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Amos Through Malachi: Greatest Verses Of The Bible.

--Sermon by Dr. Bob Benchoff, January 27, 2004.


User friendly: to find a phrase just click "Edit" and "Find". Huge name lists are typically removed for ICCDBB "Greatest Verses" Series, but none were present in these Minor [relatively short] Prophet Books.

The Book of Amos, followed by The Books of Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Amos Chapter 1

1 ¶ The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa,-of which (words) he had vision concerning Israel, in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2 So then he said-Yahweh, out of Zion, will roar, and, out of Jerusalem, will utter his voice,-and the pastures of the shepherds, shall mourn, and the top of Carmel, be dried up. 3 ¶ Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Damascus, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because, with threshing instruments of iron, they have threshed Gilead. 4 Therefore will send a fire, into the house of Hazael,-which shall devour the palaces of Ben- hadad; 5 And I will break the bolt of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant out of the plain of Aven, and the holder of the sceptre out of the house of Eden,-and the people of Syria, shall be exiled, unto Kir, saith Yahweh. 6 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Gaza, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because of their taking into exile the whole body of exiles, to deliver to Edom, 7 Therefore will I send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,-which shall devour the palaces thereof; 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant out of Ashdod, and the holder of the sceptre out of Ashkelon,-and will turn my hand against Ekron, So shall perish the remnant of the Philistines, saith My Lord, Yahweh. 9 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Tyre, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because of their delivering up the whole body of exiles to Edom, and they remembered not the brotherly covenant, 10 Therefore will I send a fire upon the wall of Tyre,-which shall devour the palaces thereof. 11 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Edom, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because he pursued, with the sword, his brother, and stifled his compassions, and his anger tare in pieces evermore, and, his indignation, kept watch perpetually, 12 Therefore will I send a fire into Teman,-which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. 13 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of the sons of Ammon, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because of their ripping up the pregnant women of Gilead, that they might enlarge their own boundary, 14 Therefore will I kindle a fire upon the wall of Rabbah, which shall devour the palaces thereof,-with a war-cry in the day of battle, with tempest in the day of storm-wind; 15 And Milcom shall go into exile,-he and his rulers together, saith Yahweh.

Amos Chapter 2

1 ¶ Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Moab, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because he burned the bones of the King of Edom to lime, 2 Therefore will I send a fire into Moab, which shall devour the palaces of Kerioth-and Moab, shall die with tumult, with war- cry, with the sound of a horn; 3 And I will cut off the judge out of her midst, and, all her rulers, will I slay with him, saith Yahweh. 4 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Judah, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because they have rejected the law of Yahweh, and, his statutes, have not kept, but their falsehoods, have led them astray, after the which their fathers, did walk, 5 Therefore will I send a fire upon Judah,-which shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. 6 Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Israel, and because of four, will I not turn it back,-Because they have sold-for silver-the righteous, and the needy-for a pair of shoes: 7 Who strive to bring the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and, the way of the oppressed, they pervert,-Yea, a man and his own father, go in unto the maid, to profane my holy Name! 8 And, on pledged garments, they recline, beside every altar,-and, exacted wine, do they drink, in the house of their God. 9 ¶ Yet it was, I, who destroyed the Amorite, from before them, whose height was, like the height of cedars, and, strong, was he, like the oaks,-but I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath. 10 And it was, I, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt,-and led you in the desert, forty years, to take possession of the land of the Amorites; 11 And I raised up, of your sons, for prophets, and, of your young men, for Nazirites,-Was it not even so, ye sons of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh; 12 And yet ye caused the Nazirites to drink wine,-and, on the prophet, laid ye command, saying, Ye shall not prophesy! 13 Lo! I, am pressed under you,-as a full cart is pressed by its sheaves, 14 Therefore shall flight, perish, from the swift, and, the mighty, shall not invigorate his strength,-nor shall, the hero, escape with his life; 15 Nor, he that handleth the bow, make a stand, and, the swift on his feet, shall not escape,-nor, he that rideth on a horse, escape with his life: 16 Nay, he that is stout in his heart, among heroes, naked, shall flee, in that day, Declareth Yahweh.

Amos Chapter 3

1 ¶ Hear ye this word, which Yahweh hath spoken, concerning you, ye sons of Israel,-concerning the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt saying:- 2 Only you, have I acknowledged, of all the families of the ground, For this cause, will I visit upon you all your iniquities. 3 Can two walk together,-except they meet? 4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when, prey, he hath none? Will a young lion utter his voice out of his den, when he hath made no capture? 5 Will a bird fall upon a net to the earth, when there is no, snare, for it? Will a net rise front the ground, when it hath, captured nothing? 6 Or a horn be blown in a city, and, a people, not tremble? Or calamity happen in a city, and, Yahweh, not have wrought with effect? 7 Surely My Lord Yahweh, will do, nothing,-except he have disclosed his secret unto his servants, the prophets! (Note: Here is revealed some of the logic of God, the cause and effect, the plan of God and the good work of God. Goodness seeks not only to be known, goodness also seeks to be known beyond the capabilities of humans, logical and beyond current logic: prophetic.). 8 A lion, hath roared, Who will not fear? My Lord Yahweh, hath spoken, Who can forbear to prophesy? 9 ¶ Announce it over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt,-and say ye-Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold ye-the great disorders in the midst thereof, and the oppressed within her. 10 Therefore do they not know how to do right, Declareth Yahweh, who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces. 11 Therefore-Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, An adversary! Yea round about the land,-and he who shall bring down, from thee, thy strength, And spoiled shall be thy palaces. 12 Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch. 13 Hear ye and bear witness, throughout the house of Jacob,-Commandeth My Lord, Yahweh, God of hosts: 14 That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground; 15 And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house,-and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.

Amos Chapter 4

1 ¶ Hear ye this word, ye heifers of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,-who say to their lords, Bring in, and let us drink! 2 Sworn hath My Lord, Yahweh, by his own holiness, That lo! days, are coming upon you,-when he will take you away with hooks, and your followers with fishhooks; 3 And, through fissures, shall ye go out, every woman, straight before her,-and ye shall be thrust forth towards the castle, Declareth Yahweh. 4 Enter ye Bethel, and transgress, At Gilgal, cause transgression, to abound,-Yea, carry in, every morning, your sacrifices, every three days, your tithes; 5 Yea, burn thou incense, of that which is leavened, as a thank-offering, and proclaim ye freewill-offerings, let them be known,-for, so, ye love to have it, ye sons of Israel, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh. 6 ¶ Moreover also, I, have given you cleanness of teeth throughout all your cities, and want of bread throughout all your dwelling-places,-Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. 7 Moreover also, I, have withholden from you the abundant rain, when yet there were only three mouths to the harvest, Or I might rain upon one city, and, on another city, might not rain,-One portion, would be rained upon, and, the portion whereupon it should not rain, would be dried up; 8 Then would two or three cities totter to one city to drink water, without being satisfied,-Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. 9 I have smitten you with blight and with mildew, When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees have increased, the creeping locust would devour them,-Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. 10 I have sent among you pestilence, in the manner of Egypt, I have slain, with the sword, your young men, and therewith have been taken captive your horses, And I have caused to ascend-the stench of your camps, even into your own nostrils, Yet ye have not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. 11 I have made an overthrew among you, like the divine overthrow of Sodom arid Gomorrah, and ye have become like a brand snatched out of the burning,-Yet hate ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. 12 Therefore, thus, will I do unto thee, O Israel,-Because this thing I will do unto thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 13 For lo! He that fashioned the mountains, and created the wind, and who telleth the son of earth what is his thought, who turneth dawn into darkness, and marcheth upon the high places of the earth, Yahweh, God of hosts, is his name!

Amos Chapter 5

1 ¶ Hear ye this word, which, I, am taking up concerning you-even a dirge, O house of Israel. 2 She hath fallen-she cannot again rise, the virgin, Israel,-she lieth forsaken on her soil, there is none to raise her up. 3 For, thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, The city that goeth out a thousand strong, shall have left it a hundred,-And, that which goeth out a hundred strong, shall have left it ten, belonging to the house of Israel. 4 ¶ For, thus, saith Yahweh, to the house of Israel,-Seek me, and live; 5 Then do not seek Bethel, and, Gilgal, shall ye not enter, and, unto Beer-sheba, shall ye not cross over, For, Gilgal, shall, surely go into exile, and, Bethel, shall become a trouble. 6 Seek ye Yahweh, and live,-lest he break forth, like a fire, upon the house of Joseph, and it devour with none to quench it, for Bethel. 7 Ye who turn, into, wormwood, justice, and, righteousness-to the ground have let fall. 8 Seek him who made the Cluster and the Giant, and turneth, into morning, the shadow of death, and who, day into night, doth darken, Him who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out on the face of the land, Yahweh, is his name: 9 Him who flasheth force on the strong,-and, force, on the fortress, alighteth! 10 They hate the man who, in the gate, rebuketh,-and, him who speaketh truthfully, they abhor. 11 Therefore-because ye have trampled on the poor, and, the gift of corn, ye would take away from him, though, houses of hewn stone, ye have built, Yet shall ye not dwell in them,-Though, delightful vineyards, ye have planted, Yet shall ye not drink the wine of them. 12 For I know how numerous are your transgressions, and how surpassing your sins,-ye adversaries of the righteous! ye acceptors of a bribe! Even the needy in the gate, have they turned away! 13 Therefore, the prudent man, at that time, will be dumb,-Because an evil time, it is! 14 Seek ye right and not wrong, that ye nay live,-that, so, Yahweh God of hosts, may be with you, as ye have said. 15 Hate wrong, and love right, and station, Justice, in the gate,-Peradventure, Yahweh, God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. 16 ¶ Therefore, thus, saith Yahweh, God of hosts, My Lord, In all broadways, shall be lamentation, and, in all streets, shall they say, Alas! Alas! And they shall call the husbandman unto the mourning, and, unto the lamentation, them who know a wailing song; 17 Ye, in all vineyards, lamentation,-For I will pass along through thy midst, saith Yahweh. 18 Alas for them who are longing for the day of Yahweh,-What good to you, is the day of Yahweh? it, being darkness and not light: 19 As if a man should flee from the face of a lion, and there should meet him-a bear! or he should have entered the house, and leaned his hand upon the wall, and there should bite him-a serpent! 20 Shall not the day of Yahweh be, darkness, and not light? yea, thick darkness and no brightness in it? 21 ¶ I hate, I despise your festivals,-and can scent no fragrance in your solemn feasts. 22 Nay, though ye cause to ascend unto me ascending-sacrifices, and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them,-nor, the peace-offering of your fat heifers, will I regard. 23 Take thou away from me, the noise of thy songs,-Even the melody of thy harps, will I not hear. 24 But let, justice, roll along like water,-and, righteousness, as a torrent over flowing. 25 The sacrifices and meal-offering, ye brought near unto me, in the desert, for forty years O house of Israel; 26 But ye carried the tent of your king-idol, and your Saturn-images,-the star of your gods, which ye made for yourselves: 27 Therefore will I carry you into exile beyond Damascus,-saith Yahweh, God of hosts, is his name.

Amos Chapter 6

1 ¶ Alas for the careless in Zion, and for them who put confidence in the mountain of Samaria,-the distinguished among the first group of nations, to whom came in the house of Israel. 2 Pass ye over to Calneh, and see, and go on from thence to Hamath the great,-and go down to Gath of the Philistines, are they better than these kingdoms? or their boundary larger than your boundary? 3 Ye who are putting far away the day of calamity,-but bringing near the abode of violence: 4 Who are lying on beds of ivory, and sprawling on their couch of pleasure,-and eating the well-fed of the flock, and the fatted calves out of the midst of the stalls: 5 Who are bawling at the bidding of the harp,-like David, have they invented for themselves instruments of song: 6 Who are quaffing bowls of wine, and, with the best of oils, anointing themselves,-and are not afflicted for the injury of Joseph:- 7 Therefore, at once, shall they go into exile among the first of the exiles,-so shall be disturbed the revelry of sprawlers. 8 ¶ Sworn hath the Lord, Yahweh, by his own life, Declareth Yahweh, God of hosts, abhorring am I, the grandeur of Jacob, and, his palaces, I hate,-therefore will I cast off the city and the fulness thereof. 9 And it shall come to pass, though there be left remaining ten men in one house, yet shall they die; 10 And a man’s near of kin, even he who is about to burn the bones, shall carry him out of the house, when he shall say to him that is in the hinder parts of the house-Are there yet any with thee? and he shall say-No one. Then shall he say-Hush! for we must not invoke the name of Yahweh. 11 For lo! Yahweh, is giving command, and will smite the great house into ruins,-and the little house with clefts. 12 Shall horses run upon crag? or will a man plough there with oxen? For ye have turned to poison the sentence of justice, and the fruit of righteousness, to wormwood: 13 Who rejoice in a thing of nought,-who say, Have we not by our own strength, taken to ourselves horns? 14 For behold me! raising up against you, O house of Israel, Declareth Yahweh, the God of hosts-a nation! And they shall crush you, from the entering in of Hamath, unto the torrent-bed of the waste plain.

