Zechariah 1:1
in Zechariah 1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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,
KJV
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,
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This verse in Zechariah 1
Commentary
6 notes on this verse(Chapter 1, Verse 1) In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, son of Barachiah, son (Vulgate: sons) of Addo, the prophet, saying. LXX: In the eighth month of the second year under Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, son of Barachiah, son of Addo the prophet, saying.
This site's exposition
In the eighth month
on Zechariah 1:1-6
The word came “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius”, about October 520 BC. Zechariah first calls the people to turn: “Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you”. The fathers who ignored the former prophets were overtaken by His words.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In the eighth month - Two months after Haggai began to encourage the Jews to build the temple. Zechariah - Probably this is that Zechariah whom the Jews slew between the temple and the altar, Matt. xxiii, 35.
In the eighth month,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In the eighth month - o. The date joins on Zechariah’s prophecy to those of Haggai. Two months before, “in the sixth month” Hag 1:1, had Haggai, conjointly with Zechariah Ezr 5:1-2, exhorted Zerubbabel and the people to resume the intermitted building of the temple. These had used such diligence, notwithstanding the partial discouragement of the Persian Government, that God gave them “in the seventh month” Ezr 5:3-5, the magnificent promise of the later glory of the temple through the coming of Christ Hag 2:1-9. Still, as Haggai too warned them, the conversion was not complete.
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius - This was Darius Hystaspes; and from this date we find that Zechariah began to prophecy just two months after Haggai. Son of Iddo - There are a number of various readings on this name, ידו Iddo, and עדוא Iddo, both in MSS. and in editions; but they are only different ways of writing the same name.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
The prophecy of Zechariah is extremely enigmatic, because it contains visions resembling a dream that requires an interpretation. We cannot ascertain the truth of its interpretation until the teacher of righteousness comes.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ | bachodesh | in the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י | hashemini | <the> eighth | H8066 → | |
| בִּשְׁנַ֥ת | bishnat | in year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| שְׁתַּ֖יִם | shetayim | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ | ledareyavesh | of Darius | H1867 → | 10 times |
| הָיָ֣ה | hayah | it came | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| דְבַר־ | devar- | [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| זְכַרְיָה֙ | zekharyah | Zechariah | H2148 → | 43 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה | berekhyah | Berekiah | H1296 → | |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| עִדּ֥וֹ | ido | Iddo | H5714 → | |
| הַנָּבִ֖יא | hanavi' | the prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| לֵאמֹֽר׃ | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙in the month
bachodeshH2320 →284 times
הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י<the> eighth
hasheminiH8066 →
בִּשְׁנַ֥תin year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
שְׁתַּ֖יִםtwo
shetayimH8147 →768 times
לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁof Darius
ledareyaveshH1867 →10 times
הָיָ֣הit came
hayahH1961 →3559 times
דְבַר־[the] word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
זְכַרְיָה֙Zechariah
zekharyahH2148 →43 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔הBerekiah
berekhyahH1296 →
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
עִדּ֥וֹIddo
idoH5714 →
הַנָּבִ֖יאthe prophet
hanavi'H5030 →314 times
לֵאמֹֽר׃<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 23:35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 24:20–22
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments…
- Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he…
- Genesis 4:8
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
- Revelation 18:24
And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.
- Jeremiah 26:15
But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents; for truly the LORD has sent me to speak…
- 2 Chronicles 24:20–22
Through
Haggai 1:1In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of…
it leads to
- Ezra 2:2
accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:
- Ezra 3:2
Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it,…
- Ezra 3:8
In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including…
- Ezra 2:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About Zechariah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Zechariah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.