And I said: The verb that is usual in English to introduce a question in direct speech is “asked,” as in Good News Translation. If other languages have a term equivalent to “asked” for introducing questions, it would be good to use it here.

What are these coming to do?: Instead of these, Good News Translation uses the pronoun “they” for natural English. In some languages it would be more appropriate to repeat the term used in the previous verse: “workers,” “craftsmen,” or “smiths,” or else to say “these men” as in earlier editions of Good News Translation. The words coming to do suggest that there was something about the appearance of the smiths which indicated to Zechariah that they were ready for work. We cannot say what it was. Since the men were already present, Good News Translation is clearer with a past tense, “What have they come to do?”

When the angel answered, he first of all referred back to the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man raised his head (see verse 19). At the end of the verse he mentions them again as the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it. This repetition of what is basically the same idea sounds clumsy in English, and Good News Translation has therefore stated the idea only once at the end of the verse. In many languages translators will find it more natural to follow this example.

The horns which scattered Judah, so that no man raised his head: The effect that the enemy nations’ action had on the people of Judah is described figuratively. One of the results of the enemy oppression was that the people were scattered. As in verse 19, this is a reference to the dispersion of the Jews in the exile. Another result of the oppression was that no man raised his head. In some languages there may be a figurative expression like this to represent oppression, and if so, translators should consider using it here. Good News Translation expresses this meaning in a different picture, and says, “the nations that completely crushed the land of Judah.” Note that Good News Translation also replaces the symbol of the horns with “the nations.” New English Bible adds “and Jerusalem” after Judah, but there is no adequate reason for this, and Revised English Bible drops the addition.

These have come to terrify them, to cast down … the nations: The main focus of the angel’s reply is on the activity of the workmen. They are agents who carry out the LORD’s punishment against the nations, that is, the enemies who oppressed his people (see verse 15). Terrify means to “make very afraid.” In certain languages this clause with terrify may be translated “These men have come to make the hearts of … fall,” “… to make the souls of … flee and their bile stir up,” or “… to make their hearts turn to water.” Cast down means “overthrow” (Good News Translation), “crush” (Contemporary English Version), or “destroy” (New Living Translation).

The horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it: As mentioned above, this essentially repeats the information given in the earlier part of the verse. In this repetition, however, the information is given in a way that would sound extremely clumsy in most languages. The notion of horns … who lifted up their horns is odd and confusing, and translators will do well not to retain it (so Good News Translation).

A helpful restructuring of the whole verse can be based on Bible en français courant and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente:

• I asked, “What have they come to do?”
He replied, “These blacksmiths have come to terrify and overthrow the powerful nations who attacked the land of Judah, scattering its inhabitants, and crushing all resistance.”

Another possibility is:

• I asked, “What have they come to do?”
The LORD replied, “These horns stand for the nations that have scattered and oppressed the people of Judah. The blacksmiths [or, workmen] have come to terrify those nations and destroy their power.”

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 .