Bible in 90 Days
1 This is the ·message [oracle; burden] Habakkuk the prophet received.
Habakkuk Complains
2 Lord, how long must I ·ask [cry; call] for help
and you ·ignore [do not hear] me?
I cry out to you ·about violence [or “Violence!”],
but you do not ·save [rescue] us!
3 Why do you make me see ·wrong things [evil; iniquity; injustice]
and make me look at ·trouble [wrongdoing]?
·People are destroying things and hurting others [L Destruction and violence are] in front of me;
·they are arguing and fighting [L strife and conflict arise].
4 So the ·teachings [law; instruction; L Torah] are ·weak [paralyzed],
and justice never comes.
Evil people ·gain while good people lose [L surround/hem in the righteous];
·the judges no longer make fair decisions [L so justice is perverted].
The Lord Answers
5 “Look at the nations!
Watch them and be ·amazed and shocked [utterly astounded].
I will do something in your ·lifetime [L days]
that you won’t believe even when you are told about it.
6 I will ·use [raise up] the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans],
those ·cruel [ruthless; bitter] and ·wild [impetuous; hasty] people
who march across the earth
and ·take lands [L seize dwellings] that don’t belong to them.
7 They scare and ·frighten [terrify] people.
·They do what they want to do
and are good only to themselves [L Their justice/judgment and dignity proceed from themselves].
8 Their horses are faster than leopards
and ·quicker [fiercer] than wolves ·at sunset [L of the evening].
Their ·horse soldiers [cavalry] attack quickly;
they come from places far away.
They attack quickly, like an ·eagle [or vulture] ·swooping down for food [swift to devour].
9 They all come ·to fight [L for violence].
·Nothing can stop them [or …a horde moving like an east wind; or …their faces set forward].
Their prisoners are ·as many as the grains of [L like] sand.
10 They ·laugh at [mock] kings
and make fun of rulers.
They laugh at all the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities
and build ·dirt piles to the top of the walls [earthen siege ramps] to capture them.
11 Then they ·leave [sweep by] like the wind and move on.
They are guilty of ·worshiping their own strength [making their strength their god; or ascribing their strength to their gods].”
Habakkuk Complains Again
12 Lord, ·you live forever [L are you not from everlasting…?],
my God, my holy God.
We will not die.
Lord, you ·have chosen the Babylonians to punish people [appointed them for judgment];
our Rock [Ps. 61:2], you picked them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too ·good [pure] to look at evil;
you cannot ·stand to see [tolerate; look on] those who do wrong.
So how can you put up with those ·evil [treacherous] people?
How can you be quiet when the wicked swallow up people who are ·better [more righteous] than they are?
14 You ·treat [or made] people like fish in the sea,
like sea animals without a ·leader [ruler].
15 ·The enemy [L He] brings them in with hooks.
He catches them in his net
and ·drags [gathers] them in his ·fishnet [dragnet].
So he rejoices and ·sings for joy [is glad].
16 The enemy offers sacrifices to his net
and burns incense to ·worship it [L his dragnet],
because it lets him live ·like the rich [in luxury]
and enjoy ·the best [or plentiful] food.
17 Will he keep on ·taking riches with [L emptying] his net?
Will he go on destroying ·people [nations] without showing mercy?
2 I will stand like a guard to watch
and ·place [station] myself at the tower.
I will wait to see what he will say to me;
I will wait to learn how ·God will answer [or I will answer concerning] my complaint.
The Lord Answers
2 The Lord answered me:
“Write down the vision;
write it ·clearly [plainly] on clay tablets
so whoever reads it can run to tell others.
3 ·It is not yet time for the message to come true [L For the vision awaits an appointed time],
·but that time is coming soon [it hastens to the end; or it speaks about the end];
the message will ·come true [not lie].
·It may seem like a long time,
but [Though it tarries/lingers] be patient and wait for it,
because it will surely come;
it will not be delayed.
4 [L Look; T Behold] ·The evil nation [L He] is ·very proud of itself [puffed up];
·it [L his soul] is not ·living as it should [upright].
But ·those who are right with God [the righteous] will live ·by faith [or because of their faithfulness; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38].
5 “Just as wine ·can trick [betrays] a person,
those who are too proud will not ·last, [have rest; settle down]
·because their desire is like a grave’s desire for death [L he opens wide his throat like Sheol; C the grave or the underworld],
and like death they always want more.
They gather other nations for themselves
and collect for themselves all the ·countries [peoples].
6 But all ·the nations the Babylonians have hurt [L these] will ·laugh at [taunt] them.
They will ·make fun of the Babylonians [ridicule with riddles]
and say, ‘·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the one that ·steals many things [L piles up what is not his].
How long will that nation get rich by ·forcing others to pay them [extortion; goods taken in pledge]?’
7 “·One day the people from whom you have taken money will [L Will not your creditors…?] turn against you.
They will ·realize what is happening [L wake up] and make you shake with fear.
Then ·they will take everything you have [L you will become their plunder].
8 Because you have ·stolen from [plundered] many nations,
those who are left will ·take much from [plunder] you.
·This is because you have killed many people [For the human blood you have shed],
·destroying [violently attacking] countries and cities and everyone in them.
9 “·How terrible it will be for the nation [L Woe to him] that ·becomes rich by doing wrong [builds his house with unjust gain; or acquires evil gain for his own house],
thinking they will ·live in a safe place [L set his nest on high]
and escape ·harm [L the hand of evil].
10 Because you have ·made plans [plotted; schemed] to ·destroy [L cut off] many people,
you have brought shame to your house.
Because of it, you will ·lose your lives [forfeit your soul/life].
11 The stones of the walls [C of the “house” of Babylon] will cry out against you,
and the ·boards that support the roof [beams of the woodwork] will ·agree that you are wrong [echo the complaint; L answer back].
12 “·How terrible it will be for the nation [L Woe to him] that ·kills people [uses bloodshed] to build a city,
that ·wrongs others [uses injustice] to start a town.
13 [L Look; T Behold] The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will send fire
to destroy what those people have built;
all the nations’ ·work [weariness] will be for nothing.
14 Then, just as water covers the sea,
·people everywhere will know [L the earth will be filled with the knowledge of] the Lord’s glory.
15 “·How terrible for the nation that [L Woe to him who] makes its neighbors drink,
pouring ·from the jug of wine [or out your wrath] until they are drunk
so that it can look at their naked bodies.
16 ·You Babylonians [L You] will be filled with ·disgrace [shame], not ·respect [glory].
It’s your turn to drink and ·fall to the ground [or expose your uncircumcision] like a drunk person.
