Zechariah 8; Zechariah 9; Zechariah 10; Zechariah 11; Zechariah 12; Zechariah 13; Zechariah 14

1 Another message came to me from the LORD who rules over all. He said,

2 "I am very jealous for my people in Zion. In fact, I am burning with jealousy for them."

3 He continued, "I will return to Zion. I will live among my people in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called The City of Truth. And my mountain will be called The Holy Mountain."

4 He continued, "Once again old men and women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem. All of them will be using canes because they are old.

5 The city streets will be filled with boys and girls. They will be playing there."

6 He continued, "All of that might seem wonderful to the people who are living at that time. But it will not seem wonderful to me."

7 He continued, "I will save my people. I will gather them from the countries of the east and the west.

8 I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people. I will be their faithful God. I will keep my promises to them."

9 The LORD who rules over all says to his people, "Listen to the words that were spoken by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. They spoke to you when the work on my temple started up again. Let your hands be strong so that you can rebuild the temple.

10 "Before the work was started again, there was no pay for the people or food for the animals. People could not go about their business safely because of their enemies. I had turned all of them against one another.

11 But now I will not punish you who are living at this time. I will not treat you as I treated your people before you," announces the LORD who rules over all.

12 "Your seeds will grow well. Your vines will bear fruit. The ground will produce crops for you. And the heavens will drop their dew on your land. I will give all of those things to those who are still left alive here.

13 "Judah and Israel, in the past the nations called down curses on you. But now I will save you. You will be a blessing to others. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong so that you can do my work."

14 The LORD who rules over all says, "Years ago your people made me angry. So I decided to bring trouble on them. I did not show them any pity.

15 But now I plan to do good things to Jerusalem and Judah again. So do not be afraid.

16 "Here is what you must do. Speak the truth to one another. Make true and wise decisions in your courts.

17 Do not make evil plans against your neighbors. When you take an oath to tell the truth, do not lie. Many people love to do that. But I hate all of those things," announces the Lord.

18 Another message came to me from the LORD who rules over all. He said,

19 "You have established special times to go without eating. They are your fasts in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. They will become days of joy. They will be happy times for Judah. It will happen if you take delight in telling the truth and bringing about peace."

20 He continued, "Many nations will still come to you. And those who live in many cities will also come.

21 The people who live in one city will go to another city. They will say, 'Let's go right away to ask the LORD to show us his favor. Let's look to him as our God. We ourselves are going.'

22 Large numbers of people and nations will come to Jerusalem. They will look to me. They will ask me to show them my favor."

23 He continued, "At that time many men from all nations and languages will take hold of one Jew. They will grab hold of the hem of his robe. And they will say, 'We want to go to Jerusalem with you. We've heard that God is with you.' "

1 This is the LORD's message against the land of Hadrach. He will judge Damascus. That's because all of the tribes of Israel look to him. So do other people.

2 The LORD will judge Hamath too. It's next to Damascus. He will also punish Tyre and Sidon even though they are very clever.

3 Tyre's people have built a fort for themselves. They've piled up silver like dust. They have as much gold as the dirt in the streets.

4 But the Lord will take away everything they have. He'll destroy their power on the Mediterranean Sea. And Tyre will be completely burned up.

5 Ashkelon will see it and become afraid. Gaza will groan with pain. So will Ekron. Its hope will vanish. Gaza will no longer have a king. Ashkelon will be deserted.

6 Strangers will take over Ashdod. The LORD says, "I will take away everything the Philistines are so proud of.

7 They will no longer drink the blood of their animal sacrifices. I will remove the 'unclean' food from between their teeth. The Philistines who are left will belong to our God. They will become leaders in Judah. And Ekron will be like the Jebusites. So the Philistines will become part of Israel.

8 But I will guard my temple against enemy armies. No one will ever crush my people again. I will make sure it does not happen.

9 "City of Zion, be full of joy! People of Jerusalem, shout! See, your king comes to you. He always does what is right. He has the power to save. He is gentle and riding on a donkey. He is sitting on a donkey's colt.

10 I will take the chariots away from Ephraim. I will remove the war horses from Jerusalem. I will break the bows that are used in battle. Your king will announce peace to the nations. He will rule from ocean to ocean. His kingdom will reach from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

11 I will set your prisoners free from where their enemies are keeping them. I will do it because of the blood that put my covenant with you into effect.

12 Return to your place of safety, you prisoners who still have hope. Even now I announce that I will give you back much more than you had before.

13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow. I will make Ephraim's people my arrows. Zion, I will stir up your sons. Greece, they will attack your sons. My people, I will use you as my sword."

14 Then the LORD will appear over his people. His arrows will flash like lightning. The LORD and King will blow the trumpet of his thunder. He'll march out like a storm in the south.

15 The LORD who rules over all will be like a shield to his people. They will destroy their enemies. They'll use slings to throw stones at them. They'll drink the blood of their enemies as if it were wine. They'll be full like the bowl that is used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.

