The Prophet Zechariah

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- Chapter 8 -

(Micah 4:6–13)

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

Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have been zealous for Zion with a great zeal, and with a great indignation have I been zealous for her.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have been turned back towards 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 Sanctified Mountain.”

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Then elderly men and elderly women will dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man will be with his walking stick in his hand, because of the multitude of days.(a)

And the streets of the city will be filled with toddlers and children, playing in its streets.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it seems difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, could it indeed be difficult in my eyes, says the Lord of hosts?

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the land of the East, and from the land of the setting of the sun.(b)

And I will lead 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 justice.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strengthened, you who, in those days, are listening to these words by the mouth of the prophets, in the day that the house of the Lord of hosts has been founded, so that the temple may be built.

Indeed, before those days, there was no pay for men, nor was there pay for beasts of burden, and neither was there peace for those entering, nor for those exiting, because of the tribulation. And I had dismissed all men, each one against his neighbor.

But now, I will not act towards the remnant of this people according to the former days, says the Lord of hosts.

But there will be a seed of peace: the vine will give her fruit, and the earth will give her seedlings, and the heavens will give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

And this shall be: just as you were a curse among the Gentiles, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strengthened.

For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I intended to afflict you, when your fathers had provoked me to wrath, says the Lord,

and I did not show mercy, so have I turned back, thinking in these days to do good to the house of Judah and to Jerusalem. Do not be afraid.

Therefore, these are the words that you shall do: Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor. With truth and a judgment of peace, judge at your gates.

And let not anyone think up evil against his friend in your hearts. And do not choose to swear falsely. For all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.(c)

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 in joy and gladness and with bright solemnities. So then, love truth and peace.(d)

Thus says the Lord of hosts, then the people may arrive and dwell in many cities,

and the inhabitants may hurry, one saying to another: “Let us go and entreat the face of the Lord, and let us seek the Lord of hosts. I will go also.”

And many peoples and strong nations will approach, seeking the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the face of the Lord.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days, then, ten men from every language of the Gentiles will grasp and cling to the hem of one man of Judea, saying: “We will go with you. For we have heard that God is with you.”(e)

Footnotes

(a)8:4 The word ‘baculus’ could be translated as ‘walking stick’ or ‘staff.’ The phrase ‘præ multitudine dierum’ explains why there will be so many elderly during that time; it is because people will live for a multitude of days. This is the time of the great monarch’s reign, during which people will live long and healthy lives.(Conte)

(b)8:7 The land of the rising sun (Orientis) is the East (perhaps China or Japan) and the land of the setting of the sun (Occasus) is the West (perhaps North America).(Conte)

(c)8:17 Notice that the Bible often breaks the rules of good writing. The first sentence of this verse switches from third person singular (‘anyone’) to second person plural (‘your hearts’). The Bible does not follow conventional rules for composition or even grammar.(Conte)

(d)8:19 The fast of the fourth month, etc:They fasted, on the ninth day of the fourth month, because on that day Nabuchodonosor took Jerusalem, Jer. 52:6. On the tenth day of the fifth month, because on that day the temple was burnt, Jer. 52:12. On the third day of the seventh month, for the murder of Godolias, Jer. 41:2. And on the tenth day of the tenth month, because on that day the Chaldeans began to besiege Jerusalem, 4 Kings. 25:1. All these fasts, if they will be obedient for the future, shall be changed, as is here promised, into joyful solemnities.(Challoner)

(e)8:23 Ten men, etc:Many of the Gentiles became proselytes to the Jewish religion before Christ: but many more were converted to Christ by the apostles and other preachers of the Jewish nation.(Challoner)

(Micah 4:6–13)

The word of the LORD of Armies came to me.

The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

The LORD says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of the LORD of Armies, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”

The LORD of Armies says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of their old age.

The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”

The LORD of Armies says: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says the LORD of Armies.

The LORD of Armies says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country.

I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

The LORD of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.

But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the LORD of Armies.

“For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

For the LORD of Armies says: “As I thought to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I didn’t repent,

so again I have thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.

These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,

and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says the LORD.

The word of the LORD of Armies came to me.

The LORD of Armies says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

The LORD of Armies says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of Armies. I will go also.’

Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.”

The LORD of Armies says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”