3 And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done b Jer. 52. 12. these so many years?

■ Deut. 17.9, 10, 11. & 33. 10. Mal. 2.7.

ch. 8. 19.

c Is. 58. 5. d Jer. 41. 1. ch. 8. 19.

e ch. 1. 12.

? See Rom. 14.6.

2 Or, be not ye they that, &c. 3 Or, Are not these the words.

weep

4 T Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,

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

6 And when did eat, and when ye ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the Heb.by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, 8 Jer. 17. 26. when men inhabited & the south and the plain?

hand of, &c.

h Is. 58. 6,7. Jer. 7.23. Mic. 6. 8. ch. 8. 16.

Matt. 23. 23. judgment of

5Heb.Judge

truth.

¡ Exod. 22. 21, 22.

Deut. 24. 17. Is. 1. 17. Jer. 5. 28.

k Ps. 36. 4. Mic. 2. 1.

ch. 8. 17.

1 Neh. 9. 29. Jer. 7.24.

8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,

9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, h5 Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

11 But they refused to hearken, Hos. 4. 16. and 16 pulled away the shoulder, and 7m stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

* Heb. they

gave a

backsliding shoulder.

7 Heb.made heavy.

in Acts 7.57. n Ezek. 11. 19. & 36. 26.

Neh. 9. 29,

30.

& Treb. by the hand of.

p 2 Chr. 36. 16.

Dan. 9. 11.

13 Therefore it is come to pass, Prov. 1. 24 that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:

Is. 1. 15.
Jer. 11. 11.
& 14. 12.
Mic. 3. 4.

r Deut. 4.27. & 28. 64. Ezek. 36.19. ch. 2. 6.

t

14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations • whom they knew not. Thus the Deut.28.33. land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returnHeb. landed: for they laid " the pleasant land desolate.

t Lev.26.22. u Dan. 8. 9.

of desire.

9

CHAPTER VIII.

The restoration of Jerusalem. 9 They are encouraged to the building by God's favour to them. 16 Good works are required of them. 18 Joy and enlargement are promised.

3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Je-ch. 2. 10. rusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. 4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand 2 for very age.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be 3 marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

5

down of the See Ps.50.1.

sun.

1

& 113. 3. Mal. 1. 11.

Jer. 30.22. ch. 13.9. Jer. 4. 2. ver. 18. Ezra 5.12.

& 31. 1,33.

m Hag. 2.4.

• Hag. 2. 18.

Or,the hire became

of man nothing, &c. pHag.1.6,9, 10. & 2. 16.

10 For before these days there was no Phire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set 12 Chr.15.5. all men every one against his neigh

bour.

11 But now I will not be unto

the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.

Heb. of

peace.

12 For the seed shall be pros-Hos. 2. 21, perous; the vine shall give her fruit, Joel 2. 22. and the ground shall give her in-ag. 2.19. crease, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were "a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not,

hosts came to me, saying,

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts;

. Ps. 67. 6. t See Hag.1.

10.

14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, | z Jer. 31. 28.

God will save and

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 487.

2 Or, subdue the stones

of the sling.

3 Or, shall fill both the bowls, &c.

© Lev. 4. 18, 25. Deut. 12.27. d Is. 62. 3. Mal. 3. 17. e Is. 11. 12.

f Ps. 31. 19.

8 Joel 3. 18. Amos 9. 14.

4 Or, grow, or, speak.

Jer. 14.22.

b Deut. 11. 14.

Joel 2. 23.

1 God is to be sought unto, and not idols. As he visited his flock for sin, so he will save and restore them.

SK a of LORD in ye

restore his flock.

9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall "remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.

11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.

12 And I will strengthen them

5

Job 29. 23. the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

5 Or,

lightnings, Jer. 10. 13. d Jer. 10. 8.

Hab. 2. 18. teraphims,

• Heb.

Judg. 17. 5. e Job 13. 4.

7 Or, answered that, &c. f Ezek.34.5.

8 Ezek. 84. 17.

8 Heb. visited upon.

2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they ⚫ comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they ' were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

f

3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly

h Luke 1.68.
1 Cant. 1.9. horse in the battle.

