Zechariah 1:7
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, 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, | On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo. | Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedThis verse is a date line that opens the eight night visions of Zechariah (1:7-6:8). It comes about three months after his first message in the eighth month (1:1), which called the people to turn back to the LORD. What follows is the first vision, of a man on a red horse among the myrtle trees (1:8). Zechariah 1:7Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 1:3Zechariah 1:8Zechariah overview
SpeakingThe narrator reports that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo the prophet. The same family line is given in 1:1. Zechariah 1:7Zechariah 1:1Zechariah overview
ToThe message is for the people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah is told to cry out the LORD's words to them (1:14, 1:17). Zechariah overviewZechariah 1:14Zechariah 1:17
Also involvedThe visions that follow concern Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and the nations that scattered them (1:12, 1:19, 1:21). Zechariah 1:12Zechariah 1:19Zechariah 1:21
The verse states the exact day the word of the LORD came to Zechariah: the 24th day of the 11th month, Sebat, in the second year of Darius. What came that day was a vision seen by night (1:8), which the verse calls the word of the LORD. Zechariah 1:7Strong's H7627Strong's H1697GZechariah 1:8
Zechariah was among the returned exiles in Jerusalem. The verse itself does not name a place; the vision speaks of myrtle trees "in the bottom" without saying where that is. Zechariah overviewZechariah 1:8
The eventsThe 24th of Sebat, the 11th month (about January or February), in Darius's second year, about 520 BC. This was the time when the people had begun again to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem after work had stopped. Zechariah 1:7Strong's H7627Zechariah overview
WrittenTraditional: written by Zechariah, whose dated messages run from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: most scholars agree chapters 1-8, including this verse, come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC; many assign chapters 9-14 to later writers. Zechariah overview
HereThe date ties the visions to a fixed moment in history and shows that the same LORD who spoke in 1:1 is speaking again. It introduces God's answer to the question "how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem" (1:12). Zechariah 1:7Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 1:12
In the whole of ScriptureEzra names Zechariah with Haggai as the prophets who stirred the people to rebuild the temple (Ezra 5:1). The visions this verse opens promise that the LORD has returned to Jerusalem with mercies and that his house shall be built in it (1:16). Zechariah overviewZechariah 1:16
For readersThe careful date shows that God's word came into real history, to real people in a hard time. The people had just been told to turn to the LORD (1:3), and now God speaks comfort: "the LORD shall yet comfort Zion" (1:17). Zechariah 1:7Zechariah 1:3Zechariah 1:17
- Sebatשְׁבָט
Sebat is the 11th month in the Jewish calendar after the exile, falling in January or February. It places this vision about three months after the call to repent in the eighth month (1:1). Strong's H7627Zechariah 1:1
- Dariusדָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ
The lexicon lists more than one king named Darius. In this book he is Darius king of Persia, whose second year was about 520 BC, the time of the temple rebuilding. Strong's H1867HZechariah overview
- wordדָּבָר
The word means speech, saying or utterance. The verse presents the visions that follow as a message spoken by the LORD, the same phrase used in 1:1. Strong's H1697GZechariah 1:1
Takeaway
Zechariah 1:7 is a dated heading: on a known day in about 520 BC, the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah. It opens visions that answer the plea "how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem" with God's promise to return to Jerusalem with mercy and build his house there. Zechariah 1:7Zechariah overviewZechariah 1:12Zechariah 1:16
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
Behind this verse
- Darius I, king of persia
- Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription
About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.
