KJV ORIGINAL
Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Then the angel of the Lord spoke up and said, 'Lord of everything, how much longer are you going to stay angry with Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah? It's been seventy years now that you've been upset with them.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Even angels advocate for us when we've been struggling for way too long.
📜 Historical Context — Why was this verse written?
The prophet Zechariah addressed the Jewish community in Judah and Jerusalem around 520 BCE, who had recently returned from Babylonian exile. He sought to encourage them amidst their struggles and delays in rebuilding the Temple and the city, assuring them of divine favor and future restoration.
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