1. In the eighth month of the second year of Dareyawesh, the word of יהוה came to Zeḵaryah son of Bereḵyah, son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
2. “יהוה was very wroth with your fathers.
3. “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “Turn back to Me,” declares יהוה of hosts, “and I shall turn back to you,” declares יהוה of hosts.
4. “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “Turn back now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not obey or give heed to Me,” declares יהוה.
5. “Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
6. “But My words and My laws, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?” “Then they turned back and said, ‘As יהוה of hosts planned to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so He has done with us.’ ” ’ ”
7. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sheḇat, in the second year of Dareyawesh, the word of יהוה came to Zeḵaryah son of Bereḵyahu, son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
8. “I looked at night and saw a man riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees in the shade. And behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white.”