Study Desk

"Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built.

But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' declares Yahweh of hosts.

"For thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Just as I purposed to bring about evil to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,' says Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I have not relented,

Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying,

"Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and merry appointed feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.'

"Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, "Let us go at once to entreat the favor of Yahweh and to seek Yahweh of hosts; I will also go."

So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of Yahweh.'

Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from every tongue of the nations will take hold of the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"

Yahweh of hosts will defend them.And they will consume and trample on the stones of a sling;And they will drink and roar as with wine;And they will be filled like a sacrificial bowl,Drenched like the corners of the altar.

"My anger burns against the shepherds,And I will visit punishment upon the male goats;For Yahweh of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,And will make them like His splendid horse in battle.

Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through Yahweh of hosts, their God.'

"And it will be in that day," declares Yahweh of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass away from the land.

"Awake, O sword, against My ShepherdAnd against the man, My Associate,"Declares Yahweh of hosts."Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;And I will turn My hand against the little ones.

Then it will be that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.

And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, there will be no rain on them.

And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to Yahweh of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Yahweh of hosts in that day.

Though Edom says, "We have been demolished, but we will return and build up the waste places"; thus says Yahweh of hosts, "They may build, but I will pull down; and men will call them a territory of wickedness, and the people toward whom Yahweh is indignant forever."

"‘A son honors his father, and a slave his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is the fear of Me?' says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?'

But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Please, bring it near to your governor! Would he accept you? Or would he lift up your face?" says Yahweh of hosts.