Bible in 90 Days
1 The burden which Habakkuk the Prophet saw:
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear, cry out to You for violence, and You will not help?
3 Why do You show me iniquity and cause me to behold sorrow? For plundering and violence are before me. And there are those who raise strife and contention.
4 Therefore, the Law is dissolved, and judgment never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous. Therefore, wrong judgment proceeds.
5 “Behold among the heathen, and watch, and wonder, and marvel. For I will work a work in your days. You will not believe it, though it is told to you.
6 “For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and furious nation, who shall go upon the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.
7 “They are terrible and fearful. Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed themselves.
8 “Also, their horses are swifter than leopards, and fiercer than wolves in the evening. And their horsemen are numerous. And their horsemen shall come from afar. They shall fly as the eagle diving toward prey.
9 “They all come to plunder. For their faces shall be an East wind. And they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
10 “And they shall mock the kings. And the princes shall be a scorn to them. They shall deride every stronghold. For they shall gather dust and take it.
11 “Then they shall take courage and transgress and do wickedly, imputing their power to their god.”
12 Are not You of old, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have ordained them for judgment! And, O God, You have established them for correction.
13 You are of pure Eyes and cannot consider evil. You cannot regard wickedness. Why do You look upon the transgressors and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours the man who is more righteous than he?
14 And men who have no ruler over them You make as the fish of the sea and as the creeping things.
15 They take up all with the hook. They catch it in their net and gather it in their fishing net, over which they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore, they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their fishing net, because by them their portion is fat and their food plentiful.
17 Shall they, therefore, stretch out their net while continuing to slay the nations without pity?
2 I will stand upon my watch and set myself upon the tower, and will look and see what He would say to me, and what I shall answer to Him Who rebukes me.
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, so that he who reads it may run.
3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time. But in the end, it shall speak and not lie. Though it tarries, wait. For it shall surely come and shall not delay.
4 “Behold, he who lifts himself up, his mind is not upright in him. But the just shall live by his faith.
5 “Yea, indeed the proud man is as he who transgresses by wine. Therefore, he shall not endure because he has enlarged his desire as Hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers all nations to himself, and heaps all people for himself.
6 “Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his—How long? —and to him who loads himself with heavy debt!
7 “Shall not those who bite you rise up suddenly, and those who stir you awaken, and make you their prey?
8 “Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you, because of men’s blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and to all who dwell therein.
9 “Woe to him who covets an evil gain for his House, so that he may set his nest on high to escape from the power of evil!
10 “You have consulted shame to your own House by destroying many people and have sinned against your own soul.
11 “For the stone shall cry out of the wall. And out of the timber shall the beam answer it.
12 “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and erects a city by iniquity.
13 “Behold, is it not of the LORD of Hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire? The people shall weary themselves for frivolity.
14 “For the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
15 “Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink and mixes it with your own skin to make him drunk, so that you may see their nakedness.
16 “You are filled with shame for glory. You drink also and are uncovered! The cup of the LORD’s right Hand shall be turned to you, and shameful spewing, for your glory.
17 “For the cruelty of Lebanon shall cover you, as shall the plunder of the beasts which made them afraid because of men’s blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and to all who dwell in them.
18 “What profit is the image? For the maker has made it an image, and a teacher of lies. Though, he who made it trusts in it when he makes dumb idols.
19 “Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake,’ and to the dumb stone, ‘Rise up! It shall teach you! Behold, it is overlaid 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 A prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet, for Shiggaion:
2 O LORD, I have heard Your voice, and was afraid! O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the people! In the midst of the years make it known! In wrath remember mercy!
3 God comes from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His Glory covers the heavens. And the Earth is full of His praise.
4 And His brightness was as the light. He had horns coming out of His Hands. His power was hidden there.
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, the ancient hills bowed. His ways are everlasting!
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in iniquity. The curtains of the land of Midian trembled!
8 Was the LORD displeased with the rivers? Or was Your anger against the rivers? Or was Your wrath against the sea, so that You rode upon Your horses? Your chariots brought salvation.
9 Your bow was manifestly revealed. The oaths of the tribes were a sure Word. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You, and they trembled! The stream of water passed. The deep made a noise and lifted up its hand on high.
11 The Sun and Moon stood still in their habitation. At the light of Your arrows they went, at the bright shining of Your spears.
12 You tread down the land in anger, threshed the heathen in displeasure.
13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You have wounded the head of the House of the wicked, and uncovered it, foundation to neck. Selah.
