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1. In the fourth year Darius was king, on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is called Kislev, the Lord spoke his word to Zechariah.
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1. And it came to pass H1961 in the fourth H702 year H8141 of king H4428 Darius H1867 , that the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came H1961 unto H413 Zechariah H2148 in the fourth H702 day of the ninth H8671 month H2320 , even in Chisleu H3691 ;
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2. The city of Bethel sent Sharezer, Regem-Melech, and their men to ask the Lord a question.
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2. When they had sent H7971 unto the house of God H1008 Sherezer H8272 and Regem H7278 -melech , and their men H376 , to pray H2470 H853 before H6440 the LORD H3068 ,
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3. They went to the prophets and priests who were at the Temple of the Lord All-Powerful. The men said, "For years in the fifth month of each year we have shown our sadness and gone without food. Should we continue to do this?"
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3. And to speak H559 unto H413 the priests H3548 which H834 were in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , and to H413 the prophets H5030 , saying H559 , Should I weep H1058 in the fifth H2549 month H2320 , separating myself H5144 , as H834 I have done H6213 these H2088 so many H4100 years H8141 ?
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4. The Lord All-Powerful spoke his word to me, saying,
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4. Then came H1961 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 unto H413 me, saying H559 ,
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5. "Tell the priests and the people in the land: 'For seventy years you went without food and cried in the fifth and seventh months, but that was not really for me.
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5. Speak H559 unto H413 all H3605 the people H5971 of the land H776 , and to H413 the priests H3548 , saying H559 , When H3588 ye fasted H6684 and mourned H5594 in the fifth H2549 and seventh H7637 month , even those H2088 seventy H7657 years H8141 , did ye at all fast H6684 H6684 unto me, even to me H589 ?
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6. And when you ate and drank, it was really for yourselves.
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6. And when H3588 ye did eat H398 , and when H3588 ye did drink H8354 , did not H3808 ye H859 eat H398 for yourselves , and drink H8354 for yourselves ?
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7. The Lord used the earlier prophets to say the same thing, when Jerusalem and the surrounding towns were at peace and wealthy, and people lived in the southern area and the western hills.'"
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7. Should ye not H3808 hear H853 the words H1697 which H834 the LORD H3068 hath cried H7121 by H3027 the former H7223 prophets H5030 , when Jerusalem H3389 was H1961 inhabited H3427 and in prosperity H7961 , and the cities H5892 thereof round about H5439 her , when men inhabited H3427 the south H5045 and the plain H8219 ?
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8. And the Lord spoke his word to Zechariah again, saying,
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8. And the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came H1961 unto H413 Zechariah H2148 , saying H559 ,
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9. "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: 'Do what is right and true. Be kind and merciful to each other.
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9. Thus H3541 speaketh H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , saying H559 , Execute H8199 true H571 judgment H4941 , and show H6213 mercy H2617 and compassions H7356 every man H376 to H854 his brother H251 :
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10. Don't hurt widows and orphans, foreigners or the poor; don't even think of doing evil to somebody else.'
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10. And oppress H6231 not H408 the widow H490 , nor the fatherless H3490 , the stranger H1616 , nor the poor H6041 ; and let none H408 of you imagine H2803 evil H7451 H376 against his brother H251 in your heart H3824 .
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11. "But they refused to pay attention; they were stubborn and did not want to listen anymore.
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11. But they refused H3985 to hearken H7181 , and pulled H5414 away H5637 the shoulder H3802 , and stopped H3513 their ears H241 , that they should not hear H4480 H8085 .
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12. They made their hearts as hard as rock and would not listen to the teachings of the Lord All-Powerful. And they would not hear the words he sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord All-Powerful became very angry.
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12. Yea , they made H7760 their hearts H3820 as an adamant stone H8068 , lest they should hear H4480 H8085 the H853 law H8451 , and the words H1697 which H834 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 hath sent H7971 in his spirit H7307 by H3027 the former H7223 prophets H5030 : therefore came H1961 a great H1419 wrath H7110 from H4480 H854 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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13. "'When I called to them, they would not listen. So when they called to me, I would not listen,' says the Lord All-Powerful.
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13. Therefore it is come to pass H1961 , that as H834 he cried H7121 , and they would not H3808 hear H8085 ; so H3651 they cried H7121 , and I would not H3808 hear H8085 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 :
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14. 'I scattered them like a hurricane to other countries they did not know. This good land was left so ruined behind them that no one could live there. They had made the desired land a ruin.'"
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14. But I scattered them with a whirlwind H5590 among H5921 all H3605 the nations H1471 whom H834 they knew H3045 not H3808 . Thus the land H776 was desolate H8074 after H310 them , that no man passed through H4480 H5674 nor returned H4480 H7725 : for they laid H7760 the pleasant H2532 land H776 desolate H8047 .
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