Bible in 90 Days
Habakkuk’s Vision
1 The divine revelation that the prophet Habakkuk saw.
Habakkuk’s Question
2 How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help,
but you will not listen?
I cry out to you, “There’s violence!”
yet you will not come to the rescue.
3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing?
And why do you watch wickedness?
Destruction and violence are in front of me.
Quarrels and disputes arise.
4 That is why your teaching is numbed,
and justice is never carried out.
Wicked people surround righteous people
so that when justice is carried out, it’s perverted.
The Lord’s Answer
5 Look among the nations and watch.
Be amazed and astonished.
I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.
6 I am going to send the Babylonians,
that fierce and reckless nation.
They will march throughout the earth
to take possession of lands that don’t belong to them.
7 They will be terrifying and fearsome.
They will carry out their own kind of justice and honor.
8 Their horses will be faster than leopards
and quicker than wolves in the evening.
Their riders will gallop along proudly.
Their riders will come from far away.
They will fly like an eagle that swoops down for its prey.
9 They will all come for violence.
Every face will be directed forward.
They will gather prisoners like sand.
10 They will make fun of kings and treat rulers as a joke.
They will laugh at every fortified city
and build a dirt ramp to capture it.
11 They will move quickly and pass through like the wind.
So they will be guilty,
because their own strength is their god.
Habakkuk’s Question
12 Didn’t you exist before time began, O Lord, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die!
O Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment.
O Rock, you have destined them to correct us.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look at evil.
You can’t watch wickedness.
Why do you keep watching treacherous people?
Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those
who are more righteous than they are?
14 You make all people like the fish in the sea,
like schools of sea life that have no ruler.
15 The Babylonians pull them all up with fishhooks,
drag them away in nets,
and gather them in dragnets.
So they rejoice and are happy.
16 That is why they sacrifice to their nets and burn incense to their dragnets.
They are rich and well fed because of them.
17 Will they keep on emptying their nets
and always kill nations without mercy?
Habakkuk Waits for the Lord’s Answer
2 I will stand at my guard post.
I will station myself on the wall.
I will watch to see what he will say to me
and what answer I will get to my complaint.
The Lord’s Answer
2 Then the Lord answered me,
“Write the vision.
Make it clear on tablets
so that anyone can read it quickly.
3 The vision will still happen at the appointed time.
It hurries toward its goal.
It won’t be a lie.
If it’s delayed, wait for it.
It will certainly happen.
It won’t be late.
4 “Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself.
But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.[a]
5 Also because wine is treacherous
he is arrogant and never rests.
He has a large appetite like the grave.
He is like death—never satisfied.
He gathers all the nations to himself.
He collects all the people to himself.
6 Won’t all of them ridicule him,
directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like:
“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich
with what is not his own
and makes himself wealthy on loans.
How long will this go on?’
7 Won’t your creditors suddenly rise up
and those who are going to shake you wake up?
Then you will become their prize.
8 You have looted many nations.
All the rest of the people will loot you
because of the slaughter and violence done
to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.
9 “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence
to get things for his own household
in order to set his nest up high
and save himself from disaster.’
10 You have planned disgrace for your household
by cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life.
11 A stone in the wall will cry out.
A beam in the roof will answer it.
12 “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter
and founds a town by crime.’
13 Isn’t it from the Lord of Armies
that people grow tired only to feed the flames
and nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory
like the water covers the sea.
15 “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink
from the bowl of God’s rage,
making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.’
16 You are filled with disgrace rather than glory.
Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless.
The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you,
and disgrace will cover your glory.
17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you
because of the slaughter and violence done
to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.
18 “What benefit is there in a carved idol
when its maker has carved it?
What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies,
when its maker has molded it?
The one who formed it trusts himself
to make worthless idols that cannot speak.
19 ‘How horrible it will be for the one
who says to a piece of wood, “Wake up!”
and to a stone that cannot talk, “Get up!” ’
Can that thing teach ⌞anyone⌟?
Just look at it!
It’s covered with gold and silver,
but there’s absolutely no life in it.”
