10. Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, And the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month, Shall be to the house of Judah for joy and gladness, And cheerful festivals. But love truth and peace! ye 11. Thus saith the LORD of hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that many And the inhabitants of many cities nations shall come, 12. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, "Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, And to seek the LORD of hosts! I will go also!" 13. Then shall come many nations and mighty kingdoms, To seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, And pray before the LORD. 14. Thus saith the LORD of hosts: In those days shall ten men of all the nations take hold, For we have heard that God is with you." (Chap. VIII; 19-23.) 15. And Jehovah shall be king over all the earth; In that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one. (Chap. XIV; 9.) MALACHI. I. 420 B. C. E. Against the priests, on account of their irreligion, their violations of the .aw. 1. A SON honoreth the father, and a servant his master ; If I, then, be a father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the LORD of hosts to you, ye priests that despise my name. 2. And now to you, O ye priests, is this commandment; 3. That my covenant may remain with Levi, Saith the LORD of hosts. My covenant was with him for life and peace, Which I gave to him for the fear where with he feared me. 4. The law of truth was in his mouth, And unrighteousness was not found in his lips; 5. For the lips of the priest should keep knowledge, 6. But ye have departed from the way, Ye have caused many to stumble at the law, 7. Therefore will I also make you Despicable and base before all the people; According as ye have not kept my ways, But have had respect to persons in the law. (Chap, XI; 1, 4, 9.) II. Against unfair dealing and between man and man. The cruelty of divoree denounced. 1. HAVE we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why should we deal treacherously one against another, And profane the covenant made with our fathers? 2. And this also ye do: Ye cover the altar of the LORD with tears, With weeping and with groans. So that he no more hath regard to the offering, Nor receiveth it with good-will from your hand. 3. Yet ye say, "Wherefore?" It is because the LORD has been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, Against whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully, Although she was thy companion and thy covenanted wife. 4. But did not He make one only? And wherefore one? He sought a goodly race. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And be not unfaithful to th wife of thy youth! 5. For I hate him that putteth away, Saith the LORD, the God of Israel, And him that covereth his garment with violence, Therefore take heed to your spirit, and be not unfaithful. III. Against the priests for their complaints of wearisome service and the unprofitableness of keeping the law. The mission of God's messenger. The coming of the day of God. 1. YE have wearied the LORD with your words; Yet ye say, In that ye say, "Every one of them that do evil Is good in the sight of the LORD, and in them he hath delight; Or, "Where is the God of judgment?" 2. Behold, I will send my messenger, And he shall prepare the way before me; And the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly ccme, 3. And I will come near to you to judgment: And I will be a swift witness Against adulterers, and against false swearers, And against those who defraud the hireling of his hire, 4. For I am the LORD; I change not; Therefore, ye sons of Jacob, are ye not consumed. 5. Ye have said, "It is a vain thing to serve God; And, "What profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, And that we have walked mournfully before the LORD, of hosts? 6. Therefore we call the proud happy ; 7. Yea, they that do wickedness are built up; Yea, they tempt God, and are delivered." Then they that feared the LORD spake to one another, And the LORD heard; And a book of remembrance was written before him, For them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 8. And they shall be to me, saith the LORD of hosts, In the day which I appoint, as my own possession; As a father spareth his own son that serveth him. 9. Then shall ye return and see What is the difference between the righteous and the wicked, Between him who serveth God, and him who serveth him not. (Chap. II; 17-Chap. III; 1-5-6-14-18.) 10. For, behold, the day cometh, which shall burn as an oven; Then shall the proud, and all that do wickedness, be stubble; And the day that cometh suell burn them up, It shall leave them neither root or branch. 11. But for you that fear my name, Shall the sun of salvation arise With healing under his wings. 12. Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, My statutes and precepts! 13. Behold, I will send you Elijah, the prophet. Before the day of the LORD come, the great and terrible day. 14. He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, And the heart of the children to their fathers. (Chap. IV; 1-2, 4-6.) JOEL About 278-250 B. C. E. The day of judgment is near, but repentance can avert the evil. Promise of spiritual enlightenment. The valley of judgment. 1. BLOW ye the trumpet in Zion; Sound an alarm in my holy mountain ! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble! For the day of the LORD cometh, for it is near! A day of darkness, and gloominess, A day of clouds, and thick darkness. 2. As the morning light spreadeth itself upon the mountains, There cometh a numerous people and a strong; Like them there have been none of old time, And after them there shall not be, Even to the years of many gen 'rations. 3. A fire devoureth before them, And behind them a flame burneth; The land is as the garden of Eden before them. (Chap. I; 1-3.) 4. Yet now saith the LORD: 5. Turn ye to me with all your heart, And rend your hearts, and not your garments, For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon al flesh; (Chap. II; 12-13.) And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; Your young men shall see visions. 6. Upon the men-servants also, and upon the handmaids, Will I pour out my spirit in those days. Proclaim this (Chap. II; 28.) Let all the warriors draw near; let them come up!" 8. Beat your ploughshares into swords, And your pruning-hooks into spears; Let the weak say, I am strong! 9. Assemble yourselves and come, all ye nations round about; Gather yourselves together! Thither, O LORD, bring down thy mighty ones! 10. Let the nations rise and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat! For there will I sit to judge all the nations around. 11. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; Come and tread, for the wine-press is full; The vats overflow; for their wickedness is great! 12. The multitudes, the multitudes in the valley of judgment! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of judgment. 13. The sun and the moon are darkened, 14. And the stars withdraw their shining. The heavens and the earth shall shake; 15. Then shall ye know that I am the LORD your God, And Jerusalem shall be my holy seat. (Chap. III; 9-17.) |