Zechariah 2:10-4:7

Complete Jewish Bible

¹⁰⁽⁶⁾Up!” says Adonai, “Move! Flee the land of the north! For I scattered you like the four winds of the sky,” says Adonai. ¹¹⁽⁷⁾“Move, Tziyon! You who are living with the daughter of Bavel, escape!” ¹²⁽⁸⁾For Adonai-Tzva’ot has sent me on a glorious mission to the nations that plundered you, and this is what he says: “Anyone who injures you injures the very pupil of my eye. ¹³⁽⁹⁾But I will shake my hand over them, and they will be plundered by those who were formerly their slaves.” Then you will know that Adonai-Tzva’ot sent me. ¹⁴⁽¹⁰⁾“Sing, daughter of Tziyon; rejoice! For, here, I am coming; and I will live among you,” says Adonai. ¹⁵⁽¹¹⁾When that time comes, many nations will join themselves to Adonai. “They will be my people, and I will live among you.” Then you will know that it was Adonai-Tzva’ot who sent me to you. ¹⁶⁽¹²⁾Adonai will take possession of Y’hudah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again make Yerushalayim his choice. ¹⁷⁽¹³⁾Be silent, all humanity, before Adonai; for he has been roused from his holy dwelling.’”

3 He showed me Y’hoshua the cohen hagadol standing before the angel of Adonai, with the Accuser ^[a] standing at his right to accuse him. ²Adonai said to the Accuser, “May Adonai rebuke you, Accuser! Indeed, may Adonai, who has made Yerushalayim his choice, rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” ³Y’hoshua was clothed in garments covered with dung; and he was standing before the angel, ⁴who said to those standing in front of him, “Take those filthy garments off of him.” Then to him he said, “See, I am taking your guilt away. I will clothe you in fine robes.” ⁵I said, “They should put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and gave him fine robes to wear, while the angel of Adonai stood by. ⁶Then the angel of Adonai gave Y’hoshua this warning: ⁷“Adonai-Tzva’ot says this: ‘If you will walk in my ways, obey my commission, judge my house and guard my courtyards; then I will give you free access among these who are standing here. ⁸Listen, cohen gadol Y’hoshua, both you and your colleagues seated here before you, because these men are a sign that I am going to bring my servant Tzemach [Sprout]. ⁹For look at the stone I have put in front of Y’hoshua: on one stone are seven eyes; I will engrave what is to be written on it,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot; ‘and I will remove the guilt of this land in one day. ¹⁰When that time comes,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot, ‘you will all invite each other to join you under your vines and fig trees.’”

4 Then the angel that had been speaking with me returned and roused me, as if he were waking someone up from being asleep, ²and asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I’ve been looking at a menorah; it’s all of gold, with a bowl at its top, seven lamps on it, and seven tubes leading to the lamps at its top. ³Next to it are two olive trees, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.” ⁴I then asked the angel speaking with me, “What are these, my Lord?” The angel speaking with me said, ⁵“Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my Lord.” ⁶Then he answered me, “This is the word of Adonai to Z’rubavel: ‘Not by force, and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot. ⁷‘What are you, you big mountain? Before Z’rubavel you will become a plain; and he will put the capstone in place, as everyone shouts, “It’s beautiful! Beautiful!”’