Zechariah 1 – NIV & AKCB

New International Version

Zechariah 1:1-21

A Call to Return to the Lord

1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:

2“The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 4Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ ”

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.

8During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.

9I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”

10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”

11And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”

12Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?” 13So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

14Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’

16“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.

17“Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’ ”

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

18Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”

He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

20Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21I asked, “What are these coming to do?”

He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”1:21 In Hebrew texts 1:18-21 is numbered 2:1-4.

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

Sakaria 1:1-21

Awurade Nkyɛn Ba Ho Frɛ

1Ɔsram a ɛto so awotwe wɔ ɔhene Dario adedi afe a ɛto so abien mu no, Awurade asɛm baa odiyifo Sakaria a ɔyɛ Berekia babarima na ɔno nso yɛ Ido babarima nkyɛn se:

2Awurade bo fuw mo tete agyanom. 3Enti ka kyerɛ nkurɔfo no se: Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: ‘Monsan mmra me nkyɛn, na mɛsan aba mo nkyɛn,’ nea Asafo Awurade se ni. 4Monnyɛ sɛ mo tete agyanom, a adiyifo a wodii kan no pae mu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: Monnan mfi mo akwammɔne ne nneyɛe bɔne ho,’ nanso wɔantie na wɔanyɛ aso amma no. 5Mo tete agyanom wɔ he mprempren? Na adiyifo no, wɔte ase daa ana? 6Na me nsɛm a menam mʼasomfo adiyifo so kae no, amma mo tete agyanom no so ana?

“Afei wonuu wɔn ho na wɔkae se, ‘Asafo Awurade ayɛ yɛn nea ɛfata yɛn akwan ne nneyɛe, sɛnea ɔyɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛyɛ no.’ ”

Onipa A Ɔwɔ Ohuamnnua No Mu

7Na da a ɛto so aduonu anan wɔ ɔsram a ɛto so dubaako a wɔfrɛ no Sebat, wɔ ɔhene Dario adedi afe a ɛto so abien so no, Awurade asɛm baa odiyifo Sakaria a ɔyɛ Ido babarima Berekia babarima no nkyɛn.

8Anadwo no minyaa anisoadehu, mihuu ɔbarima bi a ɔte ɔpɔnkɔ kɔkɔɔ so wɔ mʼanim! Na ogyina ohuamnnua bi ntam wɔ obon a mu dɔ mu. Na apɔnkɔ kɔkɔɔ, nnodoe ne fitaa wɔ nʼakyi.

9Mibisae se, “Eyinom ase ne dɛn, me wura?” Ɔbɔfo a ɔne me rekasa no buae se, “Mɛkyerɛ wo dekode a wɔyɛ.”

10Enti ɔbarima a ogyina ohuamnnua ntam no kyerɛɛ ase se, “Wɔyɛ wɔn a Awurade asoma wɔn sɛ wɔnkɔ wiase afanan nyinaa no.”

11Na wɔbɛka kyerɛɛ Awurade bɔfo a ogyina ohuamnnua no mu no se, “Yɛakyin afa asase no so nyinaa, na yehuu sɛ wiase nyinaa wɔ ahomegye ne asomdwoe.”

12Afei Awurade bɔfo no kae se, “Asafo Awurade, enkosi da bɛn na wubeyi wʼahummɔbɔ afi Yerusalem ne Yuda nkurow a wo bo afuw wɔn mfirihyia aduɔson ni no so?” 13Enti Awurade kaa akomatɔyamsɛm ne awerɛkyekyesɛm kyerɛɛ ɔbɔfo a ɔne me kasae no.

14Afei ɔbɔfo a ɔne me rekasa no kae se, “Pae mu ka saa asɛm yi: Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: ‘Metwe Yerusalem ne Sion ho ninkunu yiye, 15nanso me bo afuw aman a wɔn aso mu adwo wɔn no. Na anka me bo mfuw wɔn bebree, nanso wɔmaa Israel amanehunu no boroo so.’

16“Enti nea Awurade se ni: ‘Mɛsan abehu Yerusalem mmɔbɔ, na hɔ na wɔbɛsan asi me fi. Na wɔbɛtwe susuhama mu wɔ Yerusalem so,’ nea Asafo Awurade se ni.

17“Kɔ so pae mu ka se, sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: ‘Nnepa bebu so wɔ me nkurow yi so bio, na Awurade bɛkyekye Sion werɛ bio, na wafa Yerusalem.’ ”

Mmɛn Anan Ne Adwumfo Baanan

18Afei, memaa mʼani so, na mihuu mmɛn anan! 19Mibisaa ɔbɔfo a ɔne me rekasa no se, “Eyinom yɛ dɛn?”

Obuaa me se, “Saa mmɛn yi na ɛbɔɔ Yuda, Israel ne Yerusalem petee no.”

20Na Awurade kyerɛɛ me adwumfo anan. 21Mibisae se, “Dɛn na eyinom rebɛyɛ?”

Obuae se, “Mmɛn anan no bɔɔ Yuda petee a obiara antumi amma ne ti so, nanso adwumfo yi aba sɛ wɔrebehunahuna wɔn, na watutu aman no mmɛn a wɔmemaa so tiaa Yudaman na wɔbɔɔ nnipa no petee no.”