So again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: So introduces the second half of the comparison begun in verse 14. Again represents what is a verb in Hebrew. New Jerusalem Bible links this with the verb purposed, and says “so now I have changed my mind and intend….” I have purposed may be expressed as “I have decided” (Beck, Contemporary English Version) or “I have made up my mind.” The words in these days really contrast with the time clause “when your fathers provoked me to wrath” in the previous verse, and the contrast may be brought out more clearly by placing this expression at the beginning of the verse as Good News Translation does with “But now….” To do good is a very general term, which is rendered by the general term “bless” in Good News Translation. In this context it means “make [or, cause to be] prosperous.”

To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah refers of course to people rather than places, and Good News Translation expresses this as “the people of Jerusalem and Judah.” In some languages it may be clearer to say “the people of Jerusalem and the rest of Judah.”

Fear not closes this half of the comparison, and indeed the whole complex structure that began in verse 9. It is similar in function to the same command in verse 13.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• But now I am planning to make the people of Jerusalem and Judah [or, the rest of Judah] prosper again. So don’t be afraid.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .