Zechariah

¹ a man holding a tape measure in his hand.

² "I'm on my way," he said, "to survey Jerusalem, to measure its width and length."

³ met another angel coming in

⁴ "Run! Tell the Surveyor, 'Jerusalem will burst its walls— bursting with people, bursting with animals.

⁵ around unwalled Jerusalem and a radiant presence within.' "

⁶ "Return from your far exile. I scattered you to the four winds." God's Decree.

⁷ "Escape from Babylon, Zion, and come home—now!"

⁸ 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.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ I'm on my way. I'm moving into your neighborhood!" God's Decree.

¹¹ Many godless nations will be linked up with God at that time. ("They will become my family! I'll live in their homes!") And then you'll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission.

¹² God will reclaim his Judah inheritance in the Holy Land. He'll again make clear that Jerusalem is his choice.

¹³ Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something's afoot in his holy house. He's on the move!