Bible in 90 Days
Habakkuk
1 1 A complaint against the wicked that persecute the just.
1 The burden, which Habakkuk the Prophet did see.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee [a]for violence, and thou wilt not help!
3 Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold sorrow? for spoiling, and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the Law is dissolved, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth [b]compass about the righteous: therefore [c]wrong judgment proceedeth.
5 Behold among the heathen, and regard, and wonder, and marvel: for I will work a work in your days: [d]ye will not believe it, though it be told you.
6 For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and furious nation, which shall go upon the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.
7 They are terrible and fearful: [e]their judgment, and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the wolves in the (A)evening: and their horsemen are many: and their horsemen shall come from far: they shall fly as the eagle hasting to meat.
9 They come all to spoil: for their faces shall be an [f]East wind, and they shall gather the captivity [g]as the sand.
10 And they shall mock the Kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every stronghold: for they shall gather [h]dust, and take it.
11 Then shall they [i]take a courage, and transgress and do wickedly, imputing this their power unto their god.
12 Art not thou of old, O Lord my God, mine holy One? we shall not [j]die: O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment, and O God, thou hast established them for correction.
13 Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see evil: thou canst not behold wickedness: wherefore dost thou look upon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man, that is more righteous than he?
14 And makest men as the [k]fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
15 They take up all with the angle: they catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarn, whereof they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their [l]net, and burn incense unto their yarn, because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
17 Shall they therefore stretch out their net, and not spare continually to slay [m]the nations?
2 1 A vision. 5 Against pride, covetousness, drunkenness, and idolatry.
1 I will stand upon my [n]watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look and see what he would say unto me, and what I shall answer to him that rebuketh me.
2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run [o]that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the [p]last it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait: for it shall surely come, and shall not stay.
4 Behold, [q]he that lifteth up himself, his mind is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith,
5 Yea, indeed the proud man is as [r]he that transgresseth by wine: therefore shall he not endure, because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people.
6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Ho, he that increaseth that which is not his? [s]how long? and he that ladeth himself with thick clay?
7 Shall [t]they not rise up suddenly, that shall bite thee? and awake, that shall stir thee? and thou shalt be their prey?
8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee, because of men’s blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and unto all that dwell therein.
9 Ho, he that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, to escape from the power of evil.
10 Thou [u]hast consulted shame to thine own house, by destroying many people, and hast sinned against thine own soul.
11 For the [v]stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
12 Woe unto him that buildeth a town with blood, and erecteth a city by iniquity.
13 Behold, is it not of the [w]Lord of hosts, that the people shall labor in the very fire? the people shall even weary themselves for very vanity.
14 For the earth shall [x]be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor [y]drink: thou joinest thine heat, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest see their privities.
16 Thou art filled with shame [z]for glory: drink thou also, and be made naked: the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be for thy glory.
17 For the [aa]cruelty of Lebanon shall cover thee: so shall the spoil of the beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and unto all that dwell therein.
18 What profiteth the [ab]image? for the maker therefore hath made it an image, and a teacher of lies, though he that made it, trust therein, when he maketh dumb idols.
19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake, and to the dumb stone, Rise up, it shall teach thee: [ac]behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath in it.
20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
3 2 A prayer for the faithful.
1 A prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet for the [ad]ignorances.
2 [ae]O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy [af]work in the midst of the people, in the midst of the years make it known: in wrath remember mercy.
3 God cometh from [ag]Teman, and the holy One from mount Paran, Selah. His glory covereth the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise,
4 And his brightness was as the light: [ah]he had horns coming out of his hands, and there was the hiding of his power.
5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth before his feet.
6 He stood and measured the earth: he beheld and dissolved the nations, and the everlasting mountains were broken, and the ancient hills did bow: his [ai]ways are everlasting.
7 [aj]For his iniquity I saw the tents of Cushan, and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 Was the Lord angry against the [ak]rivers? or was thine anger against the floods? or was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride [al]upon thine horses? thy chariots brought salvation.
9 Thy [am]bow was manifestly revealed, and the [an]oaths of the tribes were a sure word, Selah, thou [ao]didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the stream of the water [ap]passed by: the deep made a noise, and lifted up his hand on high.
11 The [aq]sun and moon stood still in their habitation: [ar]at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the bright shining of thy spears.
12 Thou trodest down the land in anger, and didst thresh the heathen in displeasure.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine [as]Anointed: thou hast wounded the head of the house of the wicked, and discoveredst the foundations unto the [at]neck, Selah.
14 Thou didst [au]strike through with his own staves the heads of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
15 Thou didst walk in the sea with thine horses upon the heap of great waters.
16 When I [av]heard, my belly trembled: my lips shook at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in [aw]the day of trouble: for when he cometh up [ax]unto the people, he shall destroy them.
17 For the fig tree shall not flourish, neither shall fruit be in the vines: the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat: the sheep shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no bullock in the stalls.
18 But I will rejoice in the Lord: I will joy [ay]in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength: he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. [az]To the chief singer on Neginoth.
Zephaniah
1 4 Threatenings against Judah and Jerusalem, because of their idolatry.
1 The word of the Lord, which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of (B)Josiah, the son of (C)Amon king of Judah.
2 I will surely destroy all things from off the land, saith the Lord.
3 I will destroy man and beast: I will destroy the [ba]fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and ruins shall be to the wicked, and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.
4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the [bb]Chemarims with the Priests,
5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops, and them that worship and swear by the Lord, and swear by [bc]Milcam.
6 And them that are turned back from the Lord, and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired for him.
7 Be still at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, and hath sanctified his guests.
8 And it shall be in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will visit the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with [bd]strange apparel.
9 In the same day also will I visit all those that [be]dance upon the threshold so proudly, which fill their masters’ houses by cruelty and deceit.
10 And in that day, saith the Lord, there shall be a noise, and cry from the [bf]fish gate, and an howling from the second gate, and a great destruction from the hills.
11 Howl ye inhabitants of [bg]the low place: for the company of the merchants is destroyed: all they that bear silver, are cut off.
12 And at that time will I search Jerusalem with [bh]lights, and visit the men that are frozen [bi]in their dregs, and say in their hearts, The Lord will neither do good nor do evil.
13 Therefore their goods shall be spoiled, and their houses waste: (D)they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
14 The great day of the Lord is near: it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: [bj]the strong man shall cry there bitterly.
15 (E)That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness,
16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the strong cities, and against the high towers.
17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord, and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
18 (F)Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath, but the (G)whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
2 1 He moveth to return to God, 5 prophesying destruction against the Philistines, Moabites and others.
1 Gather [bk]yourselves, even gather you, O nation not worthy to be loved,
2 Before the decree come forth, and ye be as chaff that passeth in a day, and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come upon you, and before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.
3 Seek ye the Lord all the meek of the earth, which [bl]have wrought his judgment: seek righteousness, seek lowliness, if so be that ye may be hid in the day of the Lord’s wrath.
4 For [bm]Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon desolate: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 [Woe] unto the inhabitants of the sea [bn]coast. the nation of the Cherethims, the word of the Lord is against you: O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee without an inhabitant.
6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds and sheepfolds.
7 And that coast shall be for the [bo]remnant of the house of Judah, to feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they judge toward night: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the rebukes of the children of Ammon, whereby they upbraided my people, and [bp]magnified themselves against their borders.
9 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation, the residue of my folk shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached, and magnified themselves against the Lord of host’s people.
11 The Lord will be terrible unto them: [bq]for he will consume all the gods of the earth, and every man shall worship him from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
12 Ye Morians also shall be slain by my sword with them.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the North, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh desolate, and waste like a wilderness.
14 And flocks shall lie in the midst of her, and all the beasts of the nations, and the [br]pelican and the [bs]owl shall abide in the upper posts of it: the voice of birds shall sing in the windows, and desolations shall be upon the posts: for the cedars are uncovered.
15 This is the [bt]rejoicing city that dwelt careless, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she made waste, and the lodging of the beasts! everyone that passeth by her shall hiss and wag his hand.
3 4 Against the governors of Jerusalem. 8 Of the calling of all the Gentiles. 13 A comfort to the residue of Israel.
1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the robbing [bu]city.
2 She heard not the voice: she received not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are as roaring (H)lions: her judges are as (I)wolves in the evening, which [bv]leave not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light, and wicked persons: her priests have polluted the Sanctuary: they have wrested the Law.
5 The [bw]just Lord is in the midst thereof: he will do none iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not: but the wicked will not learn to be ashamed.
6 I have [bx]cut off the nations: their towers are desolate: I have made their streets waste, that none shall pass by, their cities are destroyed without man, and without inhabitant.
7 I said, surely thou wilt fear me: thou wilt receive instruction: so their dwelling should not be destroyed howsoever I visited them, but [by]they rose early, and corrupted all their works.
8 Therefore [bz]wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for I am determined to gather the nations, and that I will assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce wrath: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 Surely [ca]then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him [cb]with one consent.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, the [cc]daughter of my dispersed, praying unto me, shall bring me an offering.
11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for [cd]all thy works, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then will I take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice of thy pride, and thou shalt no more be proud of mine holy mountain.
12 Then will I leave in the midst of thee an humble and poor people: and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel shall do none iniquity, nor speak lies: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall be fed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14 Rejoice, O daughter Zion: be ye joyful, O Israel: be glad and rejoice with all thine heart, O daughter Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy [ce]judgments: he hath cast out thine [cf]enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord is in the midst of [cg]thee: thou shalt see no more evil.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not, O Zion, let not thine hands be faint.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will quiet himself in [ch]his love: he will rejoice over thee with joy.
18 After a certain time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee, and them that bare the reproach for [ci]it.
19 Behold, at that time I will bruise all that afflict thee, and I will [cj]save her that halteth, and gather her that was cast out, and I will get them praise and fame in all the [ck]lands of their shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, and then will I gather you: for I will give you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.
Haggai
1 1 The time of the Prophecy of Haggai. 8 An exhortation to build the Temple again.
1 In the second year of king [cl]Darius, in the sixth month, the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord (by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai) unto [cm]Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, a prince of Judah, and to Jehoshua the son of Jehozadak the high Priest, saying,
2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, the time is not yet come, [cn]that the Lord’s house should be built.
3 Then came the word of the Lord by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai, saying,
4 Is it time for yourselves to dwell in your [co]ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?
5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your own ways in your hearts.
6 [cp]Ye have sown much, and bring in little: ye eat, but ye have not enough: ye drink, but ye are not filled: ye clothe you, but ye be not warm: and he that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a broken bag.
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your own ways in your hearts.
8 Go [cq]up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build this House, and [cr]I will be favorable in it, and I will [cs]be glorified, saith the Lord.
9 Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little: and when ye brought it home, I did blow [ct]upon it. And why, saith the Lord of hosts? Because of mine House that is waste, and ye turn every man unto his own house.
10 Therefore the heaven over you stayed itself from dew, and the earth stayed her fruit.
11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, upon all that the ground bringeth forth: both upon men and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.
12 When Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak the high Priest, with all the remnant of the people, heard the [cu]voice of the Lord their God, and the words of the Prophet Haggai (as the Lord their God had sent him) then the people did fear before the Lord.
13 Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.
14 And the Lord stirred up [cv]the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, a prince of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak the high Priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they came, and did the work in the House of the Lord of hosts their God.
2 He showeth that the glory of the second Temple shall exceed the first.
1 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of king Darius,
2 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai, saying,
3 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel prince of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak the high Priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,
4 Who is left among you that saw this [cw]House in her first glory, and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes, in comparison of it as nothing?
5 Yet now be of good courage, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord, and be of good comfort, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak the high Priest: and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and [cx]do it: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.
6 According to the word that I covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt: so my Spirit shall remain among you, fear ye not.
7 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, [cy]Yet a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land:
8 And I will move all nations, and [cz]the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this House with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.
9 The [da]silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.
10 The glory of this last House shall be greater than the first, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give [db]peace, saith the Lord of hosts.
11 ¶ In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto the Prophet Haggai, saying,
12 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Ask now the Priests concerning the Law, and say,
13 If one bear [dc]holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch the bread or the pottage, or the wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the Priests answered and said, No.
14 Then said Haggai, If a polluted person touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the Priests answered, and said, It shall be unclean.
15 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord: and so are all the works of their hands, and that which they offer here, is unclean.
16 And now, I pray you, consider in your minds: from this [dd]day and afore, even afore a stone was laid upon a stone in the Temple of the Lord:
17 [de]Before these things were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the winepress, for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
18 I smote you with blasting, and with mildew, and with hail, in all the labors of your hands: yet you turned not to me, saith the Lord.
19 Consider, I pray you, in your minds, from [df]this day, and afore, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid: consider it in your minds.
20 Is the [dg]seed yet in the barn? as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.
21 And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
22 Speak to Zerubbabel the prince of Judah, and say, I [dh]will shake the heavens and the earth.
23 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the [di]kingdoms of the heathen, and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them, and the horse and the riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
24 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a [dj]signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah
1 He exhorteth the people to return to the Lord, and to eschew the wickedness of their fathers. 16 He signifieth the restitution of Jerusalem and the Temple.
1 In the eighth month of the second year of [dk]Darius, came the word of the Lord unto [dl]Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet, saying,
2 The Lord hath been [dm]sore displeased with your fathers.
3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, [dn]Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.
4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former (J)Prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Turn you now from your evil ways, and from your wicked works: but they would not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord.
5 Your fathers, where [do]are they? and do the Prophets live forever?
6 But did not my words and my statutes, which I commanded by my servants the Prophets, take hold of [dp]your fathers? and [dq]they returned, and said, As the Lord of hosts hath determined to do unto us according to our own ways, and according to our works, so hath he dealt with us.
7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month [dr]Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet, saying,
8 I [ds]saw by night, and behold [dt]a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a bottom, and behind him were there [du]red horses speckled and white.
9 Then said I, O my Lord, what are these? And the Angel that talked with me, said unto me, I will show thee what these be.
10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees, answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to go through the world.
11 And they answered the Angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have gone through the world: and behold, all the world sitteth still and is at rest.
12 Then the [dv]Angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou be unmerciful to Jerusalem, and to the cities of Judah, with whom thou hast been displeased now these threescore and ten years?
13 And the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me, with good words and comfortable words.
14 So the Angel that communed with me, said unto me, Cry thou, and speak, thus saith the Lord of hosts, I am [dw]jealous over Jerusalem and Zion with a great zeal,
15 And am greatly angry against the careless heathen: for I was angry but [dx]a little, and they helped forward the affliction.
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord, I will return unto Jerusalem with tender mercy: mine house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line [dy]shall be stretched upon Jerusalem.
17 Cry yet, and speak, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, My cities shall yet [dz]be broken with plenty: the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
18 Then lifted I up mine eyes and saw, and behold, [ea]four horns.
19 And I said unto the Angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
20 And the Lord showed me four [eb]carpenters.
21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he answered, and said, These are the horns, which have scattered Judah, so that a man durst not lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, and to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
2 The restoring of Jerusalem and Judah.
1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold, a [ec]man with a measuring line in his hand.
2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, that I may see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
3 And behold, the Angel that talked with me, went forth, and another Angel went out to meet him,
4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this [ed]young man, and say, [ee]Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls, for the multitude of men and cattle therein.
5 For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of [ef]fire round about, and will [eg]be the glory in the midst of her.
6 Ho, ho, come [eh]forth, and flee from the land of the North, saith the Lord: for I have scattered you into the four [ei]winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.
7 [ej]Save thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babel.
8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, After this [ek]glory hath he sent me unto the nations, which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the [el]apple of his eye.
9 For behold, I will lift up mine hand [em]upon them: and [en]they shall be a spoil to those that served them, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath [eo]sent me.
10 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter Zion: for lo, I come, and will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.
11 And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
12 And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
13 Let all flesh be still before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy place.
3 A prophecy of Christ and of his kingdom.
1 And he showed me Joshua the high Priest, [ep]standing before the Angel of the Lord, and [eq]Satan stood at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the [er]Lord said unto Satan, The Lord reprove thee, O Satan: even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, reprove thee. Is not this a [es][brand] taken out of the fire?
3 Now Joshua was clothed with [et]filthy garments, and stood before the Angel.
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the [eu]filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have [ev]caused thine iniquity to depart from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
5 And I said, Let them [ew]set a fair diadem upon his head. So they set a fair diadem upon his head, and clothed him with garments, and the Angel of the Lord stood by.
6 And the Angel of the Lord testified unto Joshua, saying,
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If thou wilt walk in my ways, and keep my watch, thou shalt also [ex]judge mine house, and shalt also keep my [ey]courts, and I will give thee place among [ez]these that stand by.
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high Priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they [fa]are monstrous persons: but behold, I will bring forth the [fb]Branch my servant.
9 For lo, the [fc]stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I [fd]will cut out the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will take [fe]away the iniquity of this land in one day.
10 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the [ff]vine, and under the fig tree.
4 The vision of the golden candlestick, and the exposition thereof.
1 And the Angel that talked with me, came again and waked me, as a man that is raised out of his sleep,
2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a [fg]candlestick all of gold with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps therein, and seven [fh]pipes to the lamps which were upon the top thereof,
3 And two olive trees over it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4 So I answered and spake to the Angel that talked with me, saying, What are these my Lord?
