“‘ He says,“ My towns will be filled with good things once more. I will comfort Zion. And I will choose Jerusalem again.” ’ ”

你要再宣告说，万军之耶和华如此说：‘我的城邑必再丰盛发达。耶和华必再安慰锡安，拣选耶路撒冷。’”

你要再宣告，万军之耶和华如此说：我的城镇要再度繁荣发达。耶和华必再安慰锡安，拣选耶路撒冷。”

你要再宣告，万军之耶和华如此说：我的城镇要再度繁荣发达。耶和华必再安慰锡安，拣选耶路撒冷。”

你还要宣告，万军之耶和华说，‘我的城邑必再次繁荣昌盛，耶和华必再次安慰锡安，拣选耶路撒冷。’”

你要再宣告：‘万军之耶和华这样说：我的城镇必再昌盛繁荣，耶和华必再怜悯锡安，必再拣选耶路撒冷。’”

你要再宣告說，萬軍之耶和華如此說：我的城邑必再豐盛發達。耶和華必再安慰錫安，揀選耶路撒冷。」

你要再宣告，萬軍之耶和華如此說：我的城鎮要再度繁榮發達。耶和華必再安慰錫安，揀選耶路撒冷。」

你要再宣告，萬軍之耶和華如此說：我的城鎮要再度繁榮發達。耶和華必再安慰錫安，揀選耶路撒冷。」

你還要宣告，萬軍之耶和華說，『我的城邑必再次繁榮昌盛，耶和華必再次安慰錫安，揀選耶路撒冷。』」

你要再宣告：‘萬軍之耶和華這樣說：我的城鎮必再昌盛繁榮，耶和華必再憐憫錫安，必再揀選耶路撒冷。’”

你要再宣告說：萬軍之永恆主這麼說：我的城市必再漲溢着昌盛興隆的景象；永恆主必再安慰錫安，必再揀選耶路撒冷。」』

「你要再次宣告說：『萬軍之耶和華如此說：我的各城必再次福份滿溢，耶和華必再次安慰錫安，再次揀選耶路撒冷。』」

當又呼曰、萬軍之耶和華云、我之諸邑、將豐阜而盈溢、耶和華必慰藉錫安邑、遴選耶路撒冷焉、○

當復告眾云、萬有之主耶和華曰、我耶和華必復慰藉郇邑、眷顧耶路撒冷、使我諸邑、靡不亨通、永無涯涘、

又當宣告曰、萬有之主如是云、我諸城邑、必復豐阜滿溢、主復慰藉郇邑、復選耶路撒冷、○

“ Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says:‘ My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”

Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

“ Say this also:‘ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.’”

“ 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.”

Again, proclaim, saying,‘ This is what the Lord of armies says:“ My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ”

“ Again proclaim, saying,‘ Thus says the Lord of hosts:“ My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The Lord will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem.”’”

Cry yet again, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

“ Proclaim further: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”

Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

Speak up again with the message of the LORD who rules over all:‘ My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the LORD will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.’”

“ Proclaim further, saying,‘ Yahweh of Armies says:“ My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem.”’”

He will receive Judah as his share in the holy land. And he will choose Jerusalem again.

You can be sure that I will comfort Zion’s people. I will look with loving concern on all their destroyed buildings. I will make their deserts like Eden. I will make their dry and empty land like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be there. People will sing and give thanks to me.

The rest of the Israelites were in all the towns of Judah. The priests and Levites were with them. All of them lived on their own family property.

But now I have chosen Jerusalem. I will put my Name there. And I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’

The Lord will show tender love toward Jacob’s people. Once again he will choose Israel. He’ll give them homes in their own land. Outsiders will join them. They and the people of Jacob will become one people.

I make the words of my servants the prophets come true. I carry out what my messengers say will happen.“ I say about Jerusalem,‘ My people will live there again.’ I say about the towns of Judah,‘ They will be rebuilt.’ I say about their broken- down buildings,‘ I will make them like new again.’

God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us.

The Lord says,“ People of Israel, you are my servants. Family of Jacob, I have chosen you. You are the children of my friend Abraham.I gathered you from one end of the earth to the other. From the farthest places on earth I brought you together. I said,‘ You are my servants.’ I have chosen you. I have not turned my back on you.

