12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: q‘In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 rIn the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again spass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the Lord.

14 t‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that uI will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:

15 ‘In those days and at that time

I will cause to grow up to David

A vBranch of righteousness;

He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

16 In those days Judah will be saved,

And Jerusalem will dwell safely.

And this is the name by which she will be called:

3THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’

17 “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never wlack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;