14 You struck through the heads of its villages with its own staffs: They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me. Their rejoicing was like devouring the poor secretly.
15 You walked in the sea with Your horses, upon the heap of great waters.
16 When I heard, my belly trembled. My lips shook at the voice. Rottenness entered into my bones. And I trembled in myself, so that I might rest in the time of trouble. When He comes up to the people, He shall destroy them.
17 For the fig tree shall not flourish, nor fruit in the vines. The labor of the olive shall fail. And the fields shall yield no food. The sheep shall be cut off from the fold. And there shall be no herd in the stalls.
18 But I will rejoice in the LORD! I will joy in the God of my salvation!
19 The LORD God is my strength. He will make my feet like a deer’s feet. And He will make me walk upon my high places. To the chief singer on Neginoth.
1 The Word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah:
2 “I will surely destroy all things from off the land,” says the LORD.
3 “I will destroy man and beast. I will destroy the birds of the heaven and the fish of the sea and ruins with the wicked. And I will cut man off from the land,” says the LORD.
4 “I will also stretch out My 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 Chemarims with the priests,
5 “and those who worship the host of heaven upon the housetops, and those who worship and swear by the LORD, and swear by Milcam,
6 “and those who have turned back from the LORD, and those who have neither sought the LORD nor inquired of Him.”
7 Be still at the presence of the LORD God! For the day of the LORD is at hand. For the LORD has prepared a Sacrifice and has sanctified His guests.
8 “And it shall be, on the day of the LORD’s Sacrifice, that I will visit the prince’s and the king’s children, and all who are clothed with strange apparel.
9 “At that same time, I will also visit all those who dance upon the threshold so proudly, who fill their masters’ houses by cruelty and deceit.
10 “And at that time,” says the LORD, “there shall be a noise and cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second gate, and a great destruction from the hills.
11 “Howl you inhabitants of the low place! For the company of the merchants is destroyed! All those who bear silver are cut off!
12 “And at that time, I will search Jerusalem with lights and visit the men who are frozen in their dregs, and say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will neither do good nor do evil.’
13 “Therefore, their goods shall be plundered, and their houses desolate. They shall also build houses, but not inhabit them. And they shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine.”
14 The great Day of the LORD is near! It is near and hurries greatly, the voice of the Day of the LORD! The strong man shall cry there bitterly.
15 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, so 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 “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy. For He shall make a speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.”
2 Gather yourselves! Gather yourselves—O nation not worthy to be loved—
2 before the decree comes forth and you are as chaff that passes in a day, before the fierce wrath of the LORD comes upon you, before the Day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you!
3 Let all the meek of the Earth who have upheld His judgment seek the LORD—seek righteousness, seek lowliness—if it so be that you may be hidden on the Day of the LORD’s wrath.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon desolate. They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday. And Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethims! The Word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you without an inhabitant!”
6 And the seacoast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds and sheepfolds.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the House of Judah, to feed upon it. In the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down at 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, by which they reproached My people and magnified themselves against their borders.
9 “Therefore, as I live,” says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, “surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, the breeding of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remains of My people shall plunder them. And the remnant of My people shall possess them.”
10 This they shall have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the LORD of Host’s people.
11 The LORD will be awesome to them. For He will consume all the gods of the Earth. And every man shall worship Him from his place, all the isles of the heathen.
12 “Also, you Ethiopians shall be killed 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 pelican and the owl shall abide in the upper pillars of it. The voice of birds shall sing in the windows. Desolation shall be upon the doorposts. For the cedars are uncovered.
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, “I am! And there is none besides me!” How she has been made desolate, and the lodging of the beasts! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss and wag his hand.9
3 Woe to her who is filthy and polluted, to the robbing city!
2 She did not hear the voice. She did not receive correction. She did not trust in the LORD. She did not draw near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are as roaring lions. Her judges are as evening wolves which do not leave a bone until morning.
4 Her prophets are light, wicked people. Her priests have polluted the Sanctuary. They have done violence to the Law.
5 The just LORD is in their midst. He will do no iniquity. Every morning, He brings His Judgment to light. He does not fail. But the wicked will not learn to be ashamed.
6 “I have cut off the nations. Their towers are desolate. I have laid their streets waste, so that no one can pass. Their cities are destroyed, without man and without inhabitant.
7 “I said, ‘Surely you will fear me. You will receive instruction,’ so that their dwelling would not be destroyed however I visited them. But they rose early and corrupted all their works.
8 “Therefore, wait upon Me,” says the LORD, “until the day that I rise up to the prey. For I am determined to gather the nations. I will assemble the kingdoms, to pour My indignation upon them, all My fierce wrath. For all the Earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.
9 “Surely, then, I will return a pure language to the people, so that they may all call upon the Name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent.
10 “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, the daughter of My dispersed, praying to Me, shall bring Me an Offering.
11 “At that time, you shall not be ashamed of all your works in which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will take away out of your midst those who rejoice in your pride. And you shall no longer be proud on My Holy Mountain.
12 “Then I will leave a humble and poor people in your midst. They shall trust in the Name of the LORD.
13 “The remnant of Israel shall do no iniquity or speak lies. Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. For they shall be fed and lie down. And no one shall make them afraid.”
14 Rejoice, O daughter Zion! Be joyful, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!
15 The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst. You shall no longer see evil.
16 At that time it shall be said to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion! Do not let your hands be faint.
17 “The LORD your God in your midst is mighty! He will save! He will rejoice over you with joy! He will quiet Himself in His love. He will rejoice over you with joy.”
18 “After a certain time, I will gather the afflicted among you, those who bore the reproach for it.
19 “Behold, at that time, I will bruise all who afflict you. And I will save her who halts and gather her who was cast out. And I will gain them praise and fame in all the lands of their shame.
20 “At that time, I will bring you back. And then I will gather you. For I will give you a name and praise among all people of the Earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes,” says the LORD.
1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, the first day of the month, came the Word of the LORD (by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai) to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, a prince of Judah, and to Jehoshua, the son of Jehozadak the High Priest, saying,
2 “Thus speaks the LORD of Hosts, saying: ‘This people says the time has not yet come 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 paneled houses while this House lies waste?
5 “Now therefore, thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘Consider your own ways in your hearts.
6 ‘You have sown much and bring in little. You eat but you do not have enough. You drink but you are not filled. You clothe yourself but you are not warm. And he who earns wages puts the wages into a broken bag.’
7 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘Consider your own ways in your hearts.
8 ‘Go up to the mountain and bring wood and build this House. And I will be favorable in it. And I will be glorified,’ says the LORD.
9 ‘You looked for much. And lo, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew upon it. And why—' says the LORD of Hosts, ‘because of My House that is desolate. And you turn every man to his own house.
10 ‘Therefore, the sky above you stopped itself from dew. And the earth stopped her fruit.
11 ‘And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, upon all that the ground brings forth, 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 voice of the LORD their God and the Words of the Prophet Haggai (as the LORD their God had sent him), then the people feared before the LORD.
13 Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, spoke the LORD’s message to the people, saying, “‘I am with you,’ says the LORD.”
14 And the LORD stirred up 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,
15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, came the Word of the LORD by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai, saying:
2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, prince of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak the High Priest, and to the rest of the people, saying,
3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this House in her first glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem as nothing in your eyes by comparison?
4 ‘Yet now, be of good courage, O Zerubbabel!’ says the LORD, ‘And be of good comfort, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak the High Priest. And be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and do it. For I am with you,’ says the LORD of Hosts.
5 ‘According to the Word that I Covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit shall remain among you. Do not fear!’
6 “For thus says the LORD of Hosts: “Yet a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the Earth and the sea and the dry land.
7 ‘And I will move all nations. And the desire of all nations shall come. And I will fill this House with Glory,’ says the LORD of Hosts.
8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of Hosts.
9 ‘The Glory of this last House shall be greater than the first,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of Hosts.”
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the Word of the LORD came to the Prophet Haggai, saying,
11 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘Ask the priests now concerning the Law, and say,
12 “If one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt he touches the bread or the pottage or the wine or oil or any food, shall it be holy?”’” And the priests answered and said, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “If a polluted person touches any of these, shall it be unclean?” And the priests answered, and said, “It shall be unclean.”
14 Then Haggai answered, and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘And so are all the works of their hands. And that which they offer here is unclean.
15 ‘And now, please consider in your minds from this day forward: before a stone was laid upon a stone in the Temple of the LORD,
16 ‘before these things were, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress, to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
17 ‘I struck you with blight, and with mildew, and with hail, in all the labors of your hands. Yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the LORD.
18 ‘Please consider in your minds from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s Temple was laid—consider it in your minds:
19 ‘Is the seed still in the barn? As yet, the vine and the fig tree and the pomegranate and the olive tree have not brought forth fruit. From this day I will bless you.’”
20 And again the Word of the LORD came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,
21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, the prince of Judah, and say, ‘I will shake the heavens and the Earth!
22 ‘And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. And I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen. And I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them. And the horse and the riders shall come down, each one by the sword of his brother.
23 ‘At that time,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘I will take you, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the LORD, ‘and will make you as a signet! For I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of Hosts.”
1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the Word of the LORD came to Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet, saying,
2 “The LORD has been very displeased with your fathers.
3 “Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “Turn to Me,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will turn to you,” says the LORD of Hosts.
4 “Do not be as your fathers, to whom the former Prophets have cried, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and from your wicked works!”’ But they would not hear or listen to Me,” says the LORD.
5 “Your fathers. Where 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 your fathers? And they returned, and said, ‘As the LORD of Hosts has determined to do to us according to our own ways, and according to our works, so has He dealt with us.’”’”
7 Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the Word of the LORD came to Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet, saying,
8 I saw by night and beheld a man riding upon a red horse. And he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a hollow. And there were red horses behind him, speckled and white.
9 Then I said, “O my lord, what are these?” And the Angel that talked with me, said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
10 And the man who stood among the myrtle trees, answered and said, “These are those whom the LORD has 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 sits still and is at rest.”
12 Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, “O LORD of Hosts! How long will You be unmerciful to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah with whom You have been displeased now these seventy 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 to me, “Cry out and speak, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “I am jealous over Jerusalem and Zion with a great zeal!
15 “And I am greatly angry against the careless heathen. For I was only angry a little, and they helped increase the affliction.”
16 ‘Therefore thus says the LORD: “I will return to Jerusalem with tender mercy. My House shall be built in it,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and a line shall be stretched upon Jerusalem.”’
17 “Cry, still, and speak, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “My cities shall still be comforted with plenty. The LORD shall still comfort Zion and shall still choose Jerusalem!”’”
18 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw. And behold, four horns.
19 And I said to the Angel that talked with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 And the LORD showed me four carpenters.
21 Then I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he answered, and said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that a man dares not lift up his head. But these have come to terrify them, and to cast out the horns of the Gentiles which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.”
2 I lifted up my eyes again, and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, so that I may see what its width is, and its length.”
3 And behold, the Angel that talked with me went forth. And another angel went out to meet him,
4 and said to him, “Run! Speak to this young man, and say, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls, because of the multitude of men and cattle in it!
5 ‘For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be to her a wall of fire all around and will be the Glory in the midst of her.
6 ‘Ho, ho! Come forth and flee from the land of the North!’ says the LORD, ‘for I have scattered you to the four winds of the heaven,’ says the LORD.
7 ‘Save yourself, O Zion, who dwells with the daughter of Babel!’
8 “For thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘After this glory he has sent Me to the nations which plundered you. For he who touches you, touches the apple of His Eye.
9 ‘For behold, I will lift up My Hand upon them. And they shall be a spoil to those who served them. And you shall know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me.
10 ‘Rejoice and be glad, O daughter Zion! For lo, I come, and will dwell in the midst of you,’ says the LORD.
11 “And many nations shall be joined to the LORD on that day and shall be My people. And I will dwell in the midst of you. And you shall know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.
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 And he showed me Joshua the High Priest, standing before the Angel of the LORD. And Satan stood at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD reproves you, O Satan! The LORD, Who has chosen Jerusalem, reproves you! Is not this a brand taken out of the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the Angel.
4 And He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “Behold, I have caused your iniquity to depart from you. And I will clothe you with a change of raiment.”
5 And I said, “Let them set a clean turban upon his head.” So, they set a clean turban upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the Angel of the LORD stood by.
6 And the Angel of the LORD testified to Joshua, saying,
7 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and keep My watch, you shall also judge My House, and shall also keep My courts. And I will give you a place to walk among those who stand by.
8 ‘Hear now, O Joshua the High Priest, you and your friends who sit before you! For they are monstrous people. But behold, I will bring forth the Branch, My Servant.
9 ‘For lo, the stone that I have laid before Joshua, upon one stone shall be seven eyes. Behold, I will carve out its engraving,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘and I will take away the iniquity of this land in one day.
10 ‘On that day,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘each man shall call his neighbor under his vine, and under his fig tree.’”
4 And the Angel that talked with me came back and awakened me, as a man who is raised out of his sleep,
2 and said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I have looked, and behold, a candlestick, all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps within, and seven pipes to the lamps which were on top,
3 “and two olive trees over it, one upon the right side of the bowl and the other upon its left side.”