20 The Lord is in his holy temple.
All the earth should be silent in his presence.
A Psalm
3 A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk; according to shigionoth.[b]
2 Lord, I have heard the report about you.
Lord, I fear your work.
In the course of the years, renew it.
In the course of the years, reveal it.
In all this chaos, remember to be merciful.
3 God comes from Teman.
The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covers the heavens.
His praise fills the earth.
4 His brightness is like the sunlight.
Rays of light ⌞stream⌟ from his hand.
That is where his power is hidden.
5 Diseases go ahead of him.
Plagues follow after him.
6 He stands and shakes the earth.
He casts a glance and startles the nations.
The oldest mountains break apart.
The ancient hills sink.
The ancient paths belong to him.
7 I see trouble in the tents of Cushan.
I see trembling in the tents of Midian.
8 The Lord is not angry with the rivers, is he?
If you are angry with the rivers,
if you are furious with the sea,
⌞why⌟ do you ride your horses,
your chariots of salvation?
9 You get your bow ready for action,
for the arrows ⌞you⌟ promised. Selah
You split the land with rivers.
10 The mountains look at you. They writhe in pain.
Floodwaters pass by.
The deep ocean roars. Its waves rise up high.
11 The sun and the moon stand still.
They scatter at the light of your arrows,
at the bright lightning of your spear.
12 You march through the earth with fury.
You trample the nations in anger.
13 You go out to save your people,
to save your anointed.[c]
You crush the leader of the wicked household,
stripping him bare from head to toe. Selah
14 You pierce the leader of his gang with his own arrows.
His soldiers come like a violent storm to scatter me.
They are arrogant like those who secretly eat up the poor.
15 You march with your horses into the sea,
into the mighty raging waters.
16 I have heard, so there’s trembling within me.
At the report my lips quivered.
A rotten feeling has entered me.
I tremble where I stand.
I wait for the day of trouble
to come to the people who will attack us.
17 Even if the fig tree does not bloom
and the vines have no grapes,
even if the olive tree fails to produce
and the fields yield no food,
even if the sheep pen is empty
and the stalls have no cattle—
18 even then,
I will be happy with the Lord.
I will truly find joy in God, who saves me.
19 The Lord Almighty is my strength.
He makes my feet like those of a deer.
He makes me walk on the mountains.
For the choir director; on stringed instruments.
Zephaniah’s Prophecy
1 This is the word that the Lord spoke to Zephaniah, who was the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. The Lord spoke his word in the days of Judah’s King Josiah, son of Amon.
The Lord Will Judge the Earth
2 “I will gather everything on the face of the earth
and put an end to it,” declares the Lord.
3 “I will put an end to humans and animals.
I will put an end to
the birds in the sky,
the fish in the sea,
and the sins that make people fall, together with the sinners.
I will remove all people from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
The Lord Will Judge Judah
4 “I will use my power against Judah
and against those who live in Jerusalem.
I will remove the faithful few of Baal from this place
and the names of the pagan priests along with my priests.
5 I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops
and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the Lord
while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom.[d]
6 I will remove those who have turned away from following the Lord
and those who no longer seek the Lord or ask him for help.”
7 Be silent in the presence of the Almighty Lord,
because the day of the Lord is near.
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice.
He has invited his special guests.
8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice I will punish the officials,
the king’s sons, and all who dress in foreign clothing.[e]
9 On that day I will punish all who jump over the doorway
and all who fill their master’s house with violence and deception.
10 On that day a loud cry will come from Fish Gate,
a howling from the Second Part of the city,
and a loud crashing sound from the hills,” declares the Lord.
11 “Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar,[f]
because all the merchants will be destroyed
and all who handle money will be killed.
12 “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those
who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle,
who think that the Lord won’t do anything—good or bad.
13 Their wealth will be looted.
Their homes will be demolished.
They will build houses, but they won’t live in them.
They will plant vineyards, but they won’t drink their wine.”
The Day of the Lord
14 The frightening day of the Lord is near.
It is near and coming very quickly.
Listen! Warriors will cry out bitterly on the day of the Lord.
15 That day will be a day of overflowing fury,
a day of trouble and distress,
a day of devastation and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and overcast skies,
16 a day of rams’ horns and battle cries
against the fortified cities
and against the high corner towers.
17 “I will bring such distress on humans that they will walk like they are blind,
because they have sinned against the Lord.”
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their intestines like manure.
18 Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them
on the day of the Lord’s overflowing fury.
The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery anger,
because he will put an end, a frightening end,
to those who live on earth.
A Call for Judah to Turn Away from Sin
2 Gather yourselves together!
Yes, gather together, you shameless nation,
2 before the decree is carried out
⌞and⌟ the day passes like windblown husks,
before the Lord’s burning anger comes to you,
before the day of the Lord’s anger comes to you.
3 Search for the Lord, all you humble people in the land
who carry out his justice.
Search for what is right.
Search for humility.
Maybe you will find shelter on the day of the Lord’s anger.
The Lord Will Judge His People’s Enemies
4 Gaza will be deserted,
and Ashkelon will be destroyed.
Ashdod will be driven out at noon,
and Ekron will be torn out by the roots.
5 How horrible it will be for those who live on the seacoast,
for the nation from Crete.
The Lord’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines:
“I will destroy you so that no one will be living there.”
6 The seacoast will become pastureland
with meadows for shepherds
and fenced-off places for sheep.
7 The coast will belong to the faithful few from the nation of Judah.
There they will graze their sheep.
In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will take care of them
and will restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the insults from Moab and the mockery from Ammon.
They insulted my people and bragged about their territory.
9 Therefore, I solemnly swear, as I live,”
declares the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel,
“Moab will become like Sodom, and Ammon will become like Gomorrah:
a place of weeds, salt pits, and ruins forever.
The faithful few of my people will loot them,
and those who are left in my nation will take possession of them.”
10 This is what they will get for their sinful pride,
because they insulted the people who belong to the Lord of Armies
and made themselves greater than them.
11 The Lord will terrify them,
because he will make all the gods of the earth waste away.
So every person from every coast and nation will bow to him.
12 “Even you, the people from Sudan,
you will also die by my sword.”
13 The Lord will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria.
He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin,
a dried up wasteland like the desert.
14 Flocks will lie down in it along with animals of every kind.
Even pelicans and herons will nest on top of its columns.
Listen! A bird will sing in a window.
The doorway will be in ruins,
because the Lord will expose the cedar beams.
15 Is this the arrogant city?
Is this the city that used to live securely,
the city that used to think to itself,
“I’m the only one, and no one else exists but me”?
What a wasteland it is now, a resting place for wild animals!
All who pass by it will hiss and make an obscene gesture.
Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed
3 How horrible it will be for that rebellious
and corrupt place, the city of violence.
2 It obeys no one.
It does not accept correction.
It does not trust the Lord.
It does not draw close to its God.
3 Its officials are ⌞like⌟ roaring lions.
Its judges are ⌞like⌟ wolves in the evening.
They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.
4 Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful.
Its priests contaminate what is holy.
They violate the teachings.
5 The righteous Lord is in that city.
He does no wrong.
He brings his judgment to light every morning.
He does not fail.
But those who are perverted are shameless.
6 “I will cut off the nations.
Their towers will be destroyed.
I will demolish their streets.
No one will walk through them.
Their cities will be completely destroyed.
Not a single person will be left.
No one will be living there.
7 I said ⌞to my people⌟,
‘You will fear me.
You will accept correction!’
Then their homeland would not be wiped out
even though I have punished them.
Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did.”
8 The Lord declares, “Just wait!
One day I will stand up as a witness.
I have decided to gather nations,
to bring kingdoms together,
and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them.
The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.
Israel Will Turn Away from Sin
9 “Then I will give all people pure lips
to worship the Lord
and to serve him with one purpose.
10 From beyond the rivers of Sudan
my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring my offering.
11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed
of all your rebellious acts against me.
