CHAPTER 7

1 And in the fourth year of king Darius the word of Jehovah came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, even Chisleu:

2 For Sherezer had sent to the house of God, and also Regemmelech and his men, to entreat the favour of Jehovah,

3 And to speak to the priests who were in the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the Prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month? Shall I separate myself as I have done these years?”

4 And the word of Jehovah came to me saying, (165)

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

6 And when ye ate and when ye drank, did you not eat and drink for yourselves?

7 Are not these the words which Jehovah proclaimed by the former Prophets, when Jerusalem was quiet and wealthy, and its cities around it, when both the south and the plain country were quiet?

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

9 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, saying, The judgment of truth pronounce, And kindness and mercies show, Every one to his brother;

10 And the widow and the orphan, The stranger and the poor, rob not; An evil to his brother Let none of you imagine in his heart:

11 But they refused to attend, And presented the withdrawing shoulder, And their ears they made heavy so as not to hear;

12 And their heart they made an adamant, That they might not hear the words Which Jehovah of hosts had sent By his Spirit, through the former prophets; And there was great wrath from Jehovah of hosts:

13 And it was, that as he had called and they heard not, So they shall call, and I will not hear, Saith Jehovah of hosts;

14 And I will scatter them among all the nations, Whom they have not known, And the land shall be desolate after them, So that there shall be none passing through nor returning: And they made the land of delight a waste.