5 Then the Angel that talked with me, answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord.
6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto [fi]Zerubbabel, saying, Neither by [fj]an army nor strength, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
7 Who art thou, O [fk]great mountain, before Zerubbabel? thou shall be a plain, and [fl]he shall bring forth the headstone thereof, with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8 Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house: his hands shall also finish it, and [fm]thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10 For who hath despised the day of the [fn]small things? but they shall rejoice, and shall see the stone of [fo]tin in the hand of Zerubbabel: [fp]these seven are the eyes of the Lord, which go through the whole world.
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right and upon the left side thereof?
12 And I spake moreover, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty themselves into the gold?
13 And he answered me, and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord.
14 Then said he, These are the two [fq]olive branches, that stand with the ruler of the whole earth.
5 1 The vision of the flying book, signifying the curse of thieves, and such as abuse the Name of God. 6 By the vision of the measure is signified the bringing of Judah’s afflictions into Babylon.
1 Then I turned me, and lifted up mine eyes and looked, and behold, a flying book.
2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying [fr]book: the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
3 Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the whole earth: for everyone that [fs]stealeth, shall be cut off, as well on this [ft]side, as on that: and everyone that [fu]sweareth, shall be cut off, as well on this side, as on that.
4 I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that falsely sweareth by my Name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and stones thereof.
5 Then the Angel that talked with me, went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an [fv]Ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is the [fw]sight of them through all the earth.
7 And behold, there was lifted up a [fx]talent of lead: and this is a [fy]woman that sitteth in the midst of the Ephah.
8 And he said, This is [fz]wickedness, and he cast it into the midst of the Ephah, and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
9 Then I lifted mine eyes, and looked: and behold, there came out two [ga]women, and the wind was in their wings (for they had wings like the wings of a stork) and they lifted up the Ephah between the earth and the heaven.
10 Then said I to the Angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the Ephah?
11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar, and it shall be [gb]established and set there upon her own place.
6 By the four chariots he describeth the four Monarchies.
1 Again, I turned and lifted up mine eyes, and looked: and behold, there came four [gc]chariots out from between [gd]two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2 In the first chariot were [ge]red horses, and in the second chariot [gf]black horses,
3 And in the third chariot [gg]white horses, and in the fourth chariot, horses of [gh]divers colors, and reddish.
4 Then I answered, and said unto the Angel that talked with me, What are these, my Lord?
5 And the Angel answered, and said unto me, These are the four [gi]spirits of the heaven, which go forth from standing with the Lord of all the earth.
6 That with the black horse went forth into the land of the North, and the white went out after them, and they of divers colors went forth toward the [gj]South country.
7 And the [gk]reddish went out, and required to go, and pass through the world, and he said, Go, pass through the world. So they went throughout the world.
8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the North country, have pacified my [gl]spirit in the North country.
9 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, and of Tobijah, and Jedaiah, which are come from Babel, and come thou the same day, and go unto the house of [gm]Josiah, the son of Zephaniah.
11 Take even silver, and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the [gn]head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak the high Priest,
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, and saith, Behold, the man whose name is the [go]Branch, and he shall grow [gp]up out of his place, and he shall [gq]build the Temple of the Lord.
13 Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the [gr]glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a Priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between [gs]them both.
14 And the crowns shall be to [gt]Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to [gu]Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a [gv]memorial in the Temple of the Lord.
15 And they that are [gw]far off, shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord, and ye shall know, that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will [gx]obey the voice of the Lord your God.
7 5 The true fasting. 11 The rebellion of the people is the cause of their affliction.
1 And in the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in [gy]Chislev,
2 For [gz]they had sent unto the House of God Sharezer, and Regem-Melech and their men to pray before the Lord,
3 And to speak unto the Priests, which were in the House of the Lord of hosts, and to the Prophets, saying, Should I [ha]weep in the fifth month, and [hb]separate myself as I have done these so many [hc]years?
4 Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying,
5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the [hd]Priests, and say, When ye fasted, and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even the seventy years, did ye fast unto me? [he]do I approve it?
6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did ye not eat[hf]for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7 Should ye not hear the words which the Lord [hg]hath cried by the ministry of the former Prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when the South and the plain was inhabited?
8 And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying,
9 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, [hh]Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother,
10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
11 But they refused to hearken, and [hi]pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his [hj]Spirit by the ministry of the former Prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.
13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.
14 But I scattered them among all the nations, whom they knew not: thus the land was desolate [hk]after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land [hl]waste.
8 2 Of the return of the people unto Jerusalem, and of the mercy of God toward them. 16 Of good works. 20 The calling of the Gentiles.
1 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I was [hm]jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great wrath.
