Bible in 90 Days
Habakkuk Calls for Help
1 The [a](A)oracle which Habakkuk the prophet beheld.
2 (B)How long, O [b]Yahweh, will I call for help,
And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do (C)not save.
3 Why do You make me (D)see wickedness
And cause me to look on trouble?
Indeed, (E)devastation and violence are before me;
(F)And there is strife, and contention is lifted up.
4 Therefore the (G)law is [c]ignored,
And justice never comes forth.
For the wicked (H)surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes forth (I)perverted.
Yahweh Raises the Dreaded Chaldeans
5 “(J)See among the nations! And look!
Be also astonished! (K)Be astounded!
Because I am doing (L)something in your days—
You would not believe if it was recounted to you.
6 For behold, I am (M)raising up the Chaldeans,
That bitter and hasty nation
Who walks on the breadth of the land
To (N)possess dwelling places which are not theirs.
7 They are dreaded and (O)feared;
Their (P)justice and exaltation come forth from themselves.
8 Their (Q)horses are swifter than leopards
And [d]sharper than (R)wolves in the evening.
Their [e]horsemen come galloping;
Their horsemen come from afar;
They fly like an (S)eagle swooping down to devour.
9 All of them come for violence.
[f]Their horde of (T)faces moves forward.
And they gather captives like sand.
10 And they (U)mock at kings,
And rulers are a laughing matter to them.
They (V)laugh at every fortress
And (W)heap up dirt and capture it.
11 Then they will sweep through like the (X)wind and pass on.
But they will be held (Y)guilty,
They whose (Z)power is their god.”
Yahweh Has Placed Them to Judge
12 Are You not from (AA)everlasting,
O Yahweh, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die.
You, O Yahweh, have (AB)placed them to judge;
And You, O (AC)Rock, have established them to reprove.
13 Your eyes are too (AD)pure to see evil,
And You cannot look on trouble.
Why do You (AE)look
On those who deal (AF)treacherously?
Why are You (AG)silent when the wicked (AH)swallow up
Those more righteous than they?
14 And You have made men like the fish of the sea,
Like creeping things without a ruler over them.
15 The Chaldeans (AI)bring all of them up with a hook,
(AJ)Drag them away with their net,
And gather them together in their fishing net.
Therefore they are glad and rejoice.
16 Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net
And [g]burn incense to their fishing net
Because through (AK)these things their portion is rich
And their food is fat.
17 Will they therefore empty their (AL)net
And continually (AM)kill nations without sparing?
The Righteous Will Live by His Faith
2 I will (AN)stand on my guard post
And station myself on the fortification;
And I will (AO)keep watch to see (AP)what He will speak to me
And how I may respond [h]when I am reproved.
2 Then Yahweh answered me and said,
“(AQ)Write down the vision
And write it on tablets distinctly,
That [i]the one who [j]reads it may run.
3 For the vision is yet for the (AR)appointed time;
It pants toward its end, and it will not [k]lie.
Though it tarries, (AS)wait for it;
For it will certainly come; it (AT)will not delay.
4 “Behold, as for the (AU)proud one,
His soul is not right within him;
But the (AV)righteous will live by his [l]faith.
5 And indeed, (AW)wine betrays the (AX)haughty man
So that he does not (AY)stay at home.
He (AZ)enlarges his appetite like Sheol,
And he is like death, never satisfied.
He also gathers to himself all nations
And assembles to himself all peoples.
6 “Will not all of these (BA)lift up a taunt-song against him,
Even satire and riddles against him
And say, ‘(BB)Woe to him who increases what is not his—
For how long—
And makes himself [m]rich with loans?’
7 Will not [n]your creditors (BC)rise up suddenly,
And those who make you tremble awaken?
Indeed, you will become spoil for them.
8 Because you have (BD)taken many nations as spoil,
All that is left of the peoples will take you as spoil—
Because of human bloodshed and violence [o]done to the land,
To the town and all its inhabitants.
9 “Woe to him who is greedy for (BE)evil gain for his house
To (BF)put his nest on high,
To be delivered from the hand of evil!
10 You have counseled a (BG)shameful thing for your house
By cutting off many peoples;
So you are (BH)sinning against your own soul.
11 Surely the (BI)stone will cry out from the wall,
And the rafter will answer it from the [p]framework.
12 “Woe to him who (BJ)builds a city with bloodshed
And founds a town with injustice!
13 Is it not, behold, from Yahweh of hosts
That peoples (BK)toil for fire,
And nations grow weary for nothing?
14 For the earth will be (BL)filled
With the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh,
As the waters cover the sea.
15 “Woe to you who make [q]your neighbors drink,
Who mix in your venom even to make them drunk
So as to look on their nakedness!
16 You will be filled with disgrace rather than glory.
Now you yourself (BM)drink and [r]expose your own nakedness.