The ·cup of anger [L cup; Jer. 25:15–29] from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you.
You will receive ·disgrace [shame], not ·respect [glory].
17 You ·hurt many people [did violence] in Lebanon,
but now you will be ·hurt [overwhelmed by it].
You killed many animals there,
and now you must be afraid
because of ·what you did [the blood and violence you did]
to that land, those cities, and the people who lived in them.
The Message About Idols
18 “·An idol does no good [L What value does an idol have…?], because a human made it;
it is only a ·statue [metal image] that teaches lies.
The one who made it ·expects his own work to help him [trusts in his own creation],
but he makes idols that can’t even speak!
19 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the one who says to a wooden statue, ‘·Come to life [Wake up]!’
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the one who says to a silent stone, ‘·Get up [Arise]!’
It cannot ·tell you what to do [teach/guide us].
It is only a statue covered with gold and silver;
there is no ·life [breath] in it.
20 The Lord is in his Holy Temple;
all the earth should be silent ·in his presence [before him].”
Habakkuk’s Prayer
3 This is the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on shigionoth [C probably a literary or musical term].
2 Lord, I have heard the ·news [report] about you;
I am ·amazed [in awe; afraid] at what you have done.
Lord, do great things once again in ·our time [L the midst of the years];
make ·those things happen again [L them known] in ·our own days [L the midst of the years].
Even when you are angry,
remember to be ·kind [compassionate].
3 God is coming from Teman [C near Edom, south of Israel];
the Holy One comes from Mount Paran [C on the Sinai peninsula south of Israel; the language recalls God’s revelation at Mount Sinai; Deut. 33:2].
His glory covers the ·skies [heavens],
and his praise fills the earth.
4 He is like ·a bright light [flashing lightning; or brightness at dawn].
Rays of light ·shine [flash] from his hand,
and there he hides his power.
5 ·Sickness [Plague] goes before him,
and ·disease [pestilence] follows ·behind him [L at his feet].
6 He stands and ·shakes [or measures] the earth.
He looks, and the nations ·shake [or jump] with fear.
The ·mountains, which stood for ages, [eternal mountains] ·break into pieces [crumble];
the ·old [age-old; everlasting] hills ·fall [sink] down.
·God has always done this [Ancient paths/ways are his].
7 I saw that the tents of Cushan [C located in southern Transjordan] were in ·trouble [distress]
and that the ·tents [curtains] of the land of Midian trembled [Ex. 15:14–16; Josh. 2:9–10].
8 Lord, were you angry at the rivers,
or ·were you angry at [was your wrath against] the streams?
Were you ·angry [enraged] with the sea
when you rode your horses and chariots of victory?
9 You ·uncovered [pulled out; brandished] your bow
and commanded many arrows to be brought to you.
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw you and ·shook with fear [writhed; trembled].
The ·rushing [raging; torrents of] water ·flowed [swept by].
The ·sea [deep] ·made a loud noise [shouted; roared],
and ·its waves rose high [L lifted its hands high].
11 The sun and moon stood still in ·the sky [L lofty dwelling place];
they stopped when they saw the flash of your flying arrows
and the ·gleam [glint] of your ·shining [flashing] spear.
12 In ·anger [indignation] you marched on the earth;
in anger you ·punished [trampled; threshed] the nations.
13 You came out to ·save [rescue] your people,
to save your ·chosen one [anointed].
You crushed the ·leader [head] of the ·wicked ones [L house of the wicked]
and ·took everything he had [lay him bare], from ·head to toe [L foundation to neck].
14 With the enemy’s own ·spear [or arrows] you ·stabbed the leader of his army [L pierced his head; or pierced the heads of his soldiers/warriors].
His ·soldiers [warriors] rushed out like a storm to scatter us.
·They were happy [Rejoicing; Shouting with joy]
as they were ·robbing [plundering] the poor people in secret.
15 But you ·marched through [trampled on] the sea with your horses,
stirring the great waters.
16 I hear these things, and my body trembles;
my lips ·tremble [quiver] when I hear the sound.
My bones ·feel weak [L rot away],
and my legs shake.
But I will wait patiently for the day of ·disaster [calamity]
that will come to the people who ·attack [invade] us.
17 Fig trees may not ·grow figs [L blossom; bud],
and there may be no grapes on the vines.
·There may be no olives growing [L The produce of the olive fails/disappoints]
and no food growing in the fields.
There may be no sheep in the ·pens [fold]
and no cattle in the ·barns [stalls].
18 But I will still ·be glad [rejoice] in the Lord;
I will ·rejoice [be joyful] in God my Savior.
19 The Lord God is my strength.
He makes ·me like a deer that does not stumble [L my feet like a deer’s]
so I can walk on the ·steep mountains [heights].
For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
1 This is the word of the Lord that came through Zephaniah while Josiah [C ruled 640–609 bc] son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hezekiah.
The Lord’s Judgment
2 “I will sweep away everything
from the [L face of the] earth,” says the Lord.
3 “I will sweep away the people and animals;
I will ·destroy [sweep away] the birds in the air
and the fish of the sea.
I will ·ruin the evil people [reduce the wicked to rubble; L destroy the stumbling blocks with the wicked],
and I will remove human beings from the [L face of the] earth,” says the Lord.
The Future of Judah
4 “I will ·punish [L stretch out my hand against] Judah
and all the people living in Jerusalem.
I will remove from this place
·all signs [every trace; the remnant] of Baal, ·the [every memory of; L the names of] ·false [idolatrous] priests, and the other priests.
5 I will destroy those who ·worship [bow down to]
the ·stars [starry host; host of heaven] from the roofs [C roofs were flat and used for living space],
and those who ·worship [bow down] and ·make promises [swear oaths]
by both the Lord and the god ·Molech [or Malkam; or the king],
6 and those who turned away from the Lord,
and those who quit following the Lord and ·praying to him for direction [L seeking or inquiring of him].
7 Be silent before the Lord God,
because the ·Lord’s day for judging people [L day of the Lord; Is. 13:6, 9; Jer. 46:10; Joel 2:1, 11, 31; Amos 5:18–20; Zech. 14:1] is ·coming soon [near].
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;
he has ·made holy [consecrated] his invited guests.
8 On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
I, the Lord, will punish the ·princes [officials] and the king’s sons
and all those who wear foreign clothes [C indicating adoption of pagan culture and religion].
9 On that day I will punish those who ·worship Dagon [L leap over the threshold; C thought to be part of worship of the Philistine god Dagon; 1 Sam. 5:5],
those who fill the ·temple [L house] of their ·gods [or king; L master] with violence and deceit.
