1 A nd it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah on the fourth of the ninth month, in Chislev,

Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev,

2 w hen Bethel had sent Sherezer and Regem-melech, and his men, to supplicate Jehovah,

when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord,

3 t o speak unto the priests that were in the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done now so many years?

and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”

4 A nd the word of Jehovah of hosts came unto me, saying,

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

5 S peak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh, even those seventy years, did ye really fast unto me, unto me?

“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?

6 A nd when ye ate, and when ye drank, was it not you that were eating and drinking?

When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?

7 A re not these the words that Jehovah cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and at peace, and her cities round about her, when the south and the lowland were inhabited?

Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’” Disobedience Resulted in Captivity

8 A nd the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,

9 T hus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew loving-kindness and mercies one to another,

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother.

10 a nd oppress not the widow and the fatherless, the stranger and the afflicted; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’

11 B ut they refused to hearken, and turned a rebellious shoulder, and made their ears heavy, that they should not hear.

“But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

12 A nd they made their heart an adamant, that they should not hear the law, and the words that Jehovah of hosts sent by his Spirit by the hand of the former prophets: therefore was there great wrath from Jehovah of hosts.

Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.

13 A nd it came to pass, like as he called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear, saith Jehovah of hosts;

Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts.

14 a nd I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not, and the land was desolate after them, so that no one passed through nor returned; and they laid the pleasant land desolate.

“But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”