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, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,

1 In the eighth month of Darius' second year as king, the LORD spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. He said,

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:

1 A message came to the prophet Zechariah from the Lord. It was the eighth month of the second year that Darius was king of Persia. Zechariah was the son of Berekiah. Berekiah was the son of Iddo. Here is what Zechariah said.

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