* Num. 24. 17.

4 Out of him came forth the 1Sam.14.38. corner, out of him 'the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

Is. 19. 13.

1 Is. 22. 23.

5 And they shall be as mighty Ps. 18. 42. men, which m tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.

9 Or, they shall make the riders on horses ashamed.

a Jer. 8. 18. 31.

Ezek.37.21.

p ch. 13. 9.

ch. 9.

6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and P will hear them.

7 And they of Ephraim shall be Ps. 104.15. like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.

3 ¶ There is a voice of the howl-forest. ing of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.

4 Thus saith the LORD my God; • Feed the flock of the slaughter; 5 Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.

6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.

7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, 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'lothed Hos. 5.7. them, and their soul also abhorred

me.

7 Heb. was straitened for them.

Type of a foolish shepherd.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 487.

i Jer. 15. 2. & 43. 11. 2 Heb. of his fellowo, or, neighbour.

3 Or, the poor of the flock, &c. certainly knew.

k ver. 7.

you:

9 Then said I, I will not feed '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 Zeph.3, 12. think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

4 Heb. If it be good in your eyes. 1 Matt. 26.

15. See

Ex. 21. 32.

9,10.

13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly Matt. 27. price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

6 Or, Binders.

n Ezek. 34. 2,3,4.

7 Or, bear.

14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15 And the LORD said unto me, " Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit Or hidden. 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 Woe to the idol shepherd that John 10. 12, leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

• Jer. 23. 1. Ezek. 31. 2.

13.

Restoration of Judah

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 487.

f Ps. 76. 6.

4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the Ezek. 38. 4. house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

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

Or, There to me and

is strength

to the inhabitants, &c.

Joel s. 18. Obad. 18.

6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah & like an hearths of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; 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 first, 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 34 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.

Joel 3. 10. Or, abject. fallen

4 Heb.

9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy Hag.: 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 they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

m as

11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

5

9, 11.

& ch. 13. 1.

&14. 4, 6,

8.9, 13.

• Matt. 21.

44.

12 P And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

6

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

CHAPTER XIII.

The fountain of purgation for Jerusalem, 2 from idolatry, and false prophecy. 7 The death of Christ, and the trial of a third part.

ver. 3.

Jer. 31.9. Ezek.39.29.

& 4. Joel 2. 28.

John 19. Rev. 1. 7.

34,37.

m Jer. 6.26. Amos 8. 10.

Bet. 16.

1 Pet. 1. 19.

Death of Christ foretold.

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 487.

2 Heb. separation for uncleanness.

Josh. 23. 7. P3. 10. 4. Ezek.30.13. Hos. 2. 17. Mic. 5. 12, 13.

d 2 Pet. 2.1.

David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

2 ¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the Ex. 23. 13. idols out of the land, and they shall no 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 his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father eDeut.13.6, and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

8. & 18. 20.

a Is. 13. 9. Joel 2. 31. Acts 2. 20.

b Joel 3. 2.

9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will Prefine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

:

CHAPTER XIV. 1 The destroyers of Jerusalem destroyed. 4 The coming of Christ, and the graces of his kingdom. 12 The plague of Jerusalem's enemies. 16 The remnant shall turn to the Lord, 20 and their spoils shall be holy.

EHOLD, the day of the LORD

divided in the midst of thee.

2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the Ls. 13. 16. city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into

The coming of Christ.

captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

d

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 487.

Ezek.11.23.

3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 T And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, à See which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and e Joel 3. 12, there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

с

5 And ye shall flee to the valley of 2 the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be 'clear, nor dark:

6

7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

9 And the LORD shall be "king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

10 All the land shall be turned & 60. 19, 20. Pas a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and 2 inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.

r

11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

eastern, Joel 2. 20. n Dan. 2.44.

Rev. 11. 15.

o Eph. 4. 5, 6.

0 Or, compassed. I8. 40. 4.

q ch. 12. 6. 2 Or, shall

12 T And this shall be the plague abide. wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall con

their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

r Neh. 3. 1. Jer. 31. 38. . Jer. 31. 40. t Jer. 23. 6. abide.

u 1 Sam. 14.

13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from 16, 20.