Zechariah 8

1 Yahweh gave me [another] message. He said,

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts, saying,

2 “This is what [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say: ‘I love [the people of] Jerusalem; I love them very much, and I am very angry with their enemies.’

“Thus said YHWH of Hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with great zeal, With great heat I have been zealous for her.

3 So this is what I say: ‘[Some day] I will return to Zion [Hill] and I will live there. [At that time, ] Jerusalem will be called the city [where people] (are faithful to/faithfully obey) me, and [people will say that Zion] Hill [is] holy because it is where the Commander of the armies of angels dwells.’”

Thus said YHWH: I have turned back to Zion, And I have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And Jerusalem has been called The City of Truth, And The Mountain of YHWH of Hosts, The Holy Mountain.

4 The Commander of the armies of angels also says this: “[Some day] old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each of them holding a cane because of their being very old.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Again old men and old women dwell In broad places of Jerusalem, And each his staff in his hand, Because of abundance of days.

5 And the city streets with be full of boys and girls playing.”

And broad places of the city are full of boys and girls, Playing in its broad places.

6 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “[When those things happen, ] it will seem marvelous to the people who are still alive, but it certainly will not [RHQ] seem marvelous to me!”

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Surely it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, Also in My eyes it is wonderful, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

7 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “I will rescue my people from countries to the northeast and to the southwest [to which they were forced to go].

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Behold, I am saving My people from the land of the rising, And from the land of the going in, of the sun,

8 I will bring them back [to Judah], and they will [again] live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will be faithful [to them] and act righteously [toward them].”

And I have brought them in, They have dwelt in the midst of Jerusalem, And they have been to Me for a people, And I am to them for God, In truth and in righteousness.

9 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “When the foundation for my temple was laid, there were prophets there who proclaimed messages [from me]. Some of you heard what those prophets said. [So] be brave/courageous [MTY] [while you are building] the temple, in order that you may [finish] building it.

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Let your hands be strong, You who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, That in the day the house of YHWH of Hosts has been founded, The temple [is] to be built.

10 Before [you started to rebuild the temple], [no one could hire] men or animals [to work for them, because] there was no money to pay for them. And people were afraid to go anywhere because I had caused people to oppose each other, and [they thought that] there were enemies [everywhere].

For before those days there has been no hiring of man, Indeed, a hiring of beasts there is none; And to him who is going out, And to him who is coming in, There is no peace because of the adversary, And I send all men—each against his neighbor.

11 But now I will act differently toward [you] people who are still alive, [differently] than I did previously. [That is what I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say.

And now, not as [in] the former days [am] I to the remnant of this people, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

12 [From now on, ] it will be peaceful when you plant [your seeds], and your grapevines will produce grapes, and good crops will grow in your fields. There will be rain. I will give all those things to [you] people who are still alive.

Because of the sowing of peace, The vine gives her fruit, And the earth gives her increase, And the heavens give their dew, And I have caused the remnant of this people To inherit all these.

13 You [people of] Judah and Israel, [the people of other] nations have cursed you. But I will rescue you, and you will be a blessing [to the people of many nations. So] do not be afraid; work hard [MTY] [to finish building the temple].”

And it has come to pass, As you have been a reviling among nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, So I save you, and you have been a blessing, Do not fear, let your hands be strong.

14 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “When your ancestors caused me to become very angry, I decided to punish them. And I did not change my mind.

For thus said YHWH of Hosts: As I purposed to do evil to you, When your fathers made Me angry—said YHWH of Hosts—And I did not relent,

15 But now [I will do something different]. I am planning to do good things to [the people of] Jerusalem and [other towns in] Judah. [So] do not be afraid.

So I have turned back, I have purposed, in these days, To do good with Jerusalem, And with the house of Judah—do not fear!

16 These are the things that you should do: [You should always] tell the truth to each other. In the courts, [your judges must] make decisions according to what is correct and fair.

These [are] the things that you do: Each speak truth with his neighbor, Judge [with] truth and peaceful judgment in your gates,

17 Do not plan to do evil things to others, and do not falsely promise [to do things that you know that you will not do]. I hate all those things.”

And do not devise the evil of his neighbor in your heart, And do not love a false oath, For all these [are] things that I have hated, A declaration of YHWH.”

18 The Commander of the armies of angels spoke to me [again].

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts to me, saying,

19 This is what he said: “The times when you people of Judah (fast/abstain from food) during the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months [of each year] will become good and very happy/joyful [DOU] festivals. But you must want [to speak] truthfully and [be] peaceful.”

“Thus said YHWH of Hosts: The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [months], are to the house of Judah for joy and for rejoicing, and for pleasant appointed times, and the truth and the peace they have loved.

20 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “[Some day] people from many [people-groups and foreign] cities will come [here to Jerusalem].

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: Yet peoples come, and inhabitants of many cities,

21 People from one city will go to [the people in] another [city] and say, ‘Let’s [go together to Jerusalem] to worship Yahweh and ask him to bless us; we [ourselves] are going.’

Indeed, inhabitants of one Have gone to another, saying, We go diligently, To appease the face of YHWH, To seek YHWH of Hosts—I go, even I.

22 And [people from] many people-groups and [from] powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh and ask him to bless them.”

Indeed, many peoples have come in, and mighty nations, To seek YHWH of Hosts in Jerusalem, And to appease the face of YHWH.

23 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “At that time, [this is what will happen everywhere]: A group of people from one nation or a group of people who speak another language will grab the fringe/edge of the robe of a Jew and say [to him], ‘We have heard [people say] that God is with you. So allow us to go with you [to Jerusalem to worship him].’”

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: In those days ten men of all languages of the nations take hold, Indeed, they have taken hold on the skirt of a man, a Jew, saying, We go with you, for we heard God [is] with you!”