Zechariah 8

¹ Yahweh of Armies’ word came to me.

² This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

³ This is what Yahweh says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called ‘The City of Truth,’ and the mountain of Yahweh of Armies, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”

⁴ This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

⁵ The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”

⁶ This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says Yahweh of Armies.

⁷ This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

⁸ and I will bring them, and they will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

⁹ This is what Yahweh of Armies 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 Yahweh of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

¹⁰ For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for 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 neighbor.

¹¹ But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says Yahweh of Armies.

¹² “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; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

¹³ It will happen that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

¹⁴ For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: “As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and I didn’t repent;

¹⁵ 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 that you shall do: Speak truth each man with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.

¹⁷ Let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says Yahweh.

¹⁸ Yahweh of Armies’ word came to me.

¹⁹ This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

²⁰ This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;

²¹ and the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat Yahweh’s favor, and to seek Yahweh of Armies. I will go also.’

²² Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Armies in Jerusalem, and to entreat Yahweh’s favor.”

²³ This is what Yahweh of Armies 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.’”