Amos Chapter 7

1 ¶ Here, My Lord, Yahweh gave me to see, and lo! he was preparing the locust, in the beginning of the shooting up of the after-grass,-and lo! after-grass, cometh after the mowings for the king. 2 And it came to pass, when they had made an end of eating the herbage of the land, that I said-Oh, My Lord, Yahweh, forgive, I beseech thee: By whom shall Jacob, arise? for, small, he is. 3 Grieved was Yahweh, over this,-It shall not be, said Yahweh? 4 Here, My Lord, Yahweh gave me to see, and lo! My Lord Yahweh proclaiming that, the controversy should be settled by fire,-which, having devoured the mighty roaring deep, should devour the inheritance. 5 Then said I, My Lord, Yahweh, forbear, I beseech thee, By whom shall Jacob, arise? for, small, he is. 6 Grieved was Yahweh, over this,-Even this, shall not be, said My Lord, Yahweh. 7 Here, he gave me to see, and lo! My Lord, stationed upon a pinnacle,-and, in his hand a plummet. 8 And Yahweh said unto me, What canst thou see, Amos? And I said, A plummet,-Then said My Lord, Behold me! fixing a plummet in the midst of my people Israel, I will not again any more forgive him. 9 So shall the high places of Isaac, be made desolate, and, the holy places of Israel, be laid waste,-and I will rise up, against the house of Jeroboam, with the sword. 10 ¶ Then sent Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, unto Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: A conspiracy hath Amos, raised against thee, in the midst of the house of Israel, The land, is not able to endure, all his words; 11 For, thus, saith Amos, By the sword, shall Jeroboam, die,-and, Israel, shall, surely be exiled, from off his own soil. 12 Then said Amaziah unto Amos, O seer, go flee thee away unto the land o Judah-and eat, there, bread, and, there, mayest thou prophesy; 13 But, at Bethel, not again, any more, mayest thou prophesy,-for, the holy place of the king, it is, and, the house of the kingdom, it is. 14 Then answered Amos, and said unto Amaziah, No prophet, was I,-nor the son of a prophet, was I,-but, a herdman, was I, and a preparer of sycamore fruit; 15 But Yahweh, took me away, from following the flock,-and Yahweh, said unto me, Go prophesy against my people Israel. 16 Now, therefore, hear thou the word of Yahweh,-Thou art saying, Thou must not prophesy concerning Israel, nor let thy word drop down upon the house of Isaac. 17 Therefore-Thus, saith Yahweh, Thy wife, in the city, will commit unchastity, and, thy sons and thy daughters, by the sword, shall fall, and, thine own soil, by line, shall he apportioned,-and, thou, on a polluted soil, shalt die, and, Israel, shall, surely go into exile, away front his own soil.

Amos Chapter 8

1 ¶ Here, My Lord, Yahweh, gave me to see,-and lo! there was a basket of summer fruit. 2 So then he said, What canst thou see, Amos? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said Yahweh unto me, The end hath come unto my people Israel, I will not again any more forgive them; 3 but palace-songs, shall become howlings, in that day, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh,-Many shall be the dead bodies in every place-cast forth-with a hush! 4 ¶ Hear this, ye who pant after the needy, and to make an end of the oppressed of the land: 5 Who say, When will the new moon, pass away, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath that we may open grain? who diminish the ephah, and increase the shekel, and who falsify by deceitful weights: 6 Who buy-for silver-the poor, and the needy for a pair of shoes,-and that the refuse of the grain we may sell. 7 Sworn hath Yahweh, by the Excellency of Jacob,-Surely I will never forget any of their doings! 8 Is it not, for this, that the land, shall tremble? and shall mourn every inhabitant therein? Shall it not come up-like the Nile, all of it, and be tossed and subside like the river of Egypt? 9 Yea it shall come to pass, in that day, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh, that I will cause the sun to go in at high noon,-and will darken the earth on a day of brightness.! 10 So will I turn your festivals into mourning, and all your songs into a dirge, and I will bring up-on all loins-sackcloth, and upon every head-baldness,-and I will make it like the mourning for an only one, even the afterpart thereof, as a day of bitterness. 11 ¶ Lo! days are coming, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh, that I will send a hunger throughout the land,-not a hunger for food, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Yahweh; 12 Therefore shall men rove about-from sea to sea, and from the north even unto sunrise,-they shall run to and fro-seeking the word of Yahweh, but shall not find it. 13 In that day, shall the fair virgins and the choice young men faint for thirst. 14 They who swear by the Guilt of Samaria, and say, As thy God, liveth, O Dan! and, As the Way of Beer-sheba, liveth, shall fall, and shall not rise any more.

Amos Chapter 9

1 ¶ I saw My Lord stationed by the altar, and he said-Smite the capital-that the sills, may tremble, Yea break them off on the head of them all, and, the last of them, with the sword, will I slay,-He that fleeth of them, shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them, shall not make good his escape. 2 Though they break through into hades, from thence, shall my hand fetch them,-and, though they ascend the heavens, from thence, will I bring them down; 3 And, though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, from thence, will I search for them and take them,-and, though they conceal themselves from before mine eyes at the bottom of the sea, from thence, will I command the serpent and he shall bite them; 4 And, though they go into captivity before their enemies, from thence, will I command the sword, and it shall slay them,-So will I set mine eyes upon them for calamity, and not for blessing. 5 Now, My Lord, Yahweh of hosts, is he--who toucheth the earth, and it melteth, and all that dwell therein, mourn; and it cometh up like the Nile, all of it, and subsideth like the river of Egypt: 6 Who buildeth, in the heavens, his upper rooms, and, as for his vault, upon the earth, hath he founded it,-who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out over the face of the land, Yahweh, is his name. 7 Like the sons of the Ethiopians, are not ye, unto me, O sons of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh: Was it not, Israel, I brought up out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines out of Caphtor, and the Syrians out of Kir? 8 Lo! the eyes of My Lord, Yahweh, are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the ground,-save only that I will not, utterly destroy, the house of Jacob, Declareth Yahweh. 9 For lo! I am giving command, and will sift, throughout all the nations, the house of Israel,-as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet shall there not fall a kernel, to the earth. 10 By the sword, shall die all the sinners of my people,-who say, The calamity, shall not overtake and close in before us. 11 ¶ In that day, will I raise up the pavilion of David, that is lying prostrate,-and wall up the breaches of them, and, his ruins, will I raise up, and will build it, as in the days of age-past times: 12 That they on whom my name hath been called, may take possession, of the residue of Edom and of all the nations, Declareth Yahweh, who executeth this. 13 Lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh, that, the plowman, shall overtake, the reaper, and, he that treadeth out the grapes, him that traileth the seed,-so shall, the mountains, drip sweet wine, and, all the hills, shall melt; 14 And I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build waste cities, and inhabit them, and plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof, and lay out gardens, and eat the fruit thereof: 15 So will I plant them upon their own soil,-and will not uproot them any more from off their own soil, which I have given to them, saith Yahweh thy God.

Obadiah Chapter 1

1 ¶ The vision of Obadiah,-Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, concerning Edom-A rumour, have we heard from Yahweh, and, a herald, throughout the nations, hath been sent, Up! and let us rise against her to war. 2 Lo! small, have I made thee, among the nations-Despised art thou exceedingly! 3 The insolence of thy heart, hath deceived thee, O thou that inhabitest the retreats of the crag, the height of his habitation,-that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though thou build high like an eagle, and though, among the stars, thou set thy nest, from thence, will I bring thee down, Declareth Yahweh. 5 If, thieves, had come to thee, if robbers by night-how ruined thou art! Would they not have stolen what sufficed them? If, grape-gatherers, had come to thee, Would they not have left gleanings? 6 How have the things of Esau been searched out! his treasures been sought up! 7 Up to the boundary, have they sent thee-All thy covenant men, they have deceived thee, prevailed against thee-the men thou wast wont to salute,-The partakers of thy bread, have put a net under thee-No understanding in him! 8 Shall it not be, in that day, Demandeth Yahweh,-That I will destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? 9 So shall thy mighty men, O Teman, be dismayed,-to the intent that every man, may be cut off, out of Mount Esau, by slaughter. 10 ¶ For thy violence against thy brother Jacob, shall shame, cover thee,-so shalt thou be cut off, to times age-abiding. 11 In the day when thou didst take thy stand over against him, in the day when foreigners took captive his forces,-and, aliens, entered his gates, and, over Jerusalem, cast lots, even thou, wast like one of them! 12 Do not, then, look with satisfaction upon the day of thy brother, upon the day of his calamity, Neither rejoice over the sons of Judah-in the day of their ruin,-nor enlarge thy mouth-in the day of distress: 13 Do not enter into the gate of my people-in the day of their misfortune, Do not, thou also, look with satisfaction on his misery-in the day of his misfortune; neither do thou thrust thy hands on his substance-in the day of his misfortune; 14 Neither do thou stand at the parting of the way, to cut off his fugitives,-neither do thou deliver up his survivors-in the day of distress. 15 For, near, is the day of Yahweh, upon all the nations,-Just as thou hast done, shall it be done to thee, Thy dealing, shall come back upon thine own head. 16 For, as ye have drunk on my holy mountain, all the nations shall drink continually,-Yea they shall drink and swallow down, and shall be, as though they had not been. 17 ¶ But, in Mount Zion, shall be a delivered remnant which shall be holy,-and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions; 18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, with the house of Esau for stubble, So shall they kindle upon them, and devour them,-and there shall be no survivor to the house of Esau, for, Yahweh, hath spoken. 19 Then shall they of the South possess Mount Esau, and they of the Lowlands, the Philistines, and they of the Mountain shall possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria,-and Benjamin shall possess Gilead; 20 And, they of the captivity of this force pertaining to the sons of Israel, shall possess that of the Canaanites, up to Zarephath, and, they of the captivity of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South. 21 And saviours shall come up in Mount Zion, to judge the mountain of Esau,-So shall the kingdom, belong unto Yahweh.

Jonah Chapter 1

1 ¶ And the word of Yahweh came unto Jonah son of Amittai, saying: 2 Arise, get thee to Nineveh the great city, and proclaim unto it,-that their wickedness, hath come up, before me. 3 But Jonah arose to flee unto Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh,-and went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish,, away from the presence of Yahweh. 4 ¶ But, Yahweh, hurled a great wind against the sea,-and, there arose a mighty tempest in the sea,-and, the ship, thought to be broken in pieces, 5 Then were the mariners, afraid, and made outcry every man unto his own god, and they hurled the wares which were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them,-but, Jonah, had gone down into the hinder parts of the vessel, and had lain down, and fallen into a sound sleep. 6 Then drew near unto him the shipmaster, and said to him, What meanest thou, O sound sleeper? Arise, cry unto thy God, Peradventure God will bethink himself of us, that we perish not. 7 And they said-every one unto his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may get to know for whose sake this calamity is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. 8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose sake this calamity is upon us? What is thy business? and from whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? 9 And he said unto them, A Hebrew, am I,-and, Yahweh, the God of the heavens, do, I, revere, him who made the sea, and the dry land. 10 Then did the men revere with great reverence, and said unto him, What is it thou hast done? For the men knew that, away from the presence of Yahweh, he was fleeing,-for he had told them. 11 ¶ Then said they unto him, What shall we de to thee, that the sea may cease raging over us? For, the sea, was raging more and more. 12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and hurl me into the sea, that the sea may cease raging over you,-for I do know that, for my sake, is this great tempest upon you. 13 Nevertheless the men, wrought hard, to bring it back unto the land, but could not,-for, the sea, was raging over them more and more. 14 Then cried they unto Yahweh, and said, Ah now, Yahweh, pray let it not be that we perish for this man’s life, neither lay upon us innocent blood,-for, thou, O Yahweh, as thou hast pleased, hast ever done. 15 So they took up Jonah and hurled him into the sea,-and the sea, left off, her roaring. 16 Then did the men revere Yahweh with a great reverence,-and offered sacrifice to Yahweh, and vowed vows. 17 Now Yahweh had appointed a great fish, to swallow up Jonah,-and Jonah was in the belly of the fish, three days and three nights.

Jonah Chapter 2

1 ¶ Then prayed Jonah, unto Yahweh, his God,-out of the belly of the fish; 2 and said-I cried-out of my distress-unto Yahweh, and he answered me,-Out of the belly of hades, called I, Thou didst hear my voice. 3 For thou hast cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and, a flood, enveloped me,-All thy breakers and thy rolling waves, over me, passed. 4 And, I, said, I am driven out from before thine eyes,-Yet will I again have regard unto thy holy temple: 5 The waters, encompassed me, to the peril of my life, The roaring deep, enveloped me,-The sea-weed, was wrapped about my head: 6 To the roots of the mountains, went I down, As for the earth, her bars, were about me, age-abidingly,-Then didst thou bring up-out of the pit-my life, O Yahweh my God. 7 When my soul, darkened itself over me, Yahweh, I remembered,-and my prayer, came in unto thee, unto thy holy temple. 8 They who take heed to the vanities of falsehood, do, their own lovingkindness, forsake. 9 But, I, with the voice of praise, will sacrifice unto thee, What I have vowed, I will pay,-Salvation, belongeth to Yahweh! 10 ¶ So then Yahweh spake unto the fish,-and it vomited out Jonah, upon the dry land.

Jonah Chapter 3

1 ¶ Then came the word of Yahweh unto Jonah, the second time, saying: 2 Arise, get thee unto Nineveh, the great city,-and cry against it the cry that I am bidding thee. 3 So Jonah arose, and went his way unto Nineveh, according to the word of Yahweh,-Nineveh, being a city great before God, of three days’ journey. 4 So Jonah began to enter into the city, one day’s journey,-and he cried out and said-Yet forty days, and, Nineveh, is to be overthrown! 5 ¶ And the people of Nineveh believed in God,-and proclaimed a fast, and clothed themselves in sackcloth, from the greatest of them, even unto the least of them. 6 And the word reached unto the king of Nineveh, so he arose from his throne, and laid aside his robe from off him,-and covered him with sackcloth, and sat on ashes. 7 And he caused an outcry to be made-and said-throughout Nineveh, By decree of the king and of his great men, Be it known:-Man and beast, herd and flock, Let them taste, nothing, let them not feed, and, water, let them not drink: 8 Let both man and beast, cover themselves with sackcloth, and let them cry unto God, mightily,-Yea let them turn, every man from his wicked way, and from the violence which is in their hands: 9 Who knoweth whether God himself-may turn and grieve,-and turn away from the glow of his anger, that we perish not? 10 And God saw their doings, that they turned from their wicked way,-and God was grieved over the calamity which he had spoken of executing upon them, and executed it not. (Note: Here is a great message of hope for humanity for the greater glory of God. "was grieved" Rothrham = "repented" RSV. God changes from life to greater life, yet God does not change from this path of goodness. People can repent from evil, God can help people repent from evil.).

