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Habakkuk

Habakkuk’s Prayer

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. Onshigionoth.

2 Lord, I have heard of your fame;

I stand in awe of your deeds,Lord.

Repeat them in our day,

in our time make them known;

in wrath remember mercy.

3 God came from Teman,

the Holy One from Mount Paran.

His glory covered the heavens

and his praise filled the earth.

4 His splendor was like the sunrise;

rays flashed from his hand,

where his power was hidden.

5 Plague went before him;

pestilence followed his steps.

6 He stood, and shook the earth;

he looked, and made the nations tremble.

The ancient mountains crumbled

and the age-old hills collapsed—

but he marches on forever.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,

the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

8 Were you angry with the rivers,Lord?

Was your wrath against the streams?

Did you rage against the sea

when you rode your horses

and your chariots to victory?

9 You uncovered your bow,

you called for many arrows.

You split the earth with rivers;

10 the mountains saw you and writhed.

Torrents of water swept by;

the deep roared

and lifted its waves on high.

11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens

at the glint of your flying arrows,

at the lightning of your flashing spear.

12 In wrath you strode through the earth

and in anger you threshed the nations.

13 You came out to deliver your people,

to save your anointed one.

You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,

you stripped him from head to foot.

14 With his own spear you pierced his head

when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,

gloating as though about to devour

the wretched who were in hiding.

15 You trampled the sea with your horses,

churning the great waters.

16 I heard and my heart pounded,

my lips quivered at the sound;

decay crept into my bones,

and my legs trembled.

Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity

to come on the nation invading us.

17 Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in theLord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The SovereignLordis my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to tread on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/HAB/3-52cc074605dbdc31909112919723a608.mp3?version_id=111—

Zephaniah

The reign of King Manasseh of Judah was the time of greatest corruption, injustice and paganism in Judah’s history. But Manasseh’s grandson King Josiah reasserted the nation’s faith and obedience to God and its independence from foreign empires. One reason for this seems to be that a member of his court stood up and warned that Judah’s breaking of the covenant had led it to the brink of destruction. The person who offered this warning was the prophet Zephaniah.

The book’s prologue identifies Zephaniah as the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah. No other prophet’s ancestry is traced back four generations, so this seems intended to associate Zephaniah with the great reforming king of Judah. It is likely that Zephaniah was of royal blood, since he was familiar with particular districts in Jerusalem and with specific activities in the capital.

This collection of prophecies has three main parts. First is a description of

the day of theLord

that is coming against Judah and Jerusalem. Next is a call for national repentance, along with oracles of destruction against the Philistines, Moabites, Cushites (Ethiopians), Assyrians and Jerusalem itself. In the final section, Zephaniah promises that God will restore a humble remnant when he returns as a Mighty Warrior among his people.

Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1

1 The word of theLordthat came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:

Judgment on the Whole Earth in the Day of the Lord

2 “I will sweep away everything

from the face of the earth,”

declares theLord.

3 “I will sweep away both man and beast;

I will sweep away the birds in the sky

and the fish in the sea—

and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”

“When I destroy all mankind

on the face of the earth,”

declares theLord,

4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah

and against all who live in Jerusalem.

I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,

the very names of the idolatrous priests—

5 those who bow down on the roofs

to worship the starry host,

those who bow down and swear by theLord

and who also swear by Molek,

6 those who turn back from following theLord

and neither seek theLordnor inquire of him.”

7 Be silent before the SovereignLord,

for the day of theLordis near.

TheLordhas prepared a sacrifice;

he has consecrated those he has invited.

8 “On the day of theLord’s sacrifice

I will punish the officials

and the king’s sons

and all those clad

in foreign clothes.

9 On that day I will punish

all who avoid stepping on the threshold,

who fill the temple of their gods

with violence and deceit.

10 “On that day,”

declares theLord,

“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,

wailing from the New Quarter,

and a loud crash from the hills.

11 Wail, you who live in the market district;

all your merchants will be wiped out,

all who trade withsilver will be destroyed.

12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps

and punish those who are complacent,

who are like wine left on its dregs,

who think, ‘TheLordwill do nothing,

either good or bad.’

13 Their wealth will be plundered,

their houses demolished.

Though they build houses,

they will not live in them;

though they plant vineyards,

they will not drink the wine.”

14 The great day of theLordis near—

near and coming quickly.

The cry on the day of theLordis bitter;

the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.