Then I will remove your arrogance
and never again will you act proud on my holy mountain.
12 So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people.
They will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The faithful few in Israel will not do wrong, tell lies,
or use their tongues to deceive others.
They will graze their sheep and lie down,
and there will be no one to terrify them.”
Israel’s Joyful Song
14 Sing happily, people of Zion!
Shout loudly, Israel!
Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord has reversed the judgments against you.
He has forced out your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is with you.
You will never fear disaster again.
16 On that day Jerusalem will be told,
“Do not be afraid, Zion!
Do not lose courage!”
17 The Lord your God is with you.
He is a hero who saves you.
He happily rejoices over you,
renews you with his love,
and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.
Israel Will Return Home
18 “I will gather those among you who are troubled because of the festivals.
They bear a burden of disgrace.
19 At that time
I will deal with all who have overpowered you.
I will rescue those who are lame.
I will gather those who have been scattered.
I will make them praised and famous in all the world,
though they had been ashamed.
20 At that time I will bring you ⌞home⌟.
Yes, at that time I will gather you together.
I will make you famous and praised among all the people of the earth
when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes,” says the Lord.
A Call to Rebuild the Lord’s House
1 On the first day of the sixth month in Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah) and to the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak). He said, 2 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: These people say it’s not the right time to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
3 Then the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said, 4 “Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, this is what the Lord of Armies says: Carefully consider your ways! 6 You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you’re never full. You drink, but you’re still thirsty.[g] You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it. 7 This is what the Lord of Armies says: Carefully consider your ways!
8 “Go to the mountains, get lumber, and build the house. I will be pleased with it, and I will be honored,” declares the Lord.
9 “You expected a lot, but you received a little. When you bring something home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of Armies. “It’s because my house lies in ruins while each of you is busy working on your own house. 10 It is because of you that the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land, the hills, and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and whatever the ground produces, on humans and animals, and on all your hard work.”
The Work on the House Resumes
12 Then Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon obeyed the Lord their God. They also obeyed the words of the prophet Haggai because the Lord their God had sent him and because the people feared the Lord.
13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord who had received the Lord’s message, said to the people, “I am with you, declares the Lord.”
14 The Lord inspired them ⌞to rebuild his house⌟. So Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon began working on the house of the Lord of Armies, their God. 15 They began on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in Darius’ second year as king.
The New House Will Be Greater Than the Old One
2 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said, 2 “Now, speak to Zerubbabel (who is the son of Shealtiel and is governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who is the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon. 3 Ask them, ‘Is there anyone among the faithful few who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn’t it seem like nothing to you?’
4 “But now, Zerubbabel, be strong,” declares the Lord. “Chief Priest Joshua (son of Jehozadak), be strong. Everyone in the land, be strong,” declares the Lord. “Work, because I am with you,” declares the Lord of Armies. 5 “This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains with you. Don’t be afraid.
6 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: Once again, in a little while, I am going to shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the one whom all the nations desire will come. Then I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of Armies. 9 This new house will be more glorious than the former, declares the Lord of Armies. And in this place I will give ⌞them⌟ peace, declares the Lord of Armies.”
Though the People Are Sinful, the Lord Will Bless Them
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Haggai. He said, 11 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: Ask the priests for a decision. 12 Suppose a person carries meat set aside for a holy purpose and he folds it up in his clothes. If his clothes touch bread, boiled food, wine, oil, or any kind of food, does that make the food holy?”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Haggai asked, “Suppose a person becomes unclean [h] by touching a corpse. If he touches any of these things, does that make them unclean?”
The priests answered, “That makes them unclean.”
14 Then Haggai answered, “In the same way, I have decided that these people are unclean, and so is this nation, declares the Lord. So is everything they do. Whatever offering they bring is unclean.
15 “And from now on, carefully consider this. Consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the temple of the Lord. 16 When anyone came to a pile of grain ⌞to get⌟ 20 measures, there would be only 10. And when anyone came to a wine vat to draw out 50 measures, there would be only 20 in it. 17 I infested all your work with blight and mildew and struck it with hail. But you didn’t come back to me, declares the Lord. 18 Carefully consider from now on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. Carefully consider: 19 Is there any seed left in the barn? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still haven’t produced. But from now on I will bless you.”
A Promise to Zerubbabel
20 The Lord spoke his word to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month. He said, 21 “Say to Zerubbabel (governor of Judah), ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of nations. I will overthrow chariots and their riders, and the horses will fall along with their riders. They will kill one another with swords. 23 On that day, declares the Lord of Armies, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel (son of Shealtiel), declares the Lord. I will make you like a signet ring, because I have chosen you, declares the Lord of Armies.’ ”
Turn from Your Evil Ways
1 In the eighth month of Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. He said, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me, declares the Lord of Armies, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.’ 4 Don’t be like your ancestors, who heard the earlier prophets preach to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.’ But they didn’t listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your ancestors—where are they now? And the prophets—are they still alive? 6 Didn’t my warnings and my laws, which I’ve commanded my servants the prophets ⌞to preach⌟, finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, ‘The Lord of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.’ ”
The Lord Will Comfort Zion
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) in Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo.
8 During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.
9 “What do these horses mean, sir?” I asked.
The angel who was speaking with me answered, “I will show you what they mean.”
10 The man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They’re the horses the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.” 11 Then they reported to the Messenger of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth. The whole world is at rest and in peace.”
12 Then the Messenger of the Lord said, “Lord of Armies, how much longer until you show compassion to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You’ve been angry with them for 70 years.” 13 The Lord responded to the angel who was speaking with me, using kind and comforting words.
14 The angel who was speaking with me said, “Announce: This is what the Lord of Armies says: I’m very jealous about Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I’m very angry with the nations who think they are at ease. I was only a little angry, but they made things worse. 16 This is what the Lord of Armies says: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My house will be rebuilt in it, declares the Lord of Armies. A measuring line will be used to rebuild Jerusalem.
17 “Announce again: This is what the Lord of Armies says: My cities will overflow with prosperity once more. The Lord will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem.” [i]
Punishment for the Nations That Scattered Judah
18 I looked up and saw four animal horns. 19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What do these horns mean?”
He said to me, “These are the horns ⌞of the nations⌟ that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are they going to do?”
He answered, “Those horns scattered Judah so widely that no one could lift up his head. But the craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations. The nations raised their horns to scatter the land of Judah.”
The Lord Will Choose Jerusalem
2 [j]I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked him, “Where are you going?”
He answered, “I am going to measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is.”
3 Then the angel who was speaking with me left. Another angel came out to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, and say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because it will have so many people and animals in it. 5 I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the Lord. I will be the glory within it.’
6 “Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. I’ve scattered you to the four winds of heaven. 7 Hurry, Zion! Escape, you inhabitants of Babylon! 8 This is what the Lord of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. 9 I’m going to shake my fist at the nations, and their own slaves will loot them. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me. 10 Sing for joy and rejoice, people of Zion. I’m going to come and live among you, declares the Lord. 11 On that day many nations will join the Lord and become my people. I will live among you. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will claim Judah as his own in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.
13 “Everyone be silent in the presence of the Lord. He is waking up and setting out from his holy dwelling place.”
The Lord Will Send His Servant, the Branch
3 Then he showed me Joshua, the chief priest, standing in front of the Messenger of the Lord. Satan the Accuser was standing at Joshua’s right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, silence you, Satan! I, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, silence you! Isn’t this man like a burning log snatched from a fire?”
3 Joshua was wearing filthy clothes and was standing in front of the Messenger. 4 The Messenger said to those who were standing in front of him, “Remove Joshua’s filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken your sin away from you, and I will dress you in fine clothing.”
5 So I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” They put a clean turban on his head and dressed him while the Messenger of the Lord was standing there.
6 The Messenger of the Lord advised Joshua, 7 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you live according to my ways and follow my requirements, you will govern my temple and watch over my courtyards. Then I will give you free access to walk among those standing here.
