Zechariah 8

The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

1Then the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I am 1exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ 3Thus says the Lord, ‘I will return to Zion and will 2dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of 3Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ 4Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘4Old men and old women will again sit in the 5streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of 6age. 5And the 7streets of the city will be filled with 8boys and girls playing in its 9streets.’ 6Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘If it is 1011too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be 1213too difficult in My sight?’ declares the Lord of hosts. 7Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the 1415east and from the land of the 16west; 8and I will 17bring them back and they will 18live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be 19My people, and I will be their God in 20truth and righteousness.’

9“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Let your hands be 21strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the 22prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. 10For before those days there was 23no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no 2425peace because of 26his enemies, and I 27set all men one against another. 11But now I will 28not 29treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 12‘For there will be 30peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their 31dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit 32all these things. 13It will come about that just as you were a 33curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a 34blessing. Do not fear; let your 35hands be strong.’

14“For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Just as I 36purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and I have not 37relented, 15so I have again purposed in these days to 38do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 39Do not fear! 16These are the things which you should do: speak the 40truth to one another; 41judge with truth and judgment for peace in your 42gates. 17Also let none of you 43devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love 4445perjury; for all these are what I 46hate,’ declares the Lord.”

18Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘The fast of the 47fourth, the fast of the 48fifth, the fast of the 49seventh and the fast of the 50tenth months will become 51joy, gladness, and 52cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so 53love truth and peace.’

20“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘It will yet be that 54peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to 55entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; 56I will also go.” 22So 57many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to 58entreat the favor of the Lord.’ 23Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the 59nations will 6061grasp the 62garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”