³This is what the Lord says: “I will return^b to Zion^c and dwell in Jerusalem.^d Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,^e and the mountain^f of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.^g”

⁴This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem,^h each of them with cane in hand because of their age. ⁵The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.ⁱ”

⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,^j but will it seem marvelous to me?^k” declares the Lord Almighty.

⁷This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.^l ⁸I will bring them back^m to liveⁿ in Jerusalem; they will be my people,^o and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.^p”

⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong^q so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets^r said who were present when the foundation^s was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁰Before that time there were no wages^t for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely^u because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. ¹¹But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,”^v declares the Lord Almighty.

¹²“The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,^w the ground will produce its crops,^x and the heavens will drop their dew.^y I will give all these things as an inheritance^z to the remnant of this people.^a ¹³Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse^a^b among the nations, so I will save^c you, and you will be a blessing.^b^d Do not be afraid,^e but let your hands be strong.^f”

¹⁴This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster^g on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, ¹⁵“so now I have determined to do good^h again to Jerusalem and Judah.ⁱ Do not be afraid. ¹⁶These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth^j to each other, and render true and sound judgment^k in your courts;^l ¹⁷do not plot evil^m against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.ⁿ I hate all this,” declares the Lord.

¹⁸The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

¹⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth,^o fifth,^p seventh^q and tenth^r months will become joyful^s and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth^t and peace.”

²⁰This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, ²¹and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat^u the Lord and seek^v the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ ²²And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”^w

²³This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’ ”^x

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Footnotes

aThat is, your name has been used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, you have been regarded as under a curse.
bOr and your name will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or and you will be seen as blessed

Cross references

aSee Joel 2:18
b Zec 1:16
cSee Isa 52:8; See Joel 3:21
dSee Zec 2:10
eSee Ps 15:2; See Isa 1:26; See 48:1; See Jer 33:16
fSee Jer 26:18
gSee Isa 1:26; See Mic 4:1
hSee Isa 65:20
iSee Jer 30:20; 31:13
j Ps 118:23; 126:1–3
k Jer 32:17, 27
l Ps 107:3; See Isa 11:11; See 43:5
mSee Eze 37:12; Zec 10:10
nSee Jer 31:24
oSee Isa 51:16; See Eze 11:19–20; See 36:28; See Zec 2:11; Heb 8:10
p Jer 11:4; Zec 10:6
qSee Hag 2:4
rSee Ezr 5:1
sSee Ezr 3:11
tSee Isa 5:10; See Hag 1:6
uSee 2 Ch 15:5
v Isa 12:1
wSee Ps 85:12; See Joel 2:22
xSee Ps 67:6
ySee Ge 27:28
zSee Ps 65:13; See Isa 60:21; Ob 1:17
aSee Hos 2:21
bSee Nu 5:27; See Dt 13:15; See Ps 102:8; Jer 42:18
cSee Ps 48:8
dSee Ge 12:2; See Joel 2:14
eSee Hag 2:5
fver 9
gSee Eze 24:14
hver 13; See Jer 29:11; Mic 7:18–20
i Jer 31:28; 32:42
jSee Ps 15:2; See Jer 33:16; See Eph 4:25
kSee Eze 18:8
lSee Eze 45:9; See Am 5:15; See Zec 7:9
m Pr 3:29
nSee Pr 6:16–19; See Jer 7:9; Zec 5:4
oSee 2 Ki 25:7; Jer 39:2
pSee Jer 52:12
q 2 Ki 25:25
r Jer 52:4
s Ps 30:11
tver 16
uSee Zec 7:2
v Jer 26:19
wSee Ps 86:9; 117:1; Isa 2:2–3; See 44:5; See 45:14; 49:6; See Zec 2:11
xSee Ps 102:22; See Isa 14:1; See 45:14; See 56:3; 1 Co 14:25