Zechariah 8
New American Standard Bible
The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion
8 Then the word of the Lord of armies came, saying, 2 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘I am (A)exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ 3 The Lord says this: ‘I will return to Zion and (B)dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of (C)Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of armies will be called the Holy Mountain.’ 4 The Lord of armies says this: ‘(D)Old men and old women will again sit in the public squares of Jerusalem, each person with his staff in his hand because of [a]age. 5 And the public squares of the city will be filled with (E)boys and girls playing in its squares.’ 6 The Lord of armies says this: ‘If it is (F)too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be (G)too difficult in My sight?’ declares the Lord of armies. 7 The Lord of armies says this: ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the [b](H)east and from the land of the [c]west; 8 and I will (I)bring them back and they will (J)live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be (K)My people, and I will be their God in [d]truth and righteousness.’
9 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘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 the Lord of armies was laid, so that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was (N)no wage for man nor any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no [e](O)peace because of [f]his enemies, and I (P)sent all the people against one another. 11 But now I will (Q)not [g]treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the Lord of armies. 12 ‘For there will be (R)the seed of peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the heavens will provide their (S)dew; and I will give to the remnant of this people (T)all these things as an inheritance. 13 And it will come about that just as you were a (U)curse among the nations, 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 this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Just as I (X)determined to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to anger,’ says the Lord of armies, ‘and I have not (Y)relented, 15 so I have again determined 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 shall do: speak the (AB)truth to one another; (AC)judge with truth and judgment for peace at your [h]gates. 17 Also let none of you (AD)devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love [i](AE)perjury; for all these things are what I (AF)hate,’ declares the Lord.”
18 Then the word of the Lord of armies came to me, saying, 19 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘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, jubilation, and [j]cheerful festivals for the house of Judah; so (AL)love truth and peace.’
20 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘It will yet turn out that (AM)peoples will come, that is, the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, “Let’s go at once to (AN)plead for the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of armies; [k]I also will go.” 22 So (AO)many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of armies in Jerusalem, and to (AP)plead for the favor of the Lord.’ 23 The Lord of armies says this: ‘In those days ten people from all the [l]nations will [m](AQ)grasp the [n]garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 8:4 Lit the multitude of days
- Zechariah 8:7 Lit sunrise
- Zechariah 8:7 Lit setting sun
- Zechariah 8:8 Or faithfulness
- Zechariah 8:10 Or security
- Zechariah 8:10 Lit the adversary
- Zechariah 8:11 Lit be to the
- Zechariah 8:16 I.e., the place where court was held
- Zechariah 8:17 Lit a false oath
- Zechariah 8:19 Or goodly
- Zechariah 8:21 Or let me go too
- Zechariah 8:23 Lit languages of the nations
- Zechariah 8:23 Lit grasp, and they will grasp
- Zechariah 8:23 Lit hem of a garment
Zechariah 8
Modern English Version
The Holy City of Peace and Prosperity
8 And the word of the Lord came, saying: 2 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, and with great wrath I am jealous for her.
3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will be called a city of faithfulness and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the holy mountain.
4 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Older men and women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each having a staff in his hand because of advanced age. 5 And the plazas of the city will be filled with young boys and girls playing in her open places.
6 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes? says the Lord of Hosts.
7 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I will deliver My people from the eastern lands and from the western lands. 8 And I will bring them, and they will reside in Jerusalem, and they will be for Me as a people, and I will be for them as God, with faithfulness and righteousness.
9 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Let your hands be strengthened, whoever is hearing these words in these days, from the mouth of the prophets who were there in the day that the house of the Lord of Hosts was founded, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there were no wages for a man nor any hire for an animal; and there was no peace from an enemy for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not be as in the former days against this remnant people, says the Lord of Hosts.
12 For sowing will be done in peace, and the vine will produce its fruit, and the ground will provide its produce, and the heavens will give their rain. And I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all of these benefits. 13 And as you have been like a curse among the nations, O house of Israel and house of Judah, I will deliver you, and you will be a blessing. Fear not, and strengthen your hands!
14 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Just as I had determined to punish you when your fathers incited Me to wrath, says the Lord of Hosts, I did not relent. 15 So again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! 16 These are the things you will do: Speak truth each to his neighbor, and make judgments in your gates that are for truth, and justice, and peace. 17 Let none of you consider evil plans in your heart against your neighbor, and do not love false oaths, for I hate all these things, says the Lord.
18 And the word of the Lord of Hosts came to me, saying:
19 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: The fast during the fourth and fifth months, and the fasts during the seventh and tenth months, will become rejoicing and joy and pleasant feasts for the house of Judah. So love what brings truth and peace.
20 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Peoples will still come, even those who live in many cities. 21 Those who live in one city will journey to another, saying, “Let us surely go to seek the Lord of Hosts. I myself am going.” 22 Many peoples and strong nations will seek out the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.
23 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: In those days ten men from every language of the nations will take hold of the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.