Zechariah 8 · The Lantern

The Restoration of Jerusalem

And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying:

Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy, and with great fury I am jealous for her.

Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the Holy Mountain.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women will yet sit in the squares of Jerusalem, each with his staff in his hand for the multitude of days.

And the squares of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its squares.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: 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 utterance of the LORD of hosts.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: See, I am saving my people from the land of the east and from the land of the going down of the sun.

And I will bring them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day the house of the LORD of hosts was founded, that the temple might be built.

For before those days there was no wage for man and no wage for beast; and for the one going out and the one coming in there was no peace from the adversary; and I sent all men, each against his neighbor.

But now I am not to the remnant of this people as in the former days — the utterance of the LORD of hosts.

For the seed of peace: the vine will give its fruit and the earth will give its yield and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these.

And it will be: 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 fear; let your hands be strong.

For thus says the LORD of hosts: As I purposed to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I did not relent —

so I have returned, I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.

These are the things that you shall do: Speak truth, each to his neighbor; judge truth and a judgment of peace in your gates.

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with…

For indeed there is nothing equal to this virtue. Wouldest thou learn the power of this virtue? "Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me," saith God, "my soul would not regard them." Nevertheless, those whom Moses and Samuel were not able to snatch away from God's wrath, this precept when observed was able to snatch away.

(Verse 16, 17) These are the words you shall do: Speak truth, each one with his neighbor. Give judgment of truth and peace in your gates. And let none of you think evil in your hearts against his neighbor. And love not a false oath. For all these are the things that I hate, says the Lord. LXX: These are the words you shall do: Speak truth, each one with his neighbor.

And do not devise in your hearts the evil of a man’s neighbor, and do not love a false oath; for all these are what I hate — the utterance of the LORD.

And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying:

Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth will be for the house of Judah joy and gladness and good appointed feasts. And love truth and peace.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples will yet come, and inhabitants of many cities.

And the inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, Let us go, going to entreat the face of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts. I will go, I also.

And many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the face of the LORD.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from all the tongues of the nations will take hold, and they will take hold of the corner of the garment of a Jewish man, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

Zechariah8

The Restoration of Jerusalem