וַיְהִ֛י דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת לֵאמֹֽר׃ The word of GOD of Hosts came [to me]:
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת קִנֵּ֥אתִי לְצִיּ֖וֹן קִנְאָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וְחֵמָ֥ה גְדוֹלָ֖ה קִנֵּ֥אתִי לָֽהּ׃ Thus said GOD of Hosts: I am very jealous for Zion, I am fiercely jealous for her.
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁ֚בְתִּי אֶל־צִיּ֔וֹן וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּת֣וֹךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְנִקְרְאָ֤ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ עִ֣יר הָֽאֱמֶ֔ת וְהַר־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת הַ֥ר הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ Thus said GOD: I have returned to Zion, and I will dwell in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Faithfulness, and the mount of GOD of Hosts the Holy Mount.
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת עֹ֤ד יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ זְקֵנִ֣ים וּזְקֵנ֔וֹת בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאִ֧ישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּ֛וֹ בְּיָד֖וֹ מֵרֹ֥ב יָמִֽים׃ Thus said GOD of Hosts: There shall yet be elderly men and women in the squares of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age.
וּרְחֹב֤וֹת הָעִיר֙ יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ יְלָדִ֖ים וִֽילָד֑וֹת מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים בִּרְחֹֽבֹתֶֽיהָ׃ {פ}
And the squares of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the squares.
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵ֗א בְּעֵינֵי֙ שְׁאֵרִית֙ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה בַּיָּמִ֖ים הָהֵ֑ם גַּם־בְּעֵינַי֙ יִפָּלֵ֔א נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ {פ}
Thus said GOD of Hosts: Though it will seem impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible to Me?—declares GOD of Hosts.
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הִנְנִ֥י מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ אֶת־עַמִּ֖י מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִזְרָ֑ח וּמֵאֶ֖רֶץ מְב֥וֹא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ Thus said GOD of Hosts: I will rescue My people from the lands of the east and from the lands of the west,
וְהֵבֵאתִ֣י אֹתָ֔ם וְשָׁכְנ֖וּ בְּת֣וֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֗ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֶהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת וּבִצְדָקָֽה׃ {פ}
and I will bring them home to dwell in Jerusalem. They shall be My people, and I will be their God—in truth and sincerity.
כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יְדֵיכֶ֔ם הַשֹּֽׁמְעִים֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֵ֖ת הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה מִפִּי֙ הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר בְּי֞וֹם יֻסַּ֨ד בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת הַהֵיכָ֖ל לְהִבָּנֽוֹת׃ Thus said GOD of Hosts: Take courage, you who now hear these words that the prophets spoke when the foundations were laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the House of GOD of Hosts.
כִּ֗י לִפְנֵי֙ הַיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם שְׂכַ֤ר הָֽאָדָם֙ לֹ֣א נִֽהְיָ֔ה וּשְׂכַ֥ר הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֵינֶ֑נָּה וְלַיּוֹצֵ֨א וְלַבָּ֤א אֵין־שָׁלוֹם֙ מִן־הַצָּ֔ר וַאֲשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָדָ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ בְּרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ aCf. Hag. 1.6. For before that time, the earnings from laborbfrom labor Lit. “of a person.” were nil, and profits from livestock were nothing. It was not safe to go about one’s business on account of enemies; and I set every person against someone else.
וְעַתָּ֗ה לֹ֣א כַיָּמִ֤ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִים֙ אֲנִ֔י לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as before—declares GOD of Hosts—
כִּֽי־זֶ֣רַע הַשָּׁל֗וֹם הַגֶּ֜פֶן תִּתֵּ֤ן פִּרְיָהּ֙ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּתֵּ֣ן אֶת־יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְהַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִתְּנ֣וּ טַלָּ֑ם וְהִנְחַלְתִּ֗י אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֛ית הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֶת־כׇּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ but what it sows shall prosper: The vine shall produce its fruit, the ground shall produce its yield, and the skies shall provide their moisture. I will bestow all these things upon the remnant of this people.