8 “Listen, Chief Priest Joshua and your friends sitting with you. These men are a sign of things to come: I’m going to bring my servant, the Branch.
9 “Look at the stone I have set in front of Joshua. That one stone has seven eyes.[k] I am engraving an inscription on it,” declares the Lord of Armies. “I will remove this land’s sin in a single day. 10 On that day,” declares the Lord of Armies, “each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree.”
The Lord’s House Will Be Rebuilt
4 The angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me up as one might wake up someone who is sleeping. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl on top and seven lamps on it. There are seven spouts for each lamp that is on top of it. 3 There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What do these things mean, sir?”
5 Then the angel asked me, “Don’t you know what they mean?”
“No, sir,” I answered.
6 Then he replied, “This is the word the Lord spoke to Zerubbabel: You won’t ⌞succeed⌟ by might or by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Armies. 7 What a high mountain you are! In front of Zerubbabel you will become a plain. He will bring out the topmost stone with shouts of ‘Blessings, blessings on it!’ ”
8 Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 9 “Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. 10 Who despised the day when little things began to happen? They will be delighted when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These seven eyes of the Lord roam over all the earth.)”
11 I asked the angel, “What do these two olive trees at the right and the left of the lamp stand mean?” 12 Again I asked him, “What is the meaning of the two branches from the olive trees next to the two golden pipes that are pouring out gold?”
13 He asked me, “Don’t you know what these things mean?”
“No, sir,” I answered.
14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
Sinners Will Be Separated from the Lord’s People
5 I looked up again and saw a flying scroll.
2 The angel asked me, “What do you see?”
“I see a flying scroll,” I answered. “It’s 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.”
3 Then he said to me, “This is a curse that will go out all over the earth. The one side of the scroll says that every thief will be forced away. The other side of the scroll says that everyone who takes an oath will be forced away. 4 I will send out a curse, declares the Lord of Armies, and it will enter the houses of thieves and the houses of those who take oaths in my name. It will stay in their houses and destroy the timber and stone.”
Wickedness Will Be Removed from the Land
5 The angel who was speaking with me came forward. He said, “Look up, and see what’s coming.”
6 “What is it?” I asked.
“A basket is coming,” he said. Then he added, “This is what the people’s sins look like all over the earth.” [l] 7 A lead cover ⌞on the basket⌟ was raised, and a woman was sitting in the basket. 8 The angel said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and forced the lead cover down on top of it.
9 I looked up and saw two women coming forward with wind in their wings. They had wings like those of a stork. They carried the basket into the sky.
10 I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the basket?”
11 He answered me, “They are going to build a house for it in Shinar [Babylonia]. When the house is ready, they will set the basket there on a stand.”
The Lord’s Victory Throughout the Earth
6 I looked up again and saw four chariots going out from between the two mountains. They were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses. The second had black horses. 3 The third had white horses. And the fourth had strong, spotted horses. 4 I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What do these horses mean, sir?”
5 The angel answered, “They are the four spirits of heaven. They are going out after standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses is going toward the north, and the white horses are following them. The spotted ones are going toward the south.”
7 When these strong horses went out, they were eager to patrol the earth.
He said, “Go, patrol the earth!” And they patrolled the earth.
8 Then he called out to me, “Look! Those who went to the north have made my Spirit rest in the north.”
Priest and King
9 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 10 “Take an offering from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. This same day go to the house of Josiah, son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold, make a crown, and put it on the head of Chief Priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak. 12 Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Here is the man whose name is Branch. He will branch out from where he is, and he will rebuild the Lord’s temple. 13 He will rebuild the Lord’s temple and receive royal honor. He will sit and rule from his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. There will be a peaceful understanding between them. 14 The crown will be a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen (son of Zephaniah) in the Lord’s temple. 15 Those who are far away will come and rebuild the Lord’s temple. Then you will know the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen if you obey the Lord your God completely.’ ”
You Should Have Obeyed the Lord’s Prophets
7 On the fourth day of the ninth month (the month of Chislev) in Darius’ fourth year as king, the Lord spoke his word to Zechariah. 2 Now, ⌞the people from⌟ Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech with their men [m] to ask the Lord for a blessing. 3 They asked the priests from the house of the Lord of Armies as well as the prophets, “Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done for so many years?”
