1
And it came to pass in the fourth[H702]year[H8141] of king[H4428]Darius[H1867], that the word[H1697] of the LORD[H3068] came unto Zechariah[H2148] in the fourth[H702] day of the ninth[H8671]month[H2320], even in Chisleu[H3691];
2
When they had sent[H7971] unto the house[H1004] of God[H410]Sherezer[H8272] and Regemmelech[H7278], and their men[H582], to pray[H2470]before[H6440] the LORD[H3068],
3
And to speak[H559] unto the priests[H3548] which were in the house[H1004] of the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], and to the prophets[H5030], saying[H559], Should I weep[H1058] in the fifth[H2549]month[H2320], separating[H5144] myself, as I have done[H6213] these so many years?[H8141]
4
Then came the word[H1697] of the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635] unto me, saying[H559],
5Speak[H559] unto all[H6684] the people[H5971] of the land[H776], and to the priests[H3548], saying[H559], When ye fasted[H6684] and mourned[H5594] in the fifth[H2549] and seventh[H7637] month, even those seventy[H7657]years[H8141], did ye at all[H6684]fast[H6684] unto me, even to me?
6
And when ye did eat[H398], and when ye did drink[H8354], did not ye eat[H398] for yourselves, and drink[H8354] for yourselves?
7
Should ye not hear the words[H1697] which the LORD[H3068] hath cried[H7121]by[H3027] the former[H7223]prophets[H5030], when Jerusalem[H3389] was inhabited[H3427] and in prosperity[H7961], and the cities[H5892] thereof round about her[H5439], when men inhabited[H3427] the south[H5045] and the plain?[H8219]
8
And the word[H1697] of the LORD[H3068] came unto Zechariah[H2148], saying[H559],
9
Thus speaketh[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], saying[H559], Execute[H8199]true[H571]judgment[H4941], and shew[H6213]mercy[H2617] and compassions[H7356] every man[H376] to his brother[H251]:
10
And oppress[H6231] not the widow[H490], nor the fatherless[H3490], the stranger[H1616], nor the poor[H6041]; and let none of you imagine[H2803]evil[H7451]against[H376] his brother[H251] in your heart[H3824].
11
But they refused[H3985] to hearken[H7181], and pulled away[H5414] the shoulder[H3802], and stopped[H3513] their ears[H241], that they should not hear[H8085].
12
Yea, they made[H7760] their hearts[H3820] as an adamant stone[H8068], lest they should hear[H8085] the law[H8451], and the words[H1697] which the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635] hath sent[H7971] in his spirit[H7307]by[H3027] the former[H7223]prophets[H5030]: therefore came a great[H1419]wrath[H7110] from the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635].
13
Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried[H7121], and they would not hear[H8085]; so they cried[H7121], and I would not hear[H8085], saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635]:
14
But I scattered them with a whirlwind[H5590] among all the nations[H1471] whom they knew[H3045] not. Thus the land[H776] was desolate[H8074]after[H310] them, that no man passed through[H5674] nor returned[H7725]: for they laid[H7760] the pleasant[H2532]land[H776]desolate[H8047].