH8066monthבַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ba.Cho.deshH2320,in the secondשְׁתַּ֖יִםshe.Ta.yimH8147yearבִּשְׁנַ֥תbish.NatH8141of Dariusלְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁle.da.re.Ya.veshH1867,came the wordדְבַר־de.var-H1697of Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068unto Zechariahזְכַרְיָה֙ze.khar.YahH2148,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Berechiahבֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔הbe.rekh.YahH1296,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Iddoעִדּ֥וֹi.DoH5714the prophetהַנָּבִ֖יאha.na.Vi'H5030,sayingלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

2Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068hath been soreקָֽצֶף׃Ka.tzefH7110displeasedקָצַ֧ףka.TzafH7107with your fathersאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם'a.vo.tei.KhemH1.

3Therefore sayוְאָמַרְתָּ֣ve.'a.mar.TaH559thou unto them, Thus saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635;Turnשׁ֣וּבוּShu.vuH7725ye unto me, saithנְאֻ֖םne.'UmH5002Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,and I will turnוְאָשׁ֣וּבve.'a.ShuvH7725unto you, saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635.

4Be ye not as your fathersכַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡םkha.'a.vo.tei.KhemH1,unto whom the formerהָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜יםha.ri.sho.NimH7223prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֨יםha.ne.vi.'ImH5030have criedקָרְאֽוּ־ka.re.'u-H7121,sayingלֵאמֹ֗רle.MorH559,Thus saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635;Turnשׁ֤וּבוּShu.vuH7725ye now from your evilהָרָעִ֔יםha.ra.'ImH7451waysמִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣םmi.dar.khei.KhemH1870, and fromyour evilהָֽרָעִ֑יםha.ra.'ImH7451doingsוּמַֽעֲלְלֵיכֶ֖םu.ma.'a.li.lei.khemH4611:but they did not hearשָׁמְע֛וּsha.me.'UH8085,nor hearkenהִקְשִׁ֥יבוּhik.Shi.vuH7181unto me, saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068.

5Your fathersאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם'a.vo.tei.KhemH1, where arethey? and the prophetsוְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔יםve.Ha.ne.vi.'ImH5030,do they liveיִֽחְיֽוּ׃Yich.YuH2421for everהַלְעוֹלָ֖םhal.'o.LamH5769?

6But my wordsדְּבָרַ֣יde.va.RaiH1697and my statutesוְחֻקַּ֗יve.chu.KaiH2706,which I commandedצִוִּ֙יתִי֙tzi.Vi.tiH6680my servantsעֲבָדַ֣י'a.va.DaiH5650the prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֔יםha.ne.vi.'ImH5030,did they not take holdהִשִּׂ֖יגוּhi.Si.guH5381of your fathersאֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם'a.vo.tei.KhemH1?and they returnedוַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּvai.ya.Shu.vuH7725and saidוַיֹּאמְר֗וּvai.yo.me.RuH559,Like as Yhwhיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאוֹת֙tze.va.'OtH6635thoughtזָמַ֜םza.MamH2161to doלַעֲשׂ֣וֹתla.'a.SotH6213unto us, according to our waysכִּדְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙kid.ra.Khei.nuH1870,and according to our doingsוּכְמַ֣עֲלָלֵ֔ינוּu.khe.Ma.'a.la.Lei.nuH4611,so hath he dealtעָשָׂ֥ה'a.SahH6213with us.

7Upon the fourוְאַרְבָּעָ֜הve.'ar.ba.'AhH702and twentiethעֶשְׂרִ֨ים'es.RimH6242dayבְּיוֹם֩be.yOmH3117of the eleventhלְעַשְׁתֵּֽי־ עָשָׂ֥רle.'ash.tei- 'a.SarH6240 H6249monthחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙cho.deshH2320, which isthe monthחֹ֣דֶשׁCho.deshH2320Sebatשְׁבָ֔טshe.VatH7627,in the secondשְׁתַּ֖יִםshe.Ta.yimH8147yearבִּשְׁנַ֥תbish.NatH8141of Dariusלְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁle.da.re.Ya.veshH1867,came the wordדְבַר־de.var-H1697of Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068unto Zechariahזְכַרְיָה֙ze.khar.YahH2148,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Berechiahבֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔הוּbe.rekh.Ya.huH1296,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Iddoעִדּ֥וֹאi.Do'H5714the prophetהַנָּבִ֖יאha.na.Vi'H5030,sayingלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