The (BN)cup in Yahweh’s right hand will come around to you,
And (BO)utter disgrace will come upon your glory.
17 For the (BP)violence [s]done to Lebanon will cover you,
And the devastation of its beasts [t]by which you terrified them,
(BQ)Because of human bloodshed and (BR)violence [u]done to the land,
To the town and all its inhabitants.
18 “What (BS)profit is the graven image when its maker has engraved it,
Or a molten image, a (BT)teacher of [v]lies?
For its maker (BU)trusts in his own making
When he fashions speechless idols.
19 Woe to him who (BV)says to a piece of wood, ‘(BW)Awake!’
To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
And that is your teacher?
Behold, it is overlaid with (BX)gold and silver,
And there is (BY)no breath at all inside it.
20 But (BZ)Yahweh is in His holy temple.
[w]Let all the earth (CA)be silent before Him.”
Yet I Will Exalt in Yahweh
3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to [x]Shigionoth.
2 O Yahweh, I have (CB)heard [y]the report about You, and [z]I (CC)fear.
O Yahweh, (CD)revive (CE)Your work in the midst of the years;
In the midst of the years make it known;
In rage remember (CF)compassion.
3 God comes from (CG)Teman,
And the Holy One from Mount (CH)Paran. Selah.
His (CI)splendor covers the heavens,
And the (CJ)earth is full of His praise.
4 His (CK)brightness is like the sunlight;
He has rays flashing from His hand,
And there is the hiding of His (CL)strength.
5 Before Him goes (CM)pestilence,
And (CN)plague comes [aa]after Him.
6 He stood and [ab]measured out the earth;
He looked and (CO)startled the nations.
So the perpetual mountains were shattered;
The ancient hills [ac]collapsed.
His ways are (CP)everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan under (CQ)wickedness;
The tent curtains of the land of (CR)Midian were trembling.
8 Did Yahweh’s fury burn against the (CS)rivers,
Or was Your anger against the rivers,
Or was Your wrath against the (CT)sea,
That You (CU)rode on Your horses,
On Your (CV)chariots of salvation?
9 Your (CW)bow was made bare;
Rods were sworn unto battle by word. Selah.
You (CX)split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You and writhed;
The downpour of waters passed by.
The deep (CY)gave forth its voice;
It lifted high its hands.
11 (CZ)Sun and moon stood in their lofty places;
They went away at the (DA)light of Your arrows,
At the brightness of Your flashing spear.
12 In indignation You (DB)marched through the earth;
In anger You [ad](DC)trampled the nations.
13 You went forth for the (DD)salvation of Your people,
For salvation with Your (DE)anointed.
You crushed the (DF)head of the house of the wicked
To lay him bare from [ae]thigh to neck. Selah.
14 You pierced with his (DG)own sharpened rods
The head of his [af]throngs.
They (DH)stormed in to scatter [ag]us;
Their exultation was like those
Who (DI)devour the afflicted in secret.
15 You (DJ)tread on the sea with Your horses,
On the (DK)surge of many waters.
16 I heard, and my [ah]inward parts (DL)trembled;
At the sound my lips tingled.
Decay enters my (DM)bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must (DN)wait quietly for the day of distress,
[ai]For the (DO)people to arise who will invade us.
17 Though the (DP)fig tree should not blossom
And there be no produce on the vines,
Though the yield of the (DQ)olive should fail
And the fields yield no food,
Though the (DR)flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be (DS)no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will (DT)exult in Yahweh;
I will (DU)rejoice in the (DV)God of my salvation.
19 Yahweh, the Lord, is my [aj](DW)strength,
And (DX)He has set my feet like hinds’ feet
And makes me tread on my (DY)high places.
[ak]For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Yahweh Will End All Things
1 The word of [al]Yahweh which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of (DZ)Josiah son of (EA)Amon, king of Judah:
2 “I will completely (EB)end all things
From the face of the ground,” declares Yahweh.
3 “I will end (EC)man and beast;
I will end the (ED)birds of the sky
And the fish of the sea
And the [am](EE)ruins along with the wicked;
And I will cut off man from the face of the ground,” declares Yahweh.
4 “So I will (EF)stretch out My hand against Judah
And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And I will (EG)cut off the remnant of Baal from this place,
And the names of the (EH)idolatrous priests along with the priests,
5 And those who worship on the (EI)housetops the host of heaven,
And those who worship and (EJ)swear to Yahweh and yet swear by [an](EK)Milcom,
6 And those who have (EL)turned back from following Yahweh,
And those who have (EM)not sought Yahweh or inquired of Him.”
The Day of Yahweh Is Near
7 [ao](EN)Be silent before Lord Yahweh!
For the (EO)day of Yahweh is near,
For Yahweh has prepared a (EP)sacrifice;
He has (EQ)set apart His guests.
