Zechariah 8
Wycliffe Bible
8 And the word of the Lord of hosts was made to me, and said,
2 The Lord of hosts saith these things, I hated Zion with great fervor, and with great indignation I hated it. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, I hated the enemies of Zion with great fervor, and I hated them with great indignation.)
3 The Lord of hosts saith these things, I am turned again to Zion, and I shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and [the] hill of the Lord of hosts shall be called an hill hallowed. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, I have returned to Zion, and I shall live in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, and the hill, or the mount, of the Lord of hosts shall be called The Holy Hill, or the Sacred Mountain.)
4 The Lord of hosts saith these things, Yet eld men and eld women shall dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and the staff of a man shall be in his hand, for the multitude of years. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, Once again old men and old women shall sit in the streets of Jerusalem, and the staff of a man shall be in his hand, for the multitude of his years.)
5 And the streets of the city shall be filled with young children and damsels, playing in the streets thereof. (And the streets of the city shall be filled with young boys and young girls, playing in its streets.)
6 The Lord of hosts saith these things, Though it shall be seen (as) hard (to do) before the eyes of the remnants of this people in those days, whether before mine eyes it shall be hard, saith the Lord of hosts? (The Lord of hosts saith these things, Though it shall be seen as impossible by those who be the remnants of this people in those days, shall I see it as impossible to do, saith the Lord of hosts?)
7 The Lord of hosts saith these things, Lo! I shall save my people from the land of the east, and from the land of the going down of the sun;
8 and I shall bring them (back), and they shall dwell in the middle of Jerusalem; and they shall be to me into a people, and I shall be to them into God, and in truth, and in rightwiseness. (and I shall bring them back, and they shall live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I shall be their God, in truth, and in righteousness.)
9 The Lord of hosts saith these things, Be your hands strengthened, which hear in these days these words by the mouth of prophets, in the day in which the house of the Lord of hosts is founded, that the temple should be builded (again). (The Lord of hosts saith these things, Take courage! you who hear in these days these words from the mouths of the prophets, yea, those prophets from the days in which the House of the Lord of hosts was founded, who say that the Temple should now be rebuilt.)
10 Soothly before those days hire of men was not, neither hire of work beasts was, neither to man entering and going out was peace for tribulation; and I let go all men, each against his neighbour. (Truly before those days there was no hiring of men, or of work beasts, nor was there peace from tribulation for anyone entering in or going out; yea, I let everyone go, each against his neighbour/each against the other.)
11 But now not after the former days I shall do to the remnants of this people, saith the Lord of hosts, (But now I shall not do to the remnants of this people like in the earlier days, saith the Lord of hosts,)
12 but the seed of peace shall be; the vine shall give his fruit, and the earth shall give his burgeoning, and heavens shall give their dew; and I shall make the remnants of this people for to wield all these things. (but they shall sow, or they shall plant, their seeds in peace; the vine shall give its fruit, and the earth shall give its burgeoning, or its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I shall make the remnants of this people to possess all these things, or all that they want.)
13 And it shall be, as ye, the house of Judah, and the house of Israel, were cursing among heathen men, so I shall save you, and ye shall be blessing. Do not ye dread, be your hands strengthened; (And it shall be, that as ye, the house of Judah, and the house of Israel, were examples of a curse among the heathen, so now I shall save you, and ye shall be examples of a blessing. Do not ye fear/Fear not, take courage!)
14 for the Lord of hosts saith these things, As I thought to torment you, when your fathers had stirred me to wrath, saith the Lord, and I had not mercy, (for the Lord of hosts saith these things, As I thought to torment you, when your forefathers had stirred me to anger, saith the Lord, and I had no mercy,)
15 so I converted thought in these days to do well to the house of Judah and to Jerusalem; do not ye dread. (but now turned, I have thought, or I have resolved, in these days to do good to the house of Judah and to Jerusalem; do not ye fear/fear not.)
16 Therefore these be the words which ye shall do; speak ye truth, each man with his neighbour; deem ye truth and the doom of peace in your gates; (And so these be the things which ye shall do; speak ye truth, each person with his neighbour; judge ye truthfully, and give ye the kind of justice that bringeth peace within your gates;)
17 and think ye not in your hearts, any man, evil against his friend, and love not a false oath; for all these things it be which I hate, saith the Lord. (and think ye not in your hearts, anyone, evil against his friend, or against his neighbour, and do not love to make a false oath, or to commit perjury; for all these be the things which I hate, saith the Lord.)
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts was made to me, and said,
19 The Lord of hosts saith these things, The fasting of the fourth month, and fasting of the fifth, and the fasting of the seventh, and the fasting of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah into joy and gladness, and into solemnities full clear; love ye only truth and peace. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, The fasting of the fourth month, and the fasting of the fifth month, and the fasting of the seventh month, and the fasting of the tenth month, shall be cheerful feasts of happiness, and joy, for the house of Judah; love ye only truth and peace.)