15 That day will be a day of wrath—

a day of distress and anguish,

a day of trouble and ruin,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness—

16 a day of trumpet and battle cry

against the fortified cities

and against the corner towers.

17 “I will bring such distress on all people

that they will grope about like those who are blind,

because they have sinned against theLord.

Their blood will be poured out like dust

and their entrails like dung.

18 Neither their silver nor their gold

will be able to save them

on the day of theLord’s wrath.”

In the fire of his jealousy

the whole earth will be consumed,

for he will make a sudden end

of all who live on the earth.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/ZEP/1-b702d22fa00242322b5ca91ca08378d5.mp3?version_id=111—

Zephaniah

Zephaniah 2

Judah and Jerusalem Judged Along With the Nations

Judah Summoned to Repent

1 Gather together, gather yourselves together,

you shameful nation,

2 before the decree takes effect

and that day passes like windblown chaff,

before theLord’s fierce anger

comes upon you,

before the day of theLord’s wrath

comes upon you.

3 Seek theLord, all you humble of the land,

you who do what he commands.

Seek righteousness, seek humility;

perhaps you will be sheltered

on the day of theLord’s anger.

Philistia

4 Gaza will be abandoned

and Ashkelon left in ruins.

At midday Ashdod will be emptied

and Ekron uprooted.

5 Woe to you who live by the sea,

you Kerethite people;

the word of theLordis against you,

Canaan, land of the Philistines.

He says, “I will destroy you,

and none will be left.”

6 The land by the sea will become pastures

having wells for shepherds

and pens for flocks.

7 That land will belong

to the remnant of the people of Judah;

there they will find pasture.

In the evening they will lie down

in the houses of Ashkelon.

TheLordtheir God will care for them;

he will restore their fortunes.

Moab and Ammon

8 “I have heard the insults of Moab

and the taunts of the Ammonites,

who insulted my people

and made threats against their land.

9 Therefore, as surely as I live,”

declares theLordAlmighty,

the God of Israel,

“surely Moab will become like Sodom,

the Ammonites like Gomorrah—

a place of weeds and salt pits,

a wasteland forever.

The remnant of my people will plunder them;

the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.”

10 This is what they will get in return for their pride,

for insulting and mocking

the people of theLordAlmighty.

11 TheLordwill be awesome to them

when he destroys all the gods of the earth.

Distant nations will bow down to him,

all of them in their own lands.

Cush

12 “You Cushites,too,

will be slain by my sword.”

Assyria

13 He will stretch out his hand against the north

and destroy Assyria,

leaving Nineveh utterly desolate

and dry as the desert.

14 Flocks and herds will lie down there,

creatures of every kind.

The desert owl and the screech owl

will roost on her columns.

Their hooting will echo through the windows,

rubble will fill the doorways,

the beams of cedar will be exposed.

15 This is the city of revelry

that lived in safety.

She said to herself,

“I am the one! And there is none besides me.”

What a ruin she has become,

a lair for wild beasts!

All who pass by her scoff

and shake their fists.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/ZEP/2-301a3bbfdb7bfadd3fddcf0c579c6e21.mp3?version_id=111—

Zephaniah

Zephaniah 3

Jerusalem

1 Woe to the city of oppressors,

rebellious and defiled!

2 She obeys no one,

she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in theLord,

she does not draw near to her God.

3 Her officials within her

are roaring lions;

her rulers are evening wolves,

who leave nothing for the morning.

4 Her prophets are unprincipled;

they are treacherous people.

Her priests profane the sanctuary

and do violence to the law.

5 TheLordwithin her is righteous;

he does no wrong.

Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,

and every new day he does not fail,

yet the unrighteous know no shame.

Jerusalem Remains Unrepentant

6 “I have destroyed nations;

their strongholds are demolished.

I have left their streets deserted,

with no one passing through.

Their cities are laid waste;

they are deserted and empty.

7 Of Jerusalem I thought,

‘Surely you will fear me

and accept correction!’

Then her place of refugewould not be destroyed,

nor all my punishments come uponher.

But they were still eager

to act corruptly in all they did.

8 Therefore wait for me,”

declares theLord,

“for the day I will stand up to testify.

I have decided to assemble the nations,

to gather the kingdoms

and to pour out my wrath on them—

all my fierce anger.

The whole world will be consumed

by the fire of my jealous anger.

Restoration of Israel’s Remnant

9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,

that all of them may call on the name of theLord

and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush

my worshipers, my scattered people,

will bring me offerings.