3 Thus saith the Lord, I will return unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a [hn]city of truth, and the Mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy Mountain.
4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, There shall yet old [ho]men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls, playing in the streets thereof.
6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Though it be [hp]impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it therefore be impossible in my sight, saith the Lord of hosts?
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will deliver my people from the East country, and from the West country.
8 And I will bring them, and they shall [hq]dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God in truth, and in righteousness.
9 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Let your [hr]hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the Prophets, which were in the day, that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the Temple might be built.
10 For before these days there was no hire for [hs]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, everyone against his neighbor.
11 But now, I will not entreat the residue of this people as aforetime, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous: the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew: and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so will I deliver you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, As I thought to punish[ht]you, when your fathers provoked me unto wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and repented not,
15 So again have I determined in these days [hu]to do well unto Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
16 These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye every man the truth unto his neighbor: execute judgment truly, and uprightly in your gates,
17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are the things that I hate, saith the Lord.
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,
19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the [hv]tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and prosperous high feasts: therefore love the truth and peace.
20 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, That there shall yet come [hw]people, and the inhabitants of great cities.
21 And they that dwell in one city, shall go to another, saying, (K)Up, let us go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also.
22 Yea great people and mighty nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.
23 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, In those days shall ten men take hold out of all languages of the nations, even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, and say, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
9 The threatenings of the Gentiles. 9 The coming of Christ.
1 The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of [hx]Hadrach: and Damascus shall be his [hy]rest: when the [hz]eyes of man, even of all the tribes of Israel shall be toward the Lord.
2 And Hamath also shall border [ia]thereby: Tyre also and Sidon, though they be [ib]very wise.
3 For Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and gold as the mire of the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will spoil her, and he will smite her [ic]power in the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire.
5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear, and Gaza also shall be very sorrowful, and Ekron: for her countenance shall be ashamed, and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 And the [id]stranger shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his [ie]teeth: but he that remaineth, even he shall be for our God, and he shall be as a prince in Judah, but [if]Ekron shall be as a Jebusite.
8 And I will camp about [ig]mine House against the army, against him that passeth by, and against him that returneth, and no oppressor shall come upon them anymore: for now [ih]have I seen with mine eyes.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion: shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee: [ii]he is just, and saved himself, poor and riding upon an [ij]ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
10 And I will cut off the [ik]chariots from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem: the bow of the battle shall be broken, and he shall speak peace unto the heathen, and his dominion shall be from [il]sea unto sea, and from the [im]River to the end of the land.
11 [in]Thou also shall be saved through the blood of thy covenant. I have loosed thy [io]prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
12 Turn you to the [ip]stronghold, ye [iq]prisoners of hope: even today do I declare, that I will render the [ir]double unto thee.
13 For Judah have I bent as a [is]bow for me: Ephraim’s hand have I filled, and I have raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and have made thee as a giant’s sword.
14 And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall come forth with the whirlwinds of the South.
15 The Lord of hosts shall defend them, and they shall devour them, [it]and subdue them with sling stones, and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine, and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the horns of the Altar.
16 And the Lord their God shall deliver them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the [iu]stones of the crown lifted up upon his land.
17 For how great is his goodness! and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.
10 1 The vanity of Idolatry. 3 The Lord promiseth to visit and comfort the house of Israel.
1 Ask you of the [iv]Lord rain in the time of the latter rain: so shall the Lord make white clouds, and give you showers of rain, and to everyone grass in the field.
2 Surely the [iw]idols have spoken vanity, and the soothsayers have seen a lie, and the dreamers have told a vain thing: they comfort in vain: therefore [ix]they went away as sheep: they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.
3 My wrath was kindled against the shepherds, and I did visit the [iy]goats: but the Lord of hosts will visit his flock the house of Judah, and will make them as [iz]his beautiful horse in the battle.
4 Out [ja]of him shall the corner come forth: out of him the nail, out of him ye bow of battle, and out of him every [jb]appointer of tribute also.
5 And they shall be as the mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle, and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will preserve the [jc]house of Joseph, and I will bring them again, for I pity them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.
7 And they of Ephraim shall be as a giant: and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad: and their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.
8 I will [jd]hiss for them: and gather them: for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase, as they have increased.
9 And I will [je]sow them among the people, and they shall remember me in far countries: and they shall live with their children and [jf]turn again.
10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria: and I will bring them into the land of Gilead, and Lebanon, and place shall not be found for them.
11 And he [jg]shall go into the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away.
12 And I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk in his Name, saith the Lord.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.