"Those from among you will rebuildthe ancientruins;You will raiseup the age-oldfoundations;And you will be calledthe repairerof the breach,The restorerof the streetsin which to dwell.
Then I saidto them, "You seethe badsituationwe are in, that Jerusalemis desolateand its gatesburnedby fire.Come,let us rebuildthe wallof Jerusalemsothat we will nolongerbe a reproach."
I saidto the king,"Ifit pleasethe king,and ifyour servanthas foundfavorbeforeyou, sendme to Judah,to the cityof my fathers'tombs,that I may rebuildit."
Now whenit was reportedto Sanballat,Tobiah,to Geshemthe Araband to the restof our enemiesthat I had rebuiltthe wall,and [that] nobreachremainedin it, althoughat that timeI had not setup the doorsin the gates,
With kingsand [with] counselorsof the earth,Who rebuiltruinsfor themselves;
Thereforethisiniquitywill be to you Like a breachabout to fall,A bulgein a highwall,Whosecollapsecomessuddenlyin an instant,
"[It is I] who saysof Cyrus,'[He is] My shepherd!And he will performallMy desire.'And he declaresof Jerusalem,She will be built,'And of the temple,Your foundationwill be laid.'"
Thussaysthe LORD,"In a favorabletimeI have answeredYou, And in a dayof salvationI have helpedYou; And I will keepYou and giveYou for a covenantof the people,To restorethe land,to make [them] inheritthe desolateheritages;
Indeed,the LORDwill comfortZion;He will comfortallher wasteplaces.And her wildernessHe will makelike Eden,And her desertlike the gardenof the LORD;Joyand gladnesswill be foundin her, Thanksgivingand soundof a melody.
Breakforth,shoutjoyfullytogether,You wasteplacesof Jerusalem;For the LORDhas comfortedHis people,He has redeemedJerusalem.
Then they will rebuildthe ancientruins,They will raiseup the formerdevastations;And they will repairthe ruinedcities,The desolationsof manygenerations.
"Behold,daysare coming,"declaresthe LORD,"when the citywill be rebuiltfor the LORDfrom the Towerof Hananelto the CornerGate.
"You have not goneup into the breaches,nordid you buildthe wallaroundthe houseof Israelto standin the battleon the dayof the LORD.
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"On the daythat I cleanseyou from allyour iniquities,I will cause the citiesto be inhabited,and the wasteplaceswill be rebuilt.
Therefore,O mountainsof Israel,hearthe wordof the LordGOD.Thussaysthe LordGODto the mountainsand to the hills,to the ravinesand to the valleys,to the desolatewastesand to the forsakencitieswhichhave becomea preyand a derisionto the restof the nationswhichare roundabout,
"So you are to knowand discern[that] from the issuingof a decreeto restoreand rebuildJerusalemuntilMessiahthe Prince[there will be] sevenweeksand sixty-twoweeks;it will be builtagain,with plazaand moat,even in timesof distress.
"In that dayI will raiseup the fallenboothof David,And wallup its breaches;I will also raiseup its ruinsAnd rebuildit as in the daysof old;
"Also I will restorethe captivityof My peopleIsrael,And they will rebuildthe ruinedcitiesand live[in them]; They will also plantvineyardsand drinktheir wine,And makegardensand eattheir fruit.
[It will be] a dayfor buildingyour walls.On that daywill your boundarybe extended.
