13 You will arise(A) and have compassion(B) on Zion,
    for it is time(C) to show favor(D) to her;
    the appointed time(E) has come.

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16 For the Lord will rebuild Zion(A)
    and appear in his glory.(B)
17 He will respond to the prayer(C) of the destitute;
    he will not despise their plea.

18 Let this be written(D) for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created(E) may praise the Lord:
19 “The Lord looked down(F) from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners(G)
    and release those condemned to death.”
21 So the name of the Lord will be declared(H) in Zion
    and his praise(I) in Jerusalem
22 when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship(J) the Lord.

23 In the course of my life[a] he broke my strength;
    he cut short my days.(K)
24 So I said:
“Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;
    your years go on(L) through all generations.
25 In the beginning(M) you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens(N) are the work of your hands.(O)
26 They will perish,(P) but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
    and they will be discarded.
27 But you remain the same,(Q)
    and your years will never end.(R)
28 The children of your servants(S) will live in your presence;
    their descendants(T) will be established before you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:23 Or By his power

If I forget you,(A) Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
May my tongue cling to the roof(B) of my mouth
    if I do not remember(C) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem(D)
    my highest joy.

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In the last days(A)

the mountain(B) of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;(C)
it will be exalted(D) above the hills,
    and all nations will stream to it.(E)

Many peoples(F) will come and say,

“Come, let us go(G) up to the mountain(H) of the Lord,
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law(I) will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.(J)
He will judge(K) between the nations
    and will settle disputes(L) for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.(M)
Nation will not take up sword against nation,(N)
    nor will they train for war anymore.

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The Mountain of the Lord(A)

In the last days

the mountain(B) of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,(C)
    and peoples will stream to it.(D)

Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,(E)
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.(F)
He will teach us(G) his ways,(H)
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law(I) will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between many peoples
    and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.(J)
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.(K)
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war(L) anymore.(M)
Everyone will sit under their own vine
    and under their own fig tree,(N)
and no one will make them afraid,(O)
    for the Lord Almighty has spoken.(P)
All the nations may walk
    in the name of their gods,(Q)
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
    our God for ever and ever.(R)

The Lord’s Plan

“In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will gather the lame;(S)
    I will assemble the exiles(T)
    and those I have brought to grief.(U)
I will make the lame my remnant,(V)
    those driven away a strong nation.(W)
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion(X)
    from that day and forever.(Y)
As for you, watchtower of the flock,
    stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored(Z) to you;
    kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 4:8 Or hill

14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous(A) for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.(B) I was only a little angry,(C) but they went too far with the punishment.’(D)

16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return(E) to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line(F) will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.(G)

17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort(H) Zion and choose(I) Jerusalem.’”(J)

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A Man With a Measuring Line

[a]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”(A)

While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls(B) because of the great number(C) of people and animals in it.(D) And I myself will be a wall(E) of fire(F) around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory(G) within.’(H)

“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered(I) you to the four winds of heaven,”(J) declares the Lord.(K)

“Come, Zion! Escape,(L) you who live in Daughter Babylon!”(M) For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye(N) I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[b](O) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.(P)

10 “Shout(Q) and be glad, Daughter Zion.(R) For I am coming,(S) and I will live among you,”(T) declares the Lord.(U) 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.(V) I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(W) 12 The Lord will inherit(X) Judah(Y) as his portion in the holy land and will again choose(Z) Jerusalem. 13 Be still(AA) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.(AB)

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:5-17.
  2. Zechariah 2:9 Or says after … eye: “I … plunder them.”

The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous(A) for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

This is what the Lord says: “I will return(B) to Zion(C) and dwell in Jerusalem.(D) Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,(E) and the mountain(F) of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.(G)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem,(H) each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.(I)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,(J) but will it seem marvelous to me?(K)” declares the Lord Almighty.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.(L) I will bring them back(M) to live(N) in Jerusalem; they will be my people,(O) and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.(P)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong(Q) so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets(R) said who were present when the foundation(S) was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. 10 Before that time there were no wages(T) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely(U) because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,”(V) declares the Lord Almighty.

12 “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,(W) the ground will produce its crops,(X) and the heavens will drop their dew.(Y) I will give all these things as an inheritance(Z) to the remnant of this people.(AA) 13 Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse[a](AB) among the nations, so I will save(AC) you, and you will be a blessing.[b](AD) Do not be afraid,(AE) but let your hands be strong.(AF)

14 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster(AG) on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, 15 “so now I have determined to do good(AH) again to Jerusalem and Judah.(AI) Do not be afraid. 16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth(AJ) to each other, and render true and sound judgment(AK) in your courts;(AL) 17 do not plot evil(AM) against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.(AN) I hate all this,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 8:13 That is, your name has been used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, you have been regarded as under a curse.
  2. Zechariah 8:13 Or and your name will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or and you will be seen as blessed

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