Jonah Chapter 4

1 ¶ And it was vexing unto Jonah, with a great vexation,-and it angered him. 2 So he prayed unto Yahweh, and said-Ah now! Yahweh! Was not, this, my word, while I was yet upon mine own soil? For this cause, did I hasten to flee unto Tarshish,-because I knew that, thou, art a GOD of favour and compassion, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and art grieved over calamity. 3 Now, therefore, O Yahweh, take, I pray thee, my life from me,-for it were better for me, to die, than, to live. 4 Then said Yahweh, Art thou rightly angry? 5 ¶ But Jonah, went forth, out of the city, and abode on the east side of the city; and made for himself there, a hut, and sat under it, in the shade, until he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now Yahweh God appointed a gourd, and caused it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his vexation,-and Jonah rejoiced over the gourd, with great rejoicing. 7 But God appointed a worm, at the uprisings of the dawn, the next day,-and it smote the gourd, that it withered. 8 And it came to pass, at the breaking forth of the sun, that God appointed a sultry east wind, and the sun smote upon the head of Jonah, that he became faint,-and asked his life, that he might die, and said, It were better for me, to die, than, to live. 9 Then said God unto Jonah, Art thou rightly angry over the gourd? And he said, I am rightly angry, unto death. 10 Then said Yahweh, Thou, wouldest have spared the gourd, for which thou hadst not toiled, neither hadst thou made it grow,-which, as the off-spring of a night, came up, and, as the offspring of a night, perished; 11 And was not, I, to spare Nineveh, the great city,-wherein are more than twelve times ten thousand human beings, who cannot discern between their right hand and their left, besides much cattle?

Micah Chapter 1

1 ¶ The word of Yahweh which came unto Micah the Morashtite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah,-of which he had vision concerning Samaria, and Jerusalem:- 2 Hear ye peoples, all of you, Hearken, O earth and the fulness thereof,-and let My Lord Yahweh be among you for a witness, My Lord out of his holy temple. 3 For lo! Yahweh, coming forth out of his place,-that he may descend, and march along upon the high places of the earth. 4 Then shall the mountains be melted beneath him, and, the valleys, be cleft,-as wax before the fire, as waters poured out in a steep place. 5 For the transgression of Jacob, is all this, and for the sin of the house of Israel,-Whose is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria’s? And whose is the sin of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem? 6 Therefore will I make of Samaria a heap in a field, the plantings in a vineyard,-and I will pour down, into the valley, her stones, and, her foundations, will I lay bare; 7 And, all her images, shall be beaten in pieces, and, all her rewards for unchastity, shall be burned in the fire, and, all her idols, will I make a desolation,-for, out of the reward of unchastity, she gathered them, and, unto the reward of unchastity, shall they return. 8 ¶ For this cause, will I lament and howl, I will go stript and bare,-I will make a lamentation, like the wild dogs, and a mourning, like ostriches. 9 For dangerous are her wounds,-for she hath come as far as Judah, she hath reached as far as the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem. 10 In Gath, do not tell, in Accho, do not weep,-in Beth-l’aphrah, roll yourselves in dust. 11 Pass thou over (for you), thou inhabitress of Shaphir, of disgraceful disclosure,-the inhabitress of Zaanan, hath not gone forth, at the lamentation of Beth-ezel, shall he take from you his station, 12 Though the inhabitress of Maroth waited for blessing,-yet there came down calamity from Yahweh, to the gate of Jerusalem. 13 Bind the chariot to the steed, O inhabitress of Lachish,-the beginning of sin, was she to the daughter of Zion, for, in thee, have been found the transgressions of Israel. 14 Therefore, shalt thou give a dismission, against Moresheth-gath,-The houses of Achzib, served for a deception to the kings of Israel. 15 The time shall yet be when, the heir, I will bring unto thee, O inhabitress of Mareshah,-as far as Adullam, shall enter the glory of Israel. 16 Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair, for the children of thy pleasures,-enlarge thy baldness, like a vulture, for they are exiled from thee.

Micah Chapter 2

1 ¶ Alas for them who devise iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds,-in the light of the morning, they will execute it, for it is in the power of their hand. 2 Thus do they covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away,-and so they oppress the master and his household, the man and his inheritance. 3 Therefore,-Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! devising, against this family, a calamity,-from which ye shall not remove your neck, neither shall ye walk loftily, for, a time of calamity, shall it be. 4 In that day, shall one take up against you a by-word, and lament a lamentable lamentation, saying-we are made, utterly desolate, the portion of my people, he passeth to others,-How doth he set me aside! To an apostate, our fields, doth he apportion. 5 Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot,-in the convocation of Yahweh. 6 ¶ Do not sputter-So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches? 7 O thou who art said to be the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Yahweh, impatient? Or are, these, his doings? Are not, his words, pleasant to him who is upright in his walk? 8 But, against my people, as an enemy, he setteth himself, from off the robe, they tear away, the cloak,-from such as are passing by with confidence, as men averse from war. 9 The wives of my people, ye do even drive out, each from the house of her darlings,-from over her children, ye do take away mine ornament, as long as life shall last. 10 Arise ye and depart, for, this, is not the place of rest,-Because it is defiled, it shall make desolate with a desolation that is ruthless. 11 If there be a man, who goeth after wind, and, falsehood, hath woven, saying-I will discourse to thee, concerning wine and strong drink, then shall he become a fountain of discourse unto this people. 12 ¶ I will, surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will, surely gather, the remnant of Israel, at once, will I make them like sheep in distress,-Like a flock in the midst of its pasture, shall they hum with men, 13 One making a breach, hath gone up, before them, they have broken in, and passed through, and, by the gate, have departed,-and their king, hath passed through, before them, with, Yahweh, at their head!

Micah Chapter 3

1 ¶ Then said I, Hear, I pray you, ye heads of Jacob, and ye judges of the house of Israel,-Is it not yours to know justice? 2 Ye haters of right, and lovers of wrong,-tearing away their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; 3 Who indeed have eaten the flesh of my people, and, their skin from off them, have stript, and, their bones, have they broken in pieces,-and will spread them out, as flesh with a fork, and as flesh, in the midst of a pot. 4 Then, shall they make outcry unto Yahweh, but he will not answer them,-that he may hide his face from them, at that time, even as they have made wicked their doings. 5 Thus, saith Yahweh, concerning the prophets who are leading astray my people,-who bite with their teeth, and then cry-Prosper! and whoso holdeth not to their mouth, they hallow against him a war! 6 Therefore, shall it be night to you, for lack of vision, and darkness to you, for lack of divination,-and the sun, shall go in, over the prophets, and the day, shall be overcast because of them; 7 And the men of vision, shall turn pale, and the diviners, shall blush, and shall put a covering upon their lip, all of them,-because there is no answer of God. 8 ¶ But, in very deed, I, am full of vigour, with the spirit of Yahweh, and of justice and of valour,-to declare to Jacob, his transgression, and to Israel, his sin. 9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and ye judges of the house of Israel,-who abhor justice, and, all right, do pervert: 10 Building Zion, with deeds of blood,-and Jerusalem, with perversity. 11 Her heads, for a bribe, pronounce sentence, and, her priests, for a price, give direction, and, her prophets, for silver, divine,-yet, on Yahweh, they lean, saying, Is not, Yahweh, in our midst? there shall not come upon us, calamity. 12 Wherefore, for your sake, Zion, as a field, shall be ploughed, and, Jerusalem, unto heaps of ruins, shall be turned,-and, the mountain of the house, shall be like mounds in a jungle.

Micah Chapter 4

1 ¶ But it shall come to pass, in the afterpart of the days, that the mountain of the house of Yahweh shall be, set up, as the head of the mountains, and, exalted, shall it be, above the hills,-and peoples, shall stream thereunto; 2 Yea many nations, shall go, and say-come ye, and let us ascend unto the mountain of Yahweh, and unto the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us of his ways, and we may walk in his paths,-for, out of Zion, shall go forth a law, and, the word of Yahweh, out of Jerusalem; 3 And he will judge between many peoples, and be umpire to strong nations far and wide,-and they will beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, Nation-against nation-shall not lift up sword, neither shall they learn-any more-to make war. 4 And they shall dwell-every man-under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, with none to make them afraid,-for, the mouth of Yahweh of hosts, hath spoken. (Note: see John 1.48). 5 For, all the peoples, walk, every man in the name of his god,-we, therefore, will walk in the name of Yahweh our God, to times age-abiding and beyond. 6 In that day, Declareth Yahweh, will I take up her teat is lame, and, her that hath been an outcast, will I carry,-even whomsoever I have afflicted; 7 And will make of her that was lame a residue, and of her that was removed far away a strong nation,-and Yahweh, shall be king, over them, in Mount Zion, from henceforth, even unto times age-abiding. 8 ¶ Thou, therefore, O Migdal-eder, mound of the daughter of Zion, as far as thee, shall it come,-so shall arrive the chief dominion, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. 9 Meanwhile, wherefore shouldst thou cry out aloud? King, is there none within thee? or hath, thy counselor, perished? for labour, hath seized thee, as a woman in child-birth:- 10 Be in labour, and bear, O daughter of Zion, as a woman in child-birth,-for, meanwhile, shalt thou go forth out of the city, and dwell in the field, and shalt come as far as Babylon, there, shalt thou be delivered, there, will Yahweh, redeem thee, out of the grasp of thine enemies. 11 Meanwhile, therefore, shall be gathered against thee many nations,-who are saying-Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion. 12 But, they, know not the purposes of Yahweh, neither have they discerned his counsel,-for he hath gathered them, as sheaves, to a threshing-floor. 13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for, thy horn, will I make to be iron, and, thy hoofs, will I make to he bronze, so shalt thou beat in pieces many peoples,-and shalt devote to Yahweh their unrighteous gain, and their substance, to the Lord of all the earth.

Micah Chapter 5

1 ¶ Meanwhile, shalt thou gather together in troops, thou daughter of a troop, siege, hath he laid against us,-with a sceptre, will they smite on the cheek, the judge of Israel! 2 Thou, therefore, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though, little, to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee, shall Mine come forth, to be ruler in Israel,-whose comings forth, have been from of old, from the days of age-past time. 3 Therefore, will he give them up, until the time when, one who is to bring forth, hath brought forth,-and, the remainder of his brethren, return unto the sons of Israel. 4 Then shall he stand, and tend his flock in the strength of Yahweh, In the excellency of the name of Yahweh his God, have they endured,-For, now, shall he be great unto the ends of the earth; 5 So shall this one be Prosperity. As for Assyria-when he shall enter our land, and when he shall tread down in our palaces, then will we raise up against him, seven shepherds, and eight princes of mankind. 6 Then shall they shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof,-So shall he deliver from Assyria, when he shall enter our land, and when he shall tread down within our bounds. 7 ¶ And, the remnant of Jacob, shall be, in the midst of many peoples, as dew from Yahweh, as myriad drops on plants,-which tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of Adam. 8 And, the remnant of Jacob, shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the jungle, as a young lion among flocks of sheep,-who, if he passeth by, both treadeth down-and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 9 Let thy hand be uplifted against thine adversaries,-and, all thine enemies, shall be cut off. 10 And it shall come to pass, in that day, Declareth Yahweh, That I will cut off thy horses out of thy midst,-and will destroy thy chariots; 11 And will cut off the cities of thy land,-and will pull down all thy fortresses; 12 And will cut off incantations, out of thy hand,-and, users of hidden arts, shalt thou not have; 13 And I will cut off thine images and thy pillars out of thy midst,-and thou shalt not bow thyself down, any more, to the work of thine own hands; 14 And I will uproot thy Sacred Stems out of thy midst,-and will destroy thy cities: 15 Then will I execute, with anger and with indignation, vengeance upon the nations,-of which they have not heard.

Micah Chapter 6

1 ¶ Hear, I pray you, what, Yahweh, is saying,-arise thou, maintain thy controversy before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice:- 2 Hear, ye mountains, the controversy of Yahweh, and ye lasting rocks, the foundations of the earth,-for, a controversy, hath Yahweh, with his people, and, with Israel, will he dispute. 3 O my people! what have I done to thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? Testify thou against me! 4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and, out of the house of slaves, I ransomed thee,-and I sent before thee, Moses, Aaron and Miriam. 5 O my people! remember, I pray you, what Balak king of Moab, counseled, and what Balaam son of Beer, answered him,-from the Acacias as far as Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Yahweh. 6 ¶ Wherewith, shall I come before Yahweh? bow myself to God on high? Shall I come before him with ascending-sacrifice? with calves of a year old? 7 Will Yahweh, be pleased, with thousands of rams? with myriads of torrents of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He hath told thee, O son of earth, what is good,-what then is, Yahweh, seeking of thee, but, to do justice, to delight in lovingkindness, and humbly to walk with thy God? 9 ¶ The voice of Yahweh, to the city, crieth out, With safety for him who regardeth his name,-Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. 10 Even yet, are there, in the house of the lawless one, the treasures of lawlessness,-and the scant measure-accurst? 11 Shall I be pure with lawless balances? or with bag of deceitful weights? 12 For, her rich men, are full of violence, and, her inhabitants, have spoken falsehood,-and, their tongue, is deceitful in their mouth. 13 Moreover also, I, have made thee sick with smiting thee,-laying thee waste because of thy sins. 14 Thou, shalt eat-and not be satisfied, but be shrunk with hunger within thee,-Though thou remove, yet shalt thou not set in safety, and, what thou dost set in safety, to the sword, will I deliver. 15 Thou, shalt sow, but shalt not reap,-thou, shalt tread the olive, but shalt not anoint thee with oil, also the grape, but shalt not drink the wine. 16 For strictly observed are the statutes of Omri, and every doing of the house of Ahab, and ye have walked in their counsels,-to the end I may give thee up to desolation, and her inhabitants to hissing, that, the reproach of peoples, ye may bear.

