Zechariah 2:4-5
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The command to "run" and deliver the message highlights the urgency and joyfulness of this prophecy, assuring Zechariah that Jerusalem's future abundance will be so great that walls won't be able to contain its people and livestock. This vision points to a security and expansion far beyond physical walls, promising a peace and growth found in God's presence.
and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
An angel has just encountered another angel who was preparing to measure Jerusalem, and this second angel is now being instructed to deliver a message to a "young man." This instruction to "run" and deliver the message quickly signifies its importance and the future prosperity awaiting Jerusalem, which will expand beyond its walls due to a great population of people and livestock.
Why would an angel tell another angel to 'run'? This vision isn't just a passive observation; it's a dynamic message bursting with divine purpose.
In this vision, a heavenly messenger delivers a crucial message to another angel, who is then instructed to relay it to Zechariah, the "young man." The command to "Run!" signifies the urgency and joy of this particular prophecy.
Jerusalem described as 'villages without walls'? This sounds like vulnerability, not victory. What does this unexpected image truly reveal about God's promise?
The prophecy declares that Jerusalem "shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it." This is a radical departure from the fortified cities of the ancient world.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the self-existent God of the Bible, the covenant-keeping I AM, who reveals Himself to His people through His saving acts and promises.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
A symbolic manifestation of God's presence, majesty, and holiness; it refers to the visible or experiential display of His weightiness and beauty dwelling among His people.
This prophecy envisions a future Jerusalem so populous and secure that its suburbs will spread out like unwalled towns, a stark contrast to the vulnerable, walled city of Zechariah's day and the initial sparse population of the post-exilic rebuilding efforts.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and First Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the First Temple, and deport many Judeans into exile, leaving the city in ruins.
538 BC
Cyrus' Edict of Return
King Cyrus of Persia allows exiled Judeans to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the beginning of the post-exilic period.
c. 520 BC— this verse
Zechariah's Prophetic Ministry
Zechariah begins prophesying in Jerusalem, encouraging the people to rebuild the Temple amidst political uncertainty and opposition.
c. 515 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The Second Temple is completed and dedicated, a significant milestone but smaller and less grand than the First Temple.
445-443 BC
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah leads the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, a crucial step in securing the city after its long period of vulnerability.
This passage directly parallels Zechariah's prophecy by calling for the enlargement of the tent of God's people, stretching curtains, and lengthening cords, picturing a community that expands greatly and securely without the constraint of walls.
Ezekiel 38:11This verse describes a future time when people will dwell in unwalled villages, emphasizing a sense of peace and security that allows for open habitation, directly echoing the image of Jerusalem as 'towns without walls'.
Luke 1:52This verse speaks of God bringing down the mighty from their thrones and exalting those of low degree, reflecting the divine reversal and expansion promised to Jerusalem where the humble and numerous will find a place.
Revelation 21:24-26This passage describes the New Jerusalem, a heavenly city where the nations walk in its light and its gates are never shut, representing the ultimate fulfillment of an ever-expanding, secure, and welcoming divine dwelling place for all peoples.
cambridgeZechariah 2:4: "And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:"
4 . and said unto him ] Rather, and he said unto him; i.e. the interpreting angel said to the second angel whom he met. That he might remain himself near the prophet, whose interpreter he was appointed to be throughout the whole series of visions, he sent his brother angel instead of going himself in pursuit of the man with th…
barnesZechariah 2:4: "And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:"
And said unto him, Run, speak unto this young man - The prophet himself, who was to report to his people what he heard. Jeremiah says, "I am a youth" Jeremiah 1:6 ; and, "the young man," "the young prophet," carried the prophetic message from Elisha to Jehu. "Youth,'" common as our English term in regard to man, is inapplicabl…
The command to "run" and deliver the message highlights the urgency and joyfulness of this prophecy, assuring Zechariah that Jerusalem's future abundance will be so great that walls won't be able to contain its people and livestock. This vision points to a security and expansion far beyond physical walls, promising a peace and growth found in God's presence.
An angel has just encountered another angel who was preparing to measure Jerusalem, and this second angel is now being instructed to deliver a message to a "young man." This instruction to "run" and deliver the message quickly signifies its importance and the future prosperity awaiting Jerusalem, which will expand beyond its walls due to a great population of people and livestock.
An angel has just encountered another angel who was preparing to measure Jerusalem, and this second angel is now being instructed to deliver a message to a "young man." This instruction to "run" and deliver the message quickly signifies its importance and the future prosperity awaiting Jerusalem, which will expand beyond its walls due to a great population of people and livestock.
"and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be…" — The command to "run" and deliver the message highlights the urgency and joyfulness of this prophecy, assuring Zechariah that Jerusalem's future abundance will be so great that walls won't be able to…
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Last reviewed October 2026
