Zechariah 8:10

⁸ I will bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem, where they will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.”

⁹ This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.

For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor.

¹¹ But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

¹² “For the seed will be prosperous, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. To the remnant of this people I will give all these things as an inheritance.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor.
KJV: For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
WEB: For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.
ASV: For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in, because of the adversary: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.
DARBY: For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; and there was no peace for him that went out or that came in, because of the distress: for I let loose all men, every one against his neighbour.
BLB: For before those days there was not a wage for man or a wage for beast. There was not one going forth and one coming in, nor peace from the enemy, and I sent all mankind—each man—against his neighbor.

ÅB: For før den tid kom det intet ut hverken av menneskers eller dyrs arbeid; og ingen hadde fred for fienden, enten han dro ut eller han dro inn; for jeg slapp alle mennesker løs mot hverandre.
OTB: Før de dagene var det ingen lønn for folk eller leie for dyr. Ingen kunne gå trygt omkring på grunn av sine fiender, for jeg hadde satt alle mot sin nabo.
B1930: For før den tid kom det intet ut hverken av menneskers eller dyrs arbeid; og ingen hadde fred for fienden, enten han drog ut eller han drog inn; for jeg slapp alle mennesker løs mot hverandre.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Haggai 1:6–11
You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
Read in context
Amos 9:4
Though they are driven by their enemies into captivity, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix My eyes upon them for harm and not for good.”
Read in context
Isaiah 19:2
“So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
Read in context
Haggai 2:16–18
from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths, there were but twenty.
Read in context
Amos 3:6
If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?
Read in context
Judges 5:11
the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates:
Read in context
Jeremiah 16:16
But for now I will send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill, even from the clefts of the rocks.
Read in context
Matthew 10:34–36
Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Read in context