Micah Chapter 7

1 ¶ Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved. 2 Perished is the man of lovingkindness out of the earth, and, upright among men, is there none,-they all, for bloodshed, lie in wait. Every man-for his brother, do they hunt as for one devoted to destruction. 3 Of wickedness with both hands to make sure, the ruler, doth make demand-and the judge-for a recompense,-and, as for the great man, he, is putting into words the desire of his soul, So have they woven the net! 4 The best of them, is as a sharp briar, and, the most upright, worse than a thorn hedge, The day of thy watchmen-of thy visitation, hath come, Now, shall be their confusion! 5 Do not trust in a friend, do not put confidence in an associate,-from her that lieth in thy bosom, keep thou the doors of thy mouth; 6 For, the son, treateth as foolish, the father, and, the daughter, riseth up against, her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,-The foes of a man, are the men of his own house. 7 ¶ But, I, for Yahweh, will watch, I will wait for the God of my salvation,-My God, will hear me. 8 Do not rejoice, O mine enemy, against me, Though I fall, I shall rise again! Though I sit in darkness, Yahweh, is a light to me. 9 The indignation of Yahweh, will I bear, for I have sinned against him,-until he take up my controversy, then will he do me justice, he will bring me forth to the light, I shall behold his righteousness. 10 So shall she who had been mine enemy fear, and shame, shall cover her, who used to say unto me-Where is Yahweh thy God? Mine own eyes, shall look upon her, Now, shall she become one to he trodden down, like the mire of the lanes. 11 On the day for building thy walls,-on that day, far away shall be thy boundary: 12 The very day, that, against thee, shall one come from Assyria, and from the cities of Egypt; yea from Egypt, even unto the River, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain: 13 Though the land become a desolation, because of them that dwell therein,-by reason of the fruit of their doings. 14 ¶ Shepherd thou thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance, Dwell thou alone, a jungle in the midst of a fruitful field,-Let them feed in Bashan and in Gilead, as in the days of age-past times. 15 As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I shew him wonders. 16 Nations, shall see, that they may turn pale at all their valour,-they shall lay hand on mouth, their ears, shall be silent: 17 They shall lick the dust like the serpent, Like the crawlers of the earth, shall they come quaking out of their fastnesses,-Towards Yahweh our God, shall they pay adoration, and shall fear because of thee. 18 Who is a GOD like unto thee, taking away the iniquity-and passing over the transgression-of the remnant of his inheritance? He hath not held fast, perpetually, his anger, for, one who delighteth in lovingkindness, is he! 19 He will again have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities,-Thou wilt cast-into the depths of the sea-all their sins. 20 Thou wilt grant-the faithfulness to Jacob, the lovingkindness to Abraham,-which thou didst swear to our fathers, from the days of ancient time.

Nahum Chapter 1

1 ¶ The oracle, on Nineveh,-the scroll of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite. 2 ¶ A GOD jealous and avenging, is Yahweh, an avenger, is Yahweh, and a lord of wrath, an avenger, is Yahweh towards his adversaries, and, a retainer of anger, is he to his foes. 3 Yahweh, is slow to anger, but great in vigour, He will not leave, unpunished, as for Yahweh, in storm-wind and in tempest, is his way, and, clouds, are the dust of his feet. 4 Who rebuketh the sea and hath made it dry, and, all the streams, hath he dried up,-withered are Bashan and Carmel, Even the bloom of Lebanon, is withered: 5 Mountains, have trembled because of him, and, the hills, have melted,-and the earth, hath lifted itself up, at his presence, the world also, and all who dwell therein. 6 Before his indignation, who shall stand? And who shall abide the glow of his anger? His wrath, hath been poured forth like fire, and, the rocks, have been broken down because of him. 7 Good is Yahweh, as a protection in the day of distress,-and one who acknowledgeth them who seek refuge in him. 8 But, with an overflow rolling on, a full end, will he make of them who rise up against him,-and, his foes, will he pursue into darkness. 9 ¶ What can ye devise against Yahweh? A full end, is he making,-Distress, shall not rise up twice: 10 Though they were like thorns intertwined, and as drunkards drenched with their drink, yet have they been devoured, like stubble fully dry. 11 Out of thee, hath one come forth-plotting, against Yahweh, wickedness,-A counselor of the Abandoned One. 12 Thus, saith Yahweh, Though they be in full force, and so in great numbers, yet, even so, have they been cut off, and have passed away,-If I humble thee once, I will not humble thee again. 13 Now, therefore, will I break his yoke from off thee,-and, thy fetters, will I tear off. 14 Then will Yahweh give command concerning thee, None of thy name shall be sown any more,-out of the house of thy gods, will I cut off carved image and molten image, I will appoint thy grave, for thou art of little esteem. 15 Lo! upon the mountains, The feet of one, who bringeth Good Tidings! who publisheth Prosperity! Celebrate, O Judah, thy pilgrim festivals, fulfil thy vows, for, not again, any more, shall the Abandoned One, pass through thee, he hath been wholly cut off.

Nahum Chapter 2

1 ¶ He that breaketh in pieces hath come up over thy face, Keep the keeps,-watch the way, brace the loins, make vigour very firm. 2 For Yahweh hath restored the excellency of Jacob, like the excellency of Israel,-for the plunderers have plundered them, and, their vine branches, have they marred. 3 The shield of his heroes, is made red, the men of war, are clad in crimson, on fire, are the chariot-steels, on the day he maketh ready,-and, the lances, are put in motion. 4 In the streets, madly go the chariots, they rush along in the broadways,-their appearance, is like torches, as lightnings, hither and thither do they run. 5 Let him call to mind his nobles, they shall stumble as they go-let them hasten to her wall, yet the storming cover, is prepared. 6 The gates of the rivers, have been opened,-and, the palace, doth quake. 7 And, Huzzab, hath been taken captive-hath been led up,-and, her handmaids, are making a moan like the sound of doves, as they taber upon their heart. 8 Yet, as for Nineveh, like a reservoir of waters, are her waters,-but, those men, are in flight! Stand! stand but no one is turning. 9 Plunder silver, plunder gold,-and there is no end to the costly furnishing, rich with every article of delight. (Note: "to the costly furnishing" Rothrham = "of treasure" RSV. Christ is the source of everything good you desire, without cost, boundless treasure paid by his blood, for you.). 10 Emptiness, yea turned to emptiness, aye deserted is she! with, heart, unnerved, and, a tottering, of knees, and, anguish, in all loins, and, the faces of them all, have withdrawn their colour. 11 ¶ Where is the lair of the lions? Yea the very feeding-place of the young lions,-where walked the lion, the lioness, the lion’s whelp, with none to make them afraid? 12 The lion, used to tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and to strangle for his lionesses,-and then fill with prey his holes, and his lairs with what he had torn. 13 Behold me! against thee, Declareth Yahweh of hosts, Therefore will I burn up in smoke her chariots, and, thy young lions, shall be devoured by the sword,-so will I cut off, out of the earth, thy prey, nor shall be heard any more, the voice of thine envoy.

Nahum Chapter 3

1 ¶ Alas for the city of bloodshed! All of it, deceit, of violence full, none releaseth prey! 2 The sound of the whip, and the sound of the rushing wheel,-and horse galloping, and dancing chariot rattling along. 3 Horsemen uplifting both the flashing sword, and the lightning spear, Aye, a mass of slain, and a weight of dead bridles,-and no end of corpses, so that they stumble upon their corpses. 4 Because of the multitude of the unchaste doings of the unchaste one, fair in grace, mistress of secret arts,-who hath been selling nations by her unchaste doings, families by her secret arts, 5 Behold me! against thee, Declareth Yahweh of hosts, Therefore will I remove thy shirts over thy face,-and let, nations, see thy nakedness, and, kingdoms, thy shame; 6 And I will cast upon thee abominable filth, and treat thee as foolish,-and set thee as a gazing-stock. 7 And it shall come to pass that, all who see thee, shall flee from thee, and shall say, Destroyed is Nineveh! Who will bemoan her?-Whence shall I seek any to comfort thee? 8 ¶ Art thou better than No-amon, who sat among the Nile-streams, waters round about her,-whose fortress was the sea, from the sea, her wall. 9 Ethiopia, was her strength, and Egypt-Yea, without end,-Put and Lubim, were among thy helpers. 10 Yet, she, was given up to exile, she went into captivity, even her babes, were dashed to the ground, at the head of all the streets,-and, for her honourable men, cast they lots, and, all her great men, were bound together in chains. 11 Thou too, shalt be drunken, thou shalt hide thyself,-thou too, shalt seek shelter from the foe: 12 All thy fortresses, shall be fig-trees with first-ripe figs: if thy be shaken, then shall the fruit fall on the mouth of the eater. 13 Lo! thy people, are women, in thy midst, to thy foes, have been set wide open the gates of thy and,-a fire, hath devoured, thy bars. 14 Siege-water, draw for thyself, strengthen thy fortresses,-go into the clay, and tread thou the mortar, make strong the brick. 15 There, shall a fire devour thee, the sword, shall cut thee off, it shall devour thee like the grass locust, make thyself numerous like the grass locust, make thyself numerous as the swarming locust: 16 Though thou have multiplied thy foot-soldiers beyond the stars of the heavens, the grass locust, hath stript itself and flown away! 17 Thy mercenary crowds, are like the swarming locust, and, thy mixed multitudes, like locusts-swarms of locusts,-which settle in the hedges on a cold day, the sun, hath broken forth, and they are in flight, and unknown is the place where they are! 18 Asleep are thy shepherds, O king of Assyria, thy nobles, must needs rest. Scattered are thy people upon the mountains, and there is none to gather them. 19 No lessening of thine injury, grievous is thy wound,-all who have heard the report of thee, have clapped their hands over thee, for, upon whom, hath not thy cruelty passed without ceasing?

Habakkuk Chapter 1

1 ¶ The oracle of which Habakkuk the prophet, had vision: 2 How long, O Yahweh, have I called out, and thou wouldst not hear me? Have I kept crying unto thee of violence, and thou wouldst not save? 3 Wherefore shouldst thou let me see iniquity, and, wrong, shouldst let me behold, and, force and violence, be straight before me,-and there should have ever been someone who, contention and strife, would uphold? 4 For which cause, benumbed is the law, and there is never any going forth of justice,-for, the lawless, doth circumvent the righteous, for which cause, justice doth go forth perverted? 5 ¶ Behold ye, among the nations, and look around, Yea stand stock still-stare,-for, a work, is being wrought in your days, ye will not believe, when it is recounted. 6 For, behold me! raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and headlong nation,-that marcheth to the breadths of the earth, to take possession of habitations, not his. 7 Awful and fearful, is he,-from himself, his decision and his uprising, proceed. 8 Then, swifter than leopards, are his horses, and, more sharply they attack, than evening wolves, and forward have leapt his chargers,-Yea, his chargers, from afar, will come in, they will fly as an eagle hath hastened to devour. 9 Solely for violence, will he come, the intent of their faces, is-To the east! And he hath gathered, as the sand, a captive host; 10 And, he, over kings, will make merry, and, nobles, will be a scorn to him: he, at any fortress, will laugh, once he hath heaped up dust, he hath captured it! 11 Then, hath he become arrogant in spirit, and hath committed excess, and so is guilty,-this his violence, is due to his god. 12 ¶ Art not, thou, from of old, O Yahweh, my God, my Holy One? Thou diest not! O Yahweh, to judgment, hast thou appointed him, and, O Rock, to correction, hast thou devoted him: 13 Thou whose eyes are too pure to look with approval on wrong, to respect oppression, canst not endure,-Wherefore, shouldst thou respect the treacherous? Be silent, when the lawless, swalloweth up, one more righteous than he? 14 So wouldst thou have made Men, like the fishes of the sea,-like the creeping thing that hath no ruler over it: 15 All of which, with a hook, one bringeth up, raketh together with his drag, and hath gathered with his net,- 16 On which account, he is glad and exulteth: on which account, he sacrificeth to his Net, and burneth incense to his Drag; because, thereby, rich, is his portion, and his food-fatness! 17 Shall he, on this account, empty his net? And, the continual slaying of nations, deem to be no pity?

Habakkuk Chapter 2

1 ¶ Upon my watch-tower, will I stand, and will station myself upon the bulwark,-so will I keep outlook, to see-what he will speak with me, and what I shall reply, when I am reproved. 2 Then Yahweh answered me, and said, Write the vision, Yea, make it plain on tablets, that one may swiftly read it; 3 For yet is the vision for an appointed time, still, it presseth towards an end, and will not deceive,-if it tarry, wait thou for it, for it, surely cometh,-will not be too late. 4 Lo! as for the conceited one, crooked is his soul within him,- but, one who is righteous, by his faithfulness, shall live. 5 ¶ Moreover also, when wine betrayeth, a man, is arrogant, and findeth no rest,-because he hath enlarged, like hades, his desire, yea, he, is like death, and cannot be satisfied,-but hath gathered unto himself, all the nations, and assembled unto himself, all the peoples. 6 Shall not, these, all of them, against him, take up-a taunt, a mocking poem, enigmatical sentences-concerning him? And say-Alas! for him who maketh abundance in what is not his own, How long? that he should be burdening himself with heavy debts? 7 Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto them! 8 Because, thou, hast plundered many nations, all the residue of the peoples, shall plunder thee,-for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein. 9 Alas! for him who extorteth an extortion of wrong for his own house,-that he may set on high his nest, that he may be delivered from the grasp of calamity. 10 Thou hast counseled shame to thy house-making an end of many peoples, and endangering thine own life. 11 Surely, the stone out of the wall, will make outcry,-and, the tie out of the timber, will answer it. 12 Alas! for him who buildeth a city with deeds of blood,-and establisheth a town with perversity. 13 Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts-that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves? 14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh,-as, the waters, cover the sea. 15 ¶ Alas! for him who causeth his neighbour to drink, from the goblet of thy fury, and also, making him drunk,-to the end thou mayest gloat over their parts of shame. 16 Thou art sated with contempt, more than glory, drink, thou too, and expose thy person,-the cup of the right hand of Yahweh, shall come round unto thee, and ignominious filth be upon thy glory; 17 For, the violence done to Lebanon, shall cover thee, and wasting by wild beasts shall cause them terror,-for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein. 18 What hath a carved image, profited, though the fashioner thereof, carved it? a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood,-though the fashioner of his fashioned thing trusted therein? that men should make Dumb Nonentities! 19 Alas! for him who saith to wood, Awake, bestir thee! to a silent stone, he, shall teach! Though he is overlaid with gold and silver, yet, no spirit whatsoever, is in him! 20 Howbeit, Yahweh, is in his holy temple,-Hush before him, all the earth.

