[8:14] For thus says Yahweh of Armies: "As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath," says Yahweh of Armies, "and I didn't repent; [8:15] so again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don't be afraid. [8:16] These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates, [8:17] and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate," says Yahweh.
[8:18] The word of Yahweh of Armies came to me. [8:19] Thus says Yahweh of Armies: "The fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace."
[8:20] Thus says Yahweh of Armies: "Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come; [8:21] and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of Armies. I will go also.' [8:22] Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Armies in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Yahweh." [8:23] Thus says Yahweh of Armies: "In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
[9:1] An oracle.
The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus; for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Yahweh; [9:2] and Hamath, also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise. [9:3] Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets. [9:4] Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire. [9:5] Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited. [9:6] Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. [9:7] I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also will be a remnant for our God; and he will be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite. [9:8] I will encamp around my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes. [9:9] Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. [9:10] I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. [9:11] As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. [9:12] Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. [9:13] For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me. I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man. [9:14] Yahweh will be seen over them; and his arrow will go flash like lightning; and the Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south. [9:15] Yahweh of Armies will defend them; and they will destroy and overcome with sling stones; and they will drink, and roar as through wine; and they will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar. [9:16] Yahweh their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land. [9:17] For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
[10:1] Ask of Yahweh rain in the spring time, Yahweh who makes storm clouds, and he gives rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field. [10:2] For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd. [10:3] My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats; For Yahweh of Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle. [10:4] From him will come forth the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. [10:5] They shall be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Yahweh is with them; and the riders on horses will be confounded. [10:6] "I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back; for I have mercy on them; and they will be as though I had not cast them off: for I am Yahweh their God, and I will hear them. [10:7] Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine; yes, their children will see it, and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in Yahweh. [10:8] I will signal for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they will increase as they have increased. [10:9] I will sow them among the peoples; and they will remember me in far countries; and they will live with their children, and will return. [10:10] I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and there won't be room enough for them. [10:11] He will pass through the sea of affliction, and will strike the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the Nile will dry up; and the pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart. [10:12] I will strengthen them in Yahweh; and they will walk up and down in his name," says Yahweh.
[11:1] Open your doors, Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars. [11:2] Wail, fir tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down. [11:3] A voice of the wailing of the shepherds! For their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions! For the pride of the Jordan is ruined.
[11:4] Thus says Yahweh my God: "Feed the flock of slaughter. [11:5] Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, 'Blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich;' and their own shepherds don't pity them. [11:6] For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land," says Yahweh; "but, behold, I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbor's hand, and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them."
[11:7] So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called "Favor," and the other I called "Union," and I fed the flock. [11:8] I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me. [11:9] Then I said, "I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other's flesh." [11:10] I took my staff Favor, and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. [11:11] It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the word of Yahweh. [11:12] I said to them, "If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them." So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver. [11:13] Yahweh said to me, "Throw it to the potter, the handsome price that I was valued at by them!" I took the thirty pieces of silver, and threw them to the potter, in the house of Yahweh. [11:14] Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
[11:15] Yahweh said to me, "Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. [11:16] For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces. [11:17] Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!"