Focused Passage

Zechariah 1:1-6

Return to Me and the Comfort of Zion

From covenant summons, to night-vision intercession, to the LORD's promise of mercy, rebuilt worship, renewed comfort for Zion, and judgment on the powers that scattered Judah.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:

2 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.

3 So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’

4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.

5 Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to us.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

In the eighth הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י H8066 Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular month בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ H2320 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular of the second שְׁתַּ֖יִם H8147 Number - fd year בִּשְׁנַ֥ת H8141 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Darius לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ H1867 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular the word דְבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular came הָיָ֣ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the prophet הַנָּבִ֖יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular Zechariah זְכַרְיָה֙ H2148 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Berechiah בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה H1296 Noun - proper - masculine singular the son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Iddo עִדּ֥וֹ H5714 Noun - proper - masculine singular saying לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 2

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular was very קָֽצֶף׃ H7110 Noun - masculine singular angry קָצַ֧ף H7107 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular with עַל־ H5921 Preposition your fathers אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Verse 3

Original words

So tell וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular [the people] אֲלֵהֶ֗ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural that this is what כֹּ֤ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֔וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural says אָמַר֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Return שׁ֣וּבוּ H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural to Me אֵלַ֔י H413 Preposition | first person common singular declares נְאֻ֖ם H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֑וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural and I will return וְאָשׁ֣וּב H7725 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular to you אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם H413 Preposition | second person masculine plural says אָמַ֖ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאֽוֹת׃ H6635 Noun - common plural
Verse 4

Original words

Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb be תִּהְי֣וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural like your fathers כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם H1 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural to whom אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative the former הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים H7223 Article | Adjective - masculine plural prophets הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural proclaimed קָרְאֽוּ־ H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural - אֲלֵיהֶם֩ H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural that this is what כֹּ֤ה H3541 Adverb . . . אָמַר֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֔וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural says לֵאמֹ֗ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Turn שׁ֤וּבוּ H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural now נָא֙ H4994 Interjection from your evil הָרָעִ֔ים H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine plural ways מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם H1870 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine plural [and] הָֽרָעִ֑ים H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine plural deeds וּמַעֲלִילֵיכֶם H4611 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural But they did not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle listen שָׁמְע֛וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle or pay attention הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ H7181 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural to Me אֵלַ֖י H413 Preposition | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

Where אַיֵּה־ H346 Interrogative . . . הֵ֑ם H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural are your fathers now אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural And the prophets וְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔ים H5030 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural do they live יִֽחְיֽוּ׃ H2421 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural forever הַלְעוֹלָ֖ם H5769 Article, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

But אַ֣ךְ׀ H389 Adverb did not הֲל֥וֹא H3808 Adverb - Negative particle My words דְּבָרַ֣י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular and My statutes וְחֻקַּ֗י H2706 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular which אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative I commanded צִוִּ֙יתִי֙ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My servants עֲבָדַ֣י H5650 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular the prophets הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural overtake הִשִּׂ֖יגוּ H5381 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural your fathers אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural They repented וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ H7725 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural and said וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Just as כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאוֹת֙ H6635 Noun - common plural purposed זָמַ֜ם H2161 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to do לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct to us לָ֔נוּ Preposition | first person common plural according to our ways כִּדְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ H1870 Preposition-k | Noun - common plural construct | first person common plural and deeds וּכְמַ֣עֲלָלֵ֔ינוּ H4611 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural so כֵּ֖ן H3651 Adverb He has done עָשָׂ֥ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to us אִתָּֽנוּ׃ס H854 Preposition | first person common plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.