Habakkuk Chapter 3

1 ¶ A prayer by Habakkuk the prophet,-in the manner of an Ode. 2 O Yahweh, I have heard tidings of thee, I am afraid. O Yahweh! Thy work-in the midst of the years, O revive it, in the midst of the years, wilt thou make known? In trouble, wilt thou remember, compassion? 3 ¶ GOD, from Teman, cometh in, and, the Holy One, from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendour, hath covered the heavens, and, his praise, hath filled the earth: 4 And, a brightness, as light, appeareth, Rays, out of his hand, hath he,-and, there, is the hiding of his power. 5 Before him, marcheth pestilence,-and fever, goeth forth, at his feet: 6 He hath stood and measured the earth, he hath looked, and caused nations to tremble, and, scattered as dust, are the perpetual mountains, and, sunk, are the age-abiding hills,-Forthgoings age-abiding, are his. 7 Under distress, saw I the tents of Ethiopia,-tremble, do the curtains of the land of Midian. 8 Against the rivers, is Yahweh wroth? Against the rivers, is thine anger? Against the sea, is thine indignation? For thou wilt ride on Thy horses, Thy chariots, shall be salvation! 9 To nakedness, is bared thy bow, oaths of chastisement-song! Selah. With rivers, thou dost cleave open the land. 10 The mountains, have seen thee-they tremble, a downpour of waters, hath passed along,-the roaring deep, hath given forth, his voice, on high-his hand, hath he uplifted. 11 Sun, moon, have stood still, on high,-like light, thine arrows, speed along, like brightness, is the flash of thy spear. 12 In wrath, dost thou stride through the land,-in anger, dost thou thresh the nations. 13 Thou hast come forth to the salvation of thy people, to salvation, with thine Anointed One,-Thou hast crushed the Head out of the house of the lawless one, baring the foundation up to the neck, Selah. 14 Thou hast pierced, with his own staves, the head of his chiefs, they storm along, to scatter me,-their exultant thought, is, in very deed, to devour the oppressed one, in a secret place! 15 Thou hast driven, into the sea, thy chariot-horses. Foaming are the mighty waters! 16 ¶ I heard, and I trembled within me, at the voice, my lips, quivered, decay, entered, my bones, and, in my limbs, I trembled,-though I am to find rest, in the day of distress, when their invader, cometh up against the people. 17 Though, the fig-tree, should not blossom, and there be no sprouting in the vines, the yield of the olive, should have deceived, and, the fields, not have brought forth food,-the flock, have been consumed out of the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 Yet, I, in Yahweh, will rejoice,-I will exult in the God of my salvation. 19 Yahweh, My Lord, is my strength, therefore hath he made my feet like hinds, and, upon my high places, will he cause me to march along. To the chief musician, on my double harp.

Zephaniah Chapter 1

1 ¶ The word of Yahweh which came unto Zephaniah, son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah,-in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah. 2 I will take clean away everything from off the face of the ground, Declareth Yahweh. 3 I will take away man and beast, I will take away the bird of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks, even them who are lawless,-and will cut off mankind, from off the face of the ground, Declareth Yahweh. 4 And I will stretch out my hand-over Judah, and over all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,-and will cut off out of this place, the name of Baal, the name of the priestlings, with the priests; 5 And them who bow down upon the housetops to the host of the heavens,-and them who bow down-who swear to Yahweh, and swear by Milcom; 6 And them who turn away from following Yahweh,-and have neither sought Yahweh, nor enquired for him. 7 ¶ Hush! at the presence of My Lord, Yahweh,-for, near, is the day of Yahweh, for Yahweh hath prepared his sacrifice, hath hallowed his guests. 8 And it shall come to pass, in the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice, that I will punish the rulers, and the sons of the king,-and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel; 9 And I will punish every one who leapeth over the threshold, in that day,-those who fill the house of their lords with violence and deceit. 10 And there shall come to be, in that day, declareth Yahweh, The noise of an outcry from the fish-gate, and of a howling out of the new city,-and of a great crashing, from the hills. 11 Howl, ye inhabitants of the lower city,-because destroyed are all the people of traffic, cut off are all they who were laden with silver. 12 And it shall come to pass, at that time, that I will search through Jerusalem, with lamps,-and will punish the men who are thickened upon their lees, who are saying in their heart, Yahweh, will not give blessing, neither will he bring calamity. 13 Therefore shall their goods become a booty, and their houses, a desolation,-and they shall build houses, but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. 14 ¶ Near is the great day of Yahweh, near, and very speedy,-The noise of the day of Yahweh, a strong man-there!-bitterly crying out! 15 A day of indignation,-that day! day of danger and distress, day of rush, and of crash, day of obscurity, and deep gloom, day of cloud, and thick darkness; 16 day of horn, and war-shout,-against the fortified cities, and against the high towers. 17 And I will bring distress to mankind, and they shall walk like them who are blind, because, against Yahweh, have they sinned,-and their blood, shall be poured out, as dust, and their bowels like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor yet their gold, shall be able to deliver them, in the day of the indignation of Yahweh, but, in the fire of his jealousy, shall the whole earth be consumed; For, a destruction, surely a terrible one, will he make, with all them who dwell in the earth.

Zephaniah Chapter 2

1 ¶ Collect your thoughts, aye collect them,-O nation, depressed! 2 Ere yet the decree, have given birth, like chaff, the day, have vanished,-ere yet shall come upon you, the glow of the anger of Yahweh, ere yet shall come upon you, the day of the anger of Yahweh. 3 Seek Yahweh-all ye lowly of the land, who have wrought, what he appointed,-seek righteousness, seek humility, peradventure, ye shall be concealed, in the day of the anger of Yahweh? 4 ¶ For, Gaza, forsaken, shall be, and, Ashkelon, a desolation,-Ashdod! at high noon, shall they drive her forth, and, Ekron, be uprooted: 5 Alas! for the inhabitants of the line of the sea, the nation of Kerethim,-The word of Yahweh, is against you, O Canaan of the land of the Philistines, therefore will I destroy thee, to the last inhabitant. 6 So shall the line of the sea become a meadow, the wells of shepherds, and the folds of flocks; 7 And the line shall belong to the remnant of the house of Judah, Thereon, shall they feed their flocks,-In the houses of Ashkelon, shall they, at eventide, lie down, for Yahweh their God will visit them, and bring their captives back. 8 ¶ I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon,-who have reproached my people, and have magnified themselves up to their bounds. 9 Wherefore, as I live, declareth Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Surely, Moab, like Sodom, shall become, and, the sons of Ammon, like Gomorrah, a possession for the thorn, and a pit of salt, Yea a desolation, unto times age-abiding: The remnant of my people, shall make of them a prey, and, the residue of my nation, shall inherit them. 10 This, shall they have, instead of their pride,-because they reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of hosts. 11 Terrible will Yahweh be against them, for he hath caused to waste away all the gods of the earth, that men may bow down to him, every one from his place, all the coastlands of the nations: 12 ¶ Even ye Ethiopians, the slain of my sword were they! 13 And may he stretch out his hand against the North, and destroy Assyria,-and may he make of Nineveh a desolation, dry as the desert! 14 So shall lie down in her midst-flocks, each living thing of a nation, both pelican and bittern, in her capitals, shall roost,-a voice, shall resound in the window, the bustard, on the sill, for he hath destroyed, hath laid bare. 15 This, is the city exultant, that sat secure, that said in her heart, I, am! and no one besides! How hath she become a desolation! a lair of beasts, every one passing, by her doth hiss, shaketh his hand.

Zephaniah Chapter 3

1 ¶ Alas for her that is rebellious, and polluted, the city that oppresseth! 2 She hath hearkened to no voice, accepted no correction; in Yahweh, hath not trusted, to her God, hath not drawn near: 3 Her rulers in her midst, are roaring lions,-her judges, evening wolves, they have left nothing until morning! 4 Her prophets, are reckless, treacherous men! her priests, have profaned the holy, done violence to law. 5 Yahweh, the Righteous One, is in her midst, he dealeth not perversely,-Morning by morning, his justice, bringeth he forth the light, He is not found lacking, but the perverse man knoweth no shame. 6 I have cut off nations, deserted are their towers, have made desolate their streets, that none passeth through; ruined are their cities, for want of men of note, from lack of any dweller! 7 I said, Surely thou wilt reverence, Me, wilt accept correction, lest her abode, should be cut of, howsoever I had punished her; but, in truth, they soon corrupted all their deeds. 8 ¶ Wherefore, wait for me, urgeth Yahweh, until the day when I rise up as witness, for, my decision, is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them mine indignation, all the glow of mine anger, for, in the fire of my jealousy, shall be devoured the whole earth. 9 Surely, then, will I turn unto the peoples a lip made pure,-that they all may call on the name of Yahweh, may serve him with one consent. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, shall come my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bear along a gift for me. 11 In that day, wilt thou not turn pale for all thy deeds, wherein thou hast transgressed against me? For, then, will I take away out of thy midst thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt not again be haughty any more in my holy mountain: 12 So will I leave remaining in thy midst, a people oppressed and poor,-who will seek refuge in the name of Yahweh: 13 The remnant of Israel-will not do perversity, nor speak falsehood, neither shall there be found in their mouth a tongue of deceit,-surely, they, shall feed and lie down, with none to make them afraid. 14 ¶ Sing out, O daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O Israel,-rejoice and exult with all thy heart, O daughter Jerusalem: 15 Yahweh, hath set aside, thy judgments, hath turned back thy foe,-The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in thy midst, thou shalt not fear calamity, any more. 16 In that day, shall it be said-to Jerusalem, Do not fear,-O Zion, Let not thy hands hang down: 17 Yahweh, thy God, in the midst of thee, as a mighty one, will save,-will be glad over thee with rejoicing, will be silent in his love, will exult over thee with shouts of triumph. 18 The sad exiles from the appointed meeting, have I gathered, from thee, had they been! but were a burden on thee-a reproach! 19 Behold me! dealing with all thine oppressors, at that time,-and I will save her that is lame, and, her that hath been an outcast, will I carry, and I will make them to be a Praise and a Name, in the whole earth that hath witnessed their shame. 20 At that time, will I bring you in, even at the time when I gather you,-Yea I will grant you to become a Name and a Praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I cause them of your captivities to return before your eyes, saith Yahweh.

Haggai Chapter 1

1 ¶ In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first of the month, came the word of Yahweh, by the hand of Haggai the prophet, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, pasha of Judah, and unto Jehoshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, saying: 2 Thus, speaketh Yahweh of hosts, saying,-This people, have said, Not yet hath come the time for the house of Yahweh to be built. 3 Therefore hath come the word of Yahweh by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying: 4 Is it a time that, ye yourselves, should be dwelling in your own paneled houses? and, this house, be in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts,-Apply your heart unto your own experience- 6 Ye have sown much, but have brought in little, have eaten, and not been filled, have drunk, and not been satisfied with drink, have clothed you, and none hath been warm,-and, he that hath hired himself out, hath put his wages into a bag with holes. 7 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts,-Apply your heart to your own experience: 8 Ascend the mountain-and bring in wood and build the house,-that I may be pleased therewith and get myself glory, saith Yahweh. 9 When ye looked for much, then lo! it came to little, when ye brought it home, then I did blow into it,- Because of what? Demandeth Yahweh of hosts, Because of my house, the which is in ruins, while ye keep running every man to his own house. 10 Wherefore-on your account, have the heavens, held back, dew,- and, the earth, held back her fruit; 11 And I have called for drought, upon the land and upon the mountains, and upon the corn and upon the new wine and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground, bringeth forth,-and upon man, and upon beast, and upon all the labour of the hands. 12 ¶ Then hearkened Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jehoshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, and all the remnant of the people, unto the voice of Yahweh their God, and unto the words of Haggai the prophet, as Yahweh their God, had sent him,-and the people, stood in awe, before Yahweh. 13 Then spake Haggai the messenger of Yahweh, in the message of Yahweh, to the people saying,-I, am with you, Declareth Yahweh. 14 Thus did Yahweh, stir up-the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, pasha of Judah, and the spirit of Jehoshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people,-and they came in and did service in the house of Yahweh of hosts their God: 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month,-in the second year of Darius the king.

