Zechariah 1:1

A Call to Return to the LORD

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

Zechariah 1:1 in Other Translations

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

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

1 In November of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo:

1 In the eighth month of the second year in the reign of Darius, God's Message came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:

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

Zechariah 1:1 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 1:1

In the eighth month
The month Marchesvan, called the month Bul, in ( 1 Kings 6:38 ) which answers to part of our October, and part of November: this was but two months from the first prophecy of Haggai, ( Haggai 1:1 ) and but a few days after his second, ( Haggai 2:1 ) so near were the prophecies of these two prophets together: in the second year of Darius:
king of Persia; not Darius the Mede, but Darius the son of Hystaspes: came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah;
that is, "the word of prophecy from before the Lord", as the Targum paraphrases it; which came to him, either in a dream, or in a vision, or by an impulse on his mind; who is described by his descent, the son of Barachias; mention is made of this name in ( Matthew 23:35 ) . It signifies "the blessed of the Lord", and is the same with Eulogius or Benedictus: the son of Iddo the prophet:
the word "prophet", as Kimchi observes, belongs to Zechariah; not but that his grandfather Iddo might be a prophet too; and the same writer takes notice, that in the Midrash mention is made of Iddo the prophet; and so there is an Iddo that is called the seer and the prophet in ( 2 Chronicles 9:29 ) ( 12:15 ) ( 13:22 ) but whether the same with this is not certain. The name is by some thought to be the same with Firmicus, Statius, Robertus: saying;
as follows:

Zechariah 1:1 In-Context

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

2 “The LORD was very angry with your ancestors.

3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.

4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

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

Cross References

• 1. S Ezra 4:24; S Ezra 6:15
• 2. S Ezra 5:1
• 3. Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51
• 4. ver 7; S Nehemiah 12:4