8 “Then it will be on the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice
That I will (ER)punish the princes, the king’s sons,
And all who clothe themselves with (ES)foreign garments.
9 And I will punish on that day all who leap on the temple threshold,
Who fill the house of their [ap]Lord with (ET)violence and deceit.
10 And it will be in that day,” declares Yahweh,
“That there will be the sound of a cry from the (EU)Fish Gate
And a wail from the [aq](EV)Second Quarter
And a great destruction from the (EW)hills.
11 Wail, O inhabitants of the [ar]Mortar,
For all the [as]people of (EX)Canaan will be silenced;
All who weigh out (EY)silver will be cut off.
12 And it will be at that time
That I will (EZ)search Jerusalem with lamps,
And I will punish the men
Who are [at](FA)stagnant in spirit,
Who say in their hearts,
‘Yahweh will (FB)not do good or evil!’
13 And it will be that their wealth will become (FC)spoil
And their houses desolate;
Indeed, (FD)they will build houses but not inhabit them,
And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”
14 Near is the (FE)great (FF)day of Yahweh,
Near and coming very quickly;
O the sound, the day of Yahweh!
[au]In it the mighty man (FG)cries out bitterly.
15 A day of fury is that day,
A day of (FH)trouble and distress,
A day of destruction and desolation,
A day of (FI)darkness and thick darkness,
A day of clouds and dense gloom,
16 A day of (FJ)trumpet and loud shouting
Against the (FK)fortified cities
And the high corner towers.
17 I will bring (FL)distress on men
So that they will walk (FM)like the blind
Because they have sinned against Yahweh;
And their (FN)blood will be poured out like dust
And their (FO)flesh like dung.
18 Neither their (FP)silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the fury of Yahweh;
And (FQ)all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will (FR)make a complete destruction,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Seek Yahweh Before His Day of Anger
2 Gather yourselves together, indeed, (FS)gather,
O nation (FT)without [av]shame,
2 Before the decree [aw]takes effect—
The day passes (FU)like the chaff—
Before the (FV)burning anger of Yahweh comes upon you,
Before the (FW)day of Yahweh’s anger comes upon you.
3 (FX)Seek Yahweh,
All you (FY)humble of the [ax]earth
Who have worked His justice;
(FZ)Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Perhaps you will be (GA)hidden
In the day of Yahweh’s anger.
4 For (GB)Gaza will be [ay]forsaken
And Ashkelon a desolation;
(GC)Ashdod will be driven out at noon,
And (GD)Ekron will be uprooted.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,
The nation of the [az](GE)Cherethites!
The word of Yahweh is (GF)against you,
O (GG)Canaan, land of the Philistines;
And I will (GH)make you perish
So that there will be (GI)no inhabitant.
6 So the seacoast will be (GJ)pastures,
With [ba]caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7 And the coast will be
For the (GK)remnant of the house of Judah;
They will (GL)feed upon it.
In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;
For Yahweh their God will (GM)care for them
And (GN)restore their fortune.
8 “I have heard the (GO)reproach of Moab
And the (GP)revilings of the sons of Ammon,
With which they have reproached My people
And (GQ)magnified themselves against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I live,” declares Yahweh of hosts,
The God of Israel,
“Surely (GR)Moab will be like (GS)Sodom
And the sons of (GT)Ammon like (GU)Gomorrah—
A place possessed by nettles and salt pits,
And a perpetual desolation.
The remnant of My people will (GV)plunder them,
And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”
10 This they will have in return for their (GW)pride because they have (GX)reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of hosts. 11 Yahweh will be (GY)fearsome to them, for He will [bb]starve (GZ)all the gods of the earth; and all the (HA)coastlands of the nations will (HB)bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.
12 “You also, O (HC)Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”
13 And He will (HD)stretch out His hand against the north
And cause (HE)Assyria to perish,
And He will make (HF)Nineveh a desolation,
Parched like the wilderness.
14 Flocks will lie down in her midst,
All the beasts of the nation;
Both the [bc](HG)pelican and the hedgehog
Will lodge in [bd]the tops of her pillars;
Their voice will sing in the window,
Ruin will be on the threshold;
For He has laid bare the cedar work.
15 This is the (HH)exultant city
Which (HI)inhabits securely,
Who says in her heart,
“(HJ)I am, and there is no one besides me.”
How she has become an object of (HK)horror,
A resting place for beasts!
(HL)Everyone who passes by her will hiss
And wave his hand in contempt.
The Unjust Knows No Shame
3 Woe to her who is (HM)rebellious and (HN)defiled,
The oppressive (HO)city!
2 She (HP)did not listen to any voice;
She (HQ)did not receive discipline.
She did not (HR)trust in Yahweh;
She did not (HS)draw near to her God.
