Then I said is translated in Good News Translation “I asked him,” with the word “him” referring to the angel on the horse. The Hebrew does not have an object here. As argued in the introduction to this section, the question is actually asked to The angel who talked with me, a figure distinct from the angel on the horse. Good News Translation drops this description, and simply has “He.” This identifies the two angels with each other, or rather, as we maintain, confuses them. If a translator accepts that two separate angels are intended here, then it would be much clearer to introduce the second one according to the normal way of introducing participants. In English this would be accomplished by saying “There was another angel there who talked with me, and I asked him….” Another way of expressing this, which might be more satisfactory in some languages, is “There was another angel who was my interpreter, and I asked him….” Contemporary English Version has the helpful model “An angel was there to explain things to me, and I asked….”

The appearance of this second angel in the Hebrew, with a definite article, but with no other explanation, may indicate that Zechariah’s original readers or hearers were already familiar with such a character. Some scholars suggest that this angel may be the same as the one who spoke with Ezekiel (Ezek 8.2-3; 40.3-4).

What are these? is translated in a fuller form in Good News Translation as “what do these horses mean?” However, Zechariah is more likely referring to the riders of the horses as well as the horses themselves. Contemporary English Version has “who are these riders?” This will be a good model for many translators.

Zechariah addresses the angel as my lord. Lord here is not spelled with capital letters, and does not refer to God. A polite form of address like “Sir” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), which may be used to a human superior, is a perfectly adequate translation. Translators should find a suitable honorific term in their own language that fits this particular social context.

I will show you what they are: The angel does not give the answer to the question himself, but simply reassures the prophet that an explanation will be provided. Good News Translation has “I will show you what they mean.”

A possible alternative translation model for this verse is the following:

• There was another angel there who talked with me, and I asked him, “Sir, what do these riders mean?” He answered, “I will show you what they mean.”

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 .