The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem
1A 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.”
3He continued, “I will return to Zion. I will live among my people in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City. And my mountain will be called the Holy Mountain.”
4He 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. 5The city streets will be filled with boys and girls. They will be playing there.”
6He continued, “All of that might seem hard to believe to the people living then. But it will not be too hard for me.”
7He continued, “I will save my people. I will gather them from the countries of the east and the west. 8I 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.”
9The Lord who rules over all says to his people, “Now listen to these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that you can rebuild the temple.’ This also was said by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. They spoke to you when the work on my temple began again. 10Before the work was started again, there was no pay for the people. And there was no money to rent animals. People could not go about their business safely because of their enemies. I had turned all of them against one another. 11But 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 these things to those who are still left alive here. 13Judah and Israel, in the past you have been a curse among the nations. 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.”
14The Lord who rules over all says, “Your people of long ago made me angry. So I decided to bring trouble on them. I did not show them any pity. 15But now I plan to do good things to Jerusalem and Judah again. So do not be afraid. 16Here is what you must do. Speak the truth to one another. Make true and wise decisions in your courts. 17Do not make evil plans against one another. When you promise to tell the truth, do not lie. Many people love to do that. But I hate all these things,” announces the Lord.
18Another 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.”
20He continued, “Many nations will still come to you. And those who live in many cities will also come. 21The people who live in one city will go to another city. They will say, ‘Let’s go right away to ask the Lord for his blessing. Let’s look to him as our God. We ourselves are going.’ 22Large numbers of people and nations will come to Jerusalem. They will look to me. They will ask me to bless them.”
23He continued, “At that time many people of 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.’ ”
Bwana Anaahidi Kuibariki Yerusalemu
1Neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia tena. 28:2 Yoe 2:18; Nah 1:2Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nina wivu sana kwa ajili ya Sayuni, ninawaka wivu kwa ajili yake.”
38:3 Zek 1:16; Isa 1:26; 48:1; 52:8; Yoe 3:21; Zek 2:10; Za 15:2; Yer 33:16; Mik 4:1; Za 48:1-2; Yer 31:23Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Nitarudi Sayuni na kufanya makao Yerusalemu. Kisha Yerusalemu utaitwa mji wa kweli, mlima wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote utaitwa Mlima Mtakatifu.”
48:4 Isa 65:20; 1Sam 2:31Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kwa mara nyingine tena wazee wanaume kwa wanawake walioshiba umri wataketi katika barabara za Yerusalemu, kila mmoja akiwa na mkongojo wake mkononi kwa sababu ya umri wake. 58:5 Yer 30:20; 31:13Barabara za mji zitajaa wavulana na wasichana wanaocheza humo.”
68:6 Za 118:23; 126:1-3; Yer 32:17, 27; Hes 11:23; Ay 42:2; Lk 1:37; Rum 4:21Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Mambo haya yanaweza kuonekana ya ajabu kwa mabaki ya watu wakati huo, lakini yaweza kuwa ya ajabu kwangu?” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
78:7 Za 107:3; Isa 11:11; 43:5Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nitawaokoa watu wangu kutoka nchi za mashariki na magharibi. 88:8 Eze 11:19-20; 36:28; 37:12; Zek 2:11; 10:10; Yer 11:4; 31:24; Isa 51:16; Ebr 8:10; Law 25:17; Yer 4:2; Zek 4:2; 13:9; Ufu 21:3Nitawarudisha waje kuishi Yerusalemu, watakuwa watu wangu nami nitakuwa mwaminifu na wa haki kwao kama Mungu wao.”
98:9 Ezr 5:1; 3:11; Hag 2:4Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Ninyi ambao sasa mnasikia maneno haya yanayozungumzwa na manabii ambao walikuwepo wakati wa kuwekwa kwa msingi wa nyumba ya Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mikono yenu na iwe na nguvu ili Hekalu liweze kujengwa. 108:10 Isa 5:10; Hag 1:6; 2Nya 15:5Kabla ya wakati huo, hapakuwepo na ujira kwa mtu wala mnyama. Hakuna mtu aliyeweza kufanya shughuli yake kwa usalama kwa sababu ya adui yake, kwa kuwa nilikuwa nimemfanya kila mtu adui wa jirani yake. 118:11 Isa 12:1Lakini sasa sitawatendea mabaki ya watu hawa kama nilivyowatenda zamani,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
128:12 Za 65:13; 85:12; Yoe 2:22; Za 67:6; Mwa 27:28; Isa 60:21; Hos 2:21; Oba 1:17; Isa 61:7; Mt 6:33; 1Tim 4:8“Mbegu itakua vizuri, mzabibu utazaa matunda yake, ardhi itatoa mazao yake, na mbingu zitadondosha umande wake. Vitu hivi vyote nitawapa mabaki ya watu kama urithi wao. 138:13 Hes 5:27; Kum 13:15; Yer 42:18; Za 102:8; 48:8; Mwa 12:2; Yoe 2:14; Hag 2:5; Efe 6:10Jinsi mlivyokuwa kitu cha laana katikati ya mataifa, ee Yuda na Israeli, ndivyo nitakavyowaokoa, nanyi mtakuwa baraka. Msiogope, bali iacheni mikono yenu iwe na nguvu.”
148:14 Eze 24:14; Yer 31:28; 2Nya 36:16Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kama nilivyokuwa nimekusudia kuleta maangamizi juu yenu, wakati baba zenu waliponikasirisha na sikuonyesha huruma,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, 158:15 Yer 29:11; 31:28; 32:42; Mik 7:18-20“hivyo sasa nimeazimia kufanya mema tena kwa Yerusalemu na Yuda. Msiogope. 168:16 Za 15:2; Yer 33:16; Eze 18:8; 45:9; Amo 5:15; Zek 7:9; Efe 4:25; Mit 12:19Haya ndiyo mtakayoyafanya: Semeni kweli kila mtu kwa mwenzake, na mtoe hukumu ya kweli na haki kwenye mahakama zenu, 178:17 Mit 3:29; 6:16-19; Yer 7:9; Zek 5:4usipange mabaya dhidi ya jirani yako, wala msipende kuapa kwa uongo. Nayachukia yote haya,” asema Bwana.
18Neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote likanijia tena. 198:19 2Fal 25:7, 25; Yer 39:2; 52:4, 12; Za 30:11; Yer 41:1; Isa 35:10Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Saumu za miezi ya nne, tano, saba na kumi itakuwa sikukuu za furaha na za shangwe kwa Yuda. Kwa hiyo uipende kweli na amani.”
20Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Mataifa mengi na wakazi wa miji mingi watakuja, 218:21 Zek 7:2; Yer 26:19na wenyeji wa mji mmoja watakwenda kwenye mji mwingine na kusema, ‘Twende mara moja na tukamsihi Bwana, na kumtafuta Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Mimi mwenyewe ninakwenda.’ 228:22 Za 86:9; 117:1; Isa 2:2-3; 44:5; 45:14; 49:6; Zek 2:11Pia watu wa kabila nyingi na mataifa yenye nguvu yatakuja Yerusalemu kumtafuta Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote na kumsihi.”
238:23 Za 102:22; Isa 13:1; 14:1; 45:14; 56:3; 1Kor 14:25; Yer 23:33Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Katika siku hizo watu kumi kutoka lugha zote na mataifa, watangʼangʼania upindo wa joho la Myahudi mmoja na kusema, ‘Twende pamoja nawe kwa sababu tumesikia kwamba Mungu yu pamoja nawe.’ ”