10 “On that day,” says the Lord,
“a cry will be heard at the Fish Gate.
A wail will come from the ·new area of the city [L Second Quarter],
and a loud crash will echo from the hills.
11 ·Cry [Wail], you people living in ·the market area [or the lower town; or Mortar; C possibly a place name],
because all the merchants will ·be dead [be destroyed; or disappear];
all the silver traders will be ·gone [L cut off].
12 At that time I, the Lord, will search Jerusalem with lamps.
I will punish those who are ·satisfied with themselves [complacent; or entrenched in sin; L thickened in their dregs/sediment],
who think, ‘The Lord won’t ·help us or punish us [L do good or evil].’
13 Their wealth will be ·stolen [plundered]
and their houses ·destroyed [ruined; laid waste].
They may build houses,
but they will not live in them.
They may plant vineyards,
but they will not drink any wine from them.
The Lord’s Day of Judging
14 “The ·Lord’s day of judging [great day of the Lord; 1:7] is ·coming soon [near];
it is near and coming fast.
The cry will be ·very sad [bitter] on the day of the Lord;
·even soldiers will cry [or soldiers will shout a battle cry].
15 That day will be a day of ·anger [wrath],
a day of ·terror [distress] and ·trouble [anguish],
a day of ·destruction [devastation] and ruin,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
16 a day of ·alarms [trumpet blasts; L a ram’s horn] and battle cries.
·‘Attack [or …against] the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities!
·Attack [or …against] the corner towers!’
17 I will ·make life hard [bring distress] on ·the people [or humanity];
they will ·walk [grope] around like the blind,
because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dust,
and their ·insides [flesh] will be dumped like ·trash [refuse; dung].
18 On the day ·that God will show his anger [L of the Lord’s wrath],
neither their silver nor gold will save them.
·The Lord’s anger will be like a fire [L In the fire of his jealousy; Nah. 1:2]
that will ·burn up [consume; devour] the whole world;
suddenly he will bring an end, yes, an end
to ·everyone on [all who live on] earth.”
The Lord Asks People to Change
2 Gather together, gather,
you ·unwanted [shameful; undesirable] people.
2 Do it before ·it’s too late [L the decree takes effect],
before ·you are blown away like chaff [or the day passes like chaff],
before the Lord’s ·terrible [fierce; burning] anger reaches you,
before the day of the Lord’s anger comes to you.
3 ·Come to [Seek] the Lord, all you who are ·not proud [humble; meek],
who obey his ·laws [commands].
·Do what is right [Seek righteousness]. ·Learn [Seek] to be humble.
Maybe you will ·escape [be protected; L be hidden]
on the day the Lord shows his anger.
Philistia Will Be Punished
4 ·No one will be left in the city of Gaza [L Gaza will be abandoned; C Gaza sounds like Hebrew for “abandoned”; all four of these were cities in Philistia],
and the city of Ashkelon will be ·destroyed [desolated; a heap of ruins].
Ashdod will be empty by noon,
and the people of Ekron will be ·chased away [L uprooted; C Ekron sounds like Hebrew for “uprooted”].
5 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you who live by the ·Mediterranean Sea [L sea],
you ·Philistines [L nation of Cerethites; C either another name for the Philistines or a neighboring people group; the name suggests they came from the island of Crete; 2 Sam. 8:18; Ezek. 25:16]!
The word of the Lord is against you,
Canaan, land of the Philistines.
“I will destroy you
so that no ·one [inhabitant] will be left.”
6 The land by the ·Mediterranean Sea, in which you live [L sea],
will become pastures, ·fields [or shelters; or having wells] for shepherds, and pens for ·sheep [flocks].
7 It will ·belong to [L be for] the ·descendants of Judah who are left alive [L remnant of the house of Judah].
There they will ·let their sheep eat grass [graze; find pasture].
At night they will ·sleep [lay down]
in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will ·pay attention to [care for] them
and will ·make their life good again [restore their fortunes; or return their exiles].
Moab and Ammon Will Be Punished
8 “I have heard the ·insults [taunts] of Moab[C the country]
and the ·threats [insults; reproach] of the ·people [L sons/descendants] of Ammon.
They have ·insulted [taunted] my people
and ·have taken [or harrassed; threatened; or boasted about] their ·land [borders].”
9 So the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says,
“As surely as I live,
Moab will ·be destroyed [L become] like Sodom,
and ·Ammon [L the sons/descendant of Ammon] will ·be destroyed [become] like Gomorrah [C two cities destroyed for their great wickedness; Gen. 19]—
a heap of weeds, a pit of salt,
and a ·ruin [wasteland] forever.
·Those of my people who are left alive [The remnant of my people] will ·take whatever they want from [plunder] them;
·those who are left from my nation [the survivors] will ·take their land [L inherit/possess them].”
10 This is what Moab and Ammon get for being proud,
because they ·insulted [taunted] and ·made fun of [boasted against] the people of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
11 The Lord will ·frighten [terrify; be awesome against] them,
because he will ·destroy [or weaken; or starve] all the gods of the earth.
Then everyone in ·faraway places [or the coastlands of the nations]
will ·worship [bow down to] him wherever they are.
Cush and Assyria Will Be Destroyed
12 “You ·Cushites [Ethiopians] also
will be ·killed [slain] by my sword.”
13 Then the Lord will ·turn [L stretch out his hand] against the north
and destroy Assyria.
He will make Nineveh
a ·ruin [desolation] as dry as a desert.
14 Flocks and herds will lie down there,
and all ·wild animals [kinds of beasts].
The ·owls [horned owls; or pelicans] and ·crows [or screech owls; or hedgehogs] will sit
on ·the stone pillars [her columns/capitals].
The owl will hoot through the windows,
·trash [rubble; devastation] will be in the ·doorways [thresholds],
and the ·wooden boards [cedar work] of the buildings will be ·gone [or exposed].
15 This is the ·happy [boisterous; exultant] and ·safe [secure] city
that ·thinks [L said in her heart] ·there is no one else as strong as it is [L “I am it, and there is no one besides me”].
But what a ruin it will be,
a place where wild animals live.
All those who pass by will ·make fun [scoff; L hiss]
and shake their fists.
Jerusalem Will Be Punished
3 ·How terrible for [L Woe to] the ·wicked, stubborn [rebellious and polluted/defiled] ·city of Jerusalem [L city],
which ·hurts its own people [oppresses].
2 It obeys no voice;
it ·can’t be taught to do right [receives/accepts no correction].
It doesn’t trust the Lord;
it doesn’t ·worship [L draw near to] its God.
3 Its ·officers [princes] are like roaring lions.
Its ·rulers [or judges] are ·like hungry wolves that attack in the evening [L evening wolves],
and in the morning ·nothing is left of those they attacked [L there is no gnawing].
4 Its prophets are proud;
they are ·people who cannot be trusted [treacherous people].
Its priests ·don’t respect [profane] ·holy things [or the sanctuary];
they ·break [L do violence to] God’s ·teachings [law; L Torah].
5 But the Lord is ·good [righteous; just], and he is there in that city.
He does no ·wrong [iniquity; injustice].
Every morning he ·governs the people fairly [provides justice];
·every day [L at the light/dawn] he ·can be trusted [never fails].
But evil people ·are not ashamed of what they do [know no shame].
6 “I have ·destroyed [L cut off] nations;
their ·towers [fortresses; strongholds] were ruined.
I made their streets ·empty [deserted]
so no one ·goes there [passes through] anymore.
Their cities are ·ruined [desolate];
no one lives there at all.
7 I said, ‘Surely now ·Jerusalem [L you] will ·respect [fear] me [Prov. 1:7]
and will accept my ·teaching [correction].’
Then the place where they lived would not be destroyed,
and I would not have to punish them.
But they were still eager
to ·do evil [act corruptly] in everything they did.
8 Just ·wait [be patient],” says the Lord.
“Someday I will stand up ·as a witness [to testify; or to plunder].
I have decided that I will gather nations
and assemble kingdoms.
I will pour out my ·anger [wrath; indignation] on them,
all my ·strong [fierce; burning] anger.
My anger will be like fire
that will ·burn up [consume; devour] the whole world.
A New Day for God’s People
9 “Then I will ·give [restore to] the ·people of all nations [L nations] pure ·speech [L lips; C pure because they worship God instead of idols]
so that all of them will ·speak [call on] the name of the Lord
and worship me ·together [as one; side-by-side].
10 People will come from ·where the Nile River begins [L the rivers of Cush/Ethiopia];
my worshipers, ·my scattered people [L the daughter of my dispersed ones] will come with ·gifts [offerings] for me.
11 ·Then [L On that day] Jerusalem will not be ashamed
of the ·wrongs [rebellious deeds] done against me,
because I will remove from this city
those who ·like to brag [arrogantly boast];
there will never be any more ·proud people [haughty]
on my holy ·mountain in Jerusalem [L mountain; hill; C Zion, the location of the Temple].
12 But I will leave in ·the city [L your midst]
the humble and ·those who are not proud [meek; lowly],
and they will ·trust [or find refuge] in the [L name of the] Lord.
13 ·Those who are left alive in [L The remnant of] Israel won’t do wrong or tell lies;
·they won’t trick people with their words [No deceitful tongue will be found in their mouth].
They will ·eat [or graze; feed their flocks] and lie down
with no one to make them afraid.”
A Happy Song
14 ·Sing [or Shout joyfully], Jerusalem.
Israel, shout ·for joy [out]!
·Jerusalem [L Daughter Jerusalem], be happy
and rejoice with all your heart.
15 The Lord has ·stopped punishing you [taken away your judgments];
he has ·sent [swept; cleared; turned] your enemies away.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is with you;
you will never again be afraid of ·being harmed [disaster; evil].
16 On that day Jerusalem will be told,
“Don’t be afraid, ·city of Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
Don’t ·give up [L let your hands grow weak/hang limp].
17 The Lord your God is ·with you [in your midst];
the mighty One will save you.
He will ·rejoice over you [take delight in you].
·You will rest [or He will quiet you; or He won’t rebuke you] in his love;
he will sing and be joyful about you.”
18 “I will take away the sadness ·planned for you [or over the loss of your appointed festivals],
which would have made you very ashamed.
19 At that time I will ·punish [L deal with]
all those who ·harmed [oppressed] you.
I will ·save my people who cannot walk [rescue the lame]
and gather ·my people who have been thrown out [the scattered; C perhaps shepherd imagery].
I will give them praise and ·honor [fame; renown]
in every place where they were shamed.
20 At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will ·bring you back home [gather you].
I will give you ·honor [fame; renown] and praise
·from people everywhere [L among all the peoples/nations of the earth]
when I ·make things go well again for you [restore your fortunes; or return your exiles],
·as you will see with your own [L before your] eyes,” says the Lord.
It Is Time to Build the Temple
1 The prophet Haggai spoke the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah [Ezra 2:2; 3:2; Zech. 6:9–14], and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest [C also known as Jeshua; Ezra 2:2; 3:2; 5:2; Zech. 3:1–10]. This message came in the second year that Darius was king [520 bc], on the first day of the sixth month [C August 29; Elul 1 on the Hebrew calendar]:
2 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘The people say the right time has not come to rebuild the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.’”
3 Then Haggai the prophet spoke the word of the Lord: 4 “Is it right for you to be living in ·fancy [L paneled] houses while ·the Temple [L this house] is still in ruins?”
5 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Think about what you have done [Consider your ways]. 6 You have planted much, but you harvest little. You eat, but you do not become full. You drink, but you are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but you are not warm enough. You earn ·money [wages], ·but then you lose it all as if you had [L to] put it into a purse full of holes.”
7 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Think about what you have done [Consider your ways]. 8 Go up to the mountains, bring back wood, and build the ·Temple [L house]. Then I will be pleased with it and be honored,” says the Lord. 9 “You look for much, but ·you find little [it came to little]. When you bring it home, I ·destroy it [L blew it away]. Why?” asks the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. “Because you all ·work hard for [are busy with; L run to] your own houses while my house is still in ruins! 10 Because of what you have done, the sky holds back its ·rain [dew] and the ground holds back its crops. 11 I have called for a ·time without rain [drought] on the land, and on the ·mountains [hill country], and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, the plants which the earth produces, the people, the ·farm animals [livestock], and all the work of your hands.”
12 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest [1:1], and all the ·rest of the people who were left alive [remnant of the people; C those who returned from exile in Babylon] obeyed the [L voice of the] Lord their God and the message from Haggai the prophet, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people ·feared [were in awe of] the Lord.
13 Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “The Lord says, ‘I am with you.’” 14 The Lord stirred up [L the spirit of] Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the ·rest of the people who were left alive [remnant of the people; v. 12]. So they came and worked on the ·Temple [L house] of their God, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 15 They began on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year Darius was king [v. 1].
