‘Proclaim further: This is what the Lord of Armies says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’
For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.
For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will choose Israel again. He will settle them on their own land. The resident foreigner will join them and be united with the house of Jacob.
The exiles of the Israelites who are in Halah and who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath as well as the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev.
‘ “This is what the Lord God says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.
who confirms the message of his servant and fulfils the counsel of his messengers; who says to Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and to the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt,’ and I will restore her ruins;
The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire? ’
I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel. , They will rebuild and occupy ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink their wine, make gardens and eat their produce.
The flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who counts them in the cities of the hill country, the cities of the Judean foothills, the cities of the Negev, the land of Benjamin #– #the areas around Jerusalem and in Judah’s cities, says the Lord.
Then the young women will rejoice with dancing, while young and old men rejoice together. I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief.
Shout for joy, you heavens! Earth, rejoice! Mountains, break into joyful shouts! For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
These are the heads of the province who stayed in Jerusalem (but in the villages of Judah each lived on his own property in their towns #– #the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants #– #
This city will bear on my behalf a name of joy, praise, and glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the prosperity I will give them. They will tremble with awe because of all the good and all the peace I will bring about for them.