7. What a beautiful sight it is to see messengers coming with good news! How beautiful to see them coming down from the mountains with a message about peace! How wonderful it is when they bring the good news that we are saved! How wonderful when they say to Zion, "Your God rules!"
8. Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the Lord returning to Zion. So they shout with joy.
9. Burst into songs of joy together, you broken-down buildings in Jerusalem. The Lord has comforted his people. He has set Jerusalem free.
10. The Lord will use the power of his holy arm to save his people. All of the nations will see him do it. Everyone from one end of the earth to the other will see it.
11. You who carry the articles that belong to the Lord's temple, leave Babylon! Leave it! Get out of there! Don't touch anything that isn't pure and clean. Come out of Babylon and be pure.
12. But this time you won't have to leave in a hurry. You won't have to rush away. The Lord will go ahead of you and lead you. The God of Israel will follow behind you and guard you.