Future Jerusalem Will Be Blessed

1Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

2Thus says the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

3Thus says the LORD; I have returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.

4Thus says the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand because of old age.

5And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

6Thus says the LORD of hosts; If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, would it also be marvelous in my eyes? says the LORD of hosts.

7Thus says the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

8And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

9Thus says the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, you that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who were there in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

10For before these days there were no wages for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the enemy: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

11But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts.

12For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

13And it shall come to pass, that as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

14For thus says the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I relented not:

15So again have I thought in these days to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear you not.

16These are the things that you shall do; Speak you every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

17And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.

18And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,

19Thus says the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

20Thus says the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

21And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.

22Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

23Thus says the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of every language of the nations, even shall take hold of the robe of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.