As a mother comforts her child, I will comfort you. You will find comfort in Jerusalem.”

Here are the leaders from different parts of the country who made their homes in Jerusalem. Some Israelites, priests and Levites lived in the towns of Judah. So did some temple servants and some members of the family lines of Solomon’s servants. All of them lived on their own property in the towns of Judah.

I will cause many people to live in Israel. The towns will no longer be empty. Their broken- down houses will be rebuilt.I will cause many people and animals to live in you, Israel. They will have many babies. I will cause people to make their homes in your towns, just as I did in the past. I will help you succeed more than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

As far as the good news is concerned, the people of Israel are enemies. This is for your good. But as far as God’s choice is concerned, the people of Israel are loved. This is because of God’s promises to the founders of our nation.God does not take back his gifts. He does not change his mind about those he has chosen.

Flocks will again pass under the hands of shepherds as they count their sheep,” says the Lord.“ That will be done in the towns of the central hill country. It will be done in the western hills and the Negev Desert. It will be done in the territory of Benjamin. And it will be done in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah.

Shout for joy, you heavens! Be glad, you earth! Burst into song, you mountains! The Lord will comfort his people. He will show his tender love to those who are suffering.

Some Israelites were forced to leave their homes. They’ll come back to Canaan and possess it all the way to the town of Zarephath. Some people from Jerusalem were taken to the city of Sepharad. They’ll return and possess the towns of the Negev Desert.

God will save Zion. He will build the cities of Judah again. Then people will live in them and own the land.

The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ I will bring them back from the place where they were taken. Here is what the people in Judah and its towns will say once again.‘ May the Lord bless you, you successful city. Sacred mountain, may he bless you.’People will live together in Judah and all its towns. Farmers and shepherds will live there.

For a moment I turned my face away from you. I was very angry with you. But I will show you my loving concern. My faithful love will continue forever,” says the Lord. He is the one who set you free.

The Lord and King says,“ I will make you pure from all your sins. On that day I will give you homes in your towns again. Your broken- down houses will be rebuilt.

The Lord has chosen Zion. That’s the place where he wants to live.He has said,“ This will be my resting place for ever and ever. Here I will sit on my throne, because that’s what I want.

Burst into songs of joy together, you broken- down buildings in Jerusalem. The Lord has comforted his people. He has set Jerusalem free.

Once more fields will be bought in this land. It is the land about which you now say,‘ It is a dry and empty desert. It doesn’t have any people or animals in it. It has been handed over to the armies of Babylon.’Fields will be bought with silver. Deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed. That will be done in the territory of Benjamin. It will be done in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah. It will also be done in the towns of the central hill country. And it will be done in the towns of the western hills and the Negev Desert. I will bless their people with great success again,” announces the Lord.

The Lord said to Satan,“ May the Lord correct you! He has chosen Jerusalem. So may he correct you! Isn’t this man Joshua like a burning stick pulled out of the fire?”

Then young women will dance and be glad. And so will the men, young and old alike. I will turn their mourning into gladness. I will comfort them. And I will give them joy instead of sorrow.

The Lord has stopped punishing you. He has made your enemies turn away from you. The Lord is the King of Israel. He is with you. You will never again be afraid that others will harm you.The time is coming when people will say to Jerusalem,“ Zion, don’t be afraid. Don’t give up.The Lord your God is with you. He is the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you. In his love he will no longer punish you. Instead, he will sing for joy because of you.”

The Lord says to his people,“ I comfort you because of who I am. Why are you afraid of mere human beings? They are like grass that dries up.

“ Comfort my people,” says your God.“ Comfort them.Speak tenderly to the people of Jerusalem. Announce to them that their hard labor has been completed. Tell them that their sin has been paid for. Tell them the Lord has punished them enough for all their sins.”

They will rebuild the places that were destroyed long ago. They will repair the buildings that have been broken down for many years. They will make the destroyed cities like new again. They have been broken down for a very long time.Outsiders will serve you by taking care of your flocks. People from other lands will work in your fields and vineyards.You will be called priests of the Lord. You will be named workers for our God. You will enjoy the wealth of nations. You will brag about getting their riches.

I will bring my people Israel back home. I will bless them with great success again. They will rebuild the destroyed cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce. They will make gardens and eat their fruit.