Study Desk

Do not become like your fathers, unto whom the former prophets, proclaimed, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Return, I pray you, from your wicked ways, and from your wicked practices; but they heard not, nor hearkened unto me, declareth Yahweh.

Your fathers, where are they? and, the prophets, to times age-abiding, do they live?

Howbeit, as for my words and my statutes with which I charged my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and so they returned and said, Just as Yahweh of hosts planned to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our practices, So hath he dealt with us?

So the man who was standing among the myrtle-trees responded, and said, - These, are they whom Yahweh, hath sent, to go to and fro through the earth.

Then responded they to the messenger of Yahweh, who was standing among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth, - and lo! all the earth, resteth and is quiet.

And, with a great displeasure, am I displeased with the careless nations, - in that, when, I, was displeased (for) a little, then, they, helped forward the calamity,

For behold me! brandishing my hand over them, and they shall become a spoil unto their own slaves, - and ye shall know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me.

Then said I, Let them put a clean turban upon his head, - So they put the clean turban upon his head, and clothed him with garments, and, the messenger of Yahweh, was standing up.

Hear, I pray thee, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy friends who are sitting before thee, for, men to serve as signs, they are, - For behold me! bringing in my servant, the Bud;

For who hath despised the day of small things? Yet shall they rejoice, when they see the plummet-stone in the hand of Zerubbabel, - these seven! The eyes of Yahweh, they are - running to and fro throughout all the earth.

Then lifted I up mine eyes and looked, and lo! Two Women coming forward, with the wind in their wings, and, they, had wings, like the wings of the stork, - and bare up the ephah, between the earth and the heavens.

And he said unto me, To build for it a house in the land of Shinar, - so shall it be ready, and they shall settle it there, upon its own base?

They in whose chariot are the black horses, are going forth into the land of the North, and, the white, have gone forth after them, - and, the spotted, have gone forth into the land of the South;

and, the deep red, have come forward and sought to go their way, that they might journey to and fro in the land, so he said, Go your way, journey to and fro in the land, - and they journeyed to and fro in the land.

And, they who are afar off, shall come in and shall build at the temple of Yahweh, so shall yea know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me unto you, - and it shall come to pass if ye will, indeed hearken, unto the voice of Yahweh your God.

Howbeit they refused to give heed, but put forth a rebellious shoulder, - and, their ears, made they hard of hearing, that they might not hear;

and, their heart, turned they into adamant, that they might not hear the law, nor the words which Yahweh of hosts sent by his spirit, through the former prophets, - and so there came great wrath from Yahweh of hosts.

Therefore came it to pass that - just as he cried out and they hearkened not, so, used they to cry out, and I used not to hearken, saith Yahweh of hosts;

But I whirled them over all the nations whom they had not known, and, the land, was made desolate after them, that none passed through and returned, - Yea they made of a delightful land - a desolation.

And I will bring them in, and they shall have their habitation in the midst of Jerusalem, - and shall become my people, and, I, will become their God, In faithfulness and in righteousness.