Zacharias 8

1 And the word of the Lord Almighty came, saying,

The word of the LORD of Hosts came to me.

2 Thus says the Lord Almighty; I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Sion with great jealousy, and I have been jealous for her with great fury.

The LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

3 Thus says the Lord; I will return to Sion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a true city, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty a holy mountain.

The LORD says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”

4 Thus says the Lord Almighty; There shall yet dwell old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, every one holding his staff in his hand for age.

The LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of their old age.

5 And the broad places of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”

6 Thus says the Lord Almighty; If it shall be impossible in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible in my sight? says the Lord Almighty.

The LORD of Hosts says: “If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Hosts.

7 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Behold, I [will] save my people from the east country, and the west country;

The LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country.

8 and I will bring them in, and cause [them] to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God, in truth and in righteousness.

I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

9 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Let your hands be strong, [you that] hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, from the day that the house of the Lord Almighty was founded, and from the time that the temple was built.

The LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

10 For before those days the wages of men could not be profitable, and there could be no hire of cattle, and there could be no peace by reason of the affliction to him that went out or to him that came in: for I would have let loose all men, every one against his neighbour.

For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbour.

11 But now I [will] not do to the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord Almighty.

But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the LORD of Hosts.

12 But I will show peace: the vine shall yield her fruit, and the land shall yield her produce, and the heaven shall give its dew: and I will give as an inheritance all these things to the remnant of my people.

“For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

13 And it shall come to pass, as you were a curse amongst the nations, O house of Juda, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing: be of good courage, and strengthen your hands.

It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse amongst the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

14 For thus says the Lord Almighty; As I took counsel to afflict you when your fathers provoked me, says the Lord Almighty, and I repented not:

For the LORD of Hosts says: “As I thought to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I didn’t repent,

15 so have I prepared and taken counsel in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Juda: be you of good courage.

so again I have thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.

16 These [are] the things which you shall do; speak truth every one with his neighbour; judge truth and peaceful judgement in your gates:

These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbour. Execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates,

17 and let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbour; and love not a false oath: for all these things I hate, says the Lord Almighty.

and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says the LORD.

18 And the word of the Lord Almighty came to me, saying,

The word of the LORD of Hosts came to me.

19 Thus says the Lord Almighty, The fourth fast, and the fifth fast, and the seventh fast, and the tenth fast, shall be to the house of Juda for joy and gladness, and for good feasts; and you shall rejoice; and love you the truth and peace.

The LORD of Hosts says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

20 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Yet shall many peoples come, and the inhabitants of many cities;

The LORD of Hosts says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.

21 and the inhabitants of five cities shall come together to one city, saying, Let us go to make supplication to the Lord, and to seek the face of the Lord Almighty; I will go also.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favour of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I will go also.’

22 And many peoples and many nations shall come to seek earnestly the face of the Lord Almighty in Jerusalem, and to obtain favour of the Lord.

Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD.”

23 Thus says the Lord Almighty; In those days [my word shall be fulfilled] if ten men of all the languages of the nations should take hold—even take hold of the hem of a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.

The LORD of Hosts says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”