16 The LORD their God will save his people on that day. They will be like sheep that belong to his flock. They will gleam in his land like jewels in a crown.

17 How very beautiful they will be! Grain and fresh wine will make the young men and women strong.

1 People of Judah, ask the LORD to send rain in the spring. He is the one who makes the storm clouds. He sends down showers of rain on all people. He gives everyone the plants in the fields.

2 Other gods tell lies. Those who practice magic see visions that aren't true. They tell dreams that fool people. They give comfort that doesn't do any good. So the people wander around like sheep. They are crushed because they don't have a shepherd.

3 The LORD who rules over all says, "My anger burns against the shepherds. I will punish the leaders. I will take care of my flock. They are the people of Judah. I will make them like a proud horse in battle.

4 The most important building stone will come from the tribe of Judah. The tent stake will also come from it. And the bow that is used in battle will come from it. In fact, every ruler will come from it.

5 Together they will be like soldiers in battle. They will fight their way through the muddy streets. I will be with them. So they will fight against the horsemen and destroy them.

6 "I will make the family of Judah strong. I will save the people of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have tender love for them. It will be as if I had not sent them away. I am the LORD their God. I will help them.

7 The people of Ephraim will become like mighty men. Their hearts will be glad as if they were drinking wine. Their children will see it and be filled with joy. I will make their hearts glad.

8 I will whistle for my people and gather them in. I will set them free. There will be as many of them as before.

9 I have scattered them among the nations. But in lands far away they will remember me. They and their children will be kept alive. And they will return.

10 I will bring them back from Egypt. I will gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon. There will not be enough room for them.

11 They will pass through a sea of trouble. The stormy sea will calm down. All of the deep places in the Nile River will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down. Egypt's right to rule will disappear.

12 I will make my people strong. They will worship and obey me," announces the Lord.

1 Lebanon, open your doors! Then fire can burn up your cedar trees.

2 Pine trees, cry out! The cedar trees have fallen down. The majestic trees are destroyed. Cry out, you oak trees of Bashan! The thick forest has been cut down.

3 Listen to the shepherds cry out! Their rich grasslands are destroyed. Listen to the lions roar! The trees and bushes along the Jordan River are gone.

4 The LORD my God says, "Take care of the sheep that are set apart to be sacrificed.

5 Those who buy them kill them. And they are not punished for it. Those who sell them say, 'Praise the Lord! We're rich!' And their own shepherds do not spare them.

6 "I will no longer have pity on the people in the land," announces the Lord. "I will hand all of them over to their neighbors and their king. They will crush the people in the land. And I will not save them from their powerful hands."

7 So I took care of the sheep set apart to be sacrificed. I took special care of those that had been crushed. Then I got two shepherd's staffs. I called one of them Favor. I called the other one Union. And I took care of the flock.

8 In one month I got rid of three worthless shepherds. The sheep hated me. And I got tired of them.

9 So I said, "I won't be your shepherd anymore. Let those of you who are dying die. Let those who are passing away pass away. Let those who are left eat one another up."

10 Then I got my staff called Favor. I broke it. That meant the covenant the LORD had made with all of the nations was broken.

11 It happened that very day. The sheep that had been crushed were watching me. They knew it was the LORD's message.

12 I told them, "If you think it is best, give me my pay. But if you don't think so, you keep it." So they paid me 30 silver coins.

13 The LORD said to me, "Throw the coins to the potter." What a good price they had set for me! So I threw the 30 silver coins to the potter in the LORD's temple.

14 Then I broke my second staff called Union. That broke the union between Judah and Israel.

15 The LORD said to me, "Now pretend to be a foolish shepherd. Get the things you need.

16 I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land. He will not take care of those that are wounded. He will not look for the young ones. He will not heal those that are hurt. He will not feed the healthy ones. Instead, he will eat the best sheep. He will even tear their hoofs off.

17 "How terrible it will be for that worthless shepherd! He deserts the flock. May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his powerful arm become weak! May his right eye be totally blinded!"

1 This is the LORD's message about Israel. The LORD spread out the heavens. He laid the foundation of the earth. He created the spirits of all men. He says,

2 "Jerusalem will be like a cup in my hand. It will make all of the surrounding nations drunk from the wine of my anger. Judah will be attacked by its enemies. So will Jerusalem.

3 "At that time all of the nations on earth will gather together against Jerusalem. Then it will become like a rock that can't be moved. All of the nations that try to move it will only hurt themselves.

4 On that day I will fill every horse with panic. I will make every rider crazy," announces the Lord. "I will watch over the people of Judah. But I will make all of the horses of the nations blind.

5 "Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong. That's because the LORD who rules over all is their God.'

6 "At that time Judah's leaders will be like a fire pot in a pile of wood. They will be like a burning torch among bundles of grain. They will destroy all of the surrounding nations on every side. But Jerusalem will remain unharmed in its place.

7 "I will save the houses in Judah first. The honor of David's family line is great. So is the honor of those who live in Jerusalem. But their honor will not be greater than the honor of the rest of Judah.