11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame

for all the wrongs you have done to me,

because I will remove from you

your arrogant boasters.

Never again will you be haughty

on my holy hill.

12 But I will leave within you

the meek and humble.

The remnant of Israel

will trust in the name of theLord.

13 They will do no wrong;

they will tell no lies.

A deceitful tongue

will not be found in their mouths.

They will eat and lie down

and no one will make them afraid.”

14 Sing, Daughter Zion;

shout aloud, Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

Daughter Jerusalem!

15 TheLordhas taken away your punishment,

he has turned back your enemy.

TheLord, the King of Israel, is with you;

never again will you fear any harm.

16 On that day

they will say to Jerusalem,

“Do not fear, Zion;

do not let your hands hang limp.

17 TheLordyour God is with you,

the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

but will rejoice over you with singing.”

18 “I will remove from you

all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,

which is a burden and reproach for you.

19 At that time I will deal

with all who oppressed you.

I will rescue the lame;

I will gather the exiles.

I will give them praise and honor

in every land where they have suffered shame.

20 At that time I will gather you;

at that time I will bring you home.

I will give you honor and praise

among all the peoples of the earth

when I restore your fortunes

before your very eyes,”

says theLord.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/ZEP/3-6a578d9e9ea6510338600c6218dcde81.mp3?version_id=111—

Haggai

Haggai Intro

When Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered Babylon in 539 BC, he allowed the exiled Jews to return home and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. One group returned the next year, completing and dedicating the temple foundation within two more years. But they were stopped by suspicious and resentful neighbors who had influence in the Persian court (see

Ezra 4:4–6:22

). Sixteen years later, when King Darius takes the throne, the prophet Haggai urges the people to restart their work. He calls specifically on Zerubbabel, the appointed governor, and Joshua the high priest, to lead the project. Within four years the reconstruction was completed and worship in the temple resumed.

Haggai delivers his four messages during a strategic four-month period at the beginning of Darius’ reign. The first message explains that Israel’s crops aren’t being blessed because God’s house has been left in ruins. The second message gives encouragement to those who found the new temple disappointing compared to Solomon’s original temple. God promises that its glory will outshine the first temple. The third message assures the people that from now on their crops will be blessed. The final message is a personal encouragement to Zerubbabel himself, the heir to the throne of David. The people are back in their land, and so is God’s blessing.

Haggai

Haggai 1

A Call to Build the House of the Lord

1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of theLordcame through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak,the high priest:

2 This is what theLordAlmighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild theLord’s house.’ ”

3 Then the word of theLordcame through the prophet Haggai:

4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

5 Now this is what theLordAlmighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.

6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

7 This is what theLordAlmighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.

8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says theLord.

9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares theLordAlmighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.

10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.

11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of theLordtheir God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because theLordtheir God had sent him. And the people feared theLord.

13 Then Haggai, theLord’s messenger, gave this message of theLordto the people: “I am with you,” declares theLord.

14 So theLordstirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of theLordAlmighty, their God,

15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius,

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/HAG/1-8f3b0e4e81a2d0deb19d988298af2b54.mp3?version_id=111—

Haggai

Haggai 2

1 on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of theLordcame through the prophet Haggai:

2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them,

3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?

4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares theLord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares theLord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares theLordAlmighty.

5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

6 “This is what theLordAlmighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says theLordAlmighty.

8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares theLordAlmighty.

9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says theLordAlmighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares theLordAlmighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of theLordcame to the prophet Haggai:

11 “This is what theLordAlmighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says:

12 If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ ”

The priests answered, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”

14 Then Haggai said, “ ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares theLord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

15 “ ‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on—consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in theLord’s temple.

16 When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.

17 I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares theLord.

18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of theLord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought:

19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.

“ ‘From this day on I will bless you.’ ”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

20 The word of theLordcame to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

21 “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

22 I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

23 “ ‘On that day,’ declares theLordAlmighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares theLord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares theLordAlmighty.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/HAG/2-e398ac1115960c8db1c17426b330e261.mp3?version_id=111—

Zechariah

Zechariah Intro

The prophet Zechariah brought his messages to the returned exiles of Judah beginning in the second year of King Darius of Persia (520 BC). The book has two main parts. The first contains two sequences of prophecies, primarily in the form of symbolic vision reports. