When Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, with her cities round about her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited, were not these the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets?”

Punishment for Rejecting God’s Demands

And the word of the Lord came to Zechari′ah, saying,

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy each to his brother,

They made their hearts like adamant lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.

“As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts,

God’s Promises to Zion

And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.

Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand for very age.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, says the Lord of hosts?

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets, since the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts.

For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts,

do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the Lord.”

Joyful Fasting

And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,

“Thus says 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 seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.

Many Peoples Drawn to Jerusalem

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities;

the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I am going.’

Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

An Oracle The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For to the Lord belong the cities of Aram, even as all the tribes of Israel;

But lo, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and hurl her wealth into the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet, and march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour and tread down the slingers; and they shall drink their blood like wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.