Study Desk

"Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘This people is saying that now isn't the time — the time hasn't yet arrived for Adonai 's house to be rebuilt.'"

"So is now the time for you to be living in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

You sow much but bring in little; you eat but aren't satisfied; you drink but never have enough; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who works for a living earns wages that are put in a bag full of holes.'"

‘You looked for much, but it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?' asks Adonai -Tzva'ot. ‘Because my house lies in ruins, while every one of you runs to take care of his own house.

In fact, I called for a drought on the land and on the hills, on the grain, the wine and the olive oil, on what the ground brings up, on men, animals and on all that hands produce.'"

Nevertheless, Z'rubavel, take courage now," says Adonai ; "and take courage, Y'hoshua the son of Y'hotzadak, the cohen hagadol; and take courage, all you people of the land," says Adonai ; "and get to work! For I am with you," says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

For this is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: "It won't be long before one more time I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land;

When that day comes,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot, ‘I will take you, Z'rubavel, my servant, the son of Sh'alti'el,' says Adonai , ‘and wear you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot."

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!"

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."

"for," says Adonai , "I will be for her a wall of fire surrounding her; and I will be the glory within her.

Up!" says Adonai , "Move! Flee the land of the north! For I scattered you like the four winds of the sky," says Adonai .

For Adonai -Tzva'ot has sent me on a glorious mission to the nations that plundered you, and this is what he says: "Anyone who injures you injures the very pupil of my eye.

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.'"

For look at the stone I have put in front of Y'hoshua: on one stone are seven eyes; I will engrave what is to be written on it,' says Adonai -Tzva'ot; ‘and I will remove the guilt of this land in one day.

For even someone who doesn't think much of a day when such minor events take place will rejoice at seeing the plumbline in the hand of Z'rubavel. So these seven are the eyes of Adonai that range about over all the earth."

Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the face of all the land; for [according to what is written] on one side, everyone who steals will be swept away; and [according to what is written] on the other side, everyone who swears will be swept away.