זְכַרְיָה 8

1 וַיְהִ֛י דְּבַר־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות לֵאמֹֽר׃

Then the Lord Almighty sent another message to me.

2 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות קִנֵּ֥אתִי לְצִיֹּ֖ון קִנְאָ֣ה גְדֹולָ֑ה וְחֵמָ֥ה גְדֹולָ֖ה קִנֵּ֥אתִי לָֽהּ׃

This is what the Lord Almighty says. I am jealously protective of the people of Zion; I am extremely passionate about them.

3 כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שַׁ֚בְתִּי אֶל־צִיֹּ֔ון וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתֹ֣וךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְנִקְרְאָ֤ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ עִ֣יר־הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת וְהַר־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות הַ֥ר הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ ס

This is what the Lord says. I have returned to Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the “Faithful City,” and the mountain of the Lord Almighty the “Holy Mountain.”

4 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות עֹ֤ד יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ זְקֵנִ֣ים וּזְקֵנֹ֔ות בִּרְחֹבֹ֖ות יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאִ֧ישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתֹּ֛ו בְּיָדֹ֖ו מֵרֹ֥ב יָמִֽים׃

This is what the Lord Almighty says. Old people will be able to sit again in the streets of Jerusalem, each with their walking sticks they need because of their age.

5 וּרְחֹבֹ֤ות הָעִיר֙ יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ יְלָדִ֖ים וִֽילָדֹ֑ות מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים בִּרְחֹֽבֹתֶֽיהָ׃ ס

The streets will be full of boys and girls playing happily.

6 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵ֗א בְּעֵינֵי֙ שְׁאֵרִית֙ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה בַּיָּמִ֖ים הָהֵ֑ם גַּם־בְּעֵינַי֙ יִפָּלֵ֔א נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃ פ

This is what the Lord Almighty says. It may seem too good to be true now, to you who remain of my people in these days. But is it impossible for me to do? asks the Lord Almighty.

7 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות הִנְנִ֥י מֹושִׁ֛יעַ אֶת־עַמִּ֖י מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִזְרָ֑ח וּמֵאֶ֖רֶץ מְבֹ֥וא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

This is what the Lord Almighty says. I will save my people from the countries to the east and to the west.

8 וְהֵבֵאתִ֣י אֹתָ֔ם וְשָׁכְנ֖וּ בְּתֹ֣וךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֗ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֶהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת וּבִצְדָקָֽה׃ ס

I will bring them back and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be my people and I will be their God, trustworthy and true.

9 כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹות֒ תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יְדֵיכֶ֔ם הַשֹּֽׁמְעִים֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֵ֖ת הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה מִפִּי֙ הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים אֲ֠שֶׁר בְּיֹ֞ום יֻסַּ֨ד בֵּית־יְהוָ֧ה צְבָאֹ֛ות הַהֵיכָ֖ל לְהִבָּנֹֽות׃

This is what the Lord Almighty says. Be strong, so that the Temple may be completed. Everyone who is here today is listening to the same words from the prophets who were present on the day when the foundation of the Lord Almighty's Temple was laid.

10 כִּ֗י לִפְנֵי֙ הַיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם שְׂכַ֤ר הָֽאָדָם֙ לֹ֣א נִֽהְיָ֔ה וּשְׂכַ֥ר הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֵינֶ֑נָּה וְלַיֹּוצֵ֨א וְלַבָּ֤א אֵין־שָׁלֹום֙ מִן־הַצָּ֔ר וַאֲשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־כָּל־הָאָדָ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ בְּרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Before that time there wasn't enough for people or for animals. No one could live normally because they were not safe from their enemies, and I set everyone against each other.

11 וְעַתָּ֗ה לֹ֣א כַיָּמִ֤ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִים֙ אֲנִ֔י לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃

But now I won't treat those who remain of my people like I treated them before, declares the Lord Almighty.

12 כִּֽי־זֶ֣רַע הַשָּׁלֹ֗ום הַגֶּ֜פֶן תִּתֵּ֤ן פִּרְיָהּ֙ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּתֵּ֣ן אֶת־יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְהַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִתְּנ֣וּ טַלָּ֑ם וְהִנְחַלְתִּ֗י אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֛ית הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃

They will sow in peace; the vine will produce grapes; the soil will grow crops and the heavens will water them. I will make sure this happens to all those who remain of this people.

