1. In the chodesh hashmini (eighth month), in the shnat shtayim (second year) of Daryavesh, came the Devar Hashem unto Zecharyah ben Berechyah ben Iddo HaNavi, saying,
2. Hashem hath been very angry with your avot.
3. Therefore, say thou unto them, Thus saith Hashem Tzva'os: Return ye unto Me, saith Hashem Tzva'os, and I will return to you, saith Hashem Tzva'os.
4. Do not be like your avot, unto whom the nevi'im harishonim preached, saying, Thus saith Hashem Tzva'os: Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings; but they did not hear, nor listen to Me, saith Hashem.
5. Your avot, where are they? And the nevi'im, do they live hal'olam (forever)?
6. But My devarim and My chukkim, which I commanded My avadim hanevi'im, did they not overtake your avot? And they made teshuvah and said, Just as Hashem Tzva'os determined to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath He dealt with us.
7. Upon the four and twentieth yom of the eleventh chodesh, which is the chodesh Shevat, in the shnat shtayim of Daryavesh, [519 B.C.E.] came the Devar Hashem unto Zecharyah, ben Berechyah ben Iddo, HaNavi, saying,
8. I had a vision by halailah, and, hinei, a man riding upon a sus adom (a red-brown horse), and he stood among the myrtles that were in the hollow; and behind him there were susim: red-brown, sorrel, and white.
9. Then said I, O adoni, what are these? And the malach that spoke with me said unto me, I will show thee what these are.
10. And the man that stood among the myrtles answered and said, These are they whom Hashem hath sent to patrol ha'aretz.
11. And they reported to the Malach Hashem that stood among the myrtles, and said, We have patrolled ha'aretz, and, hinei, kol ha'aretz is quiet, and at peace.