American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Zechariah 8
1
Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
2
Thus said the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.
Reference
3
Thus said the LORD; I am returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
Reference
Holy
Isaiah 66:20
Jeremiah 31:23
Parallel theme
Revelation 21:3
Isaiah 1:26
Colossians 2:9
John 14:23
2 Corinthians 6:16
References Lord
Zechariah 1:16
Jeremiah 33:16
Truth
John 1:14
4
Thus said the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 31:13
6
Thus said the LORD of hosts; If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? said the LORD of hosts.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 1:20
Luke 1:37
Luke 18:27
References Lord
Jeremiah 32:27
Jeremiah 32:17
Genesis 18:14
2 Kings 7:2
Psalm 118:23
7
Thus said the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
Reference
8
And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the middle of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 37:25
References God
Ezekiel 36:28
Ezekiel 11:20
Jeremiah 31:33
Revelation 21:3
Zechariah 13:9
Revelation 21:7
Jeremiah 30:22
Ezekiel 37:27
Righteousness
Jeremiah 4:2
9
Thus said the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, you that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
Reference
10
For before these 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 affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.
Reference
11
But now I will not be to the residue of this people as in the former days, said the LORD of hosts.
Reference
12
For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
Reference
13
And it shall come to pass, that as you were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
Reference
Blessing
Psalm 72:17
Curse
Jeremiah 24:9
Jeremiah 42:18
Parallel theme
Zechariah 8:9
Zephaniah 3:20
Ezekiel 5:15
1 Corinthians 16:13
Psalm 79:4
Sin
Jeremiah 29:18
Daniel 9:11
14
For thus said the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, said the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:
Reference
15
So again have I thought in these days to do well to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear you not.
Reference
16
These are the things that you shall do; Speak you every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
Reference
Judgment
Zechariah 7:9
Isaiah 9:7
Amos 5:24
Peace
Zechariah 8:19
Truth
Ephesians 4:25
Psalm 15:2
Proverbs 12:17
Proverbs 12:19
17
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, said the LORD.
Reference
Evil
Zechariah 7:10
Psalm 10:3
Proverbs 3:29
Jeremiah 4:14
Matthew 12:35
Matthew 15:19
Habakkuk 1:13
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 44:4
References Lord
Malachi 3:5
18
And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
19
Thus said the LORD 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 the truth and peace.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 39:2
Jeremiah 52:4
Zechariah 7:5
2 Kings 25:25
Psalm 30:11
Esther 9:22
Peace
Zechariah 8:16
References Lord
Zechariah 7:3
Isaiah 12:1
Isaiah 35:10
20
Thus said the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
Reference
21
And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.
Reference
22
Yes, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 21:24
Isaiah 25:7
Galatians 3:8
Prayer
Zechariah 8:21
References Lord
Revelation 15:4
23
Thus said the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even 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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 60:3
Isaiah 66:18
Isaiah 4:1
Isaiah 3:6
Acts 19:12
Job 19:3
References God
Isaiah 45:14
Isaiah 55:5
1 Corinthians 14:25
Genesis 31:7
Summary of Zechariah 8
Zechariah 8 presents a comprehensive vision of Jerusalem's restoration, in which God's return to Zion transforms the city from a place marked by destruction and insecurity into a community characterized by truth, peace, prosperity, joyful families, and God's visible presence, while the restoration of Judah ultimately becomes a blessing that draws people from many nations toward the Lord.
God promises that Jerusalem will again be known as a city of truth and holiness, where elderly people can sit safely in the streets and children can play without fear, creating a vivid picture of social stability and ordinary human happiness that would have seemed remarkable to a generation whose city had been destroyed and whose people had experienced exile.
The chapter also emphasizes that the restoration may appear impossible to the small post-exilic community, yet God declares that what seems impossible to human beings is not beyond His power, as He intends to gather His scattered people, make their land productive, turn their former curse into blessing, and replace the mourning associated with the destruction of Jerusalem with joyful festivals.
At the same time, this promised restoration requires a transformed society in which people speak truth, practice justice, reject schemes against one another, and actively pursue peace, demonstrating that God's blessing is inseparable from the moral character of the community receiving it.
The central message is that Zechariah 8 portrays God's restoration of Jerusalem as a complete transformation from judgment to blessing, from fear to security, from mourning to celebration, and from isolation to international significance, with God's presence at the center of this renewed future.
The chapter ultimately presents Jerusalem as a place where God's people experience peace and prosperity while becoming a witness to the nations, so that people from many languages and countries will recognize that God is with His people and will seek Him there.
God promises that Jerusalem will again be known as a city of truth and holiness, where elderly people can sit safely in the streets and children can play without fear, creating a vivid picture of social stability and ordinary human happiness that would have seemed remarkable to a generation whose city had been destroyed and whose people had experienced exile.
The chapter also emphasizes that the restoration may appear impossible to the small post-exilic community, yet God declares that what seems impossible to human beings is not beyond His power, as He intends to gather His scattered people, make their land productive, turn their former curse into blessing, and replace the mourning associated with the destruction of Jerusalem with joyful festivals.
At the same time, this promised restoration requires a transformed society in which people speak truth, practice justice, reject schemes against one another, and actively pursue peace, demonstrating that God's blessing is inseparable from the moral character of the community receiving it.
The central message is that Zechariah 8 portrays God's restoration of Jerusalem as a complete transformation from judgment to blessing, from fear to security, from mourning to celebration, and from isolation to international significance, with God's presence at the center of this renewed future.
The chapter ultimately presents Jerusalem as a place where God's people experience peace and prosperity while becoming a witness to the nations, so that people from many languages and countries will recognize that God is with His people and will seek Him there.