Zechariah 8

And the word of God of Armies came, saying,

“Thus says God of Armies, ‘I have been jealous for Zion {with} a great jealousy, and I have been jealous for her {with} great heat.’

Thus says God, ‘I will return to Zion and will live in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will be called “the city of faithfulness” and the mountain of God of Armies, “the mountain of holiness!”’ \*

Thus says God of Armies, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the open areas of Jerusalem, and a man {with} his staff in his hand from a multitude of days.

And the open areas of the city will be filled {with} boys and girls playing in its open areas.’ \*

Thus says God of Armies, ‘If it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be wonderful in my eyes?’—the declaration of God of Armies.

Thus says God of Armies, ‘Behold, I am saving my people from the land of the sunrise and from the land of the setting of the sun.

And I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be to me as a people, and I, I will be to them as God in faithfulness and in righteousness.’ \*

Thus says God of Armies, ‘May your hands be strong, you who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who {were} there on the day {when} the house of God of Armies was founded, the temple to be built.

For to the face of those days, the wages of man were not, and the wages of the beast, there were none. And for the one going out and for the one coming in there was no peace from the enemy, and I sent every man, each against his neighbor. \*

But now, I will not be to the remnant of this people like the former days’—the declaration of God of Armies.

‘For {there} will be the seed of peace: the vine will give its fruit, and the land will give its produce, and the heavens will give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. \*

And it will be just as you were a curse in the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong!’

For thus says God of Armies, ‘Just as I planned to cause harm to you when your fathers angered me’—says God of Armies—‘and did not relent,

thus I have turned; I plan in these days to cause good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah! Do not fear! \*

These are the things that you must do: Speak truth, each with his neighbor; judge in your gates {with} faithfulness and a judgement of peace.

And a man shall not plan evil within his heart {against} his neighbor, and oath of falseness you shall not love—for all of these {are that} which I hate!’—the declaration of God.” \*

And the word of God of Armies came to me, saying,

“Thus says God of Armies, ‘The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth {months} will become into joy, and into gladness, and into happy festivals for the house of Judah! And love faithfulness and peace!’ \*

Thus says God of Armies, ‘Yet {it will happen} that nations and the inhabitants of many cities will come.

The inhabitants of one {city} will go to another saying, “Let us quickly go to beg the face of God and to seek God of Armies! I, I also will go”

Many people and mighty nations will come to seek God of Armies in Jerusalem and beg the face of God!’ \*

Thus says God of Armies, ‘In those days {there will be} ten men from every language of the nations who will grab, and they will grab the hem of a man of Judah, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard God is with you!”’” \*