Zechariah 1:13 kjv
And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
Zechariah 1:13 nkjv
And the LORD answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words.
Zechariah 1:13 niv
So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
Zechariah 1:13 esv
And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
Zechariah 1:13 nlt
And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
Zechariah 1 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 40:1 | "Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. | Divine call to comfort Jerusalem |
| Isa 49:13 | For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. | God's comforting compassion for Zion |
| Isa 51:3 | For the LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places. | Restoration and comfort for devastated places |
| Isa 52:9 | Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people. | Call to joy due to divine comfort |
| Jer 31:13 | ...for I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them and give them gladness. | God transforms sorrow into joy and comfort |
| Ps 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. | God's presence as source of comfort |
| Ps 71:21 | You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. | Prayer for renewed comfort and prosperity |
| Ps 86:17 | Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame, for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me. | God's goodness as help and comfort |
| 2 Cor 1:3-4 | ...the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction... | God as the ultimate source of all comfort |
| 2 Cor 7:6 | But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. | God comforts those who are downcast |
| 1 Thes 4:18 | Therefore encourage one another with these words. | Divine words bring comfort and encouragement |
| 1 Thes 5:11 | Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. | Mutual encouragement based on divine truth |
| Ps 119:50 | This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. | God's word and promise as comfort |
| Jer 29:11 | For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. | God's good plans bringing hope |
| Judg 2:18 | ...for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. | God's compassion and relenting from judgment |
| Ps 106:45 | He remembered his covenant for their sake and relented according to his great steadfast love. | God's covenant faithfulness brings relenting |
| Hos 11:8 | How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel?... My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. | God's passionate love and compassion for Israel |
| Zec 2:3 | And behold, the angel who talked with me went out, and another angel came out to meet him... | Example of angelic interaction and mediation |
| Zec 4:1 | And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me... | Continuation of the interpreting angel's role |
| Dan 9:21-23 | ...while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel...came to me... and made me understand... | Angels as divine messengers and interpreters |
| Heb 1:14 | Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? | Angels serving God's people |
| Lam 3:22-23 | The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. | God's unchanging love and faithfulness |
Zechariah 1 verses
Zechariah 1 13 Meaning
Zechariah 1:13 signifies a pivotal moment of divine compassion and assurance after a period of prolonged judgment. The verse reveals that the LORD directly communicated to His interpreting angel, who then relayed these messages of goodness and comfort to Zechariah. It speaks to God's immediate response to the angel's intercession concerning Jerusalem's enduring desolation (Zec 1:12), conveying God's unchanging care and redemptive plan for His people despite their present difficulties and past judgments.
Zechariah 1 13 Context
Zechariah 1:13 is situated in the post-exilic period (520 BC), roughly 18 years after the first return of Jewish exiles from Babylon. The people of Judah are facing significant challenges in rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple, with opposition from surrounding peoples and economic hardships (Ezra 4:1-5). Morale is low, and many wonder if God's promises of restoration (Jer 29:10-14; Isa 40:1-2) will truly be fulfilled, given the desolate state of the city and their continued subjection to Persia. This verse comes after the prophet Zechariah has seen his first vision of horses and riders patrolling the earth (Zec 1:7-11), who report that the earth is at rest, implying the nations that afflicted Judah are at peace, while Jerusalem remains devastated. This leads the interpreting angel to question, "How long?" (Zec 1:12), seeking an end to the divine wrath. Zechariah 1:13 is Yahweh's direct, compassionate reply to this lament, signaling a turning point from judgment to renewed favor and comfort for Jerusalem and Judah.
Zechariah 1 13 Word analysis
- And the LORD: (וַיַּעַן יְהוָה – Wayyaʿan YHWH). This direct address, using the covenant name YHWH (Yahweh), signifies God's personal involvement, absolute authority, and faithfulness to His covenant people. It highlights His divine initiative in providing the much-needed reassurance.
- answered: (וַיַּעַן – wayyaʿan). From the verb עָנָה (ʿānāh), meaning "to answer," "to respond." Here, it's a decisive reply to the intercession, indicating an immediate and purposeful communication. It's an affirmation of God's attentiveness and sovereignty over the unfolding events.
- the angel who talked with me: (הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדּוֹבֵר בִּי – hammalʾakh haddover bî). This refers to the interpreting angel, a mediating figure in Zechariah's visions who explains divine revelation. This highlights the indirect nature of prophecy at times, with God communicating through His angelic messengers. This particular angel has expressed concern over Jerusalem's prolonged state of desolation (Zec 1:12).
- good: (טוֹבִים – ṭôvîm). Adjective, "good," "pleasant," "favorable." This emphasizes the positive and beneficial nature of God's coming pronouncements. These words will bring spiritual and practical benefits, reflecting God's benevolence rather than judgment.
- and comforting: (נִחֻמִים – niḥumîm). From the root נָחַם (naḥam), which means "to be sorry, to repent, to be comforted, to have compassion." Here, it's "comforts" or "consolations." These words are designed to alleviate sorrow, distress, and despair, offering assurance and hope. They represent God's deep compassion for His people, signaling a change in the divine disposition from wrath to mercy.
- words: (דְּבָרִים – devārîm). Hebrew for "words," "matters," "things," "decrees." This term implies authoritative pronouncements, not mere suggestions. God's words are effective, having the power to shape reality and provide solid ground for faith and action.
Zechariah 1 13 Bonus section
The "good and comforting words" mentioned in Zechariah 1:13 set the stage for the rest of Zechariah's prophecies (Zec 1:14-17), where God explicitly declares His fervent jealousy for Jerusalem and Zion, His great anger against the complacent nations who overpunished Israel, and His promise to return to Jerusalem with compassion, rebuild His house there, and restore prosperity to His cities. This divine pivot from judgment to comfort underscores a fundamental theme in prophetic literature: while divine wrath is real and deserved for sin, God's ultimate desire for His covenant people is redemption and restoration, rooted in His enduring mercy and faithfulness. This theme would have resonated deeply with the struggling post-exilic community, affirming that their hardship was not the final word, but a prelude to divine grace and national renewal.
Zechariah 1 13 Commentary
Zechariah 1:13 serves as a pivotal assurance within the first vision, revealing Yahweh's compassionate response to His interpreting angel's lament concerning Jerusalem's enduring desolation. Far from being indifferent, God addresses the period of divine wrath with words that are not just kind, but actively "comforting." This signifies a definitive turning point from past judgment towards future restoration and favor. These words counteract the despair and discouragement felt by the post-exilic community, reaffirming God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises despite appearances. They provide the divine impetus and theological foundation for the prophet's subsequent messages of hope, rebuilding, and God's eventual dwelling among His people. Practically, this verse assures believers that even in times of seeming abandonment or prolonged difficulty, God hears intercession and responds with grace, ultimately providing encouragement for perseverance and action in His work.