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.
Wito Wa Kumrudia Bwana
11:1 Ezr 4:24; 6:15; Mt 23:35; Lk 11:51; Neh 12:4Katika mwezi wa nane wa mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia, mwana wa Ido, kusema:
21:2 2Nya 36:16“Bwana aliwakasirikia sana baba zako wa zamani. 31:3 Yak 4:8; Mal 3:7; Ay 22:2; Yer 25:5; Mik 7:19; Lk 15:20Kwa hiyo waambie watu: Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemavyo: ‘Nirudieni mimi,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, ‘nami nitawarudia ninyi,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. 41:4 2Nya 7:14; 24:19; 36:15; Zek 7:7; 2Fal 17:13; Za 78:8; 106:6; Yer 6:17; 17:23; 23:22; Eze 20:18; 33:4; Isa 1:16-17; Yer 3:12; Eze 33:11; Hos 14:1; Mit 3:8-9; Mdo 3:19Msiwe kama baba zenu, ambao manabii waliotangulia waliwatangazia: Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemavyo: ‘Geukeni, mziache njia zenu mbaya na matendo yenu maovu.’ Lakini hawakunisikiliza wala kufuata maelekezo yangu, asema Bwana. 5Wako wapi baba zako sasa? Nao manabii, je, wanaishi milele? 61:6 Isa 44:26; Kum 28:2; Dan 9:12; Hos 5:9; Yer 12:14-17; 39:16; 23:20; 44:17; Mao 2:17; Isa 55:1; Mao 1:18Je, maneno yangu na amri zangu nilizowaagiza manabii watumishi wangu, hayakuwapata baba zenu?”
“Kisha walitubu na kusema, ‘Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ametutenda sawasawa na njia zetu na matendo yetu yalivyostahili, kama alivyokusudia kufanya.’ ”
Maono Ya Kwanza: Mtu Katikati Ya Miti Ya Mihadasi
7Katika siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi wa kumi na moja, yaani mwezi uitwao Shebati, katika mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Mfalme Dario, neno la Bwana lilimjia nabii Zekaria mwana wa Berekia mwana wa Ido.
81:8 Ufu 6:4; Zek 6:2-7; Yos 5:13Wakati wa usiku nilipata maono, mbele yangu alikuwepo mtu akiendesha farasi mwekundu! Alikuwa amesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi kwenye bonde. Nyuma yake walikuwepo farasi wekundu, wa kikahawia na weupe.
91:9 Zek 4:1-5; 5:5; Dan 7:16Nikauliza, “Hivi ni vitu gani bwana wangu?”
Malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza na mimi akanijibu, “Nitakuonyesha kuwa ni nini.”
101:10 Zek 6:5-8; Za 91:11; Ebr 1:14Kisha yule mtu aliyesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi akaeleza, “Ni wale ambao Bwana amewatuma waende duniani kote.”
111:11 Isa 14:7; Mwa 16:7; Za 102:20Nao wakatoa taarifa kwa yule malaika wa Bwana, aliyekuwa amesimama katikati ya miti ya mihadasi, “Tumepita duniani kote na kukuta ulimwengu wote umepumzika kwa amani.”
121:12 Za 6:3; 40:11; Yer 40:5; 2Nya 36:21; Dan 9:2; Za 103:13; Ufu 6:10; Zek 7:5Kisha malaika wa Bwana akasema, “Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, utazuia mpaka lini rehema kutoka Yerusalemu na miji ya Yuda, ambayo umeikasirikia kwa miaka hii sabini?” 131:13 Isa 35:4; Ay 15:11; Zek 4:1; Isa 40:1-2; Yer 29:10Kwa hiyo Bwana akazungumza maneno ya upole na ya kufariji kwa malaika aliyezungumza nami.
141:14 Isa 26:11; Yoe 2:18; Zek 8:2Kisha malaika yule aliyekuwa akizungumza nami akasema, “Tangaza neno hili: Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: ‘Nina wivu sana kwa ajili ya Yerusalemu na Sayuni, 151:15 Yer 48:11; 2Nya 28:9; Za 69:26; 123:3-4; Amo 1:11; Isa 47:6lakini nimeyakasirikia sana mataifa yanayojisikia kuwa yako salama. Nilikuwa nimewakasirikia Israeli kidogo tu, lakini mataifa hayo yaliwazidishia maafa.’
161:16 Zek 2:1-2; 8:3; Ay 38:5; Isa 12:1“Kwa hiyo, hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: ‘Nitairudia Yerusalemu kwa rehema na huko nyumba yangu itajengwa tena. Nayo kamba ya kupimia itanyooshwa Yerusalemu,’ asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
171:17 Isa 14:1; 40:1; 54:8-10; 61:4; Ezr 9:9; Za 51:18; Isa 51:3; Zek 3:2“Endelea kutangaza zaidi kwamba: Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: ‘Miji yangu itafurika tena ustawi na Bwana atamfariji tena Sayuni na kumchagua Yerusalemu.’ ”
Maono Ya Pili: Pembe Nne Na Mafundi Wanne
18Kisha nikatazama juu, na pale mbele yangu nikaona pembe nne! 191:19 Amo 6:13; Ezr 4:1; Hab 3:14Nikamuuliza yule malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza nami, “Ni nini hivi?”
Akanijibu, “Hizi ni zile pembe zilizowatawanya Yuda, Israeli na Yerusalemu.”
20Kisha Bwana akanionyesha mafundi wanne. 211:21 1Fal 22:11; Za 75:4, 10; Isa 54:16-17; Zek 12:9Nikauliza, “Hawa wanakuja kufanya nini?”
Akanijibu, “Hizi ndizo pembe zilizowatawanya Yuda ili asiwepo atakayeweza kuinua kichwa chake, lakini mafundi wamekuja kuzitia hofu na kuzitupa chini hizi pembe za mataifa ambayo yaliinua pembe zao dhidi ya nchi ya Yuda na kuwatawanya watu wake.”