The Beauty of the Temple
2 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month [C Oct. 17, 520 bc; Tishri 21 on the Hebrew calendar; the same date Solomon finished the temple 440 years earlier (960 bc); 1 Kin. 6:38; 8:2], the Lord spoke his word through Haggai the prophet, saying, 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest [1:1], and to the ·rest of the people who are left alive [remnant of the people; 1:12]. Say, 3 ‘Do any of you remember ·how great the Temple was [the former glory of this house] before it was destroyed? What does it look like now? Doesn’t it seem like nothing to you?’ 4 But the Lord says, ‘Zerubbabel, be ·brave [strong]. Also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, be ·brave [strong]. And all you people who live in the land, be ·brave [strong],’ says the Lord. ‘Work, because I am with you,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 5 ‘I made a promise to you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit ·is still with [remains among] you. So don’t be afraid.’
6 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘In a short time I will once again shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and ·they will bring their wealth [L the treasures of the nations shall come]. Then I will fill this ·Temple [L house] with glory [C God’s manifest presence],’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 8 ‘The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 9 ‘The ·new Temple [L glory of this second/latter house] will be greater than the one before,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].”
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month [C December 18, 520 bc; Kislev 24 on the Hebrew calendar] in the second year Darius was king, the Lord spoke his word to Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘Ask the priests ·for a teaching [about the law; for guidance/instruction]. 12 Suppose a person carries in the fold of his clothes some meat made holy for the Lord. If that fold touches bread, ·cooked food [stew], wine, olive oil, or some other food, will that be made holy?’”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “If a person who is ·unclean [C ceremonially] from touching a dead body touches any of these foods, will the food become unclean, too?”
The priests answered, “Yes, it would become unclean.”
14 Then Haggai answered, “The Lord says, ‘This is also true for the people of this nation. They are ·unclean [defiled], and everything they do with their hands is unclean to me. Whatever they offer at the altar is also ·unclean [defiled].
15 “‘·Think about [Consider; L Set your heart on] this from now on! Think about how it was before you started laying stones on top of stones to build the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 16 A person used to come to a ·pile of grain expecting to find twenty basketfuls [L heap of twenty measures/ephahs], but there were only ten. And a person used to come to the wine vat to take out fifty ·jarfuls [measures; L baths], but only twenty were there. 17 I ·destroyed your work [struck all the work of your hands] with ·diseases [blight], mildew, and hail, but you still did not come back to me,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘It is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month [December 18, 520 bc; Kislev 24 on the Hebrew calendar], the day in which the people finished working on the foundation of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. From ·now [L this day] on, think about these things: 19 Do you have seeds for crops still in the barn? Your vines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not given fruit yet. But from ·now [L this day] on I will bless you!’”
The Lord Makes a Promise to Zerubbabel
20 Then the Lord spoke his word a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month [December 18, 520 bc; Kislev 24 on the Hebrew calendar]. He said, 21 “Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will ·destroy [overthrow] the ·foreign [L thrones of] kingdoms and ·take away [shatter] the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will destroy the chariots and their riders. The horses will fall with their riders, ·as people kill each other with swords [L each one by the sword of his brother].’ 23 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says, ‘On that day I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you ·important like [L like] my signet ring, because I have chosen you!’ says the Lord All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].”
The Lord Calls His People Back
1 In the eighth month [C October/November on our calendar; the Hebrew month of Cheshvan] of the second year Darius was king [C 520 bc; Darius was king of Persia 522–486 bc], the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo [C a priestly family; Neh. 12:4, 16]. The Lord said, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your ·ancestors [fathers]. 3 So tell the people: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 4 Don’t be like your ·ancestors [fathers]. ·In the past the [The former/earlier] prophets said to them: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘·Stop [Turn from] your evil ways and evil actions.’ But they wouldn’t listen or pay attention to me, says the Lord. 5 Your ·ancestors [fathers] ·are dead [L where are they…?], and those prophets ·didn’t [L do they…?] live forever. 6 I commanded my words and ·laws [statutes] to my servants the prophets, and ·they preached to [or they came true to; L did they not overtake…?] your ·ancestors [fathers], who returned to me. They said, ‘The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] did as he ·said he would [determined to do]. He punished us for ·the way we lived and for what we did [L our ways and deeds].’”
The Vision of the Horses
7 It was on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month [C February 15, 519 bc], which is the month of Shebat, in Darius’s second year as king [v. 1]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo.
8 During the night I had a vision. I saw a man ·riding [or sitting on] a red horse. He was standing among some myrtle trees in a ravine, with red, brown, and white horses behind him [Rev. 6].
9 I asked, “What are these, ·sir [or my lord]?”
The ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me answered, “I’ll show you what they are.”
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord ·sent [L sent to walk/patrol] through all the earth.”
11 Then they spoke to the ·Lord’s angel [or angel of the Lord; C an OT figure closely identified with the Lord himself; Gen. 16:11; 22:11–12], who was standing among the myrtle trees. They said, “We have ·gone [walked; patrolled] through all the earth, and [L look; T behold] everything is calm and quiet.”
12 Then the ·Lord’s angel [angel of the Lord; v. 11] asked, “Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], how long will ·it be before you show [L you withhold] mercy to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You have been angry with them for seventy years now.” 13 So the Lord answered the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, and his words were comforting and good.
14 Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking to me said to me, “Announce this: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘I ·have a strong love [am very jealous/zealous; Nah. 1:2] for Jerusalem. 15 And I am very angry with the nations that feel so ·safe [secure; at ease]. I was only a little angry at them, but they ·made things worse [added to/increased the calamity/disaster].’
16 “So this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy. My ·Temple [L house] will be rebuilt,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], ‘and the measuring line will be ·used to rebuild [L stretched out over] Jerusalem.’
17 “Also announce: This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘My towns will ·be rich again [L overflow with prosperity]. The Lord will comfort Jerusalem again, and I will again choose Jerusalem.’”
The Vision of the Horns
18 Then I looked up and saw four ·animal horns [L horns; C animal horns symbolized strength]. 19 I asked the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, “What are these?”
He said, “These are the horns that scattered the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are they coming to do?”
He answered, “They have come to ·scare [terrify] and throw down the horns. These horns scattered the people of Judah so that no one could even lift up his head. These horns stand for the nations that ·attacked [L lifted up their horns against] the people of Judah and scattered them.”
The Vision of the Measuring Line
2 Then I looked up and saw a man holding a line for measuring things. 2 I asked him, “Where are you going?”
He said to me, “I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.”
3 Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me left, and another ·angel [messenger] came out to meet him. 4 The second ·angel [messenger] said to him, “Run and tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will become a city without walls, because there will be so many people and ·cattle [livestock] in it. 5 I will be a wall of fire around it,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will be the glory within it.’
6 “·Oh no! Oh no [or Come! Come; or Up! Up]! Run away from ·Babylon [L the land of the north], because I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord.
7 “·Oh no [or Come; or Up], ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]! Escape, you who live in ·Babylon [L Daughter Babylon].” 8 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “After ·he has honored me and [or the Glorious One; or for his own glory he] sent me against the nations who ·took your possessions [plundered you]—because whoever touches you ·hurts [L touches] ·what is precious to me [T the apple of his eye; L the pupil/little man of his eye]— 9 I will ·shake my hand [raise my fist] against them so that their slaves will ·rob [plunder] them.”
Then you will know that the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] sent me.
10 “Shout and be glad, ·Jerusalem [L Daughter Zion]. [L For look/T Behold] I am coming, and I will live among you,” says the Lord. 11 “At that time people from many nations will join with the Lord and will become my people. Then I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will ·take [possess; inherit] Judah as his own part of the holy land, and ·Jerusalem will be his chosen city again [L will again choose Jerusalem]. 13 Be silent, ·everyone [L all flesh], in the presence of the Lord. He ·is coming [has roused himself] out of ·the holy place where he lives [his holy dwelling].”
The Vision of the High Priest
3 Then he showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing in front of the ·Lord’s angel [angel of the Lord; 1:11]. And ·Satan [or the Accuser/Adversary; Job 1–2; 1 Chr. 21:1] was standing by Joshua’s [Hag. 1:1] right ·side [hand] to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to ·Satan [or the Accuser/Adversary], “The Lord ·says no to [rebuke] you, ·Satan [Adversary; Accuser]! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem ·says no to [rebukes] you! ·This man was [L Isn’t this man…?] like a burning stick ·pulled [snatched] from the fire.”
3 Joshua was wearing ·dirty [filthy] clothes and was standing in front of the ·angel [messenger]. 4 The ·angel [messenger] said to those standing in front of him, “Take off those ·dirty [filthy] clothes.”
Then ·the angel [L he] said to Joshua, “Look, I have taken away your ·sin [iniquity] from you, and I am giving you beautiful, ·fine clothes [festal robes; fine vestments].”
5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and dressed him while the ·Lord’s angel [angel of the Lord; 1:11] stood there.
6 Then the ·Lord’s angel [angel of the Lord; 1:11] ·said [spoke solemnly; gave this charge] to Joshua, 7 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘If you ·do as I tell you [walk in my ways] and ·serve me [carefully keep my requirements], you will be in charge of my ·Temple [L house] and my courtyards. And I will let you be with ·these angels [L these] who are standing here.
8 “‘Listen, Joshua, the high priest, and your ·friends [colleagues; associates] who are sitting in front of you. They are ·symbols [a sign] of what will happen. [L Look; T Behold] I am going to bring my servant, the Branch [C the Messiah; Ps. 132:17; Is. 11:1; 42:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15]. 9 Look, I put this stone in front of Joshua, a stone with seven ·sides [L eyes]. I will ·carve a message [engrave an inscription] on it,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. ‘And in one day I will ·take away the sin [remove the iniquity] of this land.’
10 “The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says, ‘In that day, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your own grapevine and under your own fig tree [C symbols of security and prosperity; Is. 36:16; Mic. 4:4].’”
The Vision of the Lampstand
4 Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me returned and woke me up as if I had been asleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I said, “I see a solid gold ·lampstand [menorah] with a bowl at the top. And there are seven lamps and also seven ·places [pipes; spouts] for wicks. 3 There are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on the left.”
4 I asked the ·angel [messenger] who talked with me, “·Sir [My lord], what are these?”
5 ·The angel [L He] said, “Don’t you know what they are?”
“No, sir,” I said.
6 Then he told me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘·You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power [T Not by might, nor by power], but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
7 “Who are you, ·big [mighty; great] mountain? ·In front of [Compared with] Zerubbabel you will become ·flat land [a level plain], and he will bring out the ·topmost stone [capstone], ·shouting [or amid shouting], ‘·It’s beautiful! It’s beautiful [or Blessings, Blessings upon it; L Grace, Grace to it]!’”
8 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me again, saying, 9 “[L The hands of] Zerubbabel has laid the foundation of this ·Temple [L house; Ezra 3:7–13], and he will complete it [Ezra 6:13–18]. Then you will know that the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has sent me to you.
10 “·The people should not think that small beginnings are unimportant [L For who despises the day of small things?]. ·They [or These seven eyes] will ·be happy [rejoice] when they see Zerubbabel with ·tools [or his plumb line; or the chosen capstone], building the Temple.
“(These are the seven eyes of the Lord, which look back and forth across the earth.)”
11 Then I asked the ·angel [messenger], “What are the two olive ·trees [or branches] on the right and left of the lampstand?”
12 ·I also [or Again I] asked him, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes, from which the olive oil ·flows to the lamps [pours out]?”
13 He answered, “Don’t you know what they are?”
“No, ·sir [my lord],” I said.
14 So he said, “They are symbols of the two ·who have been appointed to serve [anointed ones who stand by] the Lord of all the earth.”
The Vision of the Flying Scroll
5 I ·looked up again [L turned and lifted my eyes] and saw a flying scroll.
2 ·The angel [L He] asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a flying scroll, ·thirty feet [L twenty cubits] long and ·fifteen feet [L ten cubits] wide.”
3 And he said to me, “This is the curse that ·will go [or is going out] all over the land. One side says every thief will be ·taken away [banished; purged]. The other side says everyone who ·makes false promises [swears falsely] will be ·taken away [banished; purged]. 4 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says, ‘I will send it to the houses of thieves and to those who ·use my name to make false promises [swear falsely]. The scroll will stay in that person’s house and destroy it with its wood and stones.’”
The Vision of the Woman
5 Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me came forward and said to me, “·Look up [L Lift up your eyes] and see what is ·going out [or coming; appearing].”
6 “What is it?” I asked.
He answered, “It is a ·measuring basket [L ephah] going out.” He also said, “It is ·a symbol of the people’s sins [L their iniquity; or their appearance; L their eye] in all the land.”
7 Then the lid made of lead was raised, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket. 8 The angel said, “The woman ·stands for [L is] wickedness.” Then he pushed her back into the basket and put the lid back down.
9 Then I ·looked up [L lifted my eyes] and saw two women going out with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and the ·sky [heaven].
10 I asked the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, “Where are they taking the basket?”
11 “They are going to Babylonia to build a ·temple [L house] for it,” he answered. “When ·the temple [L it] is ready, they will set the basket there ·in its place [or on its base/pedestal].”
The Vision of the Four Chariots
6 I looked up again and saw four chariots ·going [coming] out between two mountains, mountains of bronze. 2 Red horses pulled the first chariot. Black horses pulled the second chariot. 3 White horses pulled the third chariot, and strong, ·spotted [dappled] horses pulled the fourth chariot. 4 I asked the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me, “What are these, sir?”
5 He said, “These are the four spirits of heaven. They have just come from ·the presence of [or presenting themselves before] the Lord of the whole world. 6 The chariot pulled by the black horses will go to the land of the north. The white horses will go ·to the land of the west [or after them], and the spotted horses will go to the land of the south.”
7 When the powerful horses went out, they were ·eager [seeking] to go through all the earth. So he said, “Go ·through all [or and patrol] the earth,” and they did.
8 Then he ·called [cried out] to me, “Look, the horses that went north have caused my ·spirit to rest [anger to be appeased; or Spirit to rest] in the land of the north.”
A Crown for Joshua
9 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying, 10 “Take silver and gold from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who were captives in Babylon. Go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, who came from Babylon [C may refer to the three men rather than to Josiah]. 11 Make the silver and gold into a crown, and put it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Tell him this is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘A man whose name is the Branch [3:8] will branch out from where he is, and he will build the Temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who will build the Temple of the Lord and will ·receive honor [or be clothed in splendor/majesty]. He will sit on his throne and rule [C referring to Zerubbabel and ultimately to the Messiah]. And there will be a priest on his throne [C referring to Joshua the high priest and ultimately to the Messiah]. And ·these two will work together in peace [L the counsel of peace will be between the two].’ 14 The crown will be kept in the Temple of the Lord to remind ·Heldai [L Helem; C probably another name for Heldai], Tobijah, Jedaiah, and ·Josiah [L Hen; C perhaps a nickname for Josiah, meaning “gracious one”] son of Zephaniah. 15 People living far away will come and build the Temple of the Lord. Then you will know the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has sent me to you. This will happen if you completely obey the [L voice of the] Lord your God.”
The People Should Show Mercy
7 In the fourth year Darius was king, on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is called Kislev [December 7, 518 bc], the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to Zechariah. 2 The city of Bethel sent Sharezer, Regem-Melech, and their men to ·ask the Lord a question [or seek the Lord’s favor]. 3 They went to the prophets and priests who were at the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. The men said, “For years in the fifth month of each year we have ·shown our sadness [mourned; wept] and fasted. Should we continue to do this?”
4 The ·Lord All-Powerful spoke his word [L word of the Lord All-Powerful/of Heaven’s Armies/T of hosts came] to me, saying, 5 “Tell the priests and the people in the land: ‘For seventy years you fasted and ·cried [mourned] in the fifth and seventh months, but ·that was not [L was it…?] really for me. 6 And when you ate and drank, ·it was really [L was it not…?] for yourselves. 7 Wasn’t this the same thing the Lord said through the ·earlier [former] prophets, when Jerusalem and the surrounding towns were at peace and wealthy, and people lived in the ·southern area [L Negev] and the ·western hills [or lowland; L Shephelah]?’”
8 And the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to Zechariah again, saying, 9 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘·Do what is right and true [Administer true justice]. Be kind and ·merciful [compassionate] to each other. 10 Don’t ·hurt [oppress] widows and ·orphans [the fatherless], foreigners or the poor [Ex. 22:21–24; 23:9; Lev. 19:33–34; Deut 24:17–18]; don’t ·even think of doing evil to [or secretly plot evil against] somebody else.’
11 “But they refused to pay attention; they ·were stubborn [turned their backs; L gave a stubborn shoulder] and ·did not want to listen anymore [covered their ears]. 12 They made their hearts ·as hard as rock [like flint] and would not listen to the ·teachings [law; L Torah] of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. And they would not hear the words he sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] became very angry.
13 “‘When I called to them, they would not listen. So when they called to me, I would not listen,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 14 ‘I scattered them like a ·hurricane [whirlwind] ·to other countries [among all the nations] they did not know. This good land was left so ·ruined behind them [desolate] that no one ·could live there [or traveled through it]. They had made the ·desired [pleasant] land ·a ruin [desolate; a wasteland].’”
The Lord Will Bless Jerusalem
8 ·A message from [L The word of] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] came to me, saying, 2 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “I ·have a very strong love [am jealous/zealous/passionate] for ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 2:7]. My strong love [jealousy; zeal; passion] for her ·is like a fire burning in me [or will mean wrath for her enemies].”
3 This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Jerusalem and ·live in [dwell in the midst of] it. Then it will be called the City of ·Truth [or Faithfulness], and the mountain of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will be called the Holy Mountain [C Zion, the location of the Temple].”
4 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “Old men and old women will again sit along Jerusalem’s streets, each carrying a cane because of age [C long life due to peace and security]. 5 And the streets will be filled with boys and girls playing.”
6 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Those who are left alive then [The remnant] may think it is too ·difficult [marvelous] to happen, but ·it is not [L is it…?] too ·difficult [marvelous] for me,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 7 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “[L Look; T Behold] I will save my people from countries in the east and west. 8 I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their ·loyal [faithful; true] and ·good [righteous] God.”
9 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Work hard [L Let your hands be strong], you who are hearing these words today. The prophets spoke these words when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], for the building of the Temple. 10 Before that time there was no money to hire people or animals. People could not ·safely [peacefully] come and go because of the enemies; I had turned everyone against his neighbor. 11 But I will not do to ·these people who are left [this remnant of the people] what I did in the past,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
12 “They will plant their seeds in peace, their grapevines will have fruit, the ground will give good crops, and the sky will send ·rain [dew]. I will give ·all this [this as an inheritance/possession] to the ·people who are left alive [remnant of this people]. 13 Judah and Israel, your names have been ·used as curses in [or viewed as accursed by] other nations. But I will save you, and you will become a blessing. So don’t be afraid; ·work hard [L let your hands be strong].”
14 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “When your ·ancestors [fathers] made me angry, I planned to ·punish [bring disaster on] you. I did not ·change my mind [relent],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 15 “But ·now [L in these days] I am planning to do good to Jerusalem and Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 These are the things you should do: Tell each other the truth. In ·the courts [L your gates; C court was held at the city gate] judge with truth and ·complete fairness [sound justice; judgments of peace]. 17 Do not ·make plans to hurt [L plan/plot evil in your hearts against] your neighbors, and don’t love false ·promises [oaths]. I hate all these things,” says the Lord.
18 ·A message from [L The word of the] Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] came to me again. 19 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “The ·special days when you fast in [fasts of] the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become good, joyful, happy feasts ·in [L for the house of] Judah. ·But you must [So; Therefore] love truth and peace.”
