1. In the eighth month in the second year of Darius, the Lord’s word came to Zechariah the prophet, Berechiah’s son and Iddo’s grandson:
2. The Lord was terribly angry with your ancestors.
3. But you must say to the people,The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims: Return to me,says the Lord of heavenly forces,and I will return to you, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
4. Don’t be like your ancestors to whom the former prophets preached:The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.But they didn’t listen;they didn’t draw near to me.
5. So where are your ancestors?Do the prophets live forever?
6. In fact, didn’t my words and laws,which I gave to my servants, the prophets,pursue your ancestors?And then the people changed their hearts, and they said,The Lord of heavenly forces has treated us according towhat we have done,exactly as he planned.
7. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) in the second year of Darius, the Lord’s word came to Zechariah the prophet, Berechiah’s son and Iddo’s grandson: