 The Book of Zechariah from the World English Bible This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Missy, Guangzhou, China Zechariah from the World English Bible Chapter 1 In the 8th month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, the son of Barakaya, the son of Ido, the prophet, saying, Yahweh was very displeased with your fathers. Therefore tell them, thus says Yahweh of armies. Return to me, says Yahweh of armies, and I will return to you, says Yahweh of armies. Don't you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, thus says Yahweh of armies, return now from your evil ways and from your evil doings, but they did not hear nor listen to me, says Yahweh. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, didn't they overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, just as Yahweh of armies determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us. On the 24th day of the 11th month, which is the month Shabbat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, the son of Barakaya, the son of Ido, the prophet, saying, I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine, and behind him there were red, brown and white horses. Then I asked, my lord, what are these? The angel who talked with me said to me, I will show you what these are. The man who stood among the myrtle trees answered, they are the ones Yahweh has sent to go back and forth through the earth. They reported to the angel of Yahweh, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, we have walked back and forth through the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and in peace. Then the angel of Yahweh replied, O Yahweh of armies, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years? Yahweh answered the angel who talked with me with kind and comforting words. So the angel who talked with me said to me, proclaim, saying, thus says Yahweh of armies, I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. I am very angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity. Therefore, thus says Yahweh, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy, my house shall be built in it, says Yahweh of armies, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem. Proclaim further, saying, thus says Yahweh of armies, my cities will again overflow with prosperity, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem. I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns. I asked the angel who talked with me, what are these? He answered me, these are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. Yahweh showed me four craftsmen, then I asked, what are these coming to do? He said, these are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head. But these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it. Chapter 2 I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then I asked, where are you going? He said to me, to measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length. Behold, the angel who talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him and said to him, run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem will be inhabited as villages, without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I, says Yahweh, will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the midst of her. Come, come, flee from the land of the north, says Yahweh, for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the sky, says Yahweh. Come, Zion, escape you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon, for thus says Yahweh of armies. For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye. For behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they will be a spoil to those who serve them, and you will know that Yahweh of armies has sent me. Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion, for behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says Yahweh. Many nations shall join themselves to Yahweh in that day, and shall be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that Yahweh of armies has sent me to you. Yahweh will inherit Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flash before Yahweh, for he has roused himself from his holy habitation. Chapter 3 He showed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. Yahweh said to Satan, Yahweh rebuke you, Satan. Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. Isn't this a burning stick plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel. He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments off of him. To him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing. I said, Let them set a clean turban on his head. So they set a clean turban on his head and clothed him, and the angel of Yahweh was standing by. The angel of Yahweh protested to Joshua, saying, Thus says Yahweh of armies, If you will walk in my ways, and if you will follow my instructions, then you also shall judge my house, and shall also keep my court, and I will give you a place of access among these who stand by. Here now Joshua the High Priest, you and your fellows who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign. For behold, I will bring forth my servant, the branch. For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua, on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its engraving, says Yahweh of armies, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, says Yahweh of armies, you will invite every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. Chapter 4 The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as the man who is wakened out of his sleep. He said to me, What do you see? I said, I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand, all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon. There are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it, and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on the left side of it. I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel who talked with me answered me, Don't you know what these are? I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says Yahweh of armies. Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plane, and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of grace, grace to it. Moreover, the word of Yahweh came to me saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it, and you will know that Yahweh of armies has sent me to you. Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of Yahweh which run back and forth through the whole earth. Then I asked him, What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it? I asked him the second time, What are these two olive branches which are beside the two golden spouts that pour the golden oil out of themselves? He answered me, Don't you know what these are? I said know my lord. Then he said, These are the two anointed ones who stand by the lord of the whole earth. Chapter 5 Then again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll. He said to me, What do you see? I answered, I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its breadth ten cubits. Then he said to me, This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side. I will cause it to go out, says Yahweh of armies, and it will enter into the house of the thief and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it will remain in the midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones. Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, Lift up now your eyes and see what is this that is appearing. I said, What is it? He said, This is the Ifa basket that is appearing. He said moreover, This is their appearance in all the land. And behold, a talent of lead was lifted up, and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the Ifa basket. He said, This is wickedness, and he threw her down into the midst of the Ifa basket, and he threw the weight of lead on its mouth. Then lifted I up my eyes and saw, and behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the Ifa basket between earth and the sky. Then said I to the angel who talked with me, Where are these carrying the Ifa basket? He said to me, To build her a house in the land of Shinar, when it is prepared she will be set there in her own place. Chapter 6 Again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses, in the second chariot black horses, in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful. Then I asked the angel who talked with me, What are these, my lord? The angel answered me, These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the lord of all the earth. The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country, and the white went out after them, and the dappled went forth toward the south country. The strong went out and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth. And he said go around and through the earth, so they walked back and forth through the earth. Then he called to me and spoke to me, saying, Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country. The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jadiah, and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon. Yes, take silver and gold and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehoshodak, the high priest, and speak to him, saying, Thus says Yahweh of armies. Behold, the man whose name is the branch, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of Yahweh. Even he shall build the temple of Yahweh, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne, and he shall be a priest on his throne, and the council of peace shall be between them both. The crowns shall be to Helam, and to Tobijah, and to Jadiah, and to hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of Yahweh. Those who are far off shall come and build in the temple of Yahweh, and you shall know that Yahweh of armies has sent me to you. This will happen if you will diligently obey the voice of Yahweh, your God. Chapter 7 It happened in the fourth year of King Darius that the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev. The people of Bethel sent Cherazar and Regimelech and their men to entreat Yahweh's favour and to speak to the priests of the house of Yahweh of armies and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself as I have done these so many years. Then the word of Yahweh of armies came to me, saying, Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me? When you eat and when you drink, don't you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? Aren't these the words which Yahweh proclaimed by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity and its cities around her and the south and the lowland were inhabited? The word of Yahweh came to Zechariah, saying, Thus has Yahweh of armies spoken, saying, Execute true judgment and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother. Don't oppress the widow nor the fatherless, the foreigner nor the poor, and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart. But they refuse to listen and turn their backs and stop their ears that they might not hear. Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which Yahweh of armies had sent by his spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of armies. It has come to pass that as he called and they refused to listen, so they will call, and I will not listen, said Yahweh of armies. But I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned, for they made the pleasant land desolate. Chapter 8 The word of Yahweh of armies came to me. Thus says Yahweh of armies. I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says Yahweh. I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth, and the mountain of Yahweh of armies, the holy mountain. Thus says Yahweh of armies. Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age. The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says Yahweh of armies. If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes, says Yahweh of armies? Thus says Yahweh of armies. Behold, I will save my people from the East country and from the West country, and I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be my people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Thus says Yahweh of armies. Let your hands be strong. You who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, who were in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built. For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in because of the adversary. For I set all men, everyone against his neighbor, but now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days, says Yahweh of armies. For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. It shall come to pass that as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don't be afraid, let your hands be strong. For thus says Yahweh of armies. As I thought to do evil to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, says Yahweh of armies, and I didn't repent. So again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don't be afraid, these are the things that you shall do. Speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gate, and let none of you devise evil in your heart against his neighbor, and love no false oath. For all these are things that I hate, says Yahweh. The word of Yahweh of armies came to me. Thus says Yahweh of armies. The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts, therefore love, truth, and peace. Thus says Yahweh of armies. Many people and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one shall go to another saying, Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of armies. I will go also. Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of armies in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Yahweh. Thus says Yahweh of armies. In those days ten men will take hold out of all the languages of the nations. They will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Chapter 9 An Oracle The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrak and will rest upon Damascus, for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Yahweh, and Hamath also which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon because they are very wise. Tyre built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like the dust and fine gold like the mire of the streets. Behold the Lord will dispossess her and he will strike her power in the sea and she will be devoured with fire. Ashkelon will see it and fear, Gaza also and will writhe in agony as will Ekron for her expectation will be disappointed, and the king will perish from Gaza and Ashkelon will not be inhabited. Foreigners will dwell in Ashtad and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. I will take away his blood out of his mouth and his abominations from between his teeth, and he also will be a remnant for our God and he will be as a chieftain in Judah and Ekron as a Jebusite. I will encamp around my house against the army that none pass through or return, and no oppressor will pass through them anymore for now I have seen with my eyes. Rejoice greatly daughter of Zion, shout daughter of Jerusalem. Behold your king comes to you. He is righteous and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, even on a colt the full of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem and the battle bow will be cut off and he will speak peace to the nations and his dominion will be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. Turn to the stronghold you prisoners of hope, even today I declare that I will restore double to you. For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim and I will stir up your sons Zion against your sons Greece and will make you like the sword of a mighty man. Yahweh will be seen over them and his arrow will go flash like lightning and the Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet and will go with whirlwinds of the south. Yahweh of armies will defend them and they will destroy and overcome with sling stones and they will drink and roar as through wine and they will be filled like bowls like the corners of the altar. Yahweh their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people for they are like the jewels of a crown lifted on high over his land for how great is his goodness and how great is his beauty. Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the virgins. Chapter 10 Ask of Yahweh rain in the springtime, Yahweh who makes storm clouds and he gives rain showers to everyone for the plant from the field. For the terrapheme have spoken vanity and the diviners have seen a lie and they have told false dreams, they comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep, they are oppressed because there is no shepherd. My anger is kindled against the shepherds and I will punish the male goats. For Yahweh of armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle. From him will come forth the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle-bow, from him every ruler together. They shall be as mighty men cutting down muddy streets in the battle and they shall fight because Yahweh is with them and the riders on horses will be confounded. I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save the house of Joseph and I will bring them back for I have mercy on them and they will be as though I had not cast them off. For I am Yahweh their God and I will hear them. Ephraim will be like a mighty man and their heart will rejoice as through wine. Yes, their children will see it and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in Yahweh. I will signal for them and gather them for I have redeemed them and they will increase as they have increased. I will sow them among the peoples and they will remember me in far countries and they will live with their children and will return. I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt and gather them out of Assyria and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon and there won't be room enough for them. He will pass through the sea of affliction and I will strike the waves in the sea and all the depths of the Nile will dry up and the pride of Assyria will be brought down and the scepter of Egypt will depart. I will strengthen them in Yahweh and they will walk up and down in his name, says Yahweh. Chapter 11 Open your doors, Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars. Whale, fir tree, for the cedar has fallen because the stately ones are destroyed. Whale, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down. A voice of the wailing of the shepherds for their glory is destroyed. A voice of the roaring of young lions for the pride of the Jordan is ruined. Thus says Yahweh, my God, feed the flock of slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich and their own shepherds don't pity them. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh. But behold, I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbor's hand and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land and out of their hand I will not deliver them. So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called favor, and the other I called union, and I fed the flock. I cut off the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was weary of them and their soul also loathed me. Then I said, I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die, and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off and let those who are left eat each other's flesh. I took my staff favor and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. It was broken in that day, and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the word of Yahweh. I said to them, if you think it best, give me my wages, and if not, keep them. So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver. Yahweh said to me, throw it to the potter, the handsome price that I was valued at by them. I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of Yahweh. Then I cut apart my other staff, even union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Yahweh said to me, take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound. But he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs and pieces. Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock. The sword will be on his arm and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded. Chapter 12 An Oracle The Word of Yahweh Concerning Israel Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him, says, Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples, and on Judah also will it be in the siege against Jerusalem. It will happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it. In that day, says Yahweh, I will strike every horse with terror and his rider with madness, and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. The chieftains of Judah will say in their heart, the inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Yahweh of armies, their God. In that day I will make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire among wood and like a flaming torch among sheaves, and they will devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, and Jerusalem will yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem. Yahweh also will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem not be magnified above Judah. In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahweh before them. It will happen in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication, and they will look to me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son. And will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his first born. In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hada Driman in the valley of Megidin. The land will mourn every family apart, the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart, and the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart, and the family of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart, the family of the Shimeites apart and their wives apart, all the families who remain, every family apart and their wives apart. Chapter 13 In that day there will be a spring open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. It will come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of armies, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they will be remembered no more. I will also cause the prophets and the spirit of impurity to pass out of the land. It will happen that when anyone still prophesies, then his father and his mother who bore him will tell him, you must die because you speak lies in the name of Yahweh, and his father and his mother who bore him will stab him when he prophesies. It will happen in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. Neither will they wear a hairy mantle to deceive, but he will say, I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground, for I have been made a bondservant from my youth. One will say to him, what are these wounds between your arms? Then he will answer, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me, says Yahweh of armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. It shall happen that in all the land, says Yahweh, two parts in it will be cut off and die, but the third will be left in it. I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, it is my people, and they will say, Yahweh is my God. Chapter 14 Behold, a day of Yahweh comes when your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be taken, the house is rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then Yahweh will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. You shall flee by the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel. Yes, you shall flee just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah. Yahweh, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with you. It will happen in that day that there will not be light, cold, or frost. It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh, not day and not night, but it will come to pass that at evening time there will be light. It will happen in that day that living waters will go out from Jerusalem. Half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. In summer and in winter will it be. Yahweh will be king over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be one, and his name one. All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Riman, south of Jerusalem. And she will be lifted up and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hanano to the king's wine presses. Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse, but Jerusalem will dwell safely. This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem. Their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will consume away in their sockets, and their tongue will consume away in their mouth. It will happen in that day that a great panic from Yahweh will be among them, and they will lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand will rise up against the hand of his neighbor. Judah also will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered together, gold and silver and clothing in great abundance. So will be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel and of the donkey, and of all the animals that will be in those camps as that plague. It will happen that everyone who has left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the king, Yahweh of armies, and to keep the feast of tents. It will be that whoever of all the families of the earth doesn't go up to Jerusalem to worship the king, Yahweh of armies. On them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt doesn't go up and doesn't come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents. In that day there will be on the bells of the horses, holy to Yahweh, and the pots in Yahweh's house will be like the bowls before the altar. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to Yahweh of armies, and all those who sacrifice will come and take of them and cook in them. In that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Yahweh of armies. End of Zachariah The Book of Malachi from the World English Bible This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org The Book of Malachi from the World English Bible, Chapter 1 An Oracle The Word of Yahweh to Israel by Malachi I have loved you says Yahweh yet you say how have you loved us? Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother says Yahweh? Yet I loved Jacob but Esau I hated and made his mountains a desolation and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness. Whereas Edom says we are beaten down but we will return to build the waste places. Thus says Yahweh of armies they shall build but I will throw down and men will call them the wicked land even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever. Your eyes will see and you will say Yahweh is great even beyond the border of Israel. A son honors his father and a servant his master if I am a father then where is my honor? and if I am a master where is the respect do me? says Yahweh of armies to you priests who despise my name you say how have we despised your name? You offer polluted bread on my altar you say how have we polluted you? In that you say Yahweh's table is contemptible Yahweh's table is contemptible when you offer the blind for sacrifice isn't that evil and when you offer the lame and sick isn't that evil? present it now to your governor will he be pleased with you? or will he accept your person? says Yahweh of armies now please entreat the favor of God that he may be gracious to us with this will he accept any of you? says Yahweh of armies oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors that you might not kindle the fire on my altar in vain I have no pleasure in you says Yahweh of armies neither will I accept an offering at your hand for from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name is great among the nations and in every place violence will be offered to my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the nations says Yahweh of armies but you profane it in that you say Yahweh's table is polluted and it's fruit even it's food is contemptible you say also behold what a weariness it is and you have sniffed at it says Yahweh of armies and you have brought that which was taken by violence the lame and the sick thus you bring the offering should I accept this at your hand says Yahweh but the deceiver is cursed who has in his flock a male and vows and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished thing for I am a great king says Yahweh of armies and my name is awesome among the nations chapter 2 now you priests this commandment is for you if you will not listen and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name says Yahweh of armies then I will send a curse on you and I will curse your blessings indeed I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart behold I will rebuke your seed and will spread dung on your faces even the dung of your feasts and you will be taken away with it you will know that I have sent this commandment to you that my covenant may be with Levi says Yahweh of armies my covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them to him who might be reverent toward me and he was reverent toward me and stood in awe of my name the law of truth was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and uprightness and turned many away from iniquity for the priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is a messenger of Yahweh of armies but you have turned aside out of the way you have caused many to stumble in the law you have corrupted the covenant of Levi says Yahweh of armies therefore I have also made you contemptible and base before all the people according to the way you have not kept my ways and have had respect for persons in the law don't we all have one father hasn't one God created us why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother profaning the covenant of our fathers Judah has dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh which he loves and has married the daughter of a foreign God Yahweh will cut off to the man who does this him who wakes and him who answers Jacob and him who offers an offering to Yahweh of armies this again you do you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears with weeping and with sighing because he doesn't regard the offering anymore neither receives it with goodwill at your hand yet you say why because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth against whom you have dealt treacherously though she is your companion and the wife of your covenant did he not make one although he had the residue of the spirit why one he sought a godly seed therefore take heed in your spirit and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth for I hate divorce says Yahweh the God of Israel and him who covers his garment with violence says Yahweh of armies therefore take heed to your spirit that you don't deal treacherously you have wearied Yahweh with your words yet you say how have we wearied him in that you say everyone who does evil is good in the sight of Yahweh and he delights in them or where is the God of justice chapter three behold I send my messenger to prepare the way before me and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire behold he comes says Yahweh of armies but who can endure the day of his coming and who will stand when he appears for he is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them as gold and silver and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to Yahweh as in days of old and as in ancient years I will come near to you to judgment and I will be a swift witness and against the adulterers and against the perjurers and against those who oppressed the hireling and his wages the widow and the fatherless and who deprive the foreigner of justice and don't fear me says Yahweh of armies for I, Yahweh, don't change therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed from the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances and have not kept them returned to me and I will return to you says Yahweh of armies but you say how shall we return will a man rob God yet you rob me but you say how have we robbed you in tithes and offerings you are cursed with the curse for you rob me even this whole nation bring the whole tithe into the store house that there may be food in my house and test me now in this says Yahweh of armies if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall be not room enough for I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your vine before its time in the field says Yahweh of armies all nations shall call you blessed for you will be a delightful land says Yahweh of armies your words have been stout against me says Yahweh you say what have we spoken against you you have said it is vain to serve God and what prophet is it that we have followed his instructions and that we have walked mournfully in the way of armies now we call the proud happy yes those who work wickedness are built up yes they tempt God and escape then those who feared Yahweh spoke one to another and Yahweh listened and heard and a book of memory was written before him for those who feared Yahweh and who honored his name they shall be mine says Yahweh of armies my own possession a man spares his own son who serves him then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him who serves God and him who doesn't serve him Chapter 4 for behold the day comes it burns as a furnace and all the proud and all who work wickedness will be stubble and the day that comes that it shall leave them neither root nor branch but to you who fear my name shall the son of righteousness arise with healing in its wings you will go out and leap like calves of the stall you shall tread down the wicked for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make says Yahweh of armies remember the law of Moses my servant commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel even statutes and ordinances behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers lest I come and strike the earth with a curse End of the book of Malachi