Revised Standard Version does not have a new paragraph at this point, and thus obscures the fact that the second major paragraph of the section begins with this verse. The new paragraph is shown in the Hebrew by two features. One is the occurrence of the imperative verbs Sing and rejoice, parallel to those in verse 6 (“Flee”) and verse 7 (“Escape”). The other is the occurrence of the vocative O daughter of Zion parallel with the vocative in verse 7 (“Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon”). This vocative indicates that a new group of people is addressed, those already back in Jerusalem rather than those still in Babylon. Translators are therefore advised to begin a new paragraph here, as do Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: These words are similar in thought to those of Zeph 3.14. Good News Translation expresses their meaning in modern English as “Sing for joy, people of Jerusalem.” Sing and rejoice may also be expressed as “Sing with joyful hearts.” Good News Translation makes it clear that daughter of Zion stands for the “people of Jerusalem.” Some languages keep the picture of a daughter, but make the meaning clearer by saying “my daughter Zion.”

For lo: For introduces the reason for the commands to Sing and rejoice. Lo is another expression similar to “behold” (see the comments on 2.9); but it is old-fashioned in English and many modern versions omit it (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, New International Version, Contemporary English Version). One translates it as “See” (New American Bible). In other languages translators may include or omit it according to what is natural speech. In Hebrew its function here is mainly as a focus marker, so as in 2.9, translators may say “I myself will come….”

I come and I will dwell in the midst of you: These two clauses are put into one in Good News Translation as “I am coming to live among you” (compare New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). This idea is paralleled in Zeph 3.15.

Says the LORD at this point probably marks the climax of the statement. It is put at the beginning of the verse in Good News Translation as “The LORD said.” This may be helpful in showing that a new paragraph is beginning, but it may also suggest (wrongly) that the previous words were not part of what the LORD said. “The LORD continued” would therefore be preferable. Contemporary English Version indicates that the LORD’s words continue by indenting the whole of 2.8b-13.

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 .