Zechariah 8

1 Yahweh gave me [another] message. He said,

Againe the worde of the Lord of hostes came to me, saying,

2 “This is what [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say: ‘I love [the people of] Jerusalem; I love them very much, and I am very angry with their enemies.’

Thus saith the Lord of hostes, I was ielous for Zion with great ielousie, and I was ielous for her with great wrath.

3 So this is what I say: ‘[Some day] I will return to Zion [Hill] and I will live there. [At that time, ] Jerusalem will be called the city [where people] (are faithful to/faithfully obey) me, and [people will say that Zion] Hill [is] holy because it is where the Commander of the armies of angels dwells.’”

Thus saith the Lord, I wil returne vnto Zion, and wil dwel in the mids of Ierusalem: and Ierusalem shalbe called a citie of trueth, and the Mountaine of the Lord of hostes, the holy Mountaine.

4 The Commander of the armies of angels also says this: “[Some day] old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each of them holding a cane because of their being very old.

Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, There shall yet olde men and olde women dwell in the streetes of Ierusalem, and euery man with his staffe in his hand for very age.

5 And the city streets with be full of boys and girls playing.”

And the streetes of the citie shalbe full of boyes and girles, playing in the streetes thereof.

6 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “[When those things happen, ] it will seem marvelous to the people who are still alive, but it certainly will not [RHQ] seem marvelous to me!”

Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Though it be vnpossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes, should it therefore be vnpossible in my sight, sayth the Lord of hostes?

7 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “I will rescue my people from countries to the northeast and to the southwest [to which they were forced to go].

Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Beholde, I will deliuer my people from the East countrey, and from the West countrey.

8 I will bring them back [to Judah], and they will [again] live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will be faithful [to them] and act righteously [toward them].”

And I wil bring them, and they shall dwel in the mids of Ierusalem, and they shalbe my people, and I wil be their God in trueth, and in righteousnes.

9 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “When the foundation for my temple was laid, there were prophets there who proclaimed messages [from me]. Some of you heard what those prophets said. [So] be brave/courageous [MTY] [while you are building] the temple, in order that you may [finish] building it.

Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Let your hands be strong, ye that heare in these dayes these words by the mouth of the Prophets, which were in the day, that the foundation of the House of the Lord of hostes was laide, that the Temple might be builded.

10 Before [you started to rebuild the temple], [no one could hire] men or animals [to work for them, because] there was no money to pay for them. And people were afraid to go anywhere because I had caused people to oppose each other, and [they thought that] there were enemies [everywhere].

For before these dayes there was no hire for man nor any hire for beast, neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men, euery one against his neighbour.

11 But now I will act differently toward [you] people who are still alive, [differently] than I did previously. [That is what I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say.

But nowe, I wil not intreate the residue of this people as aforetime, saith the Lord of hostes.

12 [From now on, ] it will be peaceful when you plant [your seeds], and your grapevines will produce grapes, and good crops will grow in your fields. There will be rain. I will give all those things to [you] people who are still alive.

For the seede shall be prosperous: the vine shall giue her fruite, and the ground shall giue her increase, and the heauens shall giue their dewe, and I will cause the remnant of this people to possesse all these things.

13 You [people of] Judah and Israel, [the people of other] nations have cursed you. But I will rescue you, and you will be a blessing [to the people of many nations. So] do not be afraid; work hard [MTY] [to finish building the temple].”

And it shall come to passe, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Iudah, and house of Israel, so wil I deliuer you, and ye shalbe a blessing: feare not, but let your hands be strong.

14 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “When your ancestors caused me to become very angry, I decided to punish them. And I did not change my mind.

For thus sayth the Lord of hostes, As I thought to punish you, when your fathers prouoked me vnto wrath, sayth the Lord of hostes, and repented not,

15 But now [I will do something different]. I am planning to do good things to [the people of] Jerusalem and [other towns in] Judah. [So] do not be afraid.

So againe haue I determined in these daies to doe well vnto Ierusalem, and to the house of Iudah: feare ye not.

16 These are the things that you should do: [You should always] tell the truth to each other. In the courts, [your judges must] make decisions according to what is correct and fair.

These are ye things that ye shall doe. Speake ye euery man the trueth vnto his neighbour: execute iudgement truely and vprightly in your gates,

17 Do not plan to do evil things to others, and do not falsely promise [to do things that you know that you will not do]. I hate all those things.”

And let none of you imagine euill in your hearts against his neighbour, and loue no false othe: for all these are the things that I hate, saith the Lord.

18 The Commander of the armies of angels spoke to me [again].

And the worde of the Lord of hostes came vnto me, saying,

19 This is what he said: “The times when you people of Judah (fast/abstain from food) during the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months [of each year] will become good and very happy/joyful [DOU] festivals. But you must want [to speak] truthfully and [be] peaceful.”

Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, The fast of the fourth moneth, and the fast of the fift, and the fast of the seuenth, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Iudah ioy and gladnes, and prosperous hie feasts: therefore loue the trueth and peace.

20 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “[Some day] people from many [people-groups and foreign] cities will come [here to Jerusalem].

Thus saith the Lord of hostes, That there shall yet come people, and the inhabitants of great cities.

21 People from one city will go to [the people in] another [city] and say, ‘Let’s [go together to Jerusalem] to worship Yahweh and ask him to bless us; we [ourselves] are going.’

And they that dwell in one citie, shall go to another, saying, Vp, let vs go and pray before the Lord, and seeke the Lord of hostes: I wil go also.

22 And [people from] many people-groups and [from] powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh and ask him to bless them.”

Yea, great people and mightie nations shall come to seeke the Lord of hostes in Ierusalem, and to pray before the Lord.

23 The Commander of the armies of angels [also] says this: “At that time, [this is what will happen everywhere]: A group of people from one nation or a group of people who speak another language will grab the fringe/edge of the robe of a Jew and say [to him], ‘We have heard [people say] that God is with you. So allow us to go with you [to Jerusalem to worship him].’”

Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, In those dayes shall ten men take holde out of all languages of the nations, euen take holde of the skirt of him that is a Iewe, and say, We will go with you: for we haue heard that God is with you.