Zechariah 1:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Therefore, say to them: 'This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Return to me,' declares the Lord of Hosts, 'and I will return to you,' says the Lord of Hosts.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת שׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְאָשׁ֣וּב אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת

Transliteration

wᵉʾāmartā to-them, "Thus ʾāmar YHWH ṣᵉḇāʾôt, 'šûḇû to-me,' nᵉʾum YHWH ṣᵉḇāʾôt, 'wᵉʾāšûḇ to-you,' ʾāmar YHWH ṣᵉḇāʾôt

Grammar Details

• *wᵉʾāmartā*: conjunction *wᵉ* + verb qal perfect 2nd masculine singular - and you shall say
• *ʾāmar*: verb qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - said/says
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *ṣᵉḇāʾôt*: noun feminine plural construct - of hosts/armies
• *šûḇû*: verb qal imperative masculine plural - return/turn
• *nᵉʾum*: noun masculine singular construct - declaration of
• *wᵉʾāšûḇ*: conjunction *wᵉ* + verb qal imperfect 1st common singular - and I will return/turn

Word Meanings

• *šûḇû*: return/turn/repent
• *wᵉʾāšûḇ*: and I will return/and I will turn/and I will restore
• *nᵉʾum*: declaration/oracle/utterance
• *ṣᵉḇāʾôt*: hosts/armies/heavenly forces

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Therefore say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts: Turn to Me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will turn to you, says the LORD of hosts.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And saye thou vnto them: thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes. Turne you vnto me (saieth the LORDE of hoostes) and I wil turne me vnto you, saieth the LORDE of hoostes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Therefore say thou vnto them, Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Turne ye vnto me, saith the Lord of hostes, and I will turne vnto you, saith the Lord of hostes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And say thou vnto them, thus sayth the Lorde of hoastes: Turne you vnto me saith the Lord of hoastes, & I wil turne vnto you, sayth the Lord of hoastes.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Therefore tell them: Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: 'Return to me,' says Yahweh of Hosts, 'and I will return to you,' says Yahweh of Hosts.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And thou hast said unto them, Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, turn back unto Me, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I turn back unto you, said Jehovah of Hosts.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And you are to say to them, These are the words of the Lord of armies: Come back to me, says the Lord of armies, and I will come back to you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Therefore tell them: Thus says Yahweh of Armies: 'Return to me,' says Yahweh of Armies, 'and I will return to you,' says Yahweh of Armies.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Therefore say to the people: The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,“Turn to me,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,“and I will turn to you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

Referenced Verses

• Mal 3:7 : 7 From the days of your ancestors, you have turned away from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. But you ask, 'How shall we return?'
• Isa 31:6 : 6 Return to the One you have so deeply rebelled against, O sons of Israel.
• Jer 3:22 : 22 Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your waywardness. 'Here we are,' they reply, 'for you are the LORD our God.'
• Deut 30:2-9 : 2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and soul, you and your children, according to all that I command you today, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you. He will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. 4 Even if you are exiled to the ends of the heavens, the LORD your God will gather you from there, and He will bring you back from there. 5 The LORD your God will bring you into the land that your ancestors possessed, and you will possess it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. 7 The LORD your God will place all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you and persecuted you. 8 And you will again obey the LORD and follow all His commandments that I am giving you today. 9 The LORD your God will make you successful in all the work of your hands—in the fruit of your womb, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land. The LORD will again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your ancestors, 10 if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping His commandments and statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.
• Jer 35:15 : 15 I sent all My servants the prophets to you persistently, saying: 'Turn now, each one of you, from your evil ways and correct your deeds. Do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you shall dwell in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.' But you did not incline your ear or listen to Me.
• Jer 12:15 : 15 'But after I have uprooted them, I will return and have compassion on them and will bring them back, each to their own inheritance and each to their own land.'
• Jer 25:5 : 5 They said, 'Turn now, each of you, from your evil way and from your evil actions. Dwell in the land that the LORD gave to you and your ancestors forever and ever.
• Jer 29:12-14 : 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you—this is the LORD's declaration—and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you—this is the LORD's declaration. I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.
• Luke 15:18-22 : 18 I will rise up and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’ 20 And he rose up and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
• Jas 4:8-9 : 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
• Deut 4:30-31 : 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon you, destroy you, or forget the covenant He swore to your ancestors.
• Lam 3:39-41 : 39 Why should the living complain when punished for their sins? 40 Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD. 41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven:
• Ezek 33:11 : 11 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their ways and live. Turn back! Turn back from your evil ways! Why should you die, house of Israel?'
• Hos 6:1 : 1 Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has struck us down, but He will bind us up.
• Hos 14:1 : 1 Samaria will be found guilty, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their infants will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.
• Hos 14:4 : 4 Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride on horses. We will no longer call what we have made with our hands 'our gods.' In you the orphan finds mercy.
• Joel 2:12 : 12 Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
• Mic 7:19-20 : 19 He will again have compassion on us; He will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as You promised to our fathers in days of old.
• 1 Kgs 8:47-48 : 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; 48 and if they turn back to You with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to You in the direction of the land You gave to their ancestors, the city You have chosen, and the temple I have built for Your name,
• 2 Chr 15:4 : 4 But in their trouble, they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, sought Him, and He was found by them.
• 2 Chr 30:6-9 : 6 Couriers went with the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah, proclaiming the king’s command: 'Return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He may return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.' 7 Do not be like your ancestors and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their ancestors, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see. 8 Now do not harden your necks as your ancestors did. Submit to the LORD; come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God so that His fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by those who took them captive, and they will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.
• Neh 9:28 : 28 But as soon as they had rest, they returned to doing evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to their enemies, who ruled over them. Yet when they again cried out to You, You heard from heaven and rescued them many times in Your abundant mercy.
• Jer 4:1 : 1 If Israel, declares the LORD, you will return to me, you must remove your detestable things from my presence and not wander away.
• Isa 55:6-7 : 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, so that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
• Jer 3:12-14 : 12 Go, proclaim these words toward the north: 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD. 'I will not look on you with anger, for I am faithful,' declares the LORD, 'and I will not be angry forever. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt—that you have rebelled against the LORD your God, scattered your favors to strangers under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed my voice,' declares the LORD. 14 Return, faithless children,' declares the LORD, 'for I am your master. I will take you—one from a city and two from a family—and bring you to Zion.
• Jer 31:18-20 : 18 I have surely heard Ephraim’s lamenting: 'You disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf. Restore me, and I will return, for you are the LORD my God.' 19 After I turned away, I repented; after I came to understand, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth. 20 Is Ephraim my dear son, my precious child? For as often as I speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore, my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the LORD.