3 Her (HT)princes in her midst are roaring lions;
Her judges are (HU)wolves at evening;
They leave nothing to gnaw for the morning.
4 Her prophets are (HV)reckless, treacherous men;
Her (HW)priests have profaned the sanctuary.
They have done violence to the law.
5 Yahweh is (HX)righteous (HY)in her midst;
He will (HZ)do no injustice.
(IA)Every morning He brings His justice to light;
[be]He does not fail.
But the unjust (IB)knows no shame.
6 “I have cut off nations;
Their corner towers are desolate.
I have made their streets (IC)a waste,
With no one passing by;
Their (ID)cities are laid waste,
Without a man, (IE)without an inhabitant.
7 I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
(IF)Receive discipline.’
So her abode will (IG)not be cut off
According to all that I have appointed concerning her.
But they were eager to (IH)corrupt all their deeds.
Yahweh Will Pour Out His Anger
8 “Therefore (II)wait for Me,” declares Yahweh,
“For the day when I rise up as a witness.
Indeed, My judgment is to (IJ)assemble nations,
To gather kingdoms,
To pour out on them My indignation,
All My burning anger;
For (IK)all the earth will be devoured
By the fire of My zeal.
9 For then I will change them to peoples with (IL)purified lips,
That all of them may (IM)call on the name of Yahweh,
To serve Him [bf]shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of [bg](IN)Ethiopia
My [bh]worshipers, [bi]My scattered ones,
Will (IO)bring My offerings.
11 In that day you will (IP)feel no shame
Because of all your deeds
By which you have transgressed against Me;
For then I will remove from your midst
Your (IQ)proud, exulting ones,
And you will never again be haughty
On My (IR)holy mountain.
12 But I will cause to remain in your midst
A [bj](IS)lowly and poor people,
And they will (IT)take refuge in the name of Yahweh.
13 The (IU)remnant of Israel will (IV)do no injustice
And (IW)not speak falsehood,
Nor will a deceitful tongue
Be found in their mouths;
For they will (IX)feed and lie down
With no one to make them tremble.”
Yahweh’s Joy in Restoring Israel
14 Sing for joy, O daughter of Zion!
(IY)Make a loud shout, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 Yahweh has taken away (IZ)His judgments against you;
He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, Yahweh, is (JA)in your midst;
You will (JB)fear evil no more.
16 (JC)In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“(JD)Do not fear, O Zion;
(JE)Do not let your hands fall limp.
17 Yahweh your God is (JF)in your midst,
A (JG)mighty one who will save.
He will (JH)be joyful over you with gladness;
He will [bk]be quiet in His love;
He will rejoice over you with joyful singing.
18 I will assemble those who (JI)grieve about the appointed feasts—
They were from you, O Zion;
The reproach of exile is a burden on [bl]them.
19 Behold, I am going to deal at that time
With all those who (JJ)afflict you,
And I will save the (JK)lame
And gather the banished,
And I will turn them—in their (JL)shame—into (JM)praise and a name
In all the earth.
20 At that time I will (JN)bring you in,
Even at the time when I gather you together;
Indeed, I will give you to be a (JO)name and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I (JP)restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
Says Yahweh.
The Commission to Rebuild the Temple
1 In the (JQ)second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of [bm]Yahweh came by the hand of (JR)Haggai the prophet to (JS)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, (JT)governor of Judah, and to (JU)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 2 “Thus says Yahweh of [bn]hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of Yahweh to be rebuilt.”’” 3 Then the word of Yahweh came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses while this house (JV)lies waste?” 5 So now, thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Set your heart to consider your ways! 6 You have (JW)sown much, but bring in little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is [bo]not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”
7 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Set your heart to consider your ways! 8 Go up to the [bp]mountains and bring wood and (JX)rebuild the house of God, that I may be (JY)pleased with it and be (JZ)glorified,” says Yahweh. 9 “(KA)You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; and you bring it home, and I (KB)blow it away. Why?” declares Yahweh of hosts, “Because of My house which (KC)lies waste, while each of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the (KD)sky has restrained [bq]its dew and the earth has restrained its produce. 11 And I called for a [br](KE)drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on (KF)men, on cattle, and on (KG)all the labor of [bs]your hands.”
12 Then (KH)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and (KI)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, (KJ)listened to the voice of Yahweh their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as Yahweh their God had sent him. And the people (KK)feared Yahweh. 13 Then Haggai, the (KL)messenger of Yahweh, spoke by the commissioned message of Yahweh to the people saying, “‘(KM)I am with you,’ declares Yahweh.” 14 So Yahweh stirred up the spirit of (KN)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, (KO)governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the (KP)remnant of the people; and they came and (KQ)did 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 Darius the king.
The Glory of Yahweh Will Fill the Temple
2 On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of Yahweh came by the hand of (KR)Haggai the prophet saying, 2 “Speak now to (KS)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, (KT)governor of Judah, and to (KU)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the (KV)remnant of the people saying, 3 ‘Who among you (KW)remains who saw this house in its (KX)former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes? 4 But now, (KY)be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares Yahweh, ‘be strong also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land, be strong,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and work; for (KZ)I am with you,’ declares Yahweh of hosts. 5 ‘As for the [bt](LA)promise which I cut with you when you came out of Egypt, [bu]My (LB)Spirit is standing in your midst; (LC)do not fear!’ 6 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘(LD)Once more—[bv]in a (LE)little while—I am going to (LF)shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 And I will shake (LG)all the nations; and [bw]they will come with the (LH)desirable things of all nations, and I will (LI)fill this house with glory,’ says Yahweh of hosts. 8 ‘The (LJ)silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ declares Yahweh of hosts. 9 ‘The latter (LK)glory of this house will be greater than the (LL)former,’ says Yahweh of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give (LM)peace,’ declares Yahweh of hosts.”
10 On the (LN)twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘(LO)Ask now the priests about the law: 12 If a man carries (LP)holy meat in the [bx]fold of his garment and touches bread with [by]this fold or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “(LQ)If one who is unclean from a [bz]corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai answered and said, “‘(LR)So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they bring near to Me there is unclean. 15 But now, (LS)oh set your heart to consider from this day [ca]onward: from before one (LT)stone was set on another in the temple of Yahweh, 16 [cb]from when it was that one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, then there would be only ten; and from when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty troughs full, then there would be only twenty. 17 I struck you and every work of your hands with (LU)scorching wind, mildew, and hail; [cc]yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares Yahweh. 18 ‘(LV)Oh set your heart to consider from this day [cd]onward, from the (LW)twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of Yahweh was (LX)founded, set your heart to consider: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will (LY)bless you.’”
Yahweh Chooses Zerubbabel
20 Then the word of Yahweh came a second time to Haggai on the (LZ)twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to (MA)Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to (MB)shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will (MC)overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the (MD)strength of the kingdoms of the [ce]nations; and I will (ME)overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the (MF)horses and their riders will go down, (MG)everyone by the sword of another.’ 23 ‘On that day,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and I will make you like a [cf](MH)signet ring, for (MI)I have chosen you,’” declares Yahweh of hosts.
Return to Me, Declares Yahweh
1 In the eighth month of the second year of (MJ)Darius, the word of [cg]Yahweh came to (MK)Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of (ML)Iddo, saying, 2 “Yahweh was very (MM)wrathful against your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “(MN)Return to Me,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says Yahweh of hosts. 4 “Do not be (MO)like your fathers, to whom the (MP)former prophets called out, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “(MQ)Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did (MR)not listen or give heed to Me,” declares Yahweh. 5 “Your (MS)fathers, where are they? And the (MT)prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My slaves the prophets, (MU)overtake your fathers? Then they [ch]returned and said, ‘(MV)As Yahweh of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has done with us.’”’”
A Man on a Red Horse
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying, 8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a (MW)red horse, and he was standing among the (MX)myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel, and (MY)white horses behind him. 9 Then I said, “My (MZ)lord, what are these?” And the (NA)angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.” 10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom Yahweh has sent to [ci](NB)patrol the earth.” 11 So they answered the angel of Yahweh who was (NC)standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have [cj]patrolled the earth, and behold, (ND)all the earth is sitting still and quiet.”
12 Then the angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, (NE)how long will You (NF)have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been (NG)indignant these (NH)seventy years?” 13 Yahweh answered the (NI)angel who was speaking with me with good words, (NJ)comforting words. 14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “(NK)Call out, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I am (NL)exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. 15 But I am very (NM)wrathful with the nations who are (NN)at ease; for I was only a little wrathful, but they (NO)helped increase the calamity.” 16 Therefore thus says Yahweh, “I will (NP)return to Jerusalem with compassion; My (NQ)house will be built in it,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and a measuring (NR)line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’ 17 Again, call out, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “My (NS)cities will again overflow with good, and Yahweh will again (NT)comfort Zion and again (NU)choose Jerusalem.”’”
Four Horns and Craftsmen
18 [ck]Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there were four horns. 19 So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the (NV)horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then Yahweh showed me four (NW)craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the (NX)horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to cause them to tremble, to (NY)throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”
A Man with a Measuring Cord
2 [cl]Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there was a man with a (NZ)measuring cord in his hand. 2 So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To (OA)measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” 3 And behold, the (OB)angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, speak to that (OC)young man, saying, ‘(OD)Jerusalem will be inhabited [cm](OE)without walls because of the (OF)multitude of men and cattle within it. 5 Indeed I,’ declares Yahweh, ‘will be a (OG)wall of fire [cn]around her, and I will be the (OH)glory in her midst.’”
6 “[co]Ho there! (OI)Flee from the land of the north,” declares Yahweh, “for I have (OJ)dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,” declares Yahweh. 7 “Woe, Zion! (OK)Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” 8 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, “After [cp](OL)glory He has sent Me against the nations which have taken you as spoil, for he who touches you, touches the [cq](OM)apple of His eye. 9 For behold, I will (ON)wave My hand over them so that they will be (OO)spoil for their slaves. Then you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent Me. 10 (OP)Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold, I am coming and I will (OQ)dwell in your midst,” declares Yahweh. 11 “(OR)And many nations will join themselves to Yahweh in that day and will become My people. Then I will (OS)dwell in your midst, and you will (OT)know that Yahweh of hosts has sent Me to you. 12 Then Yahweh will (OU)inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land and will again (OV)choose Jerusalem.
13 “[cr](OW)Be silent, all flesh, before Yahweh; for He is (OX)aroused from His holy habitation.”
The High Priest and a Branch
3 Then he showed me (OY)Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and [cs](OZ)Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And Yahweh said to Satan, “(PA)Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, Yahweh who has (PB)chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a (PC)brand delivered from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was clothed with (PD)filthy garments and standing before the angel. 4 And he answered and spoke to those who were standing before him, saying, “(PE)Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have (PF)made your iniquity pass away from you and [ct]will (PG)clothe you with festal robes.” 5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean (PH)turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of Yahweh was standing by.
6 And the angel of Yahweh testified to Joshua, saying, 7 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘If you will (PI)walk in My ways and if you will keep the responsibility given by Me, then you will also (PJ)render justice in My house and also keep My (PK)courts, and I will grant you [cu]access to walk among these who are standing here. 8 Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a (PL)wondrous sign, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the [cv](PM)Branch. 9 For behold, the stone that I have put before Joshua; on one stone are (PN)seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I will (PO)remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10 In that day,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘every one of you will call for his neighbor to sit under his (PP)vine and under his fig tree.’”
The Golden Lampstand
4 Then (PQ)the angel who was speaking with me returned and (PR)roused me, as a man who is roused from his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “(PS)What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a (PT)lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its (PU)seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it, 3 also (PV)two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, (PW)my lord?” 5 So (PX)the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “(PY)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 Yahweh to (PZ)Zerubbabel, saying, ‘(QA)Not by [cw]might nor by power, but by My (QB)Spirit,’ says Yahweh of hosts. 7 ‘What are you, O great (QC)mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with (QD)shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
8 Also the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have (QE)laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will (QF)finish it. Then you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to [cx]you. 10 For who has despised the day of (QG)small things? [cy]But these (QH)seven will be glad when they see the [cz](QI)plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the (QJ)eyes of Yahweh which (QK)roam to and fro throughout the earth.”
11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these (QL)two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” 12 And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive [da]branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” 13 So he spoke to me, saying, “(QM)Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, (QN)my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two [db](QO)anointed ones who are (QP)standing by the (QQ)Lord of all the earth.”
A Flying Scroll
5 Then I lifted up my eyes again and saw, and behold, a flying (QR)scroll. 2 And he said to me, “(QS)What do you see?” And I said, “I see a flying scroll; its length is [dc]twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” 3 Then he said to me, “This is the (QT)curse that is going forth over the face of the whole [dd]land; surely everyone who (QU)steals will be [de]purged away according to [df]the writing on one side, and everyone who (QV)swears will be [dg]purged away according to the writing on the other side. 4 I will (QW)make it go forth,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and it will (QX)enter the house of the (QY)thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and (QZ)consume it with its timber and stones.”
A Woman in an Ephah
5 Then (RA)the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.” 6 So I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the [dh](RB)ephah going forth.” Again he said, “This is their [di]appearance in all the [dj]land 7 (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” 8 Then he said, “This is (RC)Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and threw the lead weight on its [dk]opening. 9 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a (RD)stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. 10 And I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” 11 Then he said to me, “To build a [dl]house for her in the land of (RE)Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.”
Four Chariots
6 Then I lifted up my eyes again and saw, and behold, (RF)four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. 2 With the first chariot were (RG)red horses, with the second chariot (RH)black horses, 3 with the third chariot (RI)white horses, and with the fourth chariot (RJ)dappled horses—all of them mighty. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “(RK)What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are the (RL)four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, 6 with one of which the black horses are going forth to the (RM)north country; and the white ones go forth after them, and the dappled ones go forth to the (RN)south country. 7 Now the mighty ones went out, and they sought to go to [dm](RO)patrol the earth.” And He said, “Go, [dn]patrol the earth.” So they [do]patrolled the earth. 8 Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, “See, those who are going to the land of the north have (RP)caused My Spirit to have rest in the land of the north.”
