Bible in 90 Days

Habakkuk’s Complaint

God’s Answer to Habakkuk

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

The Righteous Will Live by Faith

The Prayer of Habakkuk

Judah’s Impending Judgment

1 The word of Yahweh that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.

Judgment of Judah’s Enemies

Judgment of Jerusalem and the Nations

The Temple Lies in Ruins

1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day, the word of Yahweh came through^[au] Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, ² “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘This people says, “The time has not come to rebuild the temple of Yahweh.’” ^{[av] 3} And the word of Yahweh came through^[aw] Haggai the prophet, saying, ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your houses that have been paneled while this house^[ax] is desolate?” ⁵ And so then, thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Consider your ways!^{[ay] 6} You have sown much but have harvested little. You have eaten without being satisfied; you have drunk without being satiated;^[az] you have worn clothes without being warm; the one who earns wages puts it in a pouch with holes.’^{[ba] 7} Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Consider your ways!^{[bb] 8} Go up the mountain and bring wood and build the house^[bc] so that I may be pleased with it and honored,’ says Yahweh. ⁹ ‘You have looked for much, and look! It came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ declares^[bd] Yahweh of hosts. ‘Because my house is desolate and you are running each to your own house! ¹⁰ Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth has withheld its produce. ¹¹ I have called for a drought on the land and the hills,^[be] on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and wild animals,^[bf] and on all their labor.’”^[bg]

¹² Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people gave heed to the voice of Yahweh their God and to the words of Haggai the prophet, as Yahweh their God had sent him, and the people feared Yahweh.^{[bh] 13} And Haggai the messenger of Yahweh spoke to the people with the message of Yahweh, saying, “‘I am with you’ declares^[bi] Yahweh.” ¹⁴ And Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and did the work on the house of Yahweh of hosts, their God, ¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

A Promise to Rebuild

2 In the seventh month on the twenty-first day, the word of Yahweh came through^[bj] Haggai the prophet, saying, ² “Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, ³ ‘Who among you is left that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it seem like nothing to you?^{[bk] 4} ‘But now take courage,^[bl] Zerubbabel,’ declares^[bm] Yahweh. ‘Take courage,^[bn] Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and take courage,^[bo] all the people of the land,’ declares^[bp] Yahweh. ‘Do the work, because I am with you,’ declares^[bq] Yahweh of hosts, ⁵ ‘according to the promise^[br] that I covenanted^[bs] with you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit is with you;^[bt] do not be afraid.’ ⁶ For thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and dry land. ⁷ I will shake all the nations so that the treasure of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house^[bu] with glory,’ says Yahweh of hosts. ⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares^[bv] Yahweh of hosts. ⁹ ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says Yahweh of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace’ declares^[bw] Yahweh of hosts.’”

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Haggai, saying, ¹¹ “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Ask now the priests for a ruling:^{[bx] 12} If a man carries^[by] consecrated meat in the hem of his garment, and his hem touches bread, or stew, or wine, or olive oil, or any kind of food, will it become holy?’” The priests answered, “No.” ¹³ Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from contact with a corpse touches any of these, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “Yes, it will be become unclean.” ¹⁴ And Haggai answered and said, “‘So it is with this people, and with this nation before me,’ declares^[bz] Yahweh, ‘and so it is with every kind of work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. ¹⁵ But now, please consider^[ca] from this day forward, before one stone was placed on another in the temple of Yahweh, ¹⁶ from that time when^[cb] one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten, and when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures,^[cc] there were only twenty. ¹⁷ I struck you with blight, and with plant mildew, and hail, all the work of your hands. But you did not come back to me,’^[cd] declares^[ce] Yahweh. ¹⁸ ‘Please consider^[cf] from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid,^[cg] consider:^{[ch] 19} Is there still seed in the store chamber? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still produce nothing? From this day forward I will bless you.’”

The Coming Kingdom

²⁰ And the word of Yahweh came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month saying, ²¹ “Say to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, ²² and I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the military strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, every one by the sword of another! ²³ ‘On that day,’ declares^[ci] Yahweh of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ declares^[cj] Yahweh, ‘and I will make you a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares^[ck] Yahweh of hosts.”

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came^[cl] to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, saying, ² “Yahweh was very angry with your ancestors.^{[cm] 3} You must say to them: ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Return to me,” declares^[cn] Yahweh of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says Yahweh of hosts. ⁴ “Do not be like your ancestors,^[co] to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Return from your evil ways and your evil deeds!”’ But they did not hear^[cp] and they did not pay attention^[cq] to me,” declares^[cr] Yahweh. ⁵ “Your ancestors,^[cs] where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ However, did not my words and my regulations which I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors?^[ct] And they repented and said, ‘Yahweh of hosts planned to do with us according to our ways, and according to our deeds so he has dealt with us.’”’”

Zechariah’s First Vision

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah the prophet, son of Berekiah, son of Iddo, saying, ⁸ I had a vision in the night,^[cu] and look, a man riding on a red horse. And he was standing between the myrtle shrubs that were in the ravine, and behind him were red, reddish-brown, and white horses. ⁹ And I asked, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel who was talking with me said, “I will show you what these are.” ¹⁰ And the man standing between the myrtle shrubs answered and said, “These are those whom Yahweh has sent to patrol^[cv] the earth.” ¹¹ And they answered the angel of Yahweh who was standing between the myrtle shrubs, and they said, “We have patrolled^[cw] the earth, and look, all the earth is dwelling in peace.”^{[cx] 12} The angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long^[cy] will you have no compassion on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which you showed fury these seventy years?”^{[cz] 13} With gracious^[da] and comforting words Yahweh answered the angel who was talking with me. ¹⁴ And the angel who was talking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “I am very jealous^[db] for Jerusalem and for Zion! ¹⁵ And I am extremely angry^[dc] with the nations that are at ease, for while I was a little angry, they furthered disaster.”^{[dd] 16} Therefore, thus says Yahweh: “I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My temple^[de] will be built in it,” declares^[df] Yahweh of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’ ¹⁷ Proclaim again, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “My cities shall again overflow from prosperity, and Yahweh will comfort Zion again, and he will choose Jerusalem again.”’”

Zechariah’s Second Vision

^18 [dg] And I looked up^[dh] and I saw, and look, there were four horns! ¹⁹ And I said to the angel who was talking with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” ²⁰ Then Yahweh showed me four skilled craftsmen, ²¹ and I asked, “What are these coming to do?” And he answered, saying, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no man^[di] lifted up his head; but these have come to frighten them, to strike down the horns of the nations that lifted a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Zechariah’s Third Vision

2 And I looked up^[dj] and I saw, and look, a man, and in his hand was a measuring rope! ² And I asked, “Where are you going?” And he answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to see what is its width and what is its length.” ³ And look, the angel who was talking to me was coming forward, and another angel was coming forward to meet him. ⁴ And he said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls^[dk] because of the multitude of people and animals in its midst. ⁵ And I will be for it a wall of fire all around,’ declares^[dl] Yahweh, ‘and I will be the glory in its midst.’”

⁶ “Woe! Woe! Flee from the land of the north,” declares^[dm] Yahweh, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of the heavens,” declares^[dn] Yahweh. ⁷ “Woe, Zion! Escape, you inhabitants of the daughter of Babylon!” ⁸ For thus said Yahweh of hosts, after glory^[do] he sent me against the nations plundering you: Truly, the one touching you is touching the apple^[dp] of his eye. ⁹ “Yes, look! I am going to wave my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their servants, and you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me. ¹⁰ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for look, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares^[dq] Yahweh. ¹¹ “Many nations will join themselves to Yahweh on that day, and they will be my people, and I will dwell in your midst. And you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. ¹² And Yahweh will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land,^[dr] and he will again choose Jerusalem. ¹³ Be silent, all people,^[ds] before Yahweh, for he is roused from his holy dwelling.”^[dt]

Zechariah’s Fourth Vision

3 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before^[du] the angel of Yahweh; and Satan^[dv] was standing on his right to accuse him. ² But Yahweh said to Satan,^[dw] “Yahweh rebukes you, O Satan!^[dx] Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebukes you! Is this not a stick snatched from the fire?” ³ And Joshua was clothed in filthy garments and was standing before^[dy] the angel. ⁴ And he answered and said to the ones standing before^[dz] him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And he said to him, “See, I have taken away your guilt^[ea] from you, and will clothe you with rich garments.” ⁵ And I said, “Let them put a clean headband^[eb] on his head.” And they put a clean headband on his head, and they clothed him with garments. And the angel of Yahweh was standing by.

⁶ And the angel of Yahweh assured Joshua, saying, ⁷ “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘If you will walk in my ways, and if you will keep my requirements, then you will judge^[ec] my house, and you will also guard my courtyards, and I will give to you passageways^[ed] among these that are standing here. ⁸ Listen, please, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions^[ee] that are sitting before^[ef] you. For the men are a sign that,^[eg] look, I am going to bring my servant the Branch.^{[eh] 9} For consider, the stone that I set before^[ei] Joshua, on one stone are seven eyes.^[ej] Look, I am going to engrave an inscription on it,’^[ek] declares^[el] Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I will remove the guilt of that land in a single day. ¹⁰ On that day,’ declares^[em] Yahweh of hosts, ‘you will invite one another^[en] under the vine and under the fig tree.’”

Zechariah’s Fifth Vision

4 And the angel who was talking with me returned, and he wakened me as one who is wakened from his sleep. ² And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and look, a lampstand all of gold,^[eo] and a bowl was on its top, and its seven lamps on it, and seven lips on each of the lamps that are on its top. ³ And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” ⁴ And I answered and said to the angel who was talking to me, “What are these, my lord?” ⁵ And the angel who was talking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” ⁶ And he answered and said to me, “This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by strength and not by power, but only by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of hosts. ⁷ ‘Who are you O great mountain? Before^[ep] Zerubbabel you will become level ground, and he will bring out the top stone amid the shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’” ⁸ And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have founded this house, and his hands will finish it. And you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. ¹⁰ For whoever has despised the day of small things will rejoice and will see the plumb line^[eq] in the hand of Zerubbabel.”

These seven are the eyes of Yahweh which are ranging throughout the whole earth.^{[er] 11} And I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” ¹² And I replied a second time and asked him, “What are these two twigs of olive trees^[es] on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” ¹³ And he replied to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” ¹⁴ And he said, “These are the two anointed ones^[et] standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”

Zechariah’s Sixth Vision

5 I looked up again,^[eu] and I saw, and look!—a flying scroll! ² And he asked me, “What are you seeing?” And I said, “I am seeing a flying scroll twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.”^{[ev] 3} And he said to me, “This is the curse going out over the surface of the whole earth. For everyone who steals has gone unpunished^[ew] according to it, and likewise everyone who swears falsely has gone unpunished according to it. ⁴ ‘I have sent it out,’ declares^[ex] Yahweh of hosts, ‘and it will go into the house of the thief and into the house of the one swearing falsely by my name,^[ey] and it will spend the night in that^[ez] house and will destroy it, with its timber and its stone.’”

Zechariah’s Seventh Vision

⁵ And the angel who was speaking to me went out, and he said to me, “Please look up!^[fa] See what this is going out.” ⁶ And I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “This is a basket^[fb] going out. And he said, “This is their iniquity^[fc] throughout all the earth. ⁷ And look, the lead cover was lifted and a woman was sitting inside the basket.^{[fd] 8} And he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her back down into the basket,^[fe] and threw the lead cover on top of it.^{[ff] 9} And I looked up^[fg] and saw, and look!—two women coming forward, and the wind was in their wings, and they had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket^[fh] between the earth and the sky.^{[fi] 10} And I asked the angel who was talking to me, “Where are they taking the basket?”^{[fj] 11} And he said to me, “To build for it a house^[fk] in the land of Shinar,^[fl] and when it is put in place, it will be placed there on its site.”

Zechariah’s Eighth Vision

6 I looked up again,^[fm] and I saw, and look!—four chariots coming out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. ² With the first chariot there were red horses, and with the second chariot there were black horses. ³ And with the third chariot there were white horses, and with the fourth chariot there were strong^[fn] dappled horses. ⁴ And I answered and said to the angel that was talking to me, “What are these, my lord?” ⁵ And the angel answered and said to me, “These are the four winds^[fo] of the heavens going out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶ The one with^[fp] the black horses is going out to the north country, and the white horses go after them,^[fq] while the dappled ones go to the south country.” ⁷ When the strong horses went out, they were anxious to go to patrol the earth. And he^[fr] said, “Go, patrol the earth.” And they patrolled the earth. ⁸ And he cried out to me and said to me, “See those going out to the north country have set my spirit at rest in the north country.”