4 And I answered and spoke to the Angel that talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?
5 Then the Angel that talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the Word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Neither by an army nor by strength, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts.
7 ‘Who are you, O great mountain, before Zerubbabel? A plain! And he shall bring forth its headstone, with shoutings, “Grace! Grace to it!”’”
8 Moreover, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this House. His hands shall also finish it. And you shall know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.
10 “For who has despised the day of the small things? But they shall rejoice and shall see the stone of tin in the hand of Zerubbabel! These seven are the Eyes of the LORD, which go through the whole world.”
11 Then I answered, and said to him, “What are these two olive trees upon its right and upon its left sides?”
12 And I spoke moreover, and said to him, “What are these two olive branches which empty themselves into the gold through the two golden pipes?”
13 And he answered me, and said, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
14 Then he said, “These are the two olive branches that stand with the Ruler of the whole Earth.
5 Then I turned and lifted up my eyes and looked and beheld a flying book!
2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I answered, “I see a flying book! Its length is twenty cubits! And its width is ten cubits!”
3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes forth over the whole Earth. ‘For everyone who steals shall be cut off, according to this side of the scroll. And everyone who swears shall be cut off, according to that side of the scroll.
4 ‘I will bring it forth,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who falsely swears by My Name. And it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with its timber and its stones.’”
5 Then the Angel that talked with me went forth and said to me, “Now, lift up your eyes and see what this is that goes forth.”
6 And I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is an ephah that goes forth.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance throughout all the Earth.”
7 And behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead. And this is a woman who sits in the midst of the ephah.
8 And he said, “This is wickedness.” And he cast it into the midst of the ephah. And he cast the weight of lead upon its mouth.
9 Then I lifted my eyes and looked. And behold, two women came out. 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 sky.
10 Then I said to the Angel that talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah?”
11 And he said to me, “To build it a house in the land of Shinar. And it shall be established and set there, upon its own place.”
6 Again, I turned and lifted up my eyes and looked. And behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze.
2 In the first chariot were red horses. And in the second chariot were black horses.
3 And in the third chariot were white horses. And in the fourth chariot were horses of diverse colors, and reddish.
4 Then I answered, and said to the Angel that talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 And the Angel answered, and said to me, “These are the four spirits of Heaven, which go forth from standing with the LORD of all the Earth.
6 The one with the black horse went forth into the land of the North. And the white went out after them. And those of diverse colors went forth toward the South country.
7 And the reddish went out and were eager to go and pass through the world. And he said, “Go! Pass through the world!” So, they went throughout the world.
8 Then he cried to me, and spoke to me, saying, “Behold! These that go toward the North country have pacified My spirit in the North country!”
9 And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
10 “Take from those of the captivity, of Heldai and of Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have come from Babel. And you come the same day, and go to the House of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah.
11 “Take silver and gold and make crowns. And set them upon the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak the High Priest,
12 “And speak to him, saying, ‘Thus speaks the LORD of Hosts, and says: “Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch. And He shall grow up out of his place. And He shall build the Temple of the LORD.
13 “He shall build the Temple of the LORD and He shall bear the 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 them both.
14 “And the crowns shall be for Helem and for Tobijah and for Jedaiah and for Hen, the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the Temple of the LORD.
15 “And those who are far off shall come and build in the Temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. And this shall happen at that time if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God.”’”
7 And in the fourth year of King Darius, the Word of the LORD came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, during Chislev.
2 For they had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their men to the House of God, to pray before the LORD,
3 and to speak to the priests who were in the House of the LORD of Hosts, and to the Prophets, saying, “Should I weep during the fifth month and separate myself, as I have done these so many years?”
4 Then came the Word of the LORD of Hosts to me, saying:
5 “Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, and say, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months, for seventy years, did you fast for Me? For Me?
6 “And when you ate, and when you drank, did you not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7 “Should you not hear the Words which the LORD has cried by the ministry of the former Prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity, and its cities all around her, when the South and the plain were inhabited?”
8 And the Word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying:
9 “Thus speaks the LORD of Hosts, saying: ‘Execute true judgment. And show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother.
10 ‘And do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the stranger or the poor. And let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
11 ‘But they refused to listen. And pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears, so that they would not hear.
12 ‘Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they hear the Law and the Words which the LORD of Hosts sent in His Spirit, by the ministry of the former Prophets. Therefore, a great wrath came from the LORD of Hosts.
13 ‘Therefore, it happens at this time that as he cried and they would not hear, so they cried and I would not hear,’ says the LORD of Hosts.
