"Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north," was the message given the scattered tribes of Israel who had become settled in many lands far from their former home. "I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me." Zechariah 2:6-9.

"Op, op, fly bort fra Nordlandet," lød budskabet til de adspredte israelitiske stammer, som havde bosat sig fjernt fra deres tidligere hjem. "Fra himmelens fire vinde samler jeg eder, lyder det fra Herren. Op, red jer til Zion, I, som bor hos Babels datter! Thi så siger Hærskarers Herre, hvis herlighed sendte mig til folkene, der hærger eder: Den, som rører eder, rører min øjesten. Thi se, jeg svinger min hånd imod dem, og de skal blive til bytte for dem, som nu er deres trælle; og I skal kende, at Hærskarers Herre har sendt mig." Zak. 2,10-13.