8 "At that time I will be like a shield to those who live in Jerusalem. Then even the weakest among them will be great warriors like David. And David's family line will be like the Angel of the LORD who leads them.

9 On that day I will begin to destroy all of the nations that attack Jerusalem.

10 "I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on David's family line. I will also send it on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look to me. I am the one they have pierced. They will sob over me as someone sobs over an only child who has died. They will be full of sorrow over me, just like someone who is full of sorrow over an oldest son.

11 "At that time there will be a lot of crying in Jerusalem. It will sound like the sobs of the people at Hadad Rimmon over Josiah's death in the Valley of Megiddo.

12 Everyone in the land will sob. Each family will cry by themselves and their wives by themselves. That will include the family lines of David, Nathan,

13 Levi, Shimei and

14 all of the others.

1 "At that time a fountain will be opened for the benefit of David's family line. It will also bless the others who live in Jerusalem. It will wash away their sins. It will make them pure and clean.

2 "On that day I will remove the names of other gods from the land. They will not even be remembered anymore," announces the LORD who rules over all. "I will drive the evil prophets out of the land. I will get rid of the spirit that put lies in their mouths.

3 Some people might still prophesy. But their own fathers and mothers will speak to them. They will tell them, 'You must die. You have told lies in the LORD's name.' When they prophesy, their own parents will stab them.

4 "At that time every prophet will be ashamed of his vision. He will no longer pretend to be a true prophet. He will not put on clothes that are made out of hair in order to trick people.

5 In fact, he will say, 'I'm not really a prophet. I'm a farmer. I've farmed the land since I was young.'

6 Suppose someone asks him, 'What are those wounds on your body?' Then he will answer, 'I was given these wounds at the house of my friends.'

7 "My sword, wake up! Attack my shepherd! Attack the man who is close to me," announces the LORD who rules over all. "Strike the shepherd down. Then the sheep will be scattered. And I will turn my hand against their little ones.

8 Here is what will happen in the whole land," announces the Lord. "Two-thirds of the people will be struck down and die. But one-third will be left.

9 I will put that third in the fire. I will make them as pure as silver. I will test them like gold. They will call out to me. And I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people.' And they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' "

1 The day of the LORD is coming. At that time Jerusalem's enemies will steal everything its people have. They will divide it up right in front of them.

2 The LORD will gather all of the nations together. They will fight against Jerusalem. They'll capture the city. Its houses will be robbed. Its women will be raped. Half of the people will be taken away as prisoners. But the rest of them won't be taken.

3 Then the LORD will march out and fight against those nations. He will go to war against them.

4 On that day he will stand on the Mount of Olives. It's east of Jerusalem. It will be split in two from east to west. Half of the mountain will move north. The other half will move south. A large valley will be formed.

5 The people will run away through that mountain valley. It will reach all the way to Azel. They'll run away just as they ran from the earthquake when Uzziah was king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come. All of the holy ones will come with him.

6 There won't be any light on that day. The sun, moon and stars will not shine.

7 It will be a day unlike any other. It won't be separated into day and night. It will be a day known only to the Lord. After that day is over, there will be light again.

8 At that time water that gives life will flow out from Jerusalem. Half of it will run into the Dead Sea. The other half will go to the Mediterranean Sea. The water will flow in summer and winter.

9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord. His name will be the only name.

10 The whole land south of Jerusalem will be changed. From Geba to Rimmon it will become like the Arabah Valley. But Jerusalem will be raised up. It will remain in its place. From the Benjamin Gate to the First Gate to the Corner Gate nothing will be changed. From the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepress the city will remain the same.

11 People will live in it. Jerusalem will never be destroyed again. It will be secure.

12 The LORD will punish all of the nations that fought against Jerusalem. He'll strike them with a plague. It will make their bodies rot while they are still standing on their feet. Their eyes will rot in their heads. Their tongues will rot in their mouths.

13 On that day the LORD will fill people with great panic. They will grab one another by the hand. And they'll attack each other.

14 Judah will also fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all of the surrounding nations will be collected. Huge amounts of gold, silver and clothes will be gathered up.

15 The same kind of plague will strike the horses, mules, camels and donkeys. In fact, it will strike all of the animals in the army camps.

16 But some people from all of the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will still be left alive. All of them will go up there to worship the King. He is the LORD who rules over all. Year after year they will celebrate the Feast of Booths.

17 Some nations might not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King. If they don't, they won't have any rain.

18 The people of Egypt might not go up there to take part. Then they won't have any rain either. That's the plague the LORD will send on the nations that don't go to celebrate the Feast of Booths.

19 Egypt will be punished. So will all of the other nations that don't celebrate the Feast.

20 On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be carved on the bells of the horses. The cooking pots in the LORD's temple will be just like the sacred bowls in front of the altar for burnt offerings.

21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be set apart to the Lord. All those who come to offer sacrifices will get some of the pots and cook in them. At that time there won't be any Canaanites in the LORD's temple. He is the LORD who rules over all.