Zechariah 8

1The word of Yahweh of Armies came:

2This is what Yahweh of Armies says: I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy; I am jealous for her with great fury.

3This is what Yahweh says: I have returned to Zion, and I will live in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Faithfulness, and the mountain of Yahweh of Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.

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

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

6This is what Yahweh of Armies says: If it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible to me? declares Yahweh of Armies.

7This is what Yahweh of Armies says: I am going to save my people from the land of the east and from the land of the setting sun.

8I will bring them back, and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and righteousness.

9This is what Yahweh of Armies says: Let your hands be strong, you who in these days are hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were there on the day the foundation of the house of Yahweh of Armies was laid, so that the temple could be built.

10For before those days there were no wages for people and no hire for animals. No one could go out or come in safely because of the enemy, for I had set everyone against his neighbor.

11But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the former days, declares Yahweh of Armies.

12For there will be a sowing of peace: the vine will give its fruit, the ground will give its produce, and the heavens will give their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things as their possession.

13Just 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. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.

14For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: Just as I planned to bring disaster on you when your ancestors made me angry, says Yahweh of Armies, and I did not relent,

15so now I have planned again in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.

16These are the things you must do: Speak the truth to one another. In your city gates, judge with truth and with justice that brings peace.

17Do not plot evil against one another in your hearts, and do not love false oaths, for I hate all these things, declares Yahweh.

18The word of Yahweh of Armies came to me:

19This is what Yahweh of Armies says: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will become times of joy and gladness and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. So love truth and peace.

20This is what Yahweh of Armies says: Peoples will yet come, the inhabitants of many cities.

21The inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, “Let us go at once to seek the favor of Yahweh and to seek Yahweh of Armies. I myself am going.”

22Many peoples and powerful nations will come to seek Yahweh of Armies in Jerusalem and to seek the favor of Yahweh.

23This is what Yahweh of Armies says: In those days ten men from nations of every language will take hold—they will take hold of the robe of a Jew and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”