20 The Lord of hosts saith these things, Peoples shall come on each side, and dwell in many cities; (The Lord of hosts saith these things, Peoples shall come from everywhere, and shall live in many cities;)
21 and the dwellers shall go, one to another, and say, Go we, and beseech the face of the Lord, and seek we the Lord of hosts; also I shall go. (and the inhabitants shall go, one to another, and say, Let us go, and beseech the face of the Lord, and seek we the Lord of hosts; and I shall also go/yea, come with me.)
22 And many peoples shall come, and strong folks, for to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to beseech the face of the Lord. (And many peoples, and strong nations, shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to beseech the face of the Lord.)
23 The Lord of hosts saith these things, In those days, in which ten men of all languages of heathen men shall take (hold), and they shall take the hem of a man a Jew, and say, We shall go with you; for we have heard that God is with you. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, In those days, in which ten men of all the languages of the heathen shall take hold, yea, they shall take hold of the hem of a Jewish man, and say, We shall go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.)
Zechariah 8
New King James Version
Jerusalem, Holy City of the Future
8 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
3 “Thus says the Lord:
(B)‘I will return to Zion,
And (C)dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem (D)shall be called the City of Truth,
(E)The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,
(F)The Holy Mountain.’
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
(G)‘Old men and old women shall again sit
In the streets of Jerusalem,
Each one with his staff in his hand
Because of [d]great age.
5 The streets of the city
Shall be (H)full of boys and girls
Playing in its streets.’
6 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘If it is [e]marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,
(I)Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’
Says the Lord of hosts.
7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Behold, (J)I will save My people from the land of the [f]east
And from the land of the [g]west;
8 I will (K)bring them back,
And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
(L)They shall be My people
And I will be their God,
(M)In truth and righteousness.’
9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
(N)‘Let your hands be strong,
You who have been hearing in these days
These words by the mouth of (O)the prophets,
Who spoke in (P)the day the foundation was laid
For the house of the Lord of hosts,
That the temple might be built.
10 For before these days
There were no (Q)wages for man nor any hire for beast;
There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in;
For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.
11 (R)But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.
12 ‘For(S) the [h]seed shall be prosperous,
The vine shall give its fruit,
(T)The ground shall give her increase,
And (U)the heavens shall give their dew—
I will cause the remnant of this people
To possess all these.
13 And it shall come to pass
That just as you were (V)a curse among the nations,
O house of Judah and house of Israel,
So I will save you, and (W)you shall be a blessing.
Do not fear,
Let your hands be strong.’
14 “For thus says the Lord of hosts:
(X)‘Just as I determined to [i]punish you
When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
(Y)‘And I would not relent,
15 So again in these days
I am determined to do good
To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Do not fear.
16 These are the things you shall (Z)do:
(AA)Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
17 (AB)Let none of you think evil in [j]your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.
For all these are things that I hate,’
Says the Lord.”
18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
(AC)‘The fast of the fourth month,
(AD)The fast of the fifth,
(AE)The fast of the seventh,
(AF)And the fast of the tenth,
Shall be (AG)joy and gladness and cheerful feasts
For the house of Judah.
(AH)Therefore love truth and peace.’
20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Peoples shall yet come,
Inhabitants of many cities;
21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,
(AI)“Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord,
And seek the Lord of hosts.
I myself will go also.”
22 Yes, (AJ)many peoples and strong nations
Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem,
And to pray before the Lord.’
23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men (AK)from every language of the nations shall (AL)grasp the [k]sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard (AM)that God is with you.” ’ ”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 8:2 Or jealous
- Zechariah 8:2 Or jealousy
- Zechariah 8:2 Lit. heat or rage
- Zechariah 8:4 Lit. many days
- Zechariah 8:6 Or wonderful
- Zechariah 8:7 Lit. rising sun
- Zechariah 8:7 Lit. setting sun
- Zechariah 8:12 Lit. seed of peace
- Zechariah 8:14 Lit. bring calamity to you
- Zechariah 8:17 Lit. his
- Zechariah 8:23 Lit. wing, corner of a garment
Zechariah 8
English Standard Version
The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion
8 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (A)I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the Lord: (B)I have returned to Zion and (C)will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, (D)and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, (E)and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: (F)Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: (G)If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, (H)should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, (I)I will save my people (J)from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. (K)And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, (L)in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
9 Thus says the Lord of hosts: (M)“Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of (N)the prophets who were present on (O)the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days (P)there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. 12 (Q)For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, (R)and the heavens shall give their dew. (S)And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as (T)you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, (U)so will I save you, and (V)you shall be a blessing. (W)Fear not, but (X)let your hands be strong.”
14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: (Y)“As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; (Z)fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: (AA)Speak the truth to one another; (AB)render in your gates judgments (AC)that are true and make for peace; 17 (AD)do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and (AE)love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.”
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the (AF)fourth month and the fast of the (AG)fifth and the fast of the (AH)seventh and the fast of the (AI)tenth shall be to the house of Judah (AJ)seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love (AK)truth and peace.
20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, (AL)‘Let us go at once (AM)to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 (AN)Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and (AO)to entreat the favor of the Lord. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days (AP)ten men (AQ)from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for (AR)we have heard that God is with you.’”
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
