Zechariah 8:1-Zechariah 9:17 - Yahweh's Promise To Jerusalem

¹ This is this message from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies: ² "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I'm greatly jealous about Zion, and that makes me furious about her.' ³ "This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and I will live in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem will be called, "The City of Truth" and the mountain of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will be called, "The Holy Mountain".' ⁴ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "There will yet be old men and old women sitting in the parks of Jerusalem, each one of them holding canes in their hands due to their old age! ⁵ The city parks will be filled with boys and girls. They will play in the city's open parks.' ⁶ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "It may seem impossible to the survivors of this people, but is it impossible for me?' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ⁷ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Look! After having saved my people from the land of the east and from the land of the west, ⁸ I will also bring them back to live in the midst of Jerusalem. They will be my people and I will truly be their righteous God.'"

⁹ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Be strong so the Temple can be built, you who are now listening to this message spoken by the prophets when the foundation was laid to the Temple of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ¹⁰ Before then, everyone was unemployed even the draft animals and no one was safe coming or going because of the enemy, because I caused everyone to oppose each other. ¹¹ ""But now I will not treat the survivors of this people as I did formerly,' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ¹² "For there will be a sowing of peace: the vine will produce its fruit, the earth will produce its full yield, the sky will produce its dew, and I will make the survivors of this people inherit all these things. ¹³ Furthermore, house of Judah and house of Israel, even though you used to be a curse among the nations, now I will surely save you, and you will be a blessing. Stop being afraid. Instead, grow stronger.'" ¹⁴ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Just as I intended to bring harm to you when your ancestors angered me,' says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "and I did not relent, ¹⁵ so I have decided at this time to do good things for Jerusalem and for the house of Judah. So stop being afraid. ¹⁶ Here's what you must do: tell the truth to your neighbors, administer true and peaceful justice in your courtrooms, ¹⁷ don't plot evil in your heart against a neighbor, and don't tolerate false testimonies, because I hate all these things,' declares the LORD."

¹⁸ Once again this message from the LORD come to me: ¹⁹ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "The fasts that occur in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be joyful and glad times for the house of Judah, replete with cheerful festivals. Therefore, love truth and peace.'" ²⁰ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "In the future, people will come, including residents of many cities, ²¹ and they will travel from one place to another place and say, "Let's go quickly to pray in the presence of the LORD and to inquire of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.' And I will go, too. ²² Many people and powerful nations will come to inquire of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies in Jerusalem, and to pray in the presence of the LORD."'" ²³ "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "In the future, ten men speaking all the languages of the nations will grab hold of one Jewish person by the hem of his garment and say, "Let us go up to Jerusalem with you, because we heard that God is with you."'"

¹ A declaration: this message from the LORD in the land of Hadrach, with Damascus its confederate, because the eyes of humanity will look to the LORD, along with those of all the tribes of Israel. ² Also Hamath, which borders on it along with Tyre and Sidon indeed they are very wise. ³ "Tyre built itself a fortification, hoarding silver like dust and pure gold like mud in a street. ⁴ Look! The Lord will evict her, striking at her power in the sea, and she will be consumed by fire. ⁵ Ashkelon will see it happen and will be terrified; Gaza will tremble greatly. Ekron will be ashamed of her expectations, Gaza's king will perish, and Ashkelon will become uninhabited. ⁶ A strange people will inhabit Ashdod, and I will eliminate the arrogance of Philistia. ⁷ I will remove the blood from its mouth, along with its abominations from between its teeth. Its survivors will be dedicated to our God; It will be like a clan of Judah, and Ekron will be as a Jebusite. ⁸ I will set a garrison around my Temple, to hinder those who might come and go, and to guard against oppressors who intend to invade; for I have taken note of this with my eyes."

⁹ "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; cry out, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you. He is righteous, and he is able to save. He is humble, and is riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ¹⁰ I will banish chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem. War weapons will be banished, and your king will speak peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the River to the farthest portion of the earth. ¹¹ Now concerning you and my blood covenant with you, I have liberated your prisoners from a waterless pit. ¹² Return to your fortress, you prisoners who have hope. Even today I am telling you: In return I will repay you double. ¹³ For I have bent Judah as if it were my bow, loading it with Ephraim. I raised up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, wielding you like a mighty warrior's sword." ¹⁴ The LORD will appear over them his arrow will shoot like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and go out with the southern windstorm. ¹⁵ The LORD of the Heavenly Armies will defend them; they will devour and conquer those who sling stones. They will drink and be boisterous like those who are drunk. They will be filled to the brim with blood, like the corners of the altar. ¹⁶ The LORD their God will save them at that time as his very own flock of people, because they are his crown jewels, exalted throughout his land. ¹⁷ For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the virgins.