rd

Zechariah 8

8 Of the return of the people unto Jerusalém, and of the mercie of God toward them, 16 Of good works. 20 The calling of the Gentiles.
1.Again the word of the Lord of hostes came unto me, saying,
2.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, I was ajealous for Zión with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great wrath.
3.Thus saith the Lord, I will return unto Zión, and will dwell in the middes of Jerusalém, and Jerusalém shalbe called a bcity of truth, and the Mountain of the Lord of hostes, the holie Mountain.
4.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, There shal yet old cmen and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalém, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5.And the streets of the city shalbe ful of boys and girls, playing in the streets thereof.
6.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Though it be dunpossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it therefore be unpossible in my sight, saith the Lord of hostes?
7.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Behold, I will deliver my people from the East country, and from the West country.
8.And I will bring them, and they shal edwell in the middes of Jerusalém, and they shalbe my people, and I wil be their God in truth and in righteousness.
9.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Let your fhands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the Prophets, which were in the day, that the fundacion of the House of the Lord of hostes was laid, that the Temple might be builded.
10.For before these days there was no hier for gman nor any hier for beast, neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men, every one against his neighbour.
11.But now, I will not entreat the residue of this people as afore time, saith the Lord of hostes.
12.For the seed shalbe prosperous: the vine shal give her fruit, and the ground shal give her increase and the heavens shal give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
13.And it shal come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, ô house of Judáh, and house of Israél, so will I deliver you, and ye shalbe a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
14.For thus saith the Lord of hostes, As I thought to punish hyou: when your fathers provoked me unto wrath, saith the Lord of hostes, and repented not,
15.So again have I determined in these days ito do well unto Jerusalém, and to the house of Judáh: fear ye not.
16.These are the things that ye shal do. Speak ye every man the truth unto his neighbour: execute judgement truly and uprightly in your gates.
17.And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath: for all these are the things that I hate, saith the Lord.
18.And the word of the Lord of hostes came unto me, saying,
19.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, The fast of the forth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the ktenth, shal be to the house of Judáh joy and gladness, and prosperous hie feasts: therefore love the truth and peace.
20.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, That there shal yet come lpeople, and the inhabitants of great cities.
21.And they that dwell in one city, shal go to another, saying, *Up, let us go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hostes: I will go also.
22.Yea, great people and mighty nations shal come to seek the Lord of hostes in Jerusalém, and to pray before the Lord.
23.Thus saith the Lord of hostes, In those days shal ten men take hold out of all languages of the nations, even take hold of the skirts of him that is a Jew, and say, We will go with you: for we have heard, that God is with you.

Notes

2-a.
I loved my city with a singular love, so that I could not abide that any should do her any injury.
3-b.
Because she shall be faithful, and loyal toward me her husband.
4-c.
Though their enemies did greatly molest and trouble them, yet God would come, and dwell among them, and so preserve them so long as nature would suffer them to live, and increase their children in great abundance.
6-d.
He shows wherein our faith stands, that is, to believe that God can perform that which he has promised though it seem never so unpossible to man, Rom. 4.20.
8-e.
So that their return shall not be in vain, for God will accomplish he promise, and their prosperity shall be sure and stable.
9-f.
Let neither respect of your private commodities, neither counsel of others, nor fear of enemies discourage you in the going forward with the building of the Temple, but be constant and obey the Prophets, which encourage you thereunto.
10-g.
For God cursed your work, so that neither man nor beast had profit of their labour.
14-h.
Read Eze, 18.20.
15-i.
Which declares, that man can not turn to God till he change man’s heart by his Spirit, and so begin to do well, which is to pardon his sins and to give him his graces.
19-k.
Which fast was appointed when the city was besieged, and was the first fast of these four: and here the Prophet shows, that if the Jews will repent, and turn wholly to God, they shall have no more occasion to fast, or to show signs of heaviness: for God will send them joy and gladness.
20-l.
He declares that great zeal that God should give the Gentiles to come to his Church and to join with the Jews in his true religion, which should be in the kingdom of Christ,
21-*.
Is. 2.3, Mic. 4.1.