4 Then the Lord of Armies spoke his word to me. He said, 5 “Tell all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these past 70 years, did you really do it for me? 6 When you ate and drank, didn’t you do it to benefit yourselves? 7 Aren’t these the same words that the Lord announced through the earlier prophets, when Jerusalem and its surrounding cities were inhabited and undisturbed and the Negev and the foothills were still inhabited?’ ”
8 Then the Lord spoke his word to Zechariah. He said, 9 “This is what the Lord of Armies says: Administer real justice, and be compassionate and kind to each other. 10 Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And don’t even think of doing evil to each other.
11 “But people refused to pay attention. They shrugged their shoulders at me and shut their ears so that they couldn’t hear. 12 They made their hearts as hard as flint so that they couldn’t hear the Lord’s teachings, the words that the Lord of Armies had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord of Armies became very angry.
13 “When I called, they wouldn’t listen. So now when they call, I won’t listen, says the Lord of Armies. 14 I used a windstorm to scatter them among all the nations, nations they hadn’t even heard of. They left behind a land so ruined that no one is able to travel through it. They have turned a pleasant land into a wasteland.”
What the Lord Will Do for Zion
8 The Lord of Armies spoke his word.
2 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
I am very jealous about Zion.
I am fiercely possessive of it.
3 This is what the Lord says:
I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth.
The mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the holy mountain.
4 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
Each will have a cane in hand because of old age.
5 The city will be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets.
6 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
It may seem impossible to the few remaining people in those days,
but will it seem impossible to me? declares the Lord of Armies.
7 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
I am going to save my people
from the land where the sun rises
and from the land where the sun sets.
8 I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem.
They will be my people, and I will be their God, who is faithful and just.
9 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
Be strong so that the temple might be rebuilt,
you people who are presently listening
to the words from the mouths of the prophets
who spoke when the foundation
for the house of the Lord of Armies was laid.
10 Before that time there was no money to hire any person or animal.
No one who traveled was safe from the enemy.
I turned every person against his neighbor.
11 But now I won’t deal with the few remaining people
as I did in earlier times, declares the Lord of Armies.
12 Seeds will thrive in peacetime.
Vines will produce their grapes.
The land will yield its crops.
The sky will produce its dew.
I will give the few remaining people
all these things as an inheritance.
13 Just as you, people of Judah and people of Israel,
have been a curse among the nations,
so I will now save you,
and you will become a blessing.
Don’t be afraid. Let your hands work hard.
14 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
When your ancestors made me angry,
I made plans to destroy you, declares the Lord of Armies,
and I didn’t change my plans.
15 So now I have again made plans, but this time to do good
to Jerusalem and the people of Judah.
Don’t be afraid.
16 You must do these things:
Speak the truth to each other.
Give correct and fair verdicts for peace in your courts.
17 Don’t even think of doing evil to each other.
Don’t enjoy false testimony.
I hate all these things, declares the Lord.
Many Nations Will Come to the Lord’s People
18 The Lord of Armies spoke his word to me again.
19 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
The fast in the fourth month, the fast in the fifth month,
the fast in the seventh month, and the fast in the tenth month
will become joyful and glad occasions
as well as happy festivals for the nation of Judah.
So love truth and peace.
20 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
People and citizens from many cities are going to come.
21 The citizens of one city will come to another city, saying,
“Let’s make a habit of going to ask the Lord for a blessing
and to seek the Lord of Armies.
I’m also going.”
22 Many people and powerful nations will come
to seek the Lord of Armies in Jerusalem
and to ask the Lord for a blessing.
23 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
In those days ten people from every language found among the nations
will take hold of the clothes of a Jew. They will say,
“Let us go with you
because we have heard that God is with you.”
