HAGGAI, 1. 520 B. C. E. The people reproved for neglecting to build the temple. IN the second year of Darius. the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Josedec, the high2. priest, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts: This people saith, The time is not yet come, the time that the house of the LORD 3. should be built. But the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 4. Is it then a time for yourselves To dwell in ceiled houses, While this house lieth waste? 5. And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of 6. Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the son of Josedec, the high-priest, and the spirit of all the remnant 7. of people, so that they came and executed work upon the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, on the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. (Chap. I; 1-5, 14-15.) 8. IN the seventh month, on the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, 9. saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Josedec, the highpriest, and to the remnant of the people, saying : 10. Who is there left among you, That saw this house In its former glory? And what do you it see now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 11. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; And be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedec, the high-priest; And be strong, O all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work! For I am with you said the LORD of hosts. 12. This is the covenant which I made with you when ye came out of Egypt, And my spirit remaineth among you : Fear ye not! 13. For thus saith the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a short time, I will shake the heavens and the earth, 14. I will shake all the nations. 15. Greater shall be thy glory of this latter house than of the for mer, Saith the LORD of hosts; And in this place will I give peace. (Chap. II; 1-7, 9.) 1. 2. ZECHARIAH. 520., B. C. E. I. Exhortation to Repentance. In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD, to Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying: The LORD hath been much displeased with your fathers. 3. But say thou to them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts : and I will turn to you, 4. Be ye not as your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings! 5. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6. But my words and my statutes, Which I commanded my servants, the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? 7. And they returned and said, Even as the LORD of hosts thought to do to us according to our ways, And according to our doings, so hath he done to us. (Chap. I; 1-7.) This is the curse that goeth forth Over the face of the whole land; For every one who stealeth shall be cut off from hence, according to it. 7. I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, And it shall enter into the house of the thief, And into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name; And it shall abide in his house, And shall consume it, with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. (Chap. II; 3-4.) 1. Through reformation and the prevalence of true righteousness, the favor of God shall change fasts into feasts, and the nations will be converted to the God Israel. THIS is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying :Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the LORD of hosts, 2. What art thou, O great mountain? 3. Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain! And he shall bring forth the corner-stone amid shoutings, [The people crying,]" Grace, grace be to it!"; The Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 4. hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands shall finish it. And thou shalt know that the LORD 5. of hosts hath sent me to you. For who hath despised the day of small things? With joy shall the plummet be seen in the hand of Zerubbabel. (Chap. IV; 6-10.) 6. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For, behold, I will come, And I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD; 7. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, And shall be my people; And I will dwell in the midst of thee; And thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me to thee. 8. And the LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, And will again choose Jerusalem. 9. Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD! For he riseth up from his holy habitation. (Chap. II; 10-13.) 10. Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, month, Shall be to the house of Judah for joy and gladness, And cheerful festivals. But love ye truth and peace! 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 1. .aw. 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 wherewith 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, 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 |