20 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Many people from [L Inhabitants of] many cities will still come to Jerusalem. 21 ·People [The inhabitants] from one city will go and say to those from another city, ‘·We are going [Let us go] to ·pray to [entreat] the Lord and to ·ask for help from [or worship; L seek] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. ·Come and go with us [L I, even I (am going)].’ 22 Many people and powerful nations will come to worship the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] in Jerusalem and to ·pray for help from [or worship; L seek] the Lord.”
23 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “At that time, ten men from ·different countries [L all languages of the nations] will come and take hold of a ·Judean [Jew] by his coat. They will say to him, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”
Punishment on Israel’s Enemies
9 ·This message is [An oracle/burden of] the word of the Lord.
The message is against the land of Hadrach [C region north of Israel]
and ·the city of Damascus [L Damascus its resting place].
·All [L For the eyes of all] people, including all the tribes of Israel
·belong to [or are on] the Lord.
2 The message is also against the city of Hamath, on the border,
and against Tyre and Sidon [C cities on the coast northwest of Israel], ·with their skill [or though they are very wise/clever].
3 Tyre has built a ·strong wall [fortress; stronghold] for herself.
She has piled up silver like dust
and gold like the mud in the streets.
4 But [L look; T behold] the Lord will take away all she has
and ·destroy her power on [or throw her fortifications into] the sea.
That city will be ·destroyed [consumed; devoured] by fire.
5 ·The city of Ashkelon [L Ashkelon] will see it and be afraid.
·The people of Gaza [L Gaza] will ·shake with fear [writhe in anguish],
and ·the people of Ekron [L Ekron] ·will lose hope [or their hope will wither].
No king will be left in Gaza,
and no one will live in Ashkelon anymore.
6 ·Foreigners [A mixed/mongrel people] will live in Ashdod,
and I will ·destroy [L cut off] the pride of the Philistines.
7 I will ·stop them from drinking blood [L take the blood from their mouths; Lev. 3:17; Deut. 12:16, 23]
and ·from eating forbidden food [L its abominations from between its teeth].
Those left alive will belong to God.
They will be ·leaders [or like a clan] in Judah,
and Ekron will become like the Jebusites [C ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem who were assimilated into Judah].
8 I will ·protect [encamp around] my ·Temple [L house]
from armies who would come or go.
No ·one [oppressor] will ·hurt [overrun; pass over] my people again,
because now I ·am watching them [L see with my eyes].
The King Is Coming
9 Rejoice greatly, ·people of Jerusalem [L Daughter Zion]!
Shout for joy, ·people of Jerusalem [L Daughter Jerusalem]!
[L Look; T Behold] Your king is coming to you.
He ·does what is right [is righteous/just], and he saves.
He is ·gentle [lowly; humble] and riding on a donkey,
on ·the colt [L a colt, the foal] of a donkey [Matt. 21:5; John 12:15].
10 I will ·take away [L cut off] the chariots from Ephraim
and the ·horses [warhorses] from Jerusalem.
The bows used in war will be broken.
The king will ·talk about [announce; bring] peace to the nations.
His ·kingdom [dominion; rule] will go from sea to sea,
and from the ·Euphrates River [L River] to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you, because of the blood of ·the agreement [my covenant/treaty] with you
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 You prisoners who have hope,
return to ·your place of safety [the fortress/stronghold].
Today I ·am telling you [announce; declare]
that I will ·give you back twice as much as before [return double what you lost].
13 I will ·use [L bend] Judah like a bow
and Ephraim like the arrows.
·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple], I will ·use your men [L rouse your sons/children]
·to fight the men of [against your sons/children,] Greece.
I will use you like a warrior’s sword.
14 Then the Lord will appear above them,
and his arrows will shoot like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet,
and he will march in the ·storms [whirlwinds] of the south.
15 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will protect them;
they will ·destroy [L eat and subdue] the enemy with slingshots.
They will drink and shout like drunks.
They will be filled like a bowl
used for sprinkling blood ·at [or and drenched with blood like] the corners of the altar.
16 On that day the Lord their God will save them
as ·if his people were sheep [L the flock of his people].
They will shine in his land
like jewels in a crown.
17 They will be so ·pretty [fine; good] and beautiful.
The young men will grow strong on the grain
and the young women on new wine.
The Lord’s Promises
10 Ask the Lord for rain during the ·springtime [L latter] rains.
The Lord is the one who makes the storm clouds.
He sends the showers
and gives everyone ·green [plants in the] fields.
2 ·Idols [Household gods; L Teraphim; Gen. 31:19] ·tell lies [or give worthless counsel];
fortune-tellers see ·false [lying] visions
and tell about false dreams.
The comfort they give is ·worth nothing [in vain].
So the people ·are [wander] like lost sheep.
They are ·abused [oppressed; or in distress], because there is no shepherd.
3 The Lord says, “·I am angry [My anger burns] at my shepherds,
and I will punish the ·leaders [L lead goats].
I, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], care
for my flock, the ·people [L house] of Judah.
I will make them like my ·proud [majestic] war horses.
4 From ·Judah [L him] will come the cornerstone,
and the tent peg,
the battle bow,
and every ruler.
5 Together they will be like ·soldiers [mighty men]
·marching to battle [or trampling their enemies] through muddy streets.
The Lord is with them,
so they will fight and ·defeat [L put to shame] the horsemen.
6 “I will strengthen the ·people [L house] of Judah
and save the ·people [L house] of Joseph.
I will bring them back,
because I ·care about [have compassion on] them.
It will be as though
I had never ·left [rejected] them,
because I am the Lord their God,
and I will ·answer [hear] them.
7 The people of Ephraim will be strong like ·soldiers [mighty men];
·they will be glad [L their hearts will rejoice] as when they have drunk wine.
Their children will see it and rejoice;
they will ·be happy [rejoice] in the Lord.
8 I will ·call [signal/whistle for] my people
and gather them together.
I will ·save [redeem] them,
and they grow as numerous as they were before.
9 I have scattered them among the nations,
but in those faraway places, they will remember me.
They and their children will ·live [survive; sprout forth] and return.
10 I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon
until there isn’t enough room for them all.
11 ·They [or The Lord; L He] will come through the sea of trouble [C as at the Red/or Reed Sea; Ex. 14:22].
The waves of the sea will be calm,
and the ·Nile River [L depths of the Nile/River] will dry up.
I will ·defeat [bring down; humble] Assyria’s pride
and destroy Egypt’s ·power over other countries [L scepter; C ruling authority].
12 I will make my people strong [L in the Lord],
and they will ·live as I say [L walk in my name],” says the Lord.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.