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I struck you with blasting winds, mildew and hail on everything your hands produced; but you still wouldn't return to me,' says Adonai .

"Don't be like your ancestors. The earlier prophets proclaimed to them, ‘ Adonai -Tzva'ot says to turn back now from your evil ways and deeds'; but they didn't listen or pay attention to me," says Adonai .

But my words and my laws, which I ordered my servants the prophets, overtook your ancestors, didn't they? Then they turned and said, ‘ Adonai has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he intended to do.'"'"

and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.'

In the eighth month of the second year of Daryavesh, the following message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: " Adonai was extremely angry with your ancestors. Therefore, tell them that Adonai -Tzva'ot says this: ‘"Return to me," says Adonai -Tzva'ot, "and I will return to you," says Adonai -Tzva'ot. "Don't be like your ancestors. The earlier prophets proclaimed to them, ‘ Adonai -Tzva'ot says to turn back now from your evil ways and deeds'; but they didn't listen or pay attention to me," says Adonai . "Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my laws, which I ordered my servants the prophets, overtook your ancestors, didn't they? Then they turned and said, ‘ Adonai has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he intended to do.'"'" On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Sh'vat, in the second year of Daryavesh, this message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: It was night, and I saw there before me a man riding on a russet-colored horse. He stood among the myrtle bushes in the valley; and behind him were other horses, russet, chestnut-colored and white. I asked, "What are these, my Lord?" The angel speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." The man standing among the myrtles said, "These are those whom Adonai has sent to wander throughout the earth." Then they themselves answered the angel of Adonai standing among the myrtles, "We have been wandering throughout the earth, and the whole world is quiet and at peace." The angel of Adonai said, " Adonai -Tzva'ot, how long will you keep withholding mercy from Yerushalayim and the cities of Y'hudah? You've been angry with them for the past seventy years!" Adonai replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. The angel speaking with me then said to me, "Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘I am extremely jealous on behalf of Yerushalayim and Tziyon; and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.' Therefore Adonai says, ‘I will return to Yerushalayim with merciful deeds. My house will be rebuilt there,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot; ‘yes, a measuring line will be stretched out over Yerushalayim.' In addition, proclaim that Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity.' Adonai will again comfort Tziyon, and he will again make Yerushalayim the city of his choice."

In the eighth month of the second year of Daryavesh, the following message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: " Adonai was extremely angry with your ancestors. Therefore, tell them that Adonai -Tzva'ot says this: ‘"Return to me," says Adonai -Tzva'ot, "and I will return to you," says Adonai -Tzva'ot. "Don't be like your ancestors. The earlier prophets proclaimed to them, ‘ Adonai -Tzva'ot says to turn back now from your evil ways and deeds'; but they didn't listen or pay attention to me," says Adonai . "Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my laws, which I ordered my servants the prophets, overtook your ancestors, didn't they? Then they turned and said, ‘ Adonai has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he intended to do.'"'" On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Sh'vat, in the second year of Daryavesh, this message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: It was night, and I saw there before me a man riding on a russet-colored horse. He stood among the myrtle bushes in the valley; and behind him were other horses, russet, chestnut-colored and white. I asked, "What are these, my Lord?" The angel speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." The man standing among the myrtles said, "These are those whom Adonai has sent to wander throughout the earth." Then they themselves answered the angel of Adonai standing among the myrtles, "We have been wandering throughout the earth, and the whole world is quiet and at peace." The angel of Adonai said, " Adonai -Tzva'ot, how long will you keep withholding mercy from Yerushalayim and the cities of Y'hudah? You've been angry with them for the past seventy years!" Adonai replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. The angel speaking with me then said to me, "Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘I am extremely jealous on behalf of Yerushalayim and Tziyon; and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.' Therefore Adonai says, ‘I will return to Yerushalayim with merciful deeds. My house will be rebuilt there,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot; ‘yes, a measuring line will be stretched out over Yerushalayim.' In addition, proclaim that Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity.' Adonai will again comfort Tziyon, and he will again make Yerushalayim the city of his choice."

In the eighth month of the second year of Daryavesh, the following message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: " Adonai was extremely angry with your ancestors. Therefore, tell them that Adonai -Tzva'ot says this: ‘"Return to me," says Adonai -Tzva'ot, "and I will return to you," says Adonai -Tzva'ot. "Don't be like your ancestors. The earlier prophets proclaimed to them, ‘ Adonai -Tzva'ot says to turn back now from your evil ways and deeds'; but they didn't listen or pay attention to me," says Adonai . "Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my laws, which I ordered my servants the prophets, overtook your ancestors, didn't they? Then they turned and said, ‘ Adonai has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he intended to do.'"'" On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Sh'vat, in the second year of Daryavesh, this message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: It was night, and I saw there before me a man riding on a russet-colored horse. He stood among the myrtle bushes in the valley; and behind him were other horses, russet, chestnut-colored and white. I asked, "What are these, my Lord?" The angel speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." The man standing among the myrtles said, "These are those whom Adonai has sent to wander throughout the earth." Then they themselves answered the angel of Adonai standing among the myrtles, "We have been wandering throughout the earth, and the whole world is quiet and at peace." The angel of Adonai said, " Adonai -Tzva'ot, how long will you keep withholding mercy from Yerushalayim and the cities of Y'hudah? You've been angry with them for the past seventy years!" Adonai replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. The angel speaking with me then said to me, "Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘I am extremely jealous on behalf of Yerushalayim and Tziyon; and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.' Therefore Adonai says, ‘I will return to Yerushalayim with merciful deeds. My house will be rebuilt there,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot; ‘yes, a measuring line will be stretched out over Yerushalayim.' In addition, proclaim that Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity.' Adonai will again comfort Tziyon, and he will again make Yerushalayim the city of his choice."

In the eighth month of the second year of Daryavesh, the following message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: " Adonai was extremely angry with your ancestors. Therefore, tell them that Adonai -Tzva'ot says this: ‘"Return to me," says Adonai -Tzva'ot, "and I will return to you," says Adonai -Tzva'ot. "Don't be like your ancestors. The earlier prophets proclaimed to them, ‘ Adonai -Tzva'ot says to turn back now from your evil ways and deeds'; but they didn't listen or pay attention to me," says Adonai . "Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my laws, which I ordered my servants the prophets, overtook your ancestors, didn't they? Then they turned and said, ‘ Adonai has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he intended to do.'"'" On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Sh'vat, in the second year of Daryavesh, this message from Adonai came to Z'kharyah the son of Berekhyah, the son of ‘Iddo, the prophet: It was night, and I saw there before me a man riding on a russet-colored horse. He stood among the myrtle bushes in the valley; and behind him were other horses, russet, chestnut-colored and white. I asked, "What are these, my Lord?" The angel speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." The man standing among the myrtles said, "These are those whom Adonai has sent to wander throughout the earth." Then they themselves answered the angel of Adonai standing among the myrtles, "We have been wandering throughout the earth, and the whole world is quiet and at peace." The angel of Adonai said, " Adonai -Tzva'ot, how long will you keep withholding mercy from Yerushalayim and the cities of Y'hudah? You've been angry with them for the past seventy years!" Adonai replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. The angel speaking with me then said to me, "Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘I am extremely jealous on behalf of Yerushalayim and Tziyon; and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.' Therefore Adonai says, ‘I will return to Yerushalayim with merciful deeds. My house will be rebuilt there,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot; ‘yes, a measuring line will be stretched out over Yerushalayim.' In addition, proclaim that Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity.' Adonai will again comfort Tziyon, and he will again make Yerushalayim the city of his choice."

But I will shake my hand over them, and they will be plundered by those who were formerly their slaves." Then you will know that Adonai -Tzva'ot sent me. "Sing, daughter of Tziyon; rejoice! For, here, I am coming; and I will live among you," says Adonai . When that time comes, many nations will join themselves to Adonai . "They will be my people, and I will live among you." Then you will know that it was Adonai -Tzva'ot who sent me to you. Adonai will take possession of Y'hudah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again make Yerushalayim his choice. Be silent, all humanity, before Adonai ; for he has been roused from his holy dwelling.'"

Then he answered me, "This is the word of Adonai to Z'rubavel: ‘Not by force, and not by power, but by my Spirit,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

But they wouldn't listen, they stubbornly turned their shoulder away and stopped up their ears, so that they wouldn't have to hear it.

but with the power of a whirlwind I will disperse them among all the nations which they have not known.' Thus the land was left desolate after them, so that no one came or went. They had turned a pleasant land into a desert."

Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘This may seem amazing to the survivors in those days, but must it also seem amazing to me?' says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

But from now on, I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did before,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

House of Y'hudah and house of Isra'el, just as you were formerly a curse among the nations, so now I will save you; and you will be a blessing. Don't be afraid, but take courage!'

But Adonai will dispossess her and break her power at sea, while the city itself will be destroyed by fire.

I will end their eating meat with its blood still in it, snatching the disgusting things from between their teeth." But the surviving remnant will belong to our God; it will be like a clan in Y'hudah; and ‘Ekron will be like a Y'vusi.

But I will strengthen [Isra'el] in Adonai ; they will travel here and there in his name," says Adonai .

When that day comes," says Adonai , "I will strike all the horses with panic and their riders with madness; I will keep watch over Y'hudah, but I will strike blind all the horses of the peoples.

In time, throughout that land," says Adonai , "two-thirds of those in it will be destroyed — they will die, but one-third will remain.