The Crown and the Temple
9 And the (RQ)word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 10 “(RR)Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah; and you come the same day and come into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon. 11 And take silver and gold, make an ornate (RS)crown, and set it on the head of (RT)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Then you will say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is [dp](RU)Branch, and He will [dq](RV)branch out from where He is; and He will (RW)build the temple of Yahweh. 13 Indeed, it is He who will build the temple of Yahweh, and He who will (RX)bear the splendor and sit and (RY)rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a (RZ)priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two [dr]offices.”’ 14 Now the (SA)crown will become a memorial in the temple of Yahweh to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and [ds]Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 (SB)And those who are far off will come and [dt]build the temple of Yahweh.” Then you will (SC)know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. And it will happen if you utterly (SD)listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.
The People’s Hard Hearts
7 Now it happened that in the fourth year of King Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is (SE)Chislev. 2 And the town of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and [du]their men to [dv](SF)entreat the favor of Yahweh, 3 speaking to the (SG)priests, who belong to the house of Yahweh of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the (SH)fifth month [dw]and abstain, as I have done these many years?” 4 Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying, 5 “Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months [dx]these (SI)seventy years, was it actually for (SJ)Me that you fasted? 6 And when you eat and when you drink, [dy]are you not eating for yourselves and are you not drinking for yourselves? 7 Are not these the words which Yahweh (SK)called out by the hand of the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and (SL)at ease along with its cities around it, and the [dz](SM)Negev and the [ea]Shephelah were inhabited?’”
8 Then the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah saying, 9 “Thus has Yahweh of hosts said, ‘(SN)Judge with true justice and show (SO)lovingkindness and compassion each to his brother; 10 and (SP)do not oppress the widow or the [eb]orphan, the sojourner or the afflicted; and do (SQ)not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ 11 But they (SR)refused to give heed and [ec](SS)turned a stubborn shoulder and [ed](ST)dulled their ears from hearing. 12 And they made their (SU)hearts [ee](SV)diamond-hard [ef]so that they could not hear the law and the (SW)words which Yahweh of hosts had sent by His Spirit by the hand of the (SX)former prophets; therefore great (SY)wrath came from Yahweh of hosts. 13 And it happened that just as (SZ)He called and they would not listen, so (TA)they called and I would not listen,” says Yahweh of hosts; 14 “but I [eg](TB)scattered them with a (TC)storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is (TD)desolated behind them [eh]so that (TE)no one was passing through and returning, for they (TF)made the pleasant land desolate.”
Jerusalem, the City of Truth
8 Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘[ei]I am (TG)jealous with great jealousy for Zion, and with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ 3 Thus says Yahweh, ‘I will return to Zion and will (TH)dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of (TI)Truth, and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ 4 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘(TJ)Old men and old women will again sit in the [ej]streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of [ek]age. 5 And the [el]streets of the city will be filled with (TK)boys and girls playing in its [em]streets.’ 6 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘If it is [en](TL)too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be [eo](TM)too difficult in My sight?’ declares Yahweh of hosts. 7 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land where the [ep](TN)sun rises and from the land where the [eq]sun sets; 8 and I will (TO)bring them back, and they will (TP)dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be (TQ)My people, and I will be their God in [er]truth and righteousness.’
9 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Let your hands be (TR)strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the (TS)prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was (TT)no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no [es](TU)peace because of the adversary, and I (TV)set all men one against another. 11 But now I will (TW)not [et]treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares Yahweh of hosts. 12 ‘For there will be (TX)peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the heavens will give their (TY)dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit (TZ)all these things. 13 And it will be that just as you were a (UA)curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a (UB)blessing. Do not fear; let your (UC)hands be strong.’
14 “For thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Just as I (UD)purposed to bring about evil to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I have not (UE)relented, 15 so I have again purposed in these days to (UF)do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. (UG)Do not fear! 16 These are the things which you should do: speak the (UH)truth to one another; (UI)judge with truth and judgment for peace in your [eu]gates. 17 Also let none of you (UJ)devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love [ev](UK)false oaths; for all these are what I (UL)hate,’ declares Yahweh.”
18 Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘The fast of the (UM)fourth, the fast of the (UN)fifth, the fast of the (UO)seventh, and the fast of the (UP)tenth months will become (UQ)joy, gladness, and [ew]merry appointed feasts for the house of Judah; so (UR)love truth and peace.’
20 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘It will yet be that (US)peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to [ex](UT)entreat the favor of Yahweh and to seek Yahweh of hosts; [ey]I will also go.” 22 So (UU)many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem and to [ez](UV)entreat the favor of Yahweh.’ 23 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from every tongue of the nations will [fa](UW)take hold of the [fb]garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”
Yahweh’s Oracle Against Israel’s Enemies
9 The [fc]oracle of the word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, with (UX)Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward Yahweh),
2 And (UY)Hamath also, which borders on it;
(UZ)And Tyre and (VA)Sidon, [fd]because [fe]they are (VB)very wise.
