1 The restoration of Jerusalem.
9 They are encouraged to build the temple by God's favour to them.
16 Good works are required of them.
18 Joy and enlargement are promised.

1

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

I was jealous. 1:14-16 Ps 78:58,59 Isa 42:13,14 59:17 63:4-6,15 Eze 36:5,6 Joe 2:18 Na 1:2,6

3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

I am. 1:16 Jer 30:10,11

dwell. 2:10,11 Isa 12:6 Eze 48:35 Joe 3:17,21 Joh 1:14 14:23 2Co 6:16 Eph 2:21,22 Col 2:9 Re 21:3

a city. 14:20,21 Isa 1:21,26 60:14 Jer 31:23 33:16

the mountains. Isa 2:2,3

the holy. Isa 11:9 65:25 66:20 Re 21:10,27

4 Thus saith 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.

There. 1Sa 2:31 Job 5:26 42:17 Isa 65:20-22 La 2:20,21,22 5:11-15 Heb 12:22

very age. Heb. multitude of days.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

playing. 2:4 Ps 128:3,4 144:12-15 Jer 30:19,20 31:27 33:11 La 2:19 Mt 11:16,17

6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

marvellous. or, hard, or difficult. should. Ge 18:14 Nu 11:22,23 2Ki 7:2 Jer 32:17,27 Lu 1:20,37 18:27 Ro 4:20,21 6:19-21

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

I. Ps 107:2,3 Isa 11:11-16 27:12,13 43:5,6 49:12 59:19 66:19,20 Jer 31:8 Eze 37:19-25 Ho 11:10,11 Am 9:14,15 Mal 1:11 Ro 11:25-27

west country. Heb. country of the going down of the sun. Ps 50:1 113:3

8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

and they shall dwell. Jer 3:17,18 23:8 32:41 Eze 37:25 Joe 3:20 Am 9:14,15 Ob 17-21 Zep 3:14-20

they shall be my. 13:9 Le 26:12 Jer 4:2 30:22 31:1,33 32:38,39 Eze 11:20 36:28 Eze 37:27 Ho 2:19-23 2Co 6:16-18 Re 21:3,7

in truth. Jer 4:2

9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye 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.

Let. 13,18 Jos 1:6,8 1Ch 22:13 28:20 Isa 35:4 Hag 2:4-9 Eph 6:10 2Ti 2:1

the prophets. Ezr 5:1,2 Hag 1:1,12 2:21

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 neighbour.

before. Hag 1:6-11 2:16-18

there was no hire for man. or, the hire of man became nothing, etc. neither. Jud 5:6,7,11 2Ch 15:5-7 Jer 16:16

for. Isa 19:2 Am 3:6 9:4 Mt 10:34-36

11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.

8,9 Ps 103:9 Isa 11:13 12:1 Hag 2:19 Mal 3:9-11

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.

the seed. Ge 26:12 Le 26:4,5 De 28:4-12 Ps 67:6,7 Pr 3:9,10 Isa 30:23 Eze 34:26,27 36:30 Ho 2:21-23 Joe 2:22 Am 9:13-15 Hag 2:19

prosperous. Heb. of peace. Ps 72:3 Jas 3:18

the heavens. Ge 27:28 De 32:2 33:13,28 1Ki 17:1 Pr 19:12 Ho 14:5 Hag 1:10

the remnant. 6 Mic 4:6,7 1Co 3:21

to possess. Isa 61:7 Eze 36:12 Ob 17-20 Mt 6:33

13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

a curse. De 28:37 29:23-28 1Ki 9:7,8 2Ch 7:20-22 Ps 44:13,14,16 Ps 79:4 Isa 65:15,16 Jer 24:9 25:18 26:6 29:18 42:18 44:12,22 La 2:15,16 4:15 Eze 5:15 Da 9:11

O house. 1:19 9:13 10:6 2Ki 17:18-20 Isa 9:20,21 Jer 32:30-32 33:24 Eze 37:11,16-19

ye shall. The consideration that all nations who now worship the true God, and receive the Sacred Scriptures as His word, have derived the whole of their divine knowledge, under God, from Jewish prophets, apostles, and teachers, and that the Saviour in whom all nations shall be blessed, sprang from that favoured race, emphatically explains what is meant by ye shall be a blessing. The full accomplishment of this prediction, however, is probably reserved for the future restoration of the Jews.

