Zechariah 2

I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

1I looked up again. I saw a man holding a measuring line, a rope for measuring.

2Then 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.

2I asked him, "Where are you going?" He said, "To measure Jerusalem. I want to see how wide and how long it is."

3And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

3Then the angel who had been talking with me walked away. An angel is a messenger from God. Another angel came out to meet him.

4And 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:

4The second angel said, "Run and tell that young man this. Jerusalem will be like a town with no walls around it. There will be too many people and animals inside for walls.

NoteBack then, cities had thick walls around them to keep enemies out. A city with no walls means one too big and too full to fit inside them.

5For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

5The LORD says, "I myself will be a wall of fire all around the city. And I will be the shining glory inside it."

6Ho, 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.

6"Hurry! Hurry! Run away from the land in the north," says the LORD. "I scattered you in every direction, like the four winds," says the LORD.

NoteThe King James Bible says "Ho, ho." That was an old way of shouting to get someone's attention, like calling "Hey! Hurry!"

7Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

7"Get away, you people of Zion! You are living in the city of Babylon. Escape from there!"

8For 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.

8This is what the LORD, the leader of heaven's armies, says. After his glory, he sent me to the nations that robbed you. Whoever hurts you touches the apple of his eye.

Note"The apple of his eye" is an old phrase for the middle part of the eye. People guard that part carefully, so the phrase means something very precious.

9For, 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.

9"Watch. I will wave my hand against those nations. Then their own servants will take their things. Then you will know the LORD of heaven's armies sent me."

Note"A spoil" means the things soldiers take away from people they have beaten in a war.

10Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

10"Sing and be glad, people of Zion. Look, I am coming. I will live right among you," says the LORD.

11And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

11"On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD. They will become my people. I will live among you. Then you will know the LORD of heaven's armies sent me to you."

12And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

12The LORD will take Judah as his own share in the holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again.

13Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

13Be quiet before the LORD, every person on earth. He has stood up and come out from his holy home.