8I sawרָאִ֣יתִי׀ra.'I.tiH7200by nightהַלַּ֗יְלָהha.Lay.lahH3915,and behold a manאִישׁ֙'ishH376ridingרֹכֵב֙ro.KhevH7392upon a redאָדֹ֔ם'a.DomH122horseס֣וּסsusH5483,and he stoodעֹמֵ֔ד'o.MedH5975among the myrtle treesהַהֲדַסִּ֖יםha.ha.da.SimH1918that werein the bottomבַּמְּצֻלָ֑הba.me.tzu.LahH4699;and behindוְאַחֲרָיו֙ve.'a.cha.RavH310him were thereredאֲדֻמִּ֔ים'a.du.MimH122horsesסוּסִ֣יםsu.SimH5483,speckledשְׂרֻקִּ֖יםse.ru.KimH8320,and whiteוּלְבָנִֽים׃u.le.va.NimH3836.

9Then saidוָאֹמַ֖רva.'o.MarH559I, O my lordאֲדֹנִ֑י'a.do.NiH113, what arethese? And the angelהַמַּלְאָךְ֙ha.mal.'oKhH4397that talkedהַדֹּבֵ֣רha.do.VerH1696with me saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto me, I will shewאַרְאֶ֖ךָּ'ar.'E.kaH7200thee what these be.

10And the manהָאִ֛ישׁha.'IshH376that stoodהָעֹמֵ֥דha.'o.MedH5975among the myrtle treesהַהַדַסִּ֖יםha.ha.da.SimH1918answeredוַיַּ֗עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030and saidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559, These are theywhom Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068hath sentשָׁלַ֣חsha.LachH7971to walkלְהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְle.hit.ha.LekhH1980to and fro through the earthבָּאָֽרֶץ׃ba.'A.retzH776.

11And they answeredוַֽיַּעֲנ֞וּvai.ya.'a.NuH6030the angelמַלְאַ֣ךְmal.'AkhH4397of Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068that stoodהָֽעֹמֵד֙ha.'o.MedH5975among the myrtle treesהַהֲדַסִּ֔יםha.ha.da.SimH1918,and saidוַיֹּאמְר֖וּvai.yo.me.RuH559,We have walked to and froהִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּhit.ha.Lakh.nuH1980through the earthבָאָ֑רֶץva.'A.retzH776,and, behold, all the earthהָאָ֖רֶץha.'A.retzH776sitteth stillיֹשֶׁ֥בֶתyo.She.vetH3427,and is at restוְשֹׁקָֽטֶת׃ve.sho.Ka.tetH8252.

12Then the angelמַלְאַךְ־mal.'akh-H4397of Yhwhיְהוָה֮Yah.wehH3068answeredוַיַּ֣עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030and saidוַיֹּאמַר֒vai.yo.MarH559,O Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,how long wilt thou not have mercyתְרַחֵ֣םte.ra.ChemH7355on Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םye.ru.sha.LimH3389and on the citiesעָרֵ֣י'a.ReiH5892of Judahיְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.DahH3063,against which thou hast had indignationזָעַ֔מְתָּהza.'Am.tahH2194these threescore and tenשִׁבְעִ֥יםshiv.'ImH7657yearsשָׁנָֽה׃sha.NahH8141?

13And Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068answeredוַיַּ֣עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030the angelהַמַּלְאָ֛ךְha.mal.'AkhH4397that talkedהַדֹּבֵ֥רha.do.VerH1696with me withgoodטוֹבִ֑יםto.VimH2896wordsדְּבָרִ֣יםde.va.RimH1697andcomfortableנִחֻמִֽים׃ni.chu.MimH5150wordsדְּבָרִ֖יםde.va.RimH1697.

14So the angelהַמַּלְאָךְ֙ha.mal.'oKhH4397that communedהַדֹּבֵ֣רha.do.VerH1696with me saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto me, Cryקְרָ֣אke.Ra'H7121thou, sayingלֵאמֹ֔רle.MorH559,Thus saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635;I am jealousקִנֵּ֧אתִיki.Ne.tiH7065for Jerusalemלִירוּשָׁלִַ֛םli.ru.sha.LimH3389and for Zionוּלְצִיּ֖וֹןu.le.tzi.YonH6726with a greatגְדוֹלָֽה׃ge.do.LahH1419jealousyקִנְאָ֥הkin.'AhH7068.

