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Jerusalem, the City of Truth

Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came, saying, “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘[a]I am (A)jealous with great jealousy for Zion, and with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ Thus says Yahweh, ‘I will return to Zion and will (B)dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of (C)Truth, and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘(D)Old men and old women will again sit in the [b]streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of [c]age. And the [d]streets of the city will be filled with (E)boys and girls playing in its [e]streets.’ Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘If it is [f](F)too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be [g](G)too difficult in My sight?’ declares Yahweh of hosts. Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land where the [h](H)sun rises and from the land where the [i]sun sets; and I will (I)bring them back, and they will (J)dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be (K)My people, and I will be their God in [j]truth and righteousness.’

“Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Let your hands be (L)strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the (M)prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was (N)no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no [k](O)peace because of the adversary, and I (P)set all men one against another. 11 But now I will (Q)not [l]treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares Yahweh of hosts. 12 ‘For there will be (R)peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the heavens will give their (S)dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit (T)all these things. 13 And it will be that just as you were a (U)curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a (V)blessing. Do not fear; let your (W)hands be strong.’

14 “For thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Just as I (X)purposed to bring about evil to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I have not (Y)relented, 15 so I have again purposed in these days to (Z)do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. (AA)Do not fear! 16 These are the things which you should do: speak the (AB)truth to one another; (AC)judge with truth and judgment for peace in your [m]gates. 17 Also let none of you (AD)devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love [n](AE)false oaths; for all these are what I (AF)hate,’ declares Yahweh.”

18 Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘The fast of the (AG)fourth, the fast of the (AH)fifth, the fast of the (AI)seventh, and the fast of the (AJ)tenth months will become (AK)joy, gladness, and [o]merry appointed feasts for the house of Judah; so (AL)love truth and peace.’

20 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘It will yet be that (AM)peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to [p](AN)entreat the favor of Yahweh and to seek Yahweh of hosts; [q]I will also go.” 22 So (AO)many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem and to [r](AP)entreat the favor of Yahweh.’ 23 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from every tongue of the nations will [s](AQ)take hold of the [t]garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 8:2 Or I am exceedingly jealous, cf. 1:14
  2. Zechariah 8:4 Or squares
  3. Zechariah 8:4 Lit the multitude of days
  4. Zechariah 8:5 Or squares
  5. Zechariah 8:5 Or squares
  6. Zechariah 8:6 Or marvelous, cf. Gen 18:14
  7. Zechariah 8:6 Or marvelous, cf. Gen 18:14
  8. Zechariah 8:7 Or east
  9. Zechariah 8:7 Or west
  10. Zechariah 8:8 Or faithfulness
  11. Zechariah 8:10 Or safety
  12. Zechariah 8:11 Lit be to the
  13. Zechariah 8:16 The place where court was held
  14. Zechariah 8:17 Lit lying, cf. Ex 20:16
  15. Zechariah 8:19 Or goodly
  16. Zechariah 8:21 Lit soften the face of
  17. Zechariah 8:21 Or let me go too
  18. Zechariah 8:22 Lit soften the face of
  19. Zechariah 8:23 Lit grasp, and they will grasp
  20. Zechariah 8:23 Or corner of the garment

The Lord Will Save His People

The word of the Lord of Armies came:

This is what the Lord of Armies says. I am zealous for Zion with great zeal, and with great wrath I am zealous for her.

This is what the Lord says. I will certainly return to Zion, and I will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the holy mountain.

This is what the Lord of Armies says. Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, all of them with canes[a] in their hand due to old age. Then the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.

This is what the Lord of Armies says. Although in those days this may seem unattainable to the surviving remnant of this people, will it also seem unattainable to me? declares the Lord of Armies.

This is what the Lord of Armies says. Look, I will save my people from the land where the sun rises and from the land where the sun sets, and I will bring them to settle in the midst of Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.

This is what the Lord of Armies says. Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built—you who in these days are listening to these words from the mouths of the prophets, who were present on the day when the foundation of the house of the Lord of Armies was laid. 10 For before those days, there was no one who could pay for workmen or for animals. There was no peace from the adversary for anyone who went out or came in, because I had set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not treat the surviving remnant of this people as in earlier days, declares the Lord of Armies.

12 Sowing will take place in peace. The vine will yield its fruit. The earth will yield its produce. The sky will provide its dew. I will give all these things as a possession to the surviving remnant of this people. 13 Just as you once were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so now I will save you. You will be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong.

14 For this is what the Lord of Armies[b] says. Just as I planned to bring disaster upon you when your fathers made me angry, says the Lord of Armies, so that I did not relent, 15 so in these days I plan to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah once again. Do not be afraid.

16 These are the things that you are to do: Speak the truth to one another. Render judgments that uphold truth, justice, and peace in your gates. 17 Do not plot evil in your hearts against each other. Do not love false oaths. Indeed I hate all these things, declares the Lord.

18 The word of the Lord of Armies came to me:

19 This is what the Lord of Armies says. The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become times of rejoicing, joy, and gladness for the house of Judah. Therefore, all of you are to love truth and peace.

20 This is what the Lord of Armies says. People will still come as the inhabitants of many cities. 21 Then the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, “Let us go immediately to plead for the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of Armies. I myself will go.” 22 Then many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of Armies in Jerusalem and to plead for the favor of the Lord.

23 This is what the Lord of Armies says. In those days, ten men from among the speakers of every language of the nations will take firm hold of the hem of a Jew’s garment and say, “Let us go along with you, because we have heard that God is with you.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 8:4 Or staffs
  2. Zechariah 8:14 Traditionally Lord of Hosts or Lord of Sebaoth