The Branch is Crowned

⁹ And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ¹⁰ “Collect^[fs] from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and from Jedaiah, all of whom came from Babylon—and go on that day, go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. ¹¹ Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. ¹² And say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Look, here is a man whose name is Branch,^[ft] and from his place he will sprout, and he will build the temple of Yahweh. ¹³ And he will build the temple of Yahweh, and he will bear majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two of them.”’^{[fu] 14} And the crown will be for Helem,^[fv] for Tobijah, for Jedaiah, and for Hen^[fw] son of Zephaniah, as a memorial in the temple of Yahweh. ¹⁵ And those who are far off will come and build the temple of Yahweh, and you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. And it will happen if you will listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God.”

7 And then,^[fx] in the fourth year of King Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Kislev. ² And the people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech, and their^[fy] men, to entreat the favor^[fz] of Yahweh, ³ saying to the priests of the house of Yahweh of hosts^[ga] and to the prophets, “Should I mourn in the fifth month and keep myself separate^[gb] as I have done for these many years?” ⁴ And the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying, ⁵ “Say to all the people of the land and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me? ⁶ And when you eat and drink, are you not eating and drinking for yourselves? ⁷ Are not these the words that Yahweh proclaimed through^[gc] the former prophets, when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns^[gd] were inhabited and at ease, and the Negev^[ge] and the Shephelah^[gf] were inhabited?’”

⁸ And the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, saying, ⁹ “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Judge with trustworthy justice, and show^[gg] steadfast love and compassion to one another.^{[gh] 10} You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, and the needy. You must not devise evil in your heart against one another.’^{[gi] 11} But they refused to listen, and turned^[gj] a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from listening.^{[gk] 12} They made their hearts adamant^[gl] in order not to hear the law^[gm] and the words that Yahweh of hosts had sent by his spirit through^[gn] the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of hosts. ¹³ ‘Thus, just as I^[go] called and they would not hear, so they will call and I will not hear,’ says Yahweh of hosts. ¹⁴ ‘And I scattered them with a wind among all the nations that they had not known; the land was made desolate behind them— no one crossing through it or returning—and they made the desirable land^[gp] a desolation.’”

Yahweh’s Promise to Jerusalem

8 And the word of Yahweh of hosts came, saying, ² “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion;^[gq] I am jealous for it with great wrath.’ ³ Thus says Yahweh: ‘I have returned to Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be called the faithful city,^[gr] and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts will be called the holy mountain.’ ⁴ Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the public squares of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand^[gs] because of great age.^{[gt] 5} And the public squares of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its public squares.’ ⁶ Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Even if it seems impossible^[gu] to the remnant^[gv] of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible^[gw] to me?’^[gx] declares^[gy] Yahweh of hosts. ⁷ Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Look! I am going to save my people from the land of the east, and from the land of the west, ⁸ and I will bring them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They will be my people and I will be their God in faithfulness^[gz] and in righteousness.’

⁹ “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, you^[ha] who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of Yahweh of hosts.^{[hb] 10} For before those days there was no wage for people or for animals, and there was no safety from the enemy for those who went out or those who came in, and I sent each person against one another.^{[hc] 11} But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days,’^[hd] declares^[he] Yahweh of hosts. ¹² ‘For there will be a sowing of peace; the vine will give its fruit, and the soil will give its produce, and the heavens will give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. ¹³ And then,^[hf] just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. You must not be afraid; let your hands be strong!’”

¹⁴ For thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Just as I planned to bring disaster^[hg] on you when your ancestors^[hh] provoked me to anger,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and I did not regret it, ¹⁵ so again I have planned^[hi] in these days to do good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Do not be afraid! ¹⁶ These are the things that you must do: speak truth, each of you, with his neighbor; practice trustworthy judgment and peace in your gates. ¹⁷ Do not devise evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love a false oath,^[hj] because all these are things I hate,” declares^[hk] Yahweh.

¹⁸ And the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying ¹⁹ “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, the fifth month, the seventh month, and the tenth month will be for the house of Judah jubilation and joy and merry festivals; therefore love truth and peace.’ ²⁰ Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘It will happen again that nations and the inhabitants of many cities will come. ²¹ And the inhabitants of one city will go to another city, saying, “Let us go immediately to entreat the favor of^[hl] Yahweh, to seek Yahweh of hosts—I also will go!” ²² And many peoples and powerful^[hm] nations will come to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of^[hn] Yahweh.’ ²³ Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from all the nations of every language^[ho] will take hold of the hem of a Judean man,^[hp] saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you!”’”

9 An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach,

Yahweh Gives Rain

10 Ask rain from Yahweh in the season of the spring rain—