11 the (A)voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:

(B)“Praise the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His mercy endures forever”—

and of those who will bring (C)the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (D)‘In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 (E)In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again (F)pass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the Lord.

Read full chapter

11 the sounds of joy and gladness,(A) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings(B) to the house of the Lord, saying,

“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
    for the Lord is good;(C)
    his love endures forever.”(D)

For I will restore the fortunes(E) of the land as they were before,(F)’ says the Lord.

12 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate(G) and without people or animals(H)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.(I) 13 In the towns of the hill(J) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,(K) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand(L) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

Read full chapter