Zechariah 2:1-9 - Compare All Versions

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Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within.’ “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD. “Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the LORD. Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.

When I looked again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. “Where are you going?” I asked. He replied, “I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.” Then the angel who was with me went to meet a second angel who was coming toward him. The other angel said, “Hurry, and say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem will someday be so full of people and livestock that there won’t be room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls. Then I, myself, will be a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the LORD. And I will be the glory inside the city!’” The LORD says, “Come away! Flee from Babylon in the land of the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds. Come away, people of Zion, you who are exiled in Babylon!” After a period of glory, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession. I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them.” Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me.

I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going? ” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.” Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him. He said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and animals in it.”  The declaration of the LORD: “I myself will be a wall  of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it.” “Listen! Listen! Flee from the land of the north”   — this is the LORD’s declaration — “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven” — this is the LORD’s declaration. “Listen, Zion! Escape, you who are living with Daughter Babylon.” For the LORD of Armies says this: “In pursuit of his glory, he sent me against the nations plundering you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil  of my  eye. For look, I am raising my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their own servants.  Then you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me.

I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the LORD; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the LORD. “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” For thus says the LORD of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.

I looked up and was surprised to see a man holding a tape measure in his hand. I said, “What are you up to?” “I’m on my way,” he said, “to survey Jerusalem, to measure its width and length.” Just then the Messenger-Angel on his way out met another angel coming in and said, “Run! Tell the Surveyor, ‘Jerusalem will burst its walls— bursting with people, bursting with animals. And I’ll be right there with her’—GOD’s Decree—‘a wall of fire around unwalled Jerusalem and a radiant presence within.’” * * * “Up on your feet! Get out of there—and now!” GOD says so. “Return from your far exile. I scattered you to the four winds.” GOD’s Decree. “Escape from Babylon, Zion, and come home—now!” * * * GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the One of Glory who sent me on my mission, commenting on the godless nations who stripped you and left you homeless, said, “Anyone who hits you, hits me—bloodies my nose, blackens my eye. Yes, and at the right time I’ll give the signal and they’ll be stripped and thrown out by their own servants.” Then you’ll know for sure that GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission. * * *

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” And behold, the angel who had been speaking with me was going out, and another angel was going out to meet him. And he said to him, “Run, speak to that young man there, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited as open country because of the multitude of people and cattle within it. But I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire to her on all sides, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” “You there! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “because I have spread you out like the four winds of the heavens,” declares the LORD. “You, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” For the LORD of armies says this: “After glory He has sent Me against the nations that plunder you, for the one who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. For behold, I am going to wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of armies has sent Me.

And I looked up, and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him, and he said to the second angel, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited [like villages] without walls [spreading out into the open country] because of the great number of people and livestock in it. For I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire around her [protecting her from enemies], and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” “Hear this! Flee from [Babylon] the land of the north [which shall come under judgment],” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of the heavens,” declares the LORD. “Hear, Zion (Jerusalem)! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon!” For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you—for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. Behold, I will wave my hand over them and they shall become plunder for their own slaves. Then you shall know (recognize, understand fully) that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.

(2:5) I looked again, and there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going?” He replied, “To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and its length.” At this point the angelic messenger who spoke to me went out, and another messenger came to meet him and said to him, “Hurry, speak to this young man as follows: ‘Jerusalem will no longer be enclosed by walls because of the multitude of people and animals there. But I (the LORD says) will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem and the source of glory in her midst.’” “You there! Flee from the northland!” says the LORD, “for like the four winds of heaven I have scattered you,” says the LORD. “Escape, Zion, you who live among the Babylonians!” For the LORD who rules over all says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you – for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye. “I am about to punish them in such a way,” he says, “that they will be looted by their own slaves.” Then you will know that the LORD who rules over all has sent me.