TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
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Zechariah - Chapter 8

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1The word of the lord of Hosts came [to me]:

אוַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר׃

2Thus said the lord of Hosts: I am very jealous for Tzion, I am fiercely jealous for her.

בכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת קִנֵּאתִי לְצִיּוֹן קִנְאָה גְדוֹלָה וְחֵמָה גְדוֹלָה קִנֵּאתִי לָהּ׃

3Thus said Hashem: I have returned to Tzion, and I will dwell in Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim will be called the City of Faithfulness, and the mount of the lord of Hosts the Holy Mount.

גכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה שַׁבְתִּי אֶל־צִיּוֹן וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם וְנִקְרְאָה יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם עִיר־הָאֱמֶת וְהַר־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ׃

4Thus said the lord of Hosts: There shall yet be old men and women in the squares of Yerushalayim, each with staff in hand because of their great age.

דכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם וְאִישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ בְּיָדוֹ מֵרֹב יָמִים׃

5And the squares of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the squares.

הוּרְחֹבוֹת הָעִיר יִמָּלְאוּ יְלָדִים וִילָדוֹת מְשַׂחֲקִים בִּרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ׃

6Thus said the lord of Hosts: Though it will seem impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible to Me?—declares the lord of Hosts.

וכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת כִּי יִפָּלֵא בְּעֵינֵי שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם הַזֶּה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם גַּם־בְּעֵינַי יִפָּלֵא נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃

7Thus said the lord of Hosts: I will rescue My people from the lands of the east and from the lands of the west,

זכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת־עַמִּי מֵאֶרֶץ מִזְרָח וּמֵאֶרֶץ מְבוֹא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃

8and I will bring them home to dwell in Yerushalayim. They shall be My people, and I will be their God—in truth and sincerity.

חוְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם וְשָׁכְנוּ בְּתוֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם וְהָיוּ־לִי לְעָם וַאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִצְדָקָה׃

9Thus said the lord of Hosts: Take courage, you who now hear these words which the Neviim spoke when the foundations were laid for the rebuilding of the Temple, the House of the lord of Hosts.

טכֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת תֶּחֱזַקְנָה יְדֵיכֶם הַשֹּׁמְעִים בַּיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה אֵת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה מִפִּי הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר בְּיוֹם יֻסַּד בֵּית־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הַהֵיכָל לְהִבָּנוֹת׃

10For before that time, the earnings of men were nil, and profits from beasts were nothing. It was not safe to go about one's business on account of enemies; and I set all men against one another.

יכִּי לִפְנֵי הַיָּמִים הָהֵם שְׂכַר הָאָדָם לֹא נִהְיָה וּשְׂכַר הַבְּהֵמָה אֵינֶנָּה וְלַיּוֹצֵא וְלַבָּא אֵין־שָׁלוֹם מִן־הַצָּר וַאֲשַׁלַּח אֶת־כָּל־הָאָדָם אִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ׃

11But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as before—declares the lord of Hosts—

יאוְעַתָּה לֹא כַיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲנִי לִשְׁאֵרִית הָעָם הַזֶּה נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃

12but what it sows shall prosper: The vine shall produce its fruit, the ground shall produce its yield, and the skies shall provide their moisture. I will bestow all these things upon the remnant of this people.

יבכִּי־זֶרַע הַשָּׁלוֹם הַגֶּפֶן תִּתֵּן פִּרְיָהּ וְהָאָרֶץ תִּתֵּן אֶת־יְבוּלָהּ וְהַשָּׁמַיִם יִתְּנוּ טַלָּם וְהִנְחַלְתִּי אֶת־שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה׃

13And just as you were a curse among the nations, O House of Yehuda and House of Yisrael, so, when I vindicate you, you shall become a blessing. Have no fear; take courage!

יגוְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר הֱיִיתֶם קְלָלָה בַּגּוֹיִם בֵּית יְהוּדָה וּבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֵּן אוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם בְּרָכָה אַל־תִּירָאוּ תֶּחֱזַקְנָה יְדֵיכֶם׃

14For thus said the lord of Hosts: Just as I planned to afflict you and did not relent when your fathers provoked Me to anger—said the lord of Hosts—

ידכִּי כֹה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַמְתִּי לְהָרַע לָכֶם בְּהַקְצִיף אֲבֹתֵיכֶם אֹתִי אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וְלֹא נִחָמְתִּי׃

15so, at this time, I have turned and planned to do good to Yerushalayim and to the House of Yehuda. Have no fear!

טוכֵּן שַׁבְתִּי זָמַמְתִּי בַּיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה לְהֵיטִיב אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם וְאֶת־בֵּית יְהוּדָה אַל־תִּירָאוּ׃

16These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates.

AY-leh ha-d'-va-REEM a-SHER ta-a-SU da-b'-RU e-MET EESH et ray-AY-hu e-MET u-mish-PAT sha-LOM shif-TU b'-sha-a-ray-KHEM

טזאֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ דַּבְּרוּ אֱמֶת אִישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפַּט שָׁלוֹם שִׁפְטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶם׃

 8:16  Render true and perfect justice in your gates

The rolling hills of Yehuda.

In order for Yehuda and Yisrael to become a blessing (verse 13), they have to perform emet umishpat shalom (אמת ומשפט שלום). While this phrase is translated here as “true and perfect justice,” the words literally mean ‘truth’ and ‘judgement of peace.’ When two people each claim to represent truth, how does peace emerge? The Sages state that from here we learn the importance of compromise, as truth, justice, and peace are the three pillars upon which the world depends (Ethics of the Fathers 1:18). The commentator Radak suggests that when the judges in Israel mete out righteous justice, then even the losing parties in a quarrel will accept the judgment peacefully. This sense of justice and peace will cause the nations of the world to encourage each other to go to Yerushalayim for God’s blessing (verses 20-22).

17And do not contrive evil against one another, and do not love perjury, because all those are things that I hate—declares Hashem.

יזוְאִישׁ אֶת־רָעַת רֵעֵהוּ אַל־תַּחְשְׁבוּ בִּלְבַבְכֶם וּשְׁבֻעַת שֶׁקֶר אַל־תֶּאֱהָבוּ כִּי אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵאתִי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃

18And the word of the lord of Hosts came to me, saying,

יחוַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃

19Thus said the lord of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Yehuda; but you must love honesty and integrity.

יטכֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וְצוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי וְצוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְצוֹם הָעֲשִׂירִי יִהְיֶה לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה לְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָה וּלְמֹעֲדִים טוֹבִים וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַשָּׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ׃

20Thus said the lord of Hosts: Peoples and the inhabitants of many cities shall yet come—

ככֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עֹד אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ עַמִּים וְיֹשְׁבֵי עָרִים רַבּוֹת׃

21the inhabitants of one shall go to the other and say, “Let us go and entreat the favor of Hashem, let us seek the lord of Hosts; I will go, too.”

כאוְהָלְכוּ יֹשְׁבֵי אַחַת אֶל־אַחַת לֵאמֹר נֵלְכָה הָלוֹךְ לְחַלּוֹת אֶת־פְּנֵי יְהֹוָה וּלְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֵלְכָה גַּם־אָנִי׃

22The many peoples and the multitude of nations shall come to seek the lord of Hosts in Yerushalayim and to entreat the favor of Hashem.

כבוּבָאוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים וְגוֹיִם עֲצוּמִים לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת בִּירוּשָׁלָ ִם וּלְחַלּוֹת אֶת־פְּנֵי יְהֹוָה׃

23Thus said the lord of Hosts: In those days, ten men from nations of every tongue will take hold—they will take hold of every Yehudi by a corner of his cloak and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that Hashem is with you.”

כגכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה אֲשֶׁר יַחֲזִיקוּ עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים מִכֹּל לְשֹׁנוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ בִּכְנַף אִישׁ יְהוּדִי לֵאמֹר נֵלְכָה עִמָּכֶם כִּי שָׁמַעְנוּ אֱלֹהִים עִמָּכֶם׃