Zechariah 1:13

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The LORD then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיַּ֣עַן יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ הַדֹּבֵ֥ר בִּ֖י דְּבָרִ֣ים טוֹבִ֑ים דְּבָרִ֖ים נִחֻמִֽים

Transliteration

wayyaʿan YHWH ʾet-the malʾāḵ the dōḇēr in-me dᵉḇārîm ṭôḇîm, dᵉḇārîm niḥumîm

Grammar Details

• *wayyaʿan*: conjunction *wa* + verb qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with consecutive vav - and he answered
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *malʾāḵ*: noun masculine singular with definite article and direct object marker *ʾet* - the angel/messenger
• *dōḇēr*: verb qal participle masculine singular with definite article - the one speaking
• *dᵉḇārîm*: noun masculine plural - words
• *ṭôḇîm*: adjective masculine plural - good
• *niḥumîm*: adjective masculine plural - comforting

Word Meanings

• *malʾāḵ*: angel/messenger
• *dōḇēr*: speaking/talking
• *dᵉḇārîm*: words/matters/things
• *ṭôḇîm*: good/pleasant/favorable
• *niḥumîm*: comforting/consoling

Referenced Verses

• Isa 40:1-2 : 1 The Lord Returns to Jerusalem“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak kindly to Jerusalem, and tell her that her time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed. For the LORD has made her pay double for all her sins.”
• Jer 29:10 : 10 “For the LORD says,‘Only when the seventy years of Babylonian rule are over will I again take up consideration for you. Then I will fulfill my gracious promise to you and restore you to your homeland.
• Jer 30:10-22 : 10 So I, the LORD, tell you not to be afraid, you descendants of Jacob, my servants. Do not be terrified, people of Israel. For I will rescue you and your descendants from a faraway land where you are captives. The descendants of Jacob will return to their land and enjoy peace. They will be secure and no one will terrify them. 11 For I, the LORD, affirm that I will be with you and will rescue you. I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will indeed discipline you, but only in due measure. I will not allow you to go entirely unpunished.” 12 The Lord Will Heal the Wounds of Judah Moreover, the LORD says to the people of Zion,“Your injuries are incurable; your wounds are severe. 13 There is no one to plead your cause. There are no remedies for your wounds. There is no healing for you. 14 All your allies have abandoned you. They no longer have any concern for you. For I have attacked you like an enemy would. I have chastened you cruelly. For your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much. 15 Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much. 16 But all who destroyed you will be destroyed. All your enemies will go into exile. Those who plundered you will be plundered. I will cause those who pillaged you to be pillaged. 17 Yes, I will restore you to health. I will heal your wounds. I, the LORD, affirm it! For you have been called an outcast, Zion, whom no one cares for.” 18 The Lord Will Restore Israel and Judah The LORD says,“I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. 19 Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised. 20 The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor and I will punish all who try to oppress them. 21 One of their own people will be their leader. Their ruler will come from their own number. I will invite him to approach me, and he will do so. For no one would dare approach me on his own. I, the LORD, affirm it! 22 Then you will again be my people and I will be your God.
• Jer 31:3-9 : 3 In a far-off land the LORD will manifest himself to them. He will say to them,‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you. 4 I will rebuild you, my dear children Israel, so that you will once again be built up. Once again you will take up the tambourine and join in the happy throng of dancers. 5 Once again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria. Those who plant them will once again enjoy their fruit. 6 Yes, a time is coming when watchmen will call out on the mountains of Ephraim,“Come! Let us go to Zion to worship the LORD our God!”’” 7 Moreover, the LORD says,“Sing for joy for the descendants of Jacob. Utter glad shouts for that foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard. Then say,‘LORD, rescue your people. Deliver those of Israel who remain alive.’ 8 Then I will reply,‘I will bring them back from the land of the north. I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will come with them, so will pregnant women and women about to give birth. A vast throng of people will come back here. 9 They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’” 10 Listen to the LORD’s message, O nations. Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea. Say,“The one who scattered Israel will regather them. He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.” 11 For the LORD will rescue the descendants of Jacob. He will secure their release from those who had overpowered them. 12 They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion. They will be radiant with joy over the good things the LORD provides, the grain, the fresh wine, the olive oil, the young sheep and calves he has given to them. They will be like a well-watered garden and will not grow faint or weary any more. 13 The LORD says,“At that time young women will dance and be glad. Young men and old men will rejoice. I will turn their grief into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in place of their sorrow. 14 I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”
• Amos 9:11-15 : 11 The Restoration of the Davidic Dynasty“In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut of David. I will seal its gaps, repair its ruins, and restore it to what it was like in days gone by. 12 As a result they will conquer those left in Edom and all the nations subject to my rule.” The LORD, who is about to do this, is speaking! 13 “Be sure of this, the time is coming,” says the LORD,“when the plowman will catch up to the reaper and the one who stomps the grapes will overtake the planter. Juice will run down the slopes, it will flow down all the hillsides. 14 I will bring back my people, Israel; they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble and settle down. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; they will grow orchards and eat the fruit they produce. 15 I will plant them on their land and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,”says the LORD your God.
• Zeph 3:14-20 : 14 Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem,“Don’t be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic! 17 The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.” 18 “As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals– I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you. 19 Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them. 20 At that time I will lead you– at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you,” says the LORD.
• Zech 1:9 : 9 The Interpretation of the First Vision Then I asked one nearby,“What are these, sir?” The angelic messenger who replied to me said,“I will show you what these are.”
• Zech 1:14-16 : 14 Turning to me, the messenger then said,“Cry out that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,‘I am very much moved for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves. 16 The Oracle of Response“‘Therefore,’ this is what the LORD has said,‘I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’
• Zech 2:4-9 : 4 and said to him,“Hurry, speak to this young man as follows:‘Jerusalem will no longer be enclosed by walls because of the multitude of people and animals there. 5 But I(the LORD says) will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem and the source of glory in her midst.’” 6 “You there! Flee from the northland!” says the LORD,“for like the four winds of heaven I have scattered you,” says the LORD. 7 “Escape, Zion, you who live among the Babylonians!” 8 For the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you– for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye. 9 “Yes, look here, I am about to punish them so that they will be looted by their own slaves.” Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. 10 “Sing out and be happy, Zion my daughter! For look, I have come; I will settle in your midst,” says the LORD. 11 “Many nations will join themselves to the LORD on the day of salvation, and they will also be my people. Indeed, I will settle in the midst of you all.” Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me to you. 12 The LORD will take possession of Judah as his portion in the holy land and he will choose Jerusalem once again.
• Zech 4:1 : 1 Vision Five: The Menorah The angelic messenger who had been speaking with me then returned and woke me, as a person is wakened from sleep.
• Zech 8:2-8 : 2 “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,‘I am very much concerned for Zion; indeed, I am so concerned for her that my rage will fall on those who hurt her.’ 3 The LORD says,‘I have returned to Zion and will live within Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem will be called“truthful city,”“mountain of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,”“holy mountain.”’ 4 Moreover, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,‘Old men and women will once more live in the plazas of Jerusalem, each one leaning on a cane because of advanced age. 5 And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing. 6 And,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,‘though such a thing may seem to be difficult in the opinion of the small community of those days, will it also appear difficult to me?’ asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 7 “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies asserts,‘I am about to save my people from the lands of the east and the west. 8 And I will bring them to settle within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’
• Zech 8:19 : 19 “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says,‘The fast of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful and happy, pleasant feasts for the house of Judah, so love truth and peace.’