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And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,

Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath [against her enemies].

Thus says the Lord: I shall return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the [faithful] City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again dwell in Jerusalem and sit out in the streets, every man with his staff in his hand for very [advanced] age.

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Because it will be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days [in which it comes to pass], should it also be marvelous in My eyes? says the Lord of hosts.(A)

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the east country and from the west [the country of the going down of the sun].(B)

And I will bring them [home] and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and faithfulness and in righteousness.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong and hardened, you who in these days hear these words from the mouths of the prophets who on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid foretold that the temple should be rebuilt.

10 For before those days there was no hire for man nor any hire for beast, neither was there any peace or success to him who went out or came in because of the adversary and oppressor, for I set (let loose) all men, every one against his neighbor.

11 But now [in this period since you began to build] I am not to the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts.

12 For there shall the seed produce peace and prosperity; the vine shall yield her fruit and the ground shall give its increase and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit and possess all these things.

13 And as you have been a curse and a byword among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong and hardened.(C)

14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: As I thought to bring calamity upon you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath, says the Lord of hosts, and I did not relent or revoke your sentence,

15 So again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Fear not!

16 These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor; render the truth and pronounce the judgment or verdict that makes for peace in [the courts at] your gates.(D)

17 And let none of you think or imagine or devise evil or injury in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the Lord.

18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me [Zechariah], saying,

19 Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah times of joy and gladness and cheerful, appointed seasons; therefore [in order that this may happen to you, as the condition of fulfilling the promise] love truth and peace.

20 Thus says the Lord of hosts: It shall yet come to pass that there shall come [to Jerusalem] peoples and the inhabitants of many and great cities,

21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to them of another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray and entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek, inquire of, and require [to meet our own most essential need] the Lord of hosts. I will go also.

22 Yes, many people and strong nations shall come to Jerusalem to seek, inquire of, and require [to fill their own urgent need] the Lord of hosts and to pray to the Lord for His favor.

23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men out of all languages of the nations shall take hold of the robe of him who is a Jew, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

What the Lord Will Do for Zion

Yahweh Tsebaoth spoke his word.

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

I am very jealous about Zion.
    I am fiercely possessive of it.

This is what Yahweh says:

I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem.
    Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth.
    The mountain of Yahweh Tsebaoth will be called the holy mountain.

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
    Each will have a cane in hand because of old age.
The city will be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets.

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

It may seem impossible to the few remaining people in those days,
    but will it seem impossible to me? declares Yahweh Tsebaoth.

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

I am going to save my people
    from the land where the sun rises
        and from the land where the sun sets.
I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem.
    They will be my people, and I will be their Elohim, who is faithful and just.

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

Be strong so that the temple might be rebuilt,
    you people who are presently listening
        to the words from the mouths of the prophets
            who spoke when the foundation
                for the house of Yahweh Tsebaoth was laid.
10 Before that time there was no money to hire any person or animal.
    No one who traveled was safe from the enemy.
        I turned every person against his neighbor.
11 But now I won’t deal with the few remaining people
    as I did in earlier times, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth.
12 Seeds will thrive in peacetime.
    Vines will produce their grapes.
        The land will yield its crops.
            The sky will produce its dew.
    I will give the few remaining people
    all these things as an inheritance.
13 Just as you, people of Judah and people of Israel,
    have been a curse among the nations,
        so I will now save you,
            and you will become a blessing.
    Don’t be afraid. Let your hands work hard.

14 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

When your ancestors made me angry,
    I made plans to destroy you, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth,
        and I didn’t change my plans.
15 So now I have again made plans, but this time to do good
    to Jerusalem and the people of Judah.
    Don’t be afraid.
16 You must do these things:
    Speak the truth to each other.
    Give correct and fair verdicts for peace in your courts.
17 Don’t even think of doing evil to each other.
    Don’t enjoy false testimony.
        I hate all these things, declares Yahweh.

Many Nations Will Come to the Lord’s People

18 Yahweh Tsebaoth spoke his word to me again.

19 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

The fast in the fourth month, the fast in the fifth month,
    the fast in the seventh month, and the fast in the tenth month
    will become joyful and glad occasions
        as well as happy festivals for the nation of Judah.
            So love truth and peace.

20 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

People and citizens from many cities are going to come.
21 The citizens of one city will come to another city, saying,
    “Let’s make a habit of going to ask Yahweh for a blessing
        and to seek Yahweh Tsebaoth.
            I’m also going.”
22 Many people and powerful nations will come
    to seek Yahweh Tsebaoth in Jerusalem
        and to ask Yahweh for a blessing.

23 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

In those days ten people from every language found among the nations
    will take hold of the clothes of a Jew. They will say,
        “Let us go with you
            because we have heard that Elohim is with you.”