1And the word of Jehovah of hosts came to me , saying , 2Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy , and I am jealous for her with great wrath . 3Thus saith Jehovah : I am returned unto Zion , and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem : and Jerusalem shall be called The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts , The holy mountain . 4Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem , every man with his staff in his hand for very age . 5And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof . 6Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days , should it also be marvellous in mine eyes ? saith Jehovah of hosts . 7Thus saith Jehovah 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 .
The Call to Truth and Justice
9Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : Let your hands be strong , ye that hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid , even the temple , that it might be built . 10For before those days 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 adversary : 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 , saith Jehovah of hosts . 12For there shall be the seed of peace ; 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 inherit all these things . 13And it shall come to pass that , as ye were a curse among the nations , O house of Judah and house of Israel , so will I save you , and ye shall be a blessing . Fear not , but let your hands be strong .
Fasting Turned to Joy
14For thus saith Jehovah of hosts : As I thought to do evil unto you , when your fathers provoked me to wrath , saith Jehovah of hosts , and I repented not ; 15so again have I thought in these days to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah : fear ye not . 16These are the things that ye shall do : Speak ye every man the truth with his neighbor ; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates ; 17and 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 , saith Jehovah . 18And the word of Jehovah of hosts came unto me , saying , 19Thus saith Jehovah 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 truth and peace .
The Nations and the Future of Jerusalem
20Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : It shall yet come to pass , that there shall come peoples , and the inhabitants of many cities ; 21and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another , saying, Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Jehovah , and to seek Jehovah of hosts : I will go also . 22Yea, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem , and to entreat the favor of Jehovah . 23Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : In those days it shall come to pass , that ten men shall take hold , out of all the languages of the nations , they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew , saying, We will go with you , for we have heard that God is with you .