Zechariah 8

1 Again the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying:

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

2 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great zeal; I am jealous for her with great fervor.”

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I have been jealous for Zion with great jealousy, And with great wrath have I been jealous for her.

3 This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”

Thus saith Jehovah: I have returned to Zion, And I will dwell in Jerusalem; And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, And the mountain of Jehovah of hosts the holy mountain.

4 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell In the streets of Jerusalem, Every one with his staff in his hand for great age.

5 And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

And the streets of the city shall be full Of boys and girls playing in her streets.

6 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “If this is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be impossible in My eyes?” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be difficult in the eyes Of the residue of this people in these days, Is it therefore difficult in my eyes, Saith Jehovah of hosts?

7 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people From the land of the rising, and from the land of the setting sun.

8 I will bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem, where they will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.”

And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in Jerusalem; And they shall be my people, And I will be their God, In truth and in righteousness.

9 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, Ye that hear in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who were in the day when the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, The temple, that it might be built.

10 For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor.

For before these days There was no recompense for men, Nor was there any recompense for beasts; Nor to him that went out, nor to him that came in, was there security from the enemy; For I set all men one against another.

11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

But now I will not be as in former days Toward the residue of this people, Saith Jehovah of hosts.

12 “For the seed will be prosperous, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. To the remnant of this people I will give all these things as an inheritance.

For the seed shall be prosperous; The vine shall yield its fruit, And the earth shall yield her increase, And the heavens shall yield their dew; And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.

13 As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”

And it shall be, that as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not; let your hands be strong!

14 For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Just as I resolved to bring disaster upon you when your fathers provoked Me to anger, and I did not relent,” says the LORD of Hosts,

For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: As I thought to do you evil, When your fathers provoked me to anger, Saith Jehovah of hosts, And I repented not,

15 “so now I have resolved to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.

So have I again thought in these days To do good to Jerusalem, And to the house of Judah. Fear ye not!

16 These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates,

These are the things which ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; Judge according to truth, and for peace in your gates;

17 do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.

And meditate not evil against one another in your hearts, And love not a false oath! For all these are things which I hate, saith Jehovah.

18 Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,

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

19 “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, And the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month, Shall be to the house of Judah for joy and gladness, And cheerful festivals. But love ye truth and peace!

20 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that many nations shall come, And the inhabitants of many cities;

21 and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’

And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us go speedily to pray before Jehovah, And to seek Jehovah of hosts! I will go also!”

22 And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”

Then shall come many nations and mighty kingdoms, To seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before Jehovah.

23 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men of all languages of the nations take hold, They shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, Saying, “We will go with you, For we have heard that God is with you.”