Zechariah 8
Expanded Bible
The Lord Will Bless Jerusalem
8 ·A message from [L The word of] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] came to me, saying, 2 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “I ·have a very strong love [am jealous/zealous/passionate] for ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 2:7]. My strong love [jealousy; zeal; passion] for her ·is like a fire burning in me [or will mean wrath for her enemies].”
3 This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Jerusalem and ·live in [dwell in the midst of] it. Then it will be called the City of ·Truth [or Faithfulness], and the mountain of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will be called the Holy Mountain [C Zion, the location of the Temple].”
4 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “Old men and old women will again sit along Jerusalem’s streets, each carrying a cane because of age [C long life due to peace and security]. 5 And the streets will be filled with boys and girls playing.”
6 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Those who are left alive then [The remnant] may think it is too ·difficult [marvelous] to happen, but ·it is not [L is it…?] too ·difficult [marvelous] for me,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 7 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “[L Look; T Behold] I will save my people from countries in the east and west. 8 I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their ·loyal [faithful; true] and ·good [righteous] God.”
9 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Work hard [L Let your hands be strong], you who are hearing these words today. The prophets spoke these words when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], for the building of the Temple. 10 Before that time there was no money to hire people or animals. People could not ·safely [peacefully] come and go because of the enemies; I had turned everyone against his neighbor. 11 But I will not do to ·these people who are left [this remnant of the people] what I did in the past,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
12 “They will plant their seeds in peace, their grapevines will have fruit, the ground will give good crops, and the sky will send ·rain [dew]. I will give ·all this [this as an inheritance/possession] to the ·people who are left alive [remnant of this people]. 13 Judah and Israel, your names have been ·used as curses in [or viewed as accursed by] other nations. But I will save you, and you will become a blessing. So don’t be afraid; ·work hard [L let your hands be strong].”
14 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “When your ·ancestors [fathers] made me angry, I planned to ·punish [bring disaster on] you. I did not ·change my mind [relent],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 15 “But ·now [L in these days] I am planning to do good to Jerusalem and Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 These are the things you should do: Tell each other the truth. In ·the courts [L your gates; C court was held at the city gate] judge with truth and ·complete fairness [sound justice; judgments of peace]. 17 Do not ·make plans to hurt [L plan/plot evil in your hearts against] your neighbors, and don’t love false ·promises [oaths]. I hate all these things,” says the Lord.
18 ·A message from [L The word of the] Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] came to me again. 19 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “The ·special days when you fast in [fasts of] the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become good, joyful, happy feasts ·in [L for the house of] Judah. ·But you must [So; Therefore] love truth and peace.”
20 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Many people from [L Inhabitants of] many cities will still come to Jerusalem. 21 ·People [The inhabitants] from one city will go and say to those from another city, ‘·We are going [Let us go] to ·pray to [entreat] the Lord and to ·ask for help from [or worship; L seek] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. ·Come and go with us [L I, even I (am going)].’ 22 Many people and powerful nations will come to worship the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] in Jerusalem and to ·pray for help from [or worship; L seek] the Lord.”
23 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “At that time, ten men from ·different countries [L all languages of the nations] will come and take hold of a ·Judean [Jew] by his coat. They will say to him, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”
Zechariah 8
King James Version
8 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.
3 Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.
4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
9 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and I repented not:
15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,
19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
20 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also.
22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.
23 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
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