זכריה, פרק ח׳, פסוק י״ג

A dramatic reversal of fortune awaits the house of Judah and the house of Israel. The profound depth of their future salvation and honor will perfectly match the severe troubles and degradation they experienced in the past. During their time of suffering, the people became a symbol of a curse among the nations. Commentators offer two ways to understand this bitter reality. One approach explains that the people were so beaten and despised that they became a standard for a curse. People among the nations would curse their enemies by wishing them to be as miserable as the Jews [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective focuses on how the nations placed the blame for their own hardships on the exiled people. Whenever disaster or famine struck a foreign land, the locals would blame the Jews living among them, claiming that the tragedy occurred solely because of them and their sins [אבן עזרא, רד״ק].

God promises a future restoration that will mirror the intensity of this past suffering. He will save them, and they will transform into a symbol of blessing. The people will achieve such immense success and honor that the surrounding nations will use them as the ultimate standard for a good life. Instead of a curse, the common wish among the nations will be to receive the same success and blessing from God that the Jews enjoy [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

Comforted by the promise of this glorious future, the people are urged to cast aside their fears and find strength. The primary approach among commentators is that this encouragement is meant to dispel any fear of the foreign messengers who belittle and mock the honor of the Temple. Instead of giving up or weakening their resolve, the people are encouraged to continue their work with renewed energy, pushing forward to build the Temple and take decisive action [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].