The slaves, Beauty and Bands.

ZECHARIAH.

of the land, saith the LORD: but lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's band, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand 1 will not deliver them.

7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even vou, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people

11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.

12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

The repentance of Jerusalem.

5 And the governors of Judah all say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shaft be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.

6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a Hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a shear; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah Erst, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of supplications: and 13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto they shall look upon me whom they have the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one of them. And I took the thirty pieces of sil-mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitver, and cast them to the potter in the house terness for him, as one that is in bitterness for of the LORD. his first-born.

14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, 11 In that day shall there be a great mourneven Bands, that I might break the brotherhooding in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadbetween Judah and Israel. rimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto 12 And the land shall mourn, every famithee yet the instruments of a foolish shep-ly apart: the family of the house of David herd. apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

16 For lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the Jand, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

17 Wo to the idle shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arin, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

CHAP. XII.

Jerusalem a cup of trembling, and a burdensome stone to her adversaries. 6 The victorious restoring of Judah. 10 The repentance of Jerusalem.

E burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. CHAP. XIII.

1 The fountain of purgation for Jerusalem. 2 The extirpation of idolatry and false prophecy. 7 The death of Christ, and the saving of a third part after a severe trial.

N that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncican

mess.

2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall ao more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a his mother that begat him shall say unburdensome stone for all people: all that bur-to him, Thou shalt not live; for thou den themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, speakest lics in the name of the Loan; though all the people of the earth be gathered and his father and his mother that begat Mogether against it. him shall thrust him through when he pro

4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will phesieth. smite every horse with astonishment, and 4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his rider with madness: and I will open the prophets shall be ashamed every one of mine eye upon the house of Judah, and will his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither smite every Loise of the people with blind-shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

Chap. xiv.

5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the an husbandman; for man taught me to keep earth; in that day, shall there be one LORD, cattle from my youth. and his name one.

10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of 7 Awake, O sword, against my shep-the first gate, unto the corner-gate, and from berd, and against the man that is my fel-the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winelow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the presses. shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little

Band thy spoil shall be divided in the midst about shall be gathered together, gold, and

silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 2 For I will gather all nations against 15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and taken, and the houses rifled, and the wo-of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as men ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the 16 And it shall come to pass, that every people shall not be cut off from the city.

21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of 8 And it shall be in that day, that living hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall waters shall go out from Jerusalem: half of come and take of them, and seethe therethem toward the former sea, and half of them in: and in that day there shall be no more toward the hinder sea; in' suramer and in the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of winter shall it be hosts.

1 MALACHI.

CHAP. I.

CHAP. II.

1 Malachi complaineth of Israel's unkindness, 1 He reproveth the priests for neglecting their 6 irreligion, 12 and profaneness. covenant, 11 and the people for idolatry, 14 adultery, 17 and infidelity.

T

THE burden of the word of the LORD to
Israel by Malachi.

2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet AND now, o ye priests, this command

ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD yet I loved Jacob,

3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

ment is for you.

if to heart, to give glory unto my name, salth 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

I

4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverish- 3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and ed, but we will return and build the desolate spread dung upon your faces, even the dung places: thus saith the LonD of hosts, They of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you shall build, but I will throw down; and they away with it. shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall sav, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

commandate at unto you, that my covenant 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

5 My covenant was with him of life and 6 A son honoureth his father, and a wherewith he feared me, and was afraid bepeace: and I gave them to him for the fear servant his master: if then I be a father, fore my name. where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LoaD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

6 The Is of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; ledge, and they should seek the law at his 7 For the priest's lips should keep knowand ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD In that ye say, The table of the LORD is con-of hosts. temptible.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee. or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your

hand.

have caused many to stemble at the law; ye 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LoRD of hosts.

9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

11 Judab hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto god. the going down of the same, my name shall 12 The LORD will cut off the man that be great among the Gentiles; and in every doeth this, the master and the scholar, out place incense shall be offered unto my name, of the tabernacle of Jacob, and him that and a pure offering: for my name shall be offereth an offering unto great among the heathen, saith the LonD of hosts. the LORD of bosts.

13 And this have ye done again, cover12 But ye have profaned it, in that yeing the altar of the LORD with tears, with say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and weeping, and with crying out, insomuch the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemp-that he regardeth not the offering any Lible. more, or receiveth it with good will at your

13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness hand. is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ve brought an offering: Should I accept this of your hand? eaith the LORD.

14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I an a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the hea

then

LORD hath been witness between thee and 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15 And did not he make one! Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously, against the wife of his youth.

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein bave we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

CHAP. III.

Elijah's coming and office.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her iruis before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: 1 Of the messenger, majesty, and grace of Christ. and what profit is it that we have kept his 7 Of the rebellion, 8 sacrilege, 13 and infi-ordinance, and that we have walked mournfuldelity of the people. 16 The promise of bless-ly before the LoaD of hosts?

ing to them that fear God.

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, EHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he they that work wickedness are set up; yea,

B shall prepare the way before me, and the they that tenus sad are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the LORD LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the cove-spake often one to another: and the LORD nant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remem brauce was written before him for them that come, saith the LORD of hosts.

2 But who may abide the day of his com-feared the LORD, and that thought upon his ing? and who shall stand when he appeareth? name. for he is like a refiuer's fire, and like fuliers soap:

17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and puriñer of silver and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they 18 Then shall ye return, and discern be may offer unto the LORD an offering in right-tween the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

eousness.

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jer salem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against

false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

6 For I am the LORD I chanze not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

CHAP. IV.

God's judgment on the wicked, 2 and his blessing on the good: 5 he telleth of Elijah's coming.

heaven; and all the proud, yea. OR behold, the day cometh, that shall

and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But into yea that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we re-in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD turn!

8¶ Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have

robbed me, even this whole nation.

of hosts.

4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the pro10 Bring ye all the tithes into the store-phet before the coming of the great and dreadhouse. that there may be meat in mine house, ful day of the LORD: and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers of hosts, if I will not open you the windows to the children, and the heart of the children of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that to their fathers, lest I come and smite the there shall not be room enough to receive it.

605

earth with a curse.

Cc3

THE END OF THE PROPHETS