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Zechariah 8
New Living Translation

Promised Blessings for Jerusalem

8 Then another message came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: 2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!

3 “And now the Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.

4 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. 5 And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.

6 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. 8 I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.

9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building. 10 Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other.

11 “But now I will not treat the remnant of my people as I treated them before, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. 13 Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!

14 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”

18 Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 19 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter[a] are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.

20 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. 21 The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ 22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing.

23 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

Footnotes

  1. 8:19 Hebrew in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months. The fourth month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of June and July. The fifth month usually occurs within the months of July and August. The seventh month usually occurs within the months of September and October. The tenth month usually occurs within the months of December and January.
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Zechariah 8
Legacy Standard Bible

Jerusalem, the City of Truth

8 Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘[a]I am (A)jealous with great jealousy for Zion, and with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ 3 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.’ 4 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. 5 And the [d]streets of the city will be filled with (E)boys and girls playing in its [e]streets.’ 6 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. 7 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; 8 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.’

9 “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
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Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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