וְהָיָ֡ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ הֱיִיתֶ֨ם קְלָלָ֜ה בַּגּוֹיִ֗ם בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ וּבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֚ן אוֹשִׁ֣יעַ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וִהְיִיתֶ֖ם בְּרָכָ֑ה אַל־תִּירָ֖אוּ תֶּחֱזַ֥קְנָה יְדֵיכֶֽם׃ {ס} And just as you were a curseca curse I.e., a standard by which people curse; cf. Gen. 12.2 and note; Jer. 24.9. among the nations, O House of Judah and House of Israel, so, when I vindicate you, you shall become a blessing.da blessing I.e., a standard by which people bless; cf. Gen. 12.2 and note. Have no fear; take courage!
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָמַר֮ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר זָמַ֜מְתִּי לְהָרַ֣ע לָכֶ֗ם בְּהַקְצִ֤יף אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ אֹתִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְלֹ֖א נִחָֽמְתִּי׃ For thus said GOD of Hosts: Just as I planned to afflict you and did not relent when your ancestors provoked Me to anger—said GOD of Hosts—
כֵּ֣ן שַׁ֤בְתִּי זָמַ֙מְתִּי֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לְהֵיטִ֥יב אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה אַל־תִּירָֽאוּ׃ so, at this time, I have turned and planned to do good to Jerusalem and to the House of Judah. Have no fear!
אֵ֥לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ דַּבְּר֤וּ אֱמֶת֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ אֱמֶת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט שָׁל֔וֹם שִׁפְט֖וּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃ These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates.
וְאִ֣ישׁ ׀ אֶת־רָעַ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ אַֽל־תַּחְשְׁבוּ֙ בִּלְבַבְכֶ֔ם וּשְׁבֻ֥עַת שֶׁ֖קֶר אַֽל־תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּ כִּ֧י אֶת־כׇּל־אֵ֛לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂנֵ֖אתִי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
Not a single one of you shall contrive evil against another; and do not love perjury, because all those are things that I hate—declares GOD.
וַיְהִ֛י דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ And the word of GOD of Hosts came to me, saying,
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת צ֣וֹם הָרְבִיעִ֡י וְצ֣וֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי֩ וְצ֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י וְצ֣וֹם הָעֲשִׂירִ֗י יִהְיֶ֤ה לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה֙ לְשָׂשׂ֣וֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּֽלְמֹעֲדִ֖ים טוֹבִ֑ים וְהָאֱמֶ֥ת וְהַשָּׁל֖וֹם אֱהָֽבוּ׃ {פ}
Thus said GOD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month,efast of the fourth month Commemorating the events of 2 Kings 25.3–7 (Jer. 52.6ff.). the fast of the fifth month,ffast of the fifth month Commemorating the events of 2 Kings 25.8–15 (Jer. 52.12ff.). the fast of the seventh month,gfast of the seventh month Commemorating the events of 2 Kings 25.25–26 (Jer. 41). and the fast of the tenth monthhfast of the tenth month Commemorating the events of 2 Kings 25.1–2 (Jer. 52.4). shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity.
כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת עֹ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֹ֣אוּ עַמִּ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י עָרִ֥ים רַבּֽוֹת׃ Thus said GOD of Hosts: Peoples and the inhabitants of many cities shall yet come—
וְֽהָלְכ֡וּ יוֹשְׁבֵי֩ אַחַ֨ת אֶל־אַחַ֜ת לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵלְכָ֤ה הָלוֹךְ֙ לְחַלּוֹת֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת אֵלְכָ֖ה גַּם־אָֽנִי׃ the inhabitants of one shall go to the other and say, “Let us go and entreat the favor of GOD, let us seek GOD of Hosts; I will go, too.”
וּבָ֨אוּ עַמִּ֤ים רַבִּים֙ וְגוֹיִ֣ם עֲצוּמִ֔ים לְבַקֵּ֛שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וּלְחַלּ֖וֹת אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} The many peoples and the multitude of nations shall come to seek GOD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of GOD.
כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל לְשֹׁנ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְֽהֶחֱזִ֡יקוּ בִּכְנַף֩ אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵֽלְכָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים עִמָּכֶֽם׃ {פ}
Thus said GOD of Hosts: In those days, ten people from nations of every tongue will take hold—they will take hold of every Jew by a corner of their cloak and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”