Haggai Chapter 2

1 ¶ In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, came the word of Yahweh, by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 Speak, I pray thee, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, pasha of Judah, and unto Jehoshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest,-and unto the remnant of the people, saying:- 3 Who is there among you that is left, that saw this house, in its former glory? And how do ye see it now? Is it not, in comparison with that, as nothing, in your eyes? 4 Now, therefore-Be strong, O Zerubbabel, urgeth Yahweh, and be strong, O Jehoshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, urgeth Yahweh, and work; For, I, am with you, Declareth Yahweh of hosts. (Note: "work" is the command of God, for God is with you people of Israel.). 5 The very thing that I solemnized with you, when ye came forth out of the land of Egypt, That, my spirit abiding in your midst, ye should not fear. 6 For, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet once, a little, it is,-and I am shaking the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land; 7 And I will shake all the nations, and the delight of all the nations, shall come in,-and I will fill this house with glory, saith Yahweh of hosts. 8 Mine is the silver and Mine the gold, Declareth Yahweh of hosts: 9 Greater shall be the last glory of this house than the first, saith Yahweh of hosts,-and, in this place, will I give prosperity, Declareth Yahweh of hosts. (Note: Greater prosperity shall be for the house of the people of Israel of God.). 10 ¶ On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Haggai the prophet, saying: 11 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts,-I pray you, ask the priests a direction, saying: 12 If a man carry holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and then toucheth with his skirt bread or a cooked dish or wine or oil or any food, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. 13 Then said Haggai, If one who is defiled for a dead person touch any of these, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered and said, It shall be defiled. 14 Then answered Haggai and said, So, is this people and, so, is this nation before me, Declareth Yahweh, and, so, is every work of their hands,-therefore, whatsoever they offer there, is, defiled. 15 Now, therefore, I pray you apply your heart, from this day and upwards,-So long as there had not been laid one stone upon another in the temple of Yahweh, 16 So long were things thus, that, on coming unto a heap of twenty, then was it found to be ten,-on coming unto the vat to draw off fifty measures, then were there found to be twenty. 17 I smote you with blight and with mildew and with hail, in all the work of your hands,-Yet ye did not return unto me, Declareth Yahweh. 18 Apply your heart, I pray you, from this day and upwards,-from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day when was founded the temple of Yahweh, apply your heart: 19 Is the seed yet in the store-house? Howbeit, though at present neither, the vine nor the fig-tree nor the pomegranate nor the olive tree, hath brought forth, from this very day, will I bless you. (Note: God will bless you, for God can loose the ideas that bind your body and free your soul to dwell in the greater glory of God.). 20 ¶ Then came the word of Yahweh, the second time unto Haggai, on the twenty-fourth of the month, saying: 21 Speak thou unto Zerubbabel, pasha of Judah, saying,-I am shaking, the heavens and the earth; 22 And I will overturn the throne of kingdoms, and will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations,-and I will overturn the chariots and them who ride therein, and horses and their riders, shall come down, every man by the sword of his brother. 23 On that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel-my servant, declareth Yahweh, and will set thee as a signet-ring; For, thee, have I chosen, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.

Zechariah Chapter 1

1 ¶ In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:- 2 Yahweh, was sore displeased, with your fathers: 3 therefore shalt thou say unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return ye unto me, urgeth Yahweh of hosts,-that I may return unto you, saith Yahweh of hosts. 4 Do not become like your fathers, unto whom the former prophets, proclaimed, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return, I pray you, from your wicked ways, and from your wicked practices; but they heard not, nor hearkened unto me, declareth Yahweh. 5 Your fathers, where are they? and, the prophets, to times age-abiding, do they live? 6 Howbeit, as for my words and my statutes with which I charged my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and so they returned and said, Just as Yahweh of hosts planned to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our practices, So hath he dealt with us? 7 ¶ Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the same, is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Zechariah, son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, as followeth: 8 I looked by night, And lo! a man riding upon a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees, in the shade; and, after him, were horses, red, bay, and white. 9 Then said I, What are these, my lord? And the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, I, will shew thee what these, are. 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle-trees responded, and said,-These, are they whom Yahweh, hath sent, to go to and fro through the earth. 11 Then responded they to the messenger of Yahweh, who was standing among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth,-and lo! all the earth, resteth and is quiet. 12 Then the messenger of Yahweh responded, and said, O Yahweh of hosts! How long wilt, thou, not have compassion upon Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah,-against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years? 13 And Yahweh answered the messenger who was speaking with me, in words that were pleasant,-words that were consoling, 14 Then the messenger who was speaking with me, said unto me, Proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem, and for Zion, with a great jealousy; 15 And, with a great displeasure, am I displeased with the careless nations,-in that, when, I, was displeased (for) a little, then, they, helped forward the calamity, 16 Wherefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, I have returned to Jerusalem, with compassions,, My house, shall be built therein, declareth Yahweh of hosts, and, a line, shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem. 17 Further, proclaim thou, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet, shall my cities overflow with blessing! So will Yahweh yet, have compassion, upon Zion, and yet make choice of Jerusalem. 18 ¶ Then lifted I up mine eyes and looked,-and lo! Four Horns. 19 And I said unto the messenger who was speaking with me, What are these? And he said unto me, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. 20 Then Yahweh shewed me Four Craftsmen. 21 And I said, What are these coming in to do? And he spake, saying, These, are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head, but these others have come in to put them in fear, to cast down the horns of the nations, the which have lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter her.

Zechariah Chapter 2

1 ¶ Then lifted I up mine eyes and looked, and lo! a Man,-and, in his hand, a Measuring Line. 2 And I said, Whither art thou going? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what should be the breadth thereof, and what the length thereof. 3 And lo! the messenger who was talking with me, coming forward,-and another messenger, coming forward to meet him. 4 So he said unto him, Run, speak unto this young man, saying: Like open villages, shall Jerusalem remain, for the multitude of men and cattle in her midst; 5 And, I, will become to her, declareth Yahweh, A wall of fire round about,-and, a glory, will I become in her midst. 6 ¶ Ho! ho! flee ye, therefore, out of the land of the North, urgeth Yahweh. For, as the four winds of the heavens, have I spread you abroad, declareth Yahweh. 7 Ho! Zion, deliver thyself,-thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For, 8 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, For his own honour, hath he sent me unto the nations that are spoiling you,-Surely, he that toucheth you, toucheth the pupil of mine eye. 9 For behold me! brandishing my hand over them, and they shall become a spoil unto their own slaves,-and ye shall know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me. 10 ¶ Sing out and rejoice, O daughter of Zion,-For behold me! coming in, and I will make my habitation in thy midst, declareth Yahweh. 11 Then shall many nations, join themselves, unto Yahweh, in that day, and shall become my people,-and I will make my habitation in thy midst, so shalt thou know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me unto thee. 12 Thus will Yahweh inherit Judah, his portion, on the soil of the sanctuary,-and make choice, yet again, of Jerusalem. 13 Hush! all flesh, before Yahweh,-For he hath roused himself up out of his holy dwelling.

Zechariah Chapter 3

1 ¶ And he shewed me, Joshua the high priest, standing before the messenger of Yahweh,-and, the Accuser, standing at his right hand, to accuse him. 2 Then said Yahweh unto the Accuser, Yahweh rebuke thee, O Accuser, Yea Yahweh rebuke thee, he who is choosing Jerusalem,-Is not, this, a brand snatched out of the fire? 3 Now, Joshua, was clothed with filthy garments,-though standing before the messenger. 4 Then responded he and spake unto those who were standing before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from off him; and he said unto him, See! I have caused to pass from off thee, thine iniquity, And will cause thee to be clothed in robes of state. 5 Then said I, Let them put a clean turban upon his head,-So they put the clean turban upon his head, and clothed him with garments, and, the messenger of Yahweh, was standing up. 6 So then the messenger of Yahweh did solemnly affirm unto Joshua, saying: 7 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, If, in my ways, thou wilt walk, and if, of my charge, thou wilt keep charge, Then, even thou, shalt govern my house, Moreover also, thou shalt have charge of my courts,-and I will give thee free access among these who stand by. 8 ¶ Hear, I pray thee, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy friends who are sitting before thee, for, men to serve as signs, they are,-For behold me! bringing in my servant, the Bud; 9 For lo! the stone which I have set before Joshua, Upon one stone, are Seven (pairs of) Eyes,-Behold me! cutting the engraving thereof, declareth Yahweh of hosts. So will I take away the iniquity of that land in one day. 10 In that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, Ye shall invite one another,-to come under the vine and under the fig-tree.

Zechariah Chapter 4

1 ¶ And once more the messenger who was speaking with me, roused me up, just as a man might be roused up out of his sleep. 2 Then said he unto me, What canst thou see? And I said-I have looked, and lo! a Lampstand-all of gold, with the Bowl thereof upon the top thereof, and its Seven Lamps upon it, Seven Pipes each, to the lamps which are upon the top thereof; 3 and, Two Olive-trees, by it,-one upon the right hand of the bowl, and one upon the left hand thereof. 4 Then responded I, and said unto the messenger who was speaking with me, saying,-What are these, my lord? 5 Then answered the messenger who was speaking with me, and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these, are? And I said, No my lord. 6 Then responded he, and spake unto me, saying, This, is the word of Yahweh, unto Zerubbabel, saying,-Not by wealth, nor by strength, but by my spirit, saith Yahweh of hosts. 7 Who, art, thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, brought down to a plain! So shall he bring forth the headstone, with thundering shouts Beautiful! Beautiful! thereunto. 8 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying: 9 The hands of Zerubbabel, have founded this house, and, his hands, shall finish it,-So shalt thou know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me unto you. 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? Yet shall they rejoice, when they see the plummet-stone in the hand of Zerubbabel,-these seven! The eyes of Yahweh, they are-running to and fro throughout all the earth. 11 ¶ Then responded I, and said unto him,-What are these two olive-trees, upon the right of the lampstand, and upon the left thereof? 12 And I responded a second time, and said unto him,-What are the two branches of the olive- trees which join the two golden tubes, which empty out of them the golden oil? 13 And he spake unto me, saying, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These, are the two Anointed Ones,-who stand near the Lord of all the earth.

Zechariah Chapter 5

1 ¶ And once more lifted I mine eyes, and looked,-and lo! a Flying Volume. 2 And he said unto me, What canst thou see? So I said, I, can see a flying volume, the length thereof, twenty by the cubit, and, the breadth thereof, ten by the cubit. 3 Then said he unto me, This, is the curse, which is going forth over the face of all the earth,-Because, every one who stealeth, on the one side, hath in one way been let off, and, every one who sweareth, on the other side, hath in another way been let off, 4 therefore have I brought it forth, Declareth Yahweh of hosts, And it shall enter-into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth by my name, falsely,-and it shall roost in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, both the timbers thereof, and the stones thereof. 5 ¶ Then came forward, the messenger who was talking with me,-and said unto me-Lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes, and see what this is which is coming forth. 6 And I said, What is it? Then said he, This, is an ephah that is coming forth. And he said, This, is their iniquity, throughout all the land. 7 And lo! a leaden disc uplifted,-and here a certain woman, sitting inside the ephah. 8 Then said he, This, is Lawlessness. So he thrust her back inside the ephah,-and then thrust the leaden weight into the mouth thereof. 9 Then lifted I up mine eyes and looked, and lo! Two Women coming forward, with the wind in their wings, and, they, had wings, like the wings of the stork,-and bare up the ephah, between the earth and the heavens. 10 Then said I unto the messenger who was speaking with me,-Whither are they carrying the ephah? 11 And he said unto me, To build for it a house in the land of Shinar,-so shall it be ready, and they shall settle it there, upon its own base?

Zechariah Chapter 6

1 ¶ And once again I lifted mine eyes, and looked, and lo! four chariots, coming forward from between two mountains,-now, the mountains, were mountains of copper. 2 In the first chariot, were red horses,-and, in the second chariot, black horses; 3 and, in the third chariot, white horses,-and, in the fourth chariot, horses spotted, deep red. 4 Then began I, and said, unto the messenger who was speaking with me,-What are these, my lord? 5 And the messenger answered, and said unto me,-These, are the four winds of the heavens, coming forward after each hath presented itself near the Lord of all the earth. 6 They in whose chariot are the black horses, are going forth into the land of the North, and, the white, have gone forth after them,-and, the spotted, have gone forth into the land of the South; 7 and, the deep red, have come forward and sought to go their way, that they might journey to and fro in the land, so he said, Go your way, journey to and fro in the land,-and they journeyed to and fro in the land. 8 Then made he outcry beside me, and spake unto me, saying,-See, these who are going forth into the land of the North, have settled my spirit in the land of the North. 9 ¶ Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying: 10 Take of them of the exile, of Heldai, and of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah,-then shalt, thou thyself, enter, on that day, yea thou shalt enter the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, with them who have come in out of Babylon; 11 yea thou shalt take silver and gold, and make a crown,-and set it upon the head of Jehoshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest; 12 then shalt thou speak unto him, saying, Thus, speaketh Yahweh of hosts, saying,-Lo! a man! Bud, is his name, and, out of his own place, shall he bud forth, and shall build the temple of Yahweh; 13 Yea, he, shall build the temple of Yahweh, and, he, shall bear the honour, and shall sit and rule upon his throne,-and shall become a priest upon his throne, and, the counsel of peace, shall be between the two of them. 14 But, the crown, shall belong to Heldai and to Tobiah and to Jedaiah, and to Hen son of Zephaniah,-for a memorial in the temple of Yahweh. 15 And, they who are afar off, shall come in and shall build at the temple of Yahweh, so shall yea know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me unto you,-and it shall come to pass if ye will, indeed hearken, unto the voice of Yahweh your God.

