Zechariah 8:1-17

1 The word of the LORD of Hosts came to me.

2 Thus says the LORD of Hosts: "I am jealous for Tziyon with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath."

3 Thus says the LORD: "I have returned to Tziyon, and will dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim shall be called 'The City of Truth;' and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts, 'The Holy Mountain.'"

4 Thus says the LORD of Hosts: "Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Yerushalayim, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

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

6 Thus says the LORD of Hosts: "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 Hosts.

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

8 and I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim; and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness."

9 Thus says the LORD of Hosts: "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 Hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

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

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

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

13 It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Yehudah and house of Yisra'el, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don't be afraid. Let your hands be strong."

14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath," says the LORD of Hosts, "and I didn't repent;

15 so again have I thought in these days to do good to Yerushalayim and to the house of Yehudah. Don't be afraid.

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

17 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.

Zechariah 8:1-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 8

This chapter contains promises of various blessings to the people of the Jews; and exhortations to each of the duties incumbent on them; and is concluded with a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles. The cause of all the blessings promised is the love of God to them, signified by zeal, or jealousy for them, Zec 8:1,2. The blessings promised are the Lord's return to dwell in Jerusalem, and the integrity and holiness of that city, Zec 8:3. The long life of the inhabitants of it, and the plenty of children that should be born in it, Zec 8:4,5 and, however wonderful and incredible this might seem to some, it was not to the Lord, who was determined to bring his people that were in various distant countries to Jerusalem, and settle them there; and renew and reestablish his covenant with them, Zec 8:6-8 wherefore the Lord encourages them to go on in rebuilding the temple, Zec 8:9 and promises them that things would be better with them than in times past; that whereas there had been nothing but penury, affliction, and distress, now there should be great affluence and prosperity, Zec 8:10-12 and though before they were a curse among the nations, now they should be a blessing; and though their fathers were punished, they should be dealt well with, Zec 8:13-15 and then they are exhorted to the discharge of several duties mentioned, to which they are induced by the Lord's hatred of that which is evil, and by his turning their fasts into cheerful feasts. Zec 8:16-19 to which is added a prophecy of the calling and conversion of the Gentiles, which would make for the glory of the Jewish church; who are described by their numbers, being many people, and the inhabitants of many cities; by their association together, to pray to the Lord, and worship him; by their coming up to Jerusalem for that purpose; and by their junction with the Jews, to which they will be encouraged by having heard that God is with them, Zec 8:20-23.