14 ‘But I scattered them among all the nations whom they did not know. Thus, the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through or returned. For they laid the pleasant land waste.’”
8 Again the Word of the LORD of Hosts came, saying,
2 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘I was zealous for Zion with great zeal! And I was zealous for her with great wrath!’
3 “Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth, and the Mountain of the LORD of Hosts, the Holy Mountain.’
4 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘There, old men and old women shall still dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand because of age.
5 ‘And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls, playing in her streets.’
6 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘Even if it is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it therefore be impossible in My sight?’ says the LORD of Hosts.
7 “Thus says 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 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 says the LORD of Hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, you who today hear these Words by the mouths of the Prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the House of the LORD of Hosts was laid, so that the Temple might be built.
10 ‘For before these days, there were no wages for man, or any hire for beast. Nor was there any peace for him who went out or came in, because of the affliction. For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.
11 ‘But now, I will not treat the rest of this people as before,’ says 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 happen at that time that as you were a curse among the heathen, O House of Judah, and House of Israel, so I will deliver you. And you shall be a blessing. Do not fear! Let your hands be strong!’
14 “For thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘As I thought to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of Hosts, ‘and did not repent,
15 ‘So again have I determined in these days to do well to Jerusalem, and to the House of Judah. Do not fear.
16 ‘These are the things that you shall do: Every man speak the truth to 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 these are all things that I hate,’ says the LORD.”
18 And the Word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,
19 “Thus says 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 tenth, shall be joy and gladness to the House of Judah, and prosperous High Feasts. Therefore, love the truth and peace.’
20 “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘People shall still come, the inhabitants of great cities.
21 ‘And those who dwell in one shall go to another, saying, “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 says the LORD of Hosts: ‘In those days, ten men shall take hold—out of all languages of the nations— take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, and say, ‘We will go with you! For we have heard that God is with you!’”
9 The burden of the Word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach and Damascus (its rest), when the eyes of man and of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD:
2 “And Hamath shall also border by there, Tyre also, and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3 “For Tyre built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver as the dust, and gold as the mire of the streets.
4 “Behold, the LORD will plunder her. And He will strike her 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 expectation shall be ashamed. And the king shall perish from Gaza. And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 “And the 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 teeth. But he who remains, he shall be for our God. And he shall be like a prince in Judah. But Ekron shall be like a Jebusite.
8 “And I will camp around My House, against the army, against him who passes by, and against him who returns. And no oppressor shall come upon them anymore. For now I have seen with My Eyes.”
9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is just, and having salvation, poor and riding upon a donkey —upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 “And I will cut off the chariots from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. The bow of the battle shall be broken.” And He shall speak peace to the heathen. And His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the end of the land.
11 “You also shall be saved through the Blood of My Covenant. I have loosed your prisoners out of the waterless pit.
12 “Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Today I declare that I will restore double to you!
13 “For I have bent Judah as a bow for Myself. Ephraim’s hand have I filled. And I have raised up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and have made you 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 and subdue them with sling stones. And they shall drink and make a noise, as through wine. And they shall be filled like bowls, like the horns of the Altar.
16 “And the LORD their God shall deliver them on that day as the flock of His people. For they shall be as the stones of the crown lifted up upon His land.
17 “For how great is its goodness! And how great is its beauty! Grain shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.”
10 “Ask for rain from the LORD in the time of the latter rain and the LORD shall make white clouds and give you showers of rain, and grass in the field to everyone.
2 “Surely, the idols have spoken vanity, and the soothsayers have seen a lie, and the dreamers have foretold a vain thing. They comfort in vain. Therefore, they went away as sheep. They were troubled, because there was no shepherd.
3 “My wrath was kindled against the shepherds, and I visited the goats. But the LORD of Hosts will visit His flock, the House of Judah, and will make them like His beautiful horse in the battle.
4 “Out of him shall the corner come forth, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of battle, out of him every oppressor, together.
5 “And they shall be as the mighty men who 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 House of Joseph. And I will bring them back, 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 hearts shall rejoice as through wine. Yea, their children shall see it and be glad. Their heart shall rejoice in the LORD!
8 “I will whistle for them and gather them. For I have redeemed them. And they shall increase, as they have increased.
9 “And I will sow them among the people. And they shall remember Me in far countries. And they shall live with their children and turn back.
10 “I will also bring them back 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 no place shall be found for them.
11 “And he shall go into the sea with affliction and shall strike 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,” says the LORD.
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