Zechariah Chapter 7

1 ¶ And it came to pass, in the fourth year of Darius the king, that the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, on the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu; 2 yea when Bethel sent Sherezer and Regemmelech, and his men,-to pacify the face of Yahweh: 3 to speak unto the priests that pertained to the house of Yahweh of hosts, and unto the prophets, saying,-Shall I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? 4 Then came the word of Yahweh of hosts unto me, saying: 5 Speak thou unto all the people of the land, and unto the priests, saying,-When ye fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh, even these seventy years, did ye, really fast, unto, me? 6 And, when ye used to eat and when ye used to drink, was it not, of your own accord, ye did eat, and, of your own accord, ye did drink? 7 Should ye not have been doing the things which Yahweh, had proclaimed, by the hand of the former prophets, while yet Jerusalem was inhabited and in peace, with her cities round about her,-and the South and the Lowland were inhabited? 8 ¶ And the word of Yahweh came unto Zechariah, saying: 9 Thus, spake Yahweh of hosts, saying,-With true justice, give ye judgment, and, lovingkindness and compassions, observe ye, one with another; 10 And, the widow and the fatherless, the sojourner and the humbled, do not ye oppress,-and, wickedness between one man and another, do not ye devise in your hearts. 11 Howbeit they refused to give heed, but put forth a rebellious shoulder,-and, their ears, made they hard of hearing, that they might not hear; 12 and, their heart, turned they into adamant, that they might not hear the law, nor the words which Yahweh of hosts sent by his spirit, through the former prophets,-and so there came great wrath from Yahweh of hosts. 13 Therefore came it to pass that-just as he cried out and they hearkened not, so, used they to cry out, and I used not to hearken, saith Yahweh of hosts; 14 But I whirled them over all the nations whom they had not known, and, the land, was made desolate after them, that none passed through and returned,-Yea they made of a delightful land-a desolation.

Zechariah Chapter 8

1 ¶ And the word of Yahweh of hosts came, saying: 2 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy,-Yea, with great wrath, am I jealous for her. 3 Thus, saith Yahweh, I have returned unto Zion, and will make my habitation in the midst of Jerusalem,-and Jerusalem, shall be called, The city of fidelity, and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts, The mountain of holiness. 4 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet shall old men and old women sit in the broadways of Jerusalem,-Yea, each one with his staff in his hand for multitude of days: 5 And, the broadways of the city, shall be full of boys and girls,-playing in the broadways thereof. 6 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Because it will be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people, in those days, In mine own eyes also, shall it be marvellous? Demandeth Yahweh of hosts. 7 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Behold me! saving my people out of the land of the dawn,-and out of the land of the going in of the sun; 8 And I will bring them in, and they shall have their habitation in the midst of Jerusalem,-and shall become my people, and, I, will become their God, In faithfulness and in righteousness. 9 ¶ Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Let your hands be strong, ye who are hearing, in these days, these words,-from the mouth of the prophets who, on the day the house of Yahweh of hosts, was founded, foretold that, the temple, should be built:- 10 That, before those days, hire for man, could not be obtained, and, hire for beast, was there none,-and, neither to him who went out nor to him who came in, was there success by reason of the danger, Yea I let all men loose, each one against his neighbour. 11 But, now, not as in the former days, am I to this remnant of the people,-Declareth Yahweh of hosts; 12 For, the seed, shall be secure-the vine, shall yield her fruit, and the land, yield her increase, and the heavens, yield their dew,-and I will cause this remnant of the people to inherit all these things. 13 And it shall come to pass that-Just as ye had become a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So, will I save you, and ye shall become a blessing,-Do not fear, let your hands, be strong. 14 For, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Just as I planned to bring calamity upon you, when your fathers provoked me, saith Yahweh of hosts,-and I relented not, 15 So, have I again planned, in these days, to do good unto Jerusalem, and unto the house of Judah,-Do not fear! 16 These, are the things which ye shall do: Speak ye the truth, every man with his neighbour, truth and the sentence of peace, pronounce ye in your gates; 17 And let, no man, devise, the injury of his neighbour, in your heart, and the oath of falsehood, do not love,-for, all these, are things which I hate, declareth Yahweh. 18 ¶ And the word of Yahweh of hosts came unto me, saying: 19 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts-The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the eleventh, shall become to the house of Judah a gladness and a rejoicing, and pleasant appointed meetings,-But, truth and peace, see that ye love. 20 Thus, saith Yahweh of hoses,-It shall yet be that there shall come in peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities; 21 And the inhabitants of one city, shall go, unto them of another, saying, Let us be going on to pacify the face of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of hosts,-I also, will go! 22 So shall enter many peoples, and strong nations, to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem,-and to pacify the face of Yahweh. 23 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, In those days, it shall be that ten men out of all the tongues of the nations, shall take hold,-yea take hold of the skirt of every one that is a Jew, saying-We will go with you! For we have heard that, God, is with you.

Zechariah Chapter 9

1 ¶ The oracle of the word of Yahweh on the land of Hadrach, and, Damascus, shall be the resting-place thereof,-For, Yahweh, hath an eye-to mankind, and to all the tribes of Israel; 2 Moreover also, Hamath, adjoineth thereto, Tyre and Zidon,-because very wise; 3 Therefore did Tyre build a stronghold for herself,-and did heap up silver like dust, yea gold, like the mire of the lanes. 4 Lo! My Lord, shall dispossess her, and smite, into the sea, her fortress,-and, she herself, in fire, shall be consumed. 5 Ashkelon, shall see, and fear, Gaza, also, which shall writhe in great anguish, Ekron, also, because abashed is her expectation,-and the king, shall perish, from Gaza, and, Ashkelon, not be inhabited; 6 And there shall be seated a half-breed in Ashdod,-So will I cut off the arrogance of the Philistines; 7 And will take away his reeking prey out of his mouth, and his abominations, from between his teeth, but, he that is left, even he, shall belong to our God,-So shall he become as a chief in Judah, and, Ekron, as a Jebusite! 8 Then will I encamp about my house-against an army, against him that passeth by, and against him that returneth, neither shall an exactor, tread them down any more,-for, now, have I seen with mine own eyes. 9 ¶ Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion, Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo! thy king, cometh unto thee, vindicated and victorious, is he,-lowly, and riding upon an ass, yea, upon a colt, a young ass. (Note: By humble and meek things God can work mighty works and accomplish great conquests, see Matthew 21.5.). 10 So will he cut off the chariot out of Ephraim, and the horse out of Jerusalem, and the war-bow, shall be cut off, So shall he speak peace to the nations, and, his dominion, shall be from sea to sea, and from the river Euphrates to the ends of the earth. 11 As for thee also,-By the blood of thy covenant, have I sent forth thy prisoners out of a pit, wherein is no water. 12 ¶ Return to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope,-Even to-day, do I declare-Double, will I return to thee! 13 For I have bent for me-Judah, As a bow, have I grasped Ephraim, Thus will I rouse up thy sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty one. 14 But, Yahweh, over them, will appear, and forth shall go, as lightning, his arrow,-Yea, My Lord Yahweh, with a horn, will blow, and will move along in the whirlwinds of the south. 15 Yahweh of hosts, will throw a covering over them, so shall they eat, and trample underfoot sling-stones, and shall drink-shall shout as with wine,-and shall be filled like tossing-bowls,-like the corners of an altar. 16 So will Yahweh their God, save them, on that day. yea, as a flock of sheep, his people,-for they shall be like the jewels of a diadem sparkling over his land. 17 For how excellent it is! Yea how beautiful! Corn, shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maidens.

Zechariah Chapter 10

1 ¶ Ask ye from Yahweh rain, in the time of the latter rain, Yahweh, who causeth flashes of lightning,-and, rain in abundant showers, giveth he unto them, to every man, herbage in the field; 2 For, the household gods, have spoken vanity, and, the diviners, have had vision of falsehood, and, deceitful dreams, do they relate, vainly, do they console,-for this reason, have they moved about like a flock, they suffer ill, because there is no shepherd. 3 Against the shepherds, is kindled mine anger, and, upon the leaders of the flock, will I bring punishment,-for Yahweh of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his noble horse in battle: 4 From him, the commander, from him, the supporter, from him, the war-bow,-from him, shall proceed every one that driveth on, together; 5 ¶ So shall they become like mighty ones, trampling on the mire of lanes, in battle, and they will fight because, Yahweh, is with them,-and will abash the riders of horses. 6 So will I make mighty ones of the house of Judah, and, the house of Joseph, will I save, and will cause them to continue, because I have had compassion upon them, So shall they be as though I had not rejected them,-for, I, Yahweh, will be their God, and will answer them; 7 And they shall be as the mighty one of Ephraim, and their heart, shall rejoice, as through wine,-yea, their children, shall see and rejoice, their heart, shall exult, in Yahweh. 8 I will signal for them, and will gather them, because I have ransomed them,-and they shall multiply, according as they have multiplied; 9 Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet, in places far away, shall they remember me,-and they shall live with their children, and shall return; 10 And I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and, out of Assyria, will I gather them,-and, into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, will I bring them, and room shall not be found for them: 11 Though he pass through a sea of affliction, yet shall he smite the sea, with its waves, and the roaring depths of the Nile, shall appear dry,-So shall be brought down the pride of Assyria, and, the sceptre of Egypt, shall depart; 12 And I will make them mighty in Yahweh, and, in his name, shall they march to and fro,-Declareth Yahweh.

Zechariah Chapter 11

1 ¶ Open, O Lebanon, thy doors,-that a fire, may devour, thy cedar, 2 Howl, fir-tree, for fallen is the cedar, because, the majestic ones, are spoiled: howl, ye oaks of Bashan, for the inaccessible forest, hath come down. 3 The noise of the howling of the shepherds, for spoiled is their majesty,-The noise of the roaring of the young lions, for spoiled are the proud banks of the Jordan. 4 ¶ Thus, saith Yahweh my God,-Tend thou the flock doomed to slaughter: 5 Whose, buyers, slay them, and are not held guilty, and whose, sellers, say-Blessed be Yahweh, that I am become rich, And so, their own shepherds, have no pity upon them. 6 Surely I will have pity no longer upon the inhabitants of the earth, Declareth Yahweh,-Therefore lo! I am delivering up mankind, every man into the hand of his neighbour, and into the hand of his king, and they will crush the earth, nor will I deliver out of their hand. 7 So I tended the flock doomed to slaughter, for the sheep-merchants,-and took unto me two staves, the one, I called Grace, and, the other, I called Union, thus I tended the sheep, 8 And I sent off three shepherds, in one month,-for impatient was my soul with them, moreover also, their soul, felt a loathing against me. 9 Then said I-l will not tend you,-the dying, may die, and, the disappearing, may disappear, and, the remainder, may devour one another. 10 So I took my staff Grace, and cut it in two,-that I might set aside my covenant which I had solemnised with all the peoples. 11 When it was broken, on that day, then did the sheep- merchants who were watching me, know, that, the word of Yahweh, it was. 12 Then said I unto them, If it be good in your eyes, give me my wage, and, if not, forbear. So they weighed out my wage, thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then said Yahweh unto me, Cast it into the treasury, the magnificent price at which I had been valued by them! So I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them, in the house of Yahweh, into the treasury. 14 Then cut I in two my second staff, even Union,-that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 15 ¶ Then said Yahweh unto me,-Yet further take thee the implements of a worthless shepherd. 16 For lo! I am raising up a shepherd in the land, the disappearing, will he not visit, the straying, will he not seek, and, the fractured, will he not bind up,-the weak, will he not nourish, but, the flesh of the fat, will he eat, and, their hoofs, will he break in pieces. 17 Alas! for my worthless shepherd, who forsaketh the flock, A sword upon his arm, and upon his right eye!-his arm, shall be, utterly withered, and, his right eye, shall be, wholly darkened.

Zechariah Chapter 12

1 ¶ The oracle of the word of Yahweh, on Israel,-Declareth Yahweh-Stretching out the heavens, and founding the earth, and fashioning the spirit of man within him: 2 Lo! I am making Jerusalem a bowl of reeling to all the peoples, round about,-Moreover also, on Judah, shall it be in the siege against Jerusalem; 3 And it shall come to pass, in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a lifting-stone, to all the peoples, all who seek to lift her, shall, cut themselves in pieces,-though all the nations of the earth, gather themselves together against her. (Note: The great "stone", Christ, is lifted of God and overpowers the combined greatness of nations.). 4 In that day, Declareth Yahweh, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness,-and, over the house of Judah, will I keep opening mine eyes, and, every horse of the peoples, will I smite with blindness. 5 Then will the chiefs of Judah say in their hearts,-A strength unto me, would be the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in Yahweh of hosts, their God. 6 In that day, will I make the chiefs of Judah like a pan of fire among sticks, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, so shall they devour, on the right hand and on the left, all the peoples round about; so shall Jerusalem yet, be inhabited, in her own place, as Jerusalem. 7 But Yahweh will save the tents of Judah first,-lest the honour of the house of David, and the honour of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, should be magnified over Judah. 8 In that day, will Yahweh, throw a covering, around the inhabitant of Jerusalem, so shall the tottering among them, in that day, become like David,-and the house of David-like God, like the messenger of Yahweh, before them. (Note: So the people of Israel, the people of God, will become "like God".). 9 ¶ And it shall come to pass, in that day,-That I will seek to destroy all the nations, that come against Jerusalem. 10 But I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitant of Jerusalem, the spirit of favour, and of supplications, and they will look unto me, whom they have pierced,-and will wail over him, as one waileth over an only son, and will make bitter outcry over him, as one maketh bitter outcry over a firstborn. 11 In that day, will the wailing, be great, in Jerusalem, as the wailing of Hadadrimmon, in the valley of Megiddon; 12 So shall the land, wail, family by family, apart,-the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart, the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi, apart, and their wives apart, the family of Shimei, apart,-and their wives apart: 14 All the families that remain, family by family, apart,-and their wives, apart.