Who ruled
- King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC
Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription
- Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC
A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8
- High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC
Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2
- Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC
The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13
What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
- 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleThe first return
Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops
The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24
- 525 BCWarPersia conquers Egypt
Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16
- 522-521 BCWarDarius crushes the revolts
When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11
- 520 BCGod's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build
In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1
- c. 520-519 BCRulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree
Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12
- 515 BCBuildingThe second temple is finished
The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9
- 490-479 BCWarPersia's wars with Greece
Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13
- 445 BCBuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls
Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15
- 332 BCWarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza
Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| on day | בְּיוֹם֩ | be-yOm | H3117G | dayיוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow |
| twenty | עֶשְׂרִ֨ים | 'es-RIM | H6242 | twentyעֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) twenty, twentieth Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243) |
| and four | וְאַרְבָּעָ֜ה | ve-'ar-ba-'AH | H0702 | fourאַרְבַּע (ar.ba) four |
| of one [plus] | לְעַשְׁתֵּֽי־ | le-'ash-tei- | H6249 | elevenעַשְׁתֵּי (ash.te) 1) one, eleven, eleventh 1a) one as combined with ten ( a.sar (עָשָׂר "ten" H6240)) |
| ten | עָשָׂ֥ר | 'a-SAR | H6240 | tenעָשָׂר (a.sar) 1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers) 1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19 |
| month | חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ | cho-desh | H2320G | monthחֹ֫דֶשׁ (cho.desh) : month 1) the new moon, month, monthly 1a) the first day of the month 1b) the lunar month |
| it | הוּא־ | hu'- | H1931 | he/she/itהוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article) |
| [was] [the] month of | חֹ֣דֶשׁ | CHO-desh | H2320G | monthחֹ֫דֶשׁ (cho.desh) : month 1) the new moon, month, monthly 1a) the first day of the month 1b) the lunar month |
| Shebat | שְׁבָ֔ט | she-VAT | H7627 | Shebatשְׁבָט (she.vat) § Sebat = "a rod" 11th month in the post-exilic Jewish calendar corresponding to Jan or Feb |
| in year | בִּשְׁנַ֥ת | bish-NAT | H8141 | yearשְׁנָה (she.nah) year Aramaic of sha.neh (שָׁנָה "year" H8141) |
| two | שְׁתַּ֖יִם | she-TA-yim | H8147 | twoשְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number) |
| of Darius | לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ | le-da-re-YA-vesh | H1867H | Dariusדָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ (dar.ya.vesh) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.5 Also named: dar.ya.vesh (דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ "Darius" H1868) § Darius = "lord" 1) Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, king of the Chaldeans, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom on the death of Belshazzar; probably the same as "Astyages" the last king of the Medes (538 BC) 2) Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Arian dynasty (521 BC) 3) Darius II or Darius III … |
| it came | הָיָ֣ה | ha-YAH | H1961 | to beהָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) … |
| [the] word of | דְבַר־ | de-var- | H1697G | wordדָּבָר (da.var) : word/speech/command 1) speech, word, speaking, thing 1a) speech 1b) saying, utterance 1c) word, words 1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension) |
| Yahweh | יְהוָ֗ה | YAH-weh | H3068G | Lordאֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G) |
| to | אֶל־ | 'el- | H0413 | to(wards)אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to) |
| Zechariah | זְכַרְיָה֙ | ze-khar-YAH | H2148v | Zechariahזְכַרְיָהוּ (ze.khar.yah) A prophet living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.5.1; son of: Berechiah (H1296L) Aramaic of ze.khar.yah (זְכַרְיָה "Zechariah" H2148v) § Zechariah = "Jehovah remembers" 11th in order of the minor prophets; a priest, son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, who, along with Haggai, directed the rebuilding of the temple in the days of Zerubbabel |
| [the] son of | בֶּן־ | ben- | H1121A | son: childבֵּן (ben) : child/son |
| Berekiah | בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔הוּ | be-rekh-YA-hu | H1296L | Berechiahבֶּרֶכְיָה (be.rekh.yah) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Zec.1.1; son of: Iddo (H5714J); father of: Zechariah (H2148B) § Berachiah or Berechiah = "Jehovah blesses" 1) a son of Zerubbabel 2) a Levite who returned for the exile 3) father of Meshullam, one of Nehemiah's chiefs who assisted in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem 4) father of Zechariah 5) a Gershonite Levite, the father of Asaph, the singer, doorkeeper of the ark 6) an Ephraimite chief in the time of Ahaz |
| [the] son of | בֶּן־ | ben- | H1121A | son: childבֵּן (ben) : child/son |
| Iddo | עִדּ֥וֹא | i-DO' | H5714J | Iddoעִדּוֹ (id.do) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.5.1; father of: Berechiah (H1296L) § Iddo = "His witness" 1) father of Abinadab, an officer of Solomon 2) grandfather of the prophet Zechariah 3) a Gershonite Levite, son of Joah 4) a priest in the time of Nehemiah 5) a seer in the time of king Jeroboam of the northern kingdom of Israel 6) son of Zechariah, ruler of the tribe of Manasseh in the time of David 7) a chief of the temple slaves who assembled at Casiphia at the time of the 2nd caravan from Babylon |
| the prophet | הַנָּבִ֖יא | ha-na-VI' | H5030 | prophetנְבִיא (ne.vi) prophet Aramaic of na.vi (נָבִיא "prophet" H5030) |
| to saying | לֵאמֹֽר׃ | le-MOR | H0559 | to sayאָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.