20-23 10:6-9 Ge 12:2,3 26:4 Ru 4:11,12 Ps 72:17 Isa 19:24,25 Mic 5:7 Zep 3:20 Ga 3:14,28,29 Hag 2:19

fear not. 9 Isa 35:3,4 41:10-16 1Co 16:13

14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:

As. 1:6 Ps 33:11 Isa 14:24 Jer 31:28

I repented. 2Ch 36:16 Jer 4:28 15:1-6 20:16 Eze 24:14

15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

have. Jer 29:11-14 32:42 Mic 4:10-13 7:18-20

fear. 13 Isa 43:1,2 Zep 3:16,17 Lu 12:32

16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

are. De 10:12,13 11:7,8 Mic 6:8 Lu 3:8-14 Eph 4:17 1Pe 1:13-16

Speak. 19 7:9 Le 19:11 Ps 15:2 Pr 12:17,19 Jer 9:3-5 Ho 4:1,2 Mic 6:12 Eph 4:25 1Th 4:6 Re 21:8

execute the judgment of truth and peace. Heb. judge truth and the judgment of peace. 7:9 Isa 9:7 11:3-9 Am 5:15,24 Mt 5:9

17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

let. 7:10 Pr 3:29 6:14 Jer 4:14 Mic 2:1-3 Mt 5:28 12:35 15:19

love. 5:3,4 Jer 4:2 Mal 3:5

things. Ps 5:5,6 10:3 Pr 6:16-19 8:13 Jer 44:4 Hab 1:13

18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,

19 Thus saith 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.

the fourth. 2Ki 25:3,4 Jer 39:2 52:6,7

the fifth. 7:3 Jer 52:12-15

the seventh. 7:5 2Ki 25:25 Jer 41:1-3

the tenth. Jer 52:4

joy. Es 8:17 9:22 Ps 30:11 Isa 12:1 35:10 51:11 Jer 31:12,13

feasts. Heb. solemn, or, set times. therefore. 16 Lu 1:74,75 Tit 2:11,12 Re 22:15

20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:

there. 2:11 14:16,17 1Ki 8:41,43 2Ch 6:32,33 Ps 22:27 67:1-4 72:17 Ps 89:9 117:1,2 138:4,5 Isa 2:2,3 11:10 49:6,22,23 60:3-12 Isa 66:18-20 Jer 16:19 Ho 1:10 2:23 Am 9:12 Mic 4:1,2 Mal 1:11 Mt 8:11 Ac 15:14,18 Ro 15:9-12 Re 11:15

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.

Let. Ps 122:1-9

speedily. or, continually. Heb. going. Ho 6:3

pray before the Lord. Heb. intreat the face of the Lord. 7:2

I will. Ps 103:22 146:1,2

22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

Isa 25:7 55:5 60:3-22 66:23 Jer 4:2 Mic 4:3 Hag 2:7 Ga 3:8 Re 15:4 21:24

23 Thus saith 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.

ten men. Ge 31:7,41 Nu 14:22 Job 19:3 Ec 11:2 Mic 5:5 Mt 18:21,22

out. Isa 66:18 Re 7:9,10 14:6,7

take. 1Sa 15:27,28 Isa 3:6 4:1 Lu 8:44 Ac 19:12

We will. Nu 10:29-32 Ru 1:16,17 2Sa 15:19-22 2Ki 2:6 1Ch 12:18 Isa 55:5 Isa 60:3 Ac 13:47,48

we have. Nu 14:14-16 De 4:6,7 Jos 2:9-13 1Ki 8:42,43 1Co 14:25