Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in [Zechariah 1:4](../01/04.md). AT: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]])
# that two-thirds of it will be cut off! Those people will perish; only one-third will remain there
People being killed is spoken of as if they are cut off like cloth is cut from a garment or a branch is cut from a plant. AT: "that two out of every three people will die! Only one person out of three will remain in the land" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]])
Metal is passed through fire in order to purify or harden it. This expression serves here as a metaphor for exposing the people to suffering in order that they may become more faithful to God. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# refine them as silver is refined; I will test them as gold is tested
Refining refers to making precious metals such as silver more pure. Metals such as silver and gold are tested in order to discover how pure or strong they are. Both refining and testing are here metaphors for making the people more faithful to God. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
See in Reader