15And I am veryגָּדוֹל֙ga.dOlH1419soreוְקֶ֤צֶףve.Ke.tzefH7110displeasedקֹצֵ֔ףko.TzefH7107with the heathenהַגּוֹיִ֖םha.go.YimH1471that areat easeהַשַּֽׁאֲנַנִּ֑יםha.sha.'a.na.NimH7600:for I was but a littleמְּעָ֔טme.'AtH4592displeasedקָצַ֣פְתִּיka.Tzaf.tiH7107,and they helpedעָזְר֥וּ'a.ze.RuH5826forward the afflictionלְרָעָֽה׃le.ra.'AhH7451.

16Therefore thus saithאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068;I am returnedשַׁ֤בְתִּיShav.tiH7725to Jerusalemלִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙li.ru.sha.LimH3389with merciesבְּֽרַחֲמִ֔יםbe.ra.cha.MimH7356:my houseבֵּיתִי֙bei.TiH1004shall be builtיִבָּ֣נֶהyi.Ba.nehH1129in it, saithנְאֻ֖םne.'UmH5002Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,and a lineוְקָ֥וve.ka.vahH6961 H6957shall be stretched forthיִנָּטֶ֖הyi.na.TehH5186upon Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ye.ru.sha.LimH3389.

17Cryקְרָ֣אke.Ra'H7121yet, sayingלֵאמֹ֗רle.MorH559,Thus saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635;My citiesעָרַ֖י'a.RaiH5892through prosperityמִטּ֑וֹבmi.TovH2896shall yet be spread abroadתְּפוּצֶ֥ינָהte.fu.Tzei.nahH6327;And Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068shall yet comfortוְנִחַ֨םve.ni.ChamH5162Zionצִיּ֔וֹןtzi.YonH6726,and shall yet chooseוּבָחַ֥רu.va.CharH977Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ סbi.ru.sha.LimH3389.

18Then lifted I upוָאֶשָּׂ֥אva.'e.Sa'H5375mine eyesעֵינַ֖י'ei.NaiH5869,and sawוָאֵ֑רֶאva.'E.re'H7200,and behold fourאַרְבַּ֥ע'ar.Ba'H702hornsקְרָנֽוֹת׃ke.ra.NotH7161.

19And I saidוָאֹמַ֗רva.'o.MarH559unto the angelהַמַּלְאָ֛ךְha.mal.'AkhH4397that talkedהַדֹּבֵ֥רha.do.VerH1696with me, What bethese? And he answeredוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559me, These arethe hornsהַקְּרָנוֹת֙ha.ke.ra.nOtH7161which have scatteredזֵר֣וּze.RuH2219Judahיְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahH3063,Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478,and Jerusalemוִירוּשָׁלָֽם׃ סvi.ru.sha.LamH3389.

20And Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068shewedוַיַּרְאֵ֣נִיvai.yar.'E.niH7200me fourאַרְבָּעָ֖ה'ar.ba.'AhH702carpentersחָרָשִֽׁים׃cha.ra.ShimH2796.

21Then saidוָאֹמַ֕רva.'o.MarH559I, What comeבָאִ֖יםva.'ImH935these to doלַֽעֲשׂ֑וֹתla.'a.SotH6213?And he spakeוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,sayingלֵאמֹ֗רle.MorH559, These arethe hornsהַקְּרָנ֞וֹתha.ke.ra.NotH7161which have scatteredזֵ֣רוּZe.ruH2219Judahיְהוּדָ֗הye.hu.DahH3063,so thatכְּפִי־ke.fi-H6310no manאִישׁ֙'ishH376did lift upנָשָׂ֣אna.Sa'H5375his headרֹאשׁ֔וֹro.ShoH7218:but these are comeוַיָּבֹ֤אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uH935to frightenלְהַחֲרִ֣ידle.ha.cha.RidH2729them, to cast outלְיַדּ֞וֹתle.ya.DotH3034the hornsקַרְנ֣וֹתkar.NotH7161of the Gentilesהַגּוֹיִ֗םha.go.YimH1471,which lifted upהַנֹּשְׂאִ֥יםha.no.se.'ImH5375theirhornקֶ֛רֶןKe.renH7161over the landאֶ֥רֶץ'E.retzH776of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063to scatterלְזָרוֹתָֽהּ׃ סle.za.ro.TahH2219it.

Commentaries on Zechariah 1