3 So Tyre built herself a (VC)tight fortification
And (VD)tied up silver like dust
And (VE)fine gold like the mire of the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will (VF)dispossess her
And strike her wealth down into the sea;
And she will be (VG)consumed with fire.
5 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza too will writhe in great pain;
Also Ekron, for her hope has been put to shame.
Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,
And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
6 And those of illegitimate birth will inhabit (VH)Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a [ff]clan in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
8 But I will camp around My house [fg]because of an army,
Because of (VI)him who passes by and returns;
And (VJ)no taskmaster will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
The Coming King of Zion
9 (VK)Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Make a loud shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your (VL)king is coming to you;
He is [fh](VM)righteous and (VN)endowed with salvation,
[fi](VO)Lowly and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a [fj](VP)colt, the [fk]foal of a pack animal.
10 I will (VQ)cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the (VR)horse from Jerusalem;
And the (VS)bow of war will be cut off.
And He will speak (VT)peace to the nations;
And His (VU)reign will be from sea to sea
And from the [fl]River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you also, because of the (VV)blood of your covenant,
I have set your (VW)prisoners free from the [fm]waterless pit.
12 Return to the [fn](VX)stronghold, O prisoners [fo]who have the (VY)hope;
This very day I am declaring that I will return (VZ)double to you.
13 For I will (WA)bend Judah [fp]as My bow;
I will fill the bow with Ephraim.
And I will rouse up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O [fq](WB)Greece;
And I will make you like a (WC)mighty man’s sword.
14 Then Yahweh will appear (WD)over them,
And His (WE)arrow will go forth like lightning;
And Lord Yahweh will blow the (WF)trumpet
And will go in the (WG)storm winds of the south.
15 (WH)Yahweh of hosts will defend them.
And they will (WI)consume and trample on the (WJ)stones of a sling;
And they will drink and (WK)roar as with wine;
And they will be filled like a sacrificial bowl,
Drenched like the (WL)corners of the altar.
16 And Yahweh their God will (WM)save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a (WN)crown,
[fr]Sparkling in His land.
17 For what (WO)goodness and (WP)what beauty will be [fs]theirs!
Grain will make the choice men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
Yahweh Will Redeem Judah and Israel
10 Ask (WQ)rain from Yahweh at the time of the [ft]late rain—
Yahweh who (WR)makes the [fu]storm clouds;
And He will give them (WS)showers of rain, the plant in the field to each man.
2 For the (WT)teraphim speak wickedness,
And the (WU)diviners behold [fv]false visions
And speak (WV)worthless dreams;
They comfort in vain.
Therefore the people journey like (WW)sheep;
They are afflicted because there is no shepherd.
3 “My (WX)anger burns against the shepherds,
And I will visit punishment upon the [fw]male goats;
For Yahweh of hosts has (WY)visited His flock, the house of Judah,
And will make them like His splendid horse in battle.
4 From [fx]them will come the (WZ)cornerstone,
From [fy]them the tent peg,
From [fz]them the bow of [ga](XA)battle,
From [gb]them every good [gc]taskmaster, all of them together.
5 And they will be as mighty men,
(XB)Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle;
And they will battle, for Yahweh will be with them;
And the (XC)riders on horses will be put to shame.
6 I will (XD)make the house of Judah mighty,
And I will (XE)save the house of Joseph,
And I will [gd](XF)cause them to return,
Because I have had (XG)compassion on them;
And they will be as though I had (XH)not rejected them,
For I am Yahweh their God, and I will (XI)answer them.
7 And Ephraim will be like a mighty man,
And their heart will be glad as if from wine;
Indeed, their (XJ)children will see it and be glad;
[ge]Their heart will rejoice in Yahweh.
8 I will (XK)whistle for them to gather them together,
For I have redeemed them;
And they will be as (XL)numerous as they (XM)were [gf]before.
9 And I will sow them among the peoples,
And they will (XN)remember Me in far countries,
And they with their children will live and turn back.
10 Then I will cause them to (XO)return from the land of Egypt
And gather them from Assyria;
And I will bring them into the land of (XP)Gilead and Lebanon
[gg]Until (XQ)no room can be found for them.
11 And [gh]they will pass through the (XR)sea of distress,
And He will strike the waves in the sea,
So that all the depths of the (XS)Nile will dry up;
And the pride of (XT)Assyria will be brought down,
And the scepter of (XU)Egypt will depart.
12 And I will (XV)make them mighty in Yahweh,
And in His name (XW)they will walk,” declares Yahweh.
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