13 וְהָיָ֡ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ הֱיִיתֶ֨ם קְלָלָ֜ה בַּגֹּויִ֗ם בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ וּבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֚ן אֹושִׁ֣יעַ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וִהְיִיתֶ֖ם בְּרָכָ֑ה אַל־תִּירָ֖אוּ תֶּחֱזַ֥קְנָה יְדֵיכֶֽם׃ ס

People of Judah and Israel: just as you were considered a curse among the nations, so I will save you and you will become a blessing. Don't be afraid! Be strong!

14 כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָמַר֮ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹות֒ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר זָמַמְ֜תִּי לְהָרַ֣ע לָכֶ֗ם בְּהַקְצִ֤יף אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ אֹתִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות וְלֹ֖א נִחָֽמְתִּי׃

For this is what the Lord Almighty says: I decided to bring disaster on you when your forefathers angered me and I did not change my mind.

15 כֵּ֣ן שַׁ֤בְתִּי זָמַ֙מְתִּי֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לְהֵיטִ֥יב אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה אַל־תִּירָֽאוּ׃

But now I have made up my mind to do good to Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Don't be afraid!

16 אֵ֥לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ דַּבְּר֤וּ אֱמֶת֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ אֱמֶת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט שָׁלֹ֔ום שִׁפְט֖וּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃

This what you have to do: Tell each other the truth. In your courts judge honestly and truthfully, which makes for peace.

17 וְאִ֣ישׁ ׀ אֶת־רָעַ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ אַֽל־תַּחְשְׁבוּ֙ בִּלְבַבְכֶ֔ם וּשְׁבֻ֥עַת שֶׁ֖קֶר אַֽל־תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּ כִּ֧י אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֛לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂנֵ֖אתִי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

Don't think up evil schemes against one another. Stop your love of lies. I hate all this, declares the Lord.

18 וַיְהִ֛י דְּבַר־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

The Lord Almighty gave me another message.

19 כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֗ות צֹ֣ום הָרְבִיעִ֡י וְצֹ֣ום הַחֲמִישִׁי֩ וְצֹ֨ום הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י וְצֹ֣ום הָעֲשִׂירִ֗י יִהְיֶ֤ה לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה֙ לְשָׂשֹׂ֣ון וּלְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּֽלְמֹעֲדִ֖ים טֹובִ֑ים וְהָאֱמֶ֥ת וְהַשָּׁלֹ֖ום אֱהָֽבוּ׃ פ

This is what the Lord Almighty says: The fasts you observe in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth month will become times of joy and happiness for the people of Judah—they will be festivals of celebration. But love truth and peace.

20 כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות עֹ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֹ֣אוּ עַמִּ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י עָרִ֥ים רַבֹּֽות׃

This is what the Lord Almighty says: People from many nations and cities will yet come to Jerusalem,

21 וְֽהָלְכ֡וּ יֹשְׁבֵי֩ אַחַ֨ת אֶל־אַחַ֜ת לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵלְכָ֤ה הָלֹוךְ֙ לְחַלֹּות֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות אֵלְכָ֖ה גַּם־אָֽנִי׃

going from one city to another saying, “Let us be sure to go and seek the Lord and ask for the blessing of the Lord Almighty. I myself am going!”

22 וּבָ֨אוּ עַמִּ֤ים רַבִּים֙ וְגֹויִ֣ם עֲצוּמִ֔ים לְבַקֵּ֛שׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וּלְחַלֹּ֖ות אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס

Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to ask for the blessing of the Lord Almighty and seek the Lord.

23 כֹּ֥ה אָמַר֮ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹות֒ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל לְשֹׁנֹ֣ות הַגֹּויִ֑ם וְֽהֶחֱזִ֡יקוּ בִּכְנַף֩ אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵֽלְכָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים עִמָּכֶֽם׃ ס

This is what the Lord Almighty says: At that time ten men from different nations and languages will grab hold of the hem of a Jewish man's robe and plead, “Please take us with you for we have heard that God is with you.”