Zechariah Chapter 13

1 ¶ In that day, there shall be an opened fountain, for the house of David, and for the Inhabitants of Jerusalem,-for sin and for uncleanness. 2 And it shall come to pass, in that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, That I will cut off the names of idols out of the land, and they shall not be remembered any more,-Moreover also, even the prophets and the spirit of impurity, will I cause to pass away out of the land. 3 So shall it come about that, when any man shall prophesy again, then will his own father and his own mother, of whom he was born, say unto him,-Thou shalt not live! For falsehood hast thou spoken in the name of Yahweh,-So will his own father and his own mother of whom he was born, pierce him through, when he prophesieth, 4 Yea it shall come to pass, in that day, that the prophets, will turn pale, every man by reason of his vision when he prophesieth,-neither will they put on a mantle of hair to deceive. 5 But he will say, No prophet, am I,-One tilling the ground, am I, for, one of the common people, hath owned me from my youth. 6 Then will one say unto him, What are these wounds between thy hands? And he will say, Wherewith I was wounded in the house of them who loved me. 7 ¶ O Sword! awake against my shepherd, even against the man that is my companion, urgeth Yahweh of hosts,-Smite the shepherd, and let the flock, be scattered, Howbeit I will turn back my hand over the little ones. 8 And it shall come to pass, in all the land, declareth Yahweh, Two-thirds therein, shall be cut off, and expire,-but, a third, shall be left therein; 9 And I will bring the third into the fire, and will smelt them as one smelteth silver, and will try them, as one trieth gold,-It, will call upon my name, and, I, will answer it, and will say, My people, it is! and, it, will say, Yahweh, is my God!

Zechariah Chapter 14

1 ¶ Lo! a day, cometh, pertaining to Yahweh,-when apportioned shall be thy spoil in thy midst; 2 Yea I will gather together all the nations unto Jerusalem, to battle, and the city, shall be captured, and the houses, plundered, and, the women, ravished,-and half of the city, shall go forth, into exile, but, the remainder of the people, shall not be cut off out of the city. 3 Then will Yahweh go forth, and fight against those nations,-just as he did in the day when he fought, in the day of battle; 4 Yea his feet, shall stand, in that day, on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives, shall cleave asunder, from the midst thereof, towards the east and towards the west, an exceeding great valley,-and half of the mountain, shall give way, toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 Then shall ye flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains, shall reach, very near, Yea, ye shall flee, just as ye fled from before the earthquake, in the days of Uzziah king of Judah,-Then, shall arrive, Yahweh my God, All thy holy ones, with thee! 6 And it shall come to pass, in that day,-that there shall be no light, the bright stars, shall be withdrawn; 7 And it shall be a day by itself, The same, shall be known unto Yahweh-Not day, nor night,-But it shall come to pass, that, at evening time, there shall be light. 8 ¶ And it shall come to pass, in that day, that there shall go forth living waters out of Jerusalem, half of them unto the sea before, and half of them unto the sea behind, in summer and in winter, shall it he. 9 So will Yahweh become king over all the earth,-In that day, shall there be one Yahweh, and, his Name, be one. 10 All the land shall turn into a plain, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem,-and shall lift herself on high and abide in her own place, from the gate of Benjamin up to the place of the first gate, up to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel up to the wine-presses of the king. 11 So shall men dwell therein, and, utter destruction, shall not be any more,-but Jerusalem, shall abide, in security. 12 And, this, shall be the plague wherewith Yahweh will plague all the peoples who have made war against Jerusalem,-his flesh, shall be made to rot, while he is standing upon his feet, and, his eyes, shall rot in their sockets, and, his tongue, shall rot in their mouth; 13 And it shall come to pass, in that day, that there shall be a great confusion from Yahweh among them,-and they will lay hold every one upon the hand of his neighbour, and his hand, will rise up, against the hand of his neighbour; 14 Moreover also, Judah, will fight with Jerusalem,-and the wealth of all the nations round about, shall be gathered together, gold and silver and apparel, in great abundance. 15 And, so, shall be the plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass, and all the beasts which shall be in those camps,-like this plague! 16 ¶ And it shall come to pass, that, as for every one that is left out of all the nations that came against Jerusalem, that they shall come up, from year to year, to bow down to the king, Yahweh of hosts, and to celebrate the festival of booths. 17 And it shall come to pass that-whoso shall not come up out of the families of the earth unto Jerusalem, to bow down to the king, Yahweh of hosts,-there shall not, on them, be any rain. 18 And, if the family of Egypt shall not come up, and shall not enter in, upon whom there falleth none, then shall smite them the plague wherewith Yahweh, did plague, the nations, because they came not up to celebrate the festival of booths. 19 This, shall be the punishment of Egypt,-and the punishment of all the nations, when they come not up to celebrate the festival of booths. 20 In that day, shall there be inscribed upon the bells of the horses, Holy unto Yahweh,-and the caldrons in the house of Yahweh shall be like the dashing bowls before the altar. 21 And every caldron in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holy unto Yahweh of hosts,-So shall all who are offering sacrifice, come in, and take of them, and boil therein,-Neither shall there be a merchant any more in the house of Yahweh of hosts, in that day.

Malachi Chapter 1

1 ¶ The oracle of the word of Yahweh, unto Israel,-by the hand of Malachi. 2 I have loved you, saith Yahweh, and yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Is not Esau, brother, to Jacob? enquireth Yahweh, Yet have I loved Jacob, 3 And, Esau, have I hated,- and made his mountains a desolation, and his inheritance a dwelling for the jackals of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom, may say, We are laid waste, but we will again build the desolate places, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, They, may build, but, I, will pull down,- and men shall call them, The Boundary of Lawlessness, and, The people with whom Yahweh hath indignation unto times age-abiding; 5 And, your own eyes, shall see,-and, ye yourselves, shall say, Yahweh, be magnified, beyond the boundary of Israel. 6 ¶ A son, will honour a father, and, a servant, his lord,- If then, a father, I am, where is mine honour? And, if, a lord, I am, where is my reverence? saith Yahweh of hosts- to you, ye priests, who despise my Name, and yet say, Wherein have we despised thy Name? 7 In bringing near upon mine altar, polluted food, while yet ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? Because ye say, As for the table of Yahweh, a thing to be despised, it is; 8 And when ye bring near the blind as a sacrifice, saying-No harm! or when ye bring near the lame or the sick saying-No harm! Offer it, I pray you, unto thy pasha, Will he accept thee? or lift up thy countenance? saith Yahweh of hosts. 9 Now, therefore, pacify, I pray you, the face of GOD, that he may grant us favour,-at your hands, hath this come to pass, Will he lift up the countenances, of any of you? saith Yahweh of hosts. 10 Who is there, even among you, that will shut the doors, so as not to set light to mine altar, for nothing? I can take no pleasure in you, saith Yahweh of hosts, and, your present, can I not accept at your hand. 11 For, from the rising of the sun, even unto the going in thereof, great is my Name among the nations, and, in every place, incense, is offered to my Name, and a pure present,-for great is my Name among the nations, saith Yahweh of hosts. 12 But ye are profaning me,- in that ye say, As for the table of the Lord, polluted it is, and, as for his produce, contemptible is his food. 13 And ye have said, Lo! what a weariness! And ye have snuffed at Me, saith Yahweh of hosts, and have brought in the torn and the lame and the sick, thus have ye brought the present,- Could I accept it at your hand? saith Yahweh. 14 But accursed is he that defraudeth, who, when there is in his flock a male, yet voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord, for, a great king, am I, saith Yahweh of hosts, and, my Name, is revered among the nations.

Malachi Chapter 2

1 ¶ Now, therefore, for you, is this charge, O ye priests:- 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my Name, saith Yahweh of hosts, then will I send among you the curse, and will curse your blessings,-and indeed I have cursed them, because ye are not at all laying it to heart. 3 Behold me! threatening, on your account, the seed, and I will scatter refuse upon your faces, the refuse of your festivals,-and one shall carry you away unto it; 4 So shall ye know that I sent unto you this charge,-as being my covenant with Levi, saith Yahweh of hosts. 5 My covenant, was with him, Life and Well-being, so I gave them to him-I as One to be revered- and he did revere me,- and, before my Name, dismayed, was he. 6 The deliverance of truth, was in his mouth, and, perverseness, was not found in his lips,- In well-doing and in uprightness, walked he with me, and, multitudes, did he turn from iniquity. 7 For, the lips of a priest, should keep knowledge, and, a deliverance, should men seek at his mouth,- for, the messenger of Yahweh of hosts, he is. 8 But, ye, have departed out of the way, ye have caused multitudes to stumble at the deliverance,- ye have violated the covenant of Levi, saith Yahweh of hosts. 9 Therefore, I also, will suffer you to be despised and of no account unto all the people,-in proportion as none of you have been keeping my ways, but have had respect to persons, in giving your deliverance. 10 ¶ Is there not, one Father, to us all? Did not, one GOD, create us? Wherefore should we deal treacherously one with another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah, hath dealt treacherously, and, an abomination, hath been wrought in Israel, and in Jerusalem,- for Judah, had profaned, the holy place of Yahweh, which he had loved, and hath taken to himself the daughter of a foreign GOD. 12 May Yahweh, cut off, from the man that doeth it-him that crieth out and him that answereth, out of the tents of Jacob,- him also that bringeth near a present to Yahweh of hosts. 13 And, this, a second time, will ye do, covering with tears, the altar of Yahweh, weeping and making outcry,-because he will not again turn unto the gift, and receive it with acceptance, at your hands? 14 Yet ye say, For what cause? Because, Yahweh, hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, with whom, thou, hast dealt treacherously, though, she, was thy consort, and thy covenant wife. 15 Now was it not, One, who made you who had, the residue of the spirit? What, then, of that One? He was seeking a godly seed. Therefore should ye take heed to your spirit, and, with the wife of thy youth, do not thou deal treacherously. 16 For he hateth divorce, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, him also who covereth with violence his own clothing, saith Yahweh of hosts,-therefore should ye take heed to your spirit, and not deal treacherously. 17 Ye have wearied Yahweh with your words, and yet ye say, Wherein have we been wearisome? When ye have said, Everyone who doeth wrong, is right in the eyes of Yahweh, and, in them, he hath taken delight, or, Where is the God of justice?

Malachi Chapter 3

1 ¶ Behold me! sending my messenger, who will prepare a way before me,- and, suddenly, shall come to his temple The Lord whom ye are seeking, even the messenger of the covenant in whom ye are delighting, Lo! he cometh! saith Yahweh of hosts. 2 But who may endure the day of his coming? And who is he that can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ alkali; 3 Therefore will he sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and will purify the sons of Levi, and will smelt them, as gold and as silver; so shall they belong to Yahweh, offering a gift in righteousness. 4 Then shall the gift of Judah and Jerusalem, be pleasant to Yahweh,-as in the days of age-past times, and as in the ancient years. 5 Therefore will I draw near unto you for judgment, and will become a swift witness against the mutterers of incantations, and against the adulterers, and against them that swear to a falsehood,-and against them who rob the hire of the hireling, the widow and the fatherless, and that drive away the sojourner, and do not revere me, saith Yahweh of hosts. 6 Because, I, Yahweh, have not changed, therefore, ye, the sons of Jacob, have not been utterly consumed. 7 ¶ From the days of your fathers, have ye departed from my statutes, and not observed them, Return ye unto me, that I may return unto you, saith Yahweh of hosts. And yet ye say, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will, a son of earth, defraud, God? Nevertheless, ye, have been defrauding me, and yet ye say, Wherein have we defrauded thee? In the tithe and the offering. 9 With a curse, have ye been cursing, and yet, me, have ye been defrauding,- the whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, Yea, I pray you, put me to the proof hereby, saith Yahweh of hosts, whether I will not open to you the sluices of the heavens, and pour out for you blessing, until there be no room. (Give to others for the greater glory of God, without plan of gain for yourself, that is, give so they glorify God with praise and goodly actions and give without expecting those recipients to repay you in return; and God will give you great bounty from the "heavens". With reference to "heavens", see Genesis 3.22 "us".). 11 Then will I rebuke, for you, the devourer that he spoil not, for you, the fruit of the ground,- neither shall the vine in the field, be barren to you, saith Yahweh of hosts. 12 So shall all the nations, pronounce you happy,-for, ye, shall become, a land of delight, saith Yahweh of hosts. 13 ¶ Stout against me, have been your words, saith Yahweh,-and yet ye say, What have we spoken, one to another, against thee? 14 Ye have said, Vain is it to serve God,-and, What profit when we have kept his charge, or when we have walked gloomily before Yahweh of hosts? 15 Now, therefore, we are pronouncing happy-the proud,-and, the doers of lawlessness have, even been built up, and, they who have put God to the proof, have even been delivered. 16 Then, they who revered Yahweh, conversed, one with another,-and Yahweh hearkened, and heard, and there was written a book of remembrance before him, for them who revered Yahweh, and for such as thought of his Name. 17 Therefore shall they be mine, saith Yahweh of hosts, in the day for which, I, am preparing treasure,-and I will deal tenderly with them, just as a man, dealeth tenderly, with his own son who is serving him. 18 So shall ye return, and see the difference, between the righteous and the lawless,-between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.

Malachi Chapter 4

1 ¶ For lo! the day, cometh, that burneth as a furnace,-and, all the proud and everyone who worketh lawlessness, shall be, stubble, and the day that cometh, shall consume them utterly, saith Yahweh of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 So shall the sun of righteousness, arise to you who revere my Name, with healing in his wings,-and ye shall come forth and leap for joy like calves let loose from the stall; 3 And ye shall tread down the lawless, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet,-in the day when I am working with effect, saith Yahweh of hosts. 4 ¶ Remember ye the law of Moses my servant,-which I commanded him in Horeb, for all Israel, statutes and regulations. 5 Lo! I am sending unto you Elijah the prophet,-before the coming of the great and awful day of Yahweh; 6 And he shall bring back the heart of the fathers unto the children, and the heart of the children unto their fathers,-lest I come, and smite the land, with utter destruction.



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To visit the Main Site of the Internet Church of Christ founded by Dr. Bob Benchoff, click here.


To visit the Second Page of Sermons of the Internet Church of Christ founded by Dr. Bob Benchoff, click here.


To visit the Third Page of Sermons of the Internet Church of Christ founded by Dr. Bob Benchoff, click here.


To visit the Fourth Page of Sermons of ICCDBB, (first part of Old Testament) click here.


To visit the Fifth Page of Sermons of ICCDBB, (second part of Old Testament) click here.