The Lord Protects His House
9 This is the divine revelation.
The Lord’s word is against the land of Hadrach
and will rest on Damascus
2 and also Hamath, which borders on it,
and Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
(The eyes of humanity and of all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord.) [n]
3 Tyre built itself a fortress.
It piled up silver like dust
and gold like mud in the streets.
4 The Lord will take away its possessions.
He will throw its wealth into the sea
and burn the city down.
5 Ashkelon will see ⌞this⌟ and be afraid.
Gaza will also be in great pain,
also Ekron, because its hope will fade.
Gaza will lose its king.
Ashkelon will no longer be lived in.
6 A mixed race will live in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the Philistines’ arrogance.
7 I will remove the blood from their mouths
and the disgusting things from between their teeth.
Then only a few of them will be left for our God
like a tribe in Judah,
and Ekron will be like a Jebusite.
8 I will camp in front of my house
as a guard against those who come and go.
No oppressors will pass through them,
because I have seen it with my own eyes.
The Lord Sends His King
9 Rejoice with all your heart, people of Zion!
Shout in triumph, people of Jerusalem!
Look! Your King is coming to you:
He is righteous and victorious.
He is humble and rides on a donkey,
on a colt, a young pack animal.
10 He [o] will make sure there are no chariots in Ephraim
or war horses in Jerusalem.
There will be no battle bows.
He will announce peace to the nations.
He will rule from sea to sea
and from the ⌞Euphrates⌟ River to the ends of the earth.
11 I will set your captives free from the waterless pit
because of the blood that sealed my promise [p] to you.
12 Return to your fortress, you captives who have hope.
Today I tell you that I will return to you double ⌞blessings⌟.
13 I will bend Judah as my bow
and draw my bow with Ephraim ⌞as its arrow⌟.
I will stir up your people, Zion, against your people, Greece,
and I will use you like a warrior’s sword.
14 The Lord will appear over them,
and his arrow will go out like lightning.
The Almighty Lord will blow the ram’s horn
and will march in the storms from the south.
15 The Lord of Armies will defend them.
They will destroy and trample the stones used in slings.
They will drink and shout as if they were drunk.
They will be filled like a sacrificial bowl
⌞used for sprinkling⌟ the corners of the altar.
16 On that day the Lord their God will rescue them
as the flock of his people.
They will certainly sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.
17 They will be beautiful and lovely.[q]
Young men will prosper on grain,
and young women will prosper on new wine.
The Lord’s People Will Be Victorious
10 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime.
The Lord makes thunderstorms.
He gives everyone rain showers for the plants in the field.
2 The idols speak lies.
The fortunetellers see false visions.
They speak about false dreams.
They give useless comfort.
That is why people wander around like sheep.
They are troubled because there is no shepherd.
3 “My burning anger is directed against the shepherds.
I will punish the male goats.
The Lord of Armies takes care of his flock, the people of Judah.
He makes them like his splendid war horse.”
4 From them will come a cornerstone,
from them a tent peg,
from them a battle bow,
from them every leader.
5 Together they will be like warriors
who trample the enemy in the mud on the streets.
They will fight because the Lord is with them.
They will put to shame those who ride on horses.
6 “I will strengthen the people of Judah.
I will rescue Joseph’s people.
I will bring them back, because I have compassion for them.
It will be as though I had never rejected them,
because I am the Lord their God, and I will answer them.
7 The people of Ephraim will be like mighty warriors.
Their hearts will be glad as if they had some wine ⌞to drink⌟.
Their sons will see it and be glad.
Their hearts will find joy in the Lord.
8 I will signal them with a whistle
and gather them because I have reclaimed them.
They will be as numerous as they have ever been.
9 Although I have scattered them among the nations,
they will remember me even in faraway places.
They will live with their children and then return.
10 I will bring them back from Egypt.
I will gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and to Lebanon,
and there won’t be enough room for them.”
11 The Lord will pass through a sea of distress,
strike the waves in the sea,
and dry up all the deep places of the Nile River.
The pride of Assyria will be humiliated,
and the scepter of Egypt will depart.
12 “I will strengthen them in the Lord.
They will live in his name,” declares the Lord.
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