Zec 8 | ABEn | STEP | And came to pass the word of the lord almighty, saying,

Zechariah 8

CHAPTER 8 A Future Restoration of Israel

1 And came to pass the word of the lord almighty, saying, 2 Thus says the lord almighty, I have been zealous for Jerusalem and Zion [²zeal ¹with a great]; even [²rage ¹with great] I have been zealous over her. 3 Thus says the lord, I will return unto Zion, and I will encamp in the midst of Jerusalem. And [²will be called ¹Jerusalem ⁴city ³the true], and the mountain of the lord almighty, [²mountain ¹the holy]. 4 Thus says the lord almighty, Yet shall sit down older men and older women in the squares of Jerusalem, each [²his cane ¹having] in his hand because of a multitude of days. 5 And the squares of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in her squares. 6 Thus says the lord almighty, Shall it be impossible in the presence of the remnant of this people in those days, no. Shall [²also ³before ⁴me ¹it be impossible], says the lord almighty, no. 7 Thus says the lord almighty, Behold, I shall deliver my people from the land of the east, and from the land of the west. 8 And I will bring them, and they will encamp in the midst of Jerusalem; and they will be to me for a people, and I will be to them for God, in truth and in righteousness. 9 Thus says the lord almighty, Strengthen your hands, O ones hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, from which day [⁵was founded ¹the ²house ³of the lord ⁴almighty], and [³the temple ¹from ²which day] was built. 10 For before those days the wage of men will not be for profitability, and the wage of the cattle does not exist. And to the one going forth and to the one entering there will be no peace because of the affliction. And I shall send out all the men, each against his neighbor. 11 And now, not according to the days prior will I do to the remnant of this people, says the lord almighty, 12 but I will show peace; The grapevine shall give her fruit, and the earth will give her produce, and the heaven will give its dew; and I will allot to the remnants of my people all these things. 13 And it will be in which manner you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and O O house of Israel; so shall I preserve you, and you will be a blessing. Be of courage and grow strong in your hands! 14 For thus says the lord almighty, In which manner I consider to inflict evil on you in [²provoking me to anger ¹your fathers], says the lord almighty, and I did not change my mind. 15 So I was deployed and have considered in these days [²well ¹to do] for Jerusalem and the house of Judah -- be of courage! 16 These are the matters which you shall do. Let [²speak ³truth ¹each] to his neighbor, and [²judgment ¹peaceable], and [²righteously ¹judge] at your gates! 17 And [²each ⁵evil ⁶against his neighbor ³not ¹let ⁴consider] in your hearts! And [⁴oath ³a lying ¹do not ²love]! For all these things I detested, says the lord almighty. 18 And came to pass the word of the lord almighty to me, saying, 19 Thus says the lord almighty, Fasting on the fourth month, and fasting on the fifth, and fasting on the seventh, and fasting on the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah for joy and gladness, and for [²holiday feasts ¹good]; and you shall be glad, and [²truth ³and ⁴peace ¹love]. 20 Thus says the lord almighty, Still there shall come [²peoples ¹many], and dwelling [²cities ¹many]. 21 And shall come together ones dwelling cities to one city, saying, We should go to beseech the face of the lord, and to seek after the face of the lord almighty -- [³shall go ¹even ²I]. 22 And there shall come [²peoples ¹many] and many nations to seek after the face of the lord almighty in Jerusalem, and to atone in front of the lord. 23 Thus says the lord almighty, In those days [³shall take hold ¹ten ²men] of ones of all the languages of nations. And they shall take hold of the decorative hem of a Jewish man, saying, We shall go with you, because we have heard that God [²with ³you ¹is].