The Restoration of Jerusalem Promised

81 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came , saying , 2 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'I am exceedingly jealous for Zion , yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.' 3 "Thus says the Lord , 'I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem . Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth , and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain .' 4 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , ' Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem , each man with his staff in his hand because of age e . 5 'And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets .' 6 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days , will it also be too difficult in My sight ?' declares the Lord of hosts . 7 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'Behold , I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west e ; 8 and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem ; and they shall be My people , and I will be their God in truth and righteousness .'

9 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'Let your hands be strong , you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets , those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid , to the end that the temple might be built . 10 'For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal ; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies , and I set all men one against another . 11 'But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days ,' declares the Lord of hosts . 12 'For there will be peace for the seed : the vine will yield its fruit , the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew ; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. 13 'It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations , O house of Judah and house of Israel , so I will save you that you may become a blessing . Do not fear ; let your hands be strong .' 14 "For thus says the Lord of hosts , 'Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath ,' says the Lord of hosts , 'and I have not relented , 15 so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah . Do not fear ! 16 'These are the things which you should do : speak the truth to one another ; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates . 17 'Also let none e of you devise evil in your heart against another , and do not love perjury e ; for all these are what I hate ,' declares the Lord ."

18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying , 19 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'The fast of the fourth , the fast of the fifth , the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy , gladness , and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah ; so love truth and peace .' 20 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'It will yet be that peoples will come , even the inhabitants of many cities . 21 'The inhabitants of one will go to another , saying , "Let us go at once to entreat the favor e of the Lord , and to seek the Lord of hosts ; I will also go ." 22 'So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor e of the Lord .' 23 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew , saying , "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.""'