Jerusalem, Holy City of the Future

8 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

a‘I am 1zealous for Zion with great 2zeal;

With great 3fervor I am zealous for her.’

3 “Thus says the Lord:

b‘I will return to Zion,

And cdwell in the midst of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem dshall be called the City of Truth,

eThe Mountain of the Lord of hosts,

fThe Holy Mountain.’

4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

g‘Old men and old women shall again sit

In the streets of Jerusalem,

Each one with his staff in his hand

Because of 4great age.

5 The streets of the city

Shall be hfull of boys and girls

Playing in its streets.’

6 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘If it is 5marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,

iWill it also be marvelous in My eyes?’

Says the Lord of hosts.

7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Behold, jI will save My people from the land of the 6east

And from the land of the 7west;

8 I will kbring them back,

And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.

lThey shall be My people

And I will be their God,

mIn truth and righteousness.’

9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

n‘Let your hands be strong,

You who have been hearing in these days

These words by the mouth of othe prophets,

Who spoke in pthe day the foundation was laid

For the house of the Lord of hosts,

That the temple might be built.

10 For before these days

There were no qwages for man nor any hire for beast;

There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in;

For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.

11 rBut now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.

12 ‘For sthe 8seed shall be prosperous,

The vine shall give its fruit,

tThe ground shall give her increase,

And uthe heavens shall give their dew—

I will cause the remnant of this people

To possess all these.

13 And it shall come to pass

That just as you were va curse among the nations,

O house of Judah and house of Israel,

So I will save you, and wyou shall be a blessing.

Do not fear,

Let your hands be strong.’

14 “For thus says the Lord of hosts:

x‘Just as I determined to 9punish you

When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’

Says the Lord of hosts,

y‘And I would not relent,

15 So again in these days

I am determined to do good

To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

Do not fear.

16 These are the things you shall zdo:

aSpeak each man the truth to his neighbor;

Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;

17 bLet none of you think evil in 1your heart against your neighbor;

And do not love a false oath.

For all these are things that I hate,’

Says the Lord.”

18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

c‘The fast of the fourth month,

dThe fast of the fifth,

eThe fast of the seventh,

fAnd the fast of the tenth,

Shall be gjoy and gladness and cheerful feasts

For the house of Judah.

hTherefore love truth and peace.’

20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Peoples shall yet come,

Inhabitants of many cities;

21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,

i“Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord,

And seek the Lord of hosts.

I myself will go also.”

22 Yes, jmany peoples and strong nations

Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem,

And to pray before the Lord.’

23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men kfrom every language of the nations shall lgrasp the 2sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard mthat God is with you.” ’ ”