Zechariah 7

1 And it came to pass, in the fourth year of King Darius, that the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

And it comes to pass, in the fourth year of Darius the king, a word of YHWH has been to Zechariah, in the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu.

2 when they had sent to the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before Jehovah,

And Beth-El sends Sherezer and Regem-Melech, and its men, to appease the face of YHWH,

3 and to speak to the priests that were in the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”

speaking to the priests who [are] at the house of YHWH of Hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Do I weep in the fifth month—being separated—as I have done these so many years?”

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

And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts to me, saying,

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

“Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying,

6 And when ye eat and drink, is it not ye that eat, and ye that drink?

When you fasted with mourning in the fifth and in the seventh [months]—even these seventy years—did you keep the fast [to] Me? And when you eat, and when you drink, is it not you who are eating, and you who are drinking?

7 Are not these the words which Jehovah proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and her cities round about her, and when the South and the Plain were inhabited?

Are [these] not the words that YHWH proclaimed by the hand of the former prophets, in Jerusalem’s being inhabited, and [in] safety, and its cities around it, and the south and the plain—abiding?”

8 And the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah, saying,

And there is a word of YHWH to Zechariah, saying,

9 Thus spake Jehovah of hosts, saying, Judge true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother.

“Thus spoke YHWH of Hosts, saying, Judge [with] true judgment, And do kindness and mercy with one another.

10 And the widow, and the orphan, and the stranger, and the poor, oppress not, and meditate not evil against one another in your heart.

And do not oppress widow, and fatherless, Sojourner, and poor, And you do not devise the calamity of one another in your heart.

11 But they refused to hearken, and showed a refractory shoulder, and made their ears dull, that they might not hear;

And they refuse to attend, And they give a stubborn shoulder, And their ears are made heavy against hearing.

12 yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, that they might not hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts sent through his spirit by the former prophets. Therefore came great anger from Jehovah of hosts.

And their heart they have made adamant, Against hearing the Law, and the words, That YHWH of Hosts sent by His Spirit, By the hand of the former prophets, And there is great wrath from YHWH of Hosts.

13 And as he called and they would not hear, so they called and I would not hear, saith Jehovah of hosts.

And it comes to pass, as He called, And they have not listened, So they call, and I do not listen,” said YHWH of Hosts.

14 And I scattered them as with a whirlwind among all the nations, which they knew not. And the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through, nor returned; and thus the beautiful land was made a desolation.

“And I toss them on all the nations, That they have not known, The land has been desolate behind them, Of any passing by and turning back, And they set a desirable land for a desolation!”