Zechariah 7

1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the LORD’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.

And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chislev.

2 The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat the LORD’s favor,

Now those of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to entreat the favor of Jehovah,

3 and to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of Armies and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”

and to speak to the priests of the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

4 Then the word of the LORD of Armies came to me, saying,

Then the word of Jehovah of hosts came to me, saying,

5 “Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?

Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month, even these seventy years, did ye at all fast to me, even to me?

6 When you eat and when you drink, do not you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?

And when ye eat, and when ye drink, do ye not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

7 Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’”

Should ye not hear the words which Jehovah cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?

8 The LORD’s word came to Zechariah, saying,

And the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah, saying,

9 “Thus has the LORD of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.

Thus Jehovah of hosts has spoken, saying, Execute true justice, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.

10 Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

And do not oppress the widow, nor the fatherless, the sojourner, nor the poor man. And let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.

11 But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

12 Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which the LORD of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of Armies.

Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Jehovah of hosts.

13 It has come to pass that, as he called and they refused to listen, so they will call and I will not listen,” said the LORD of Armies;

And it has come to pass that, as he cried, and they would not hear, so they shall cry, and I will not hear, said Jehovah of hosts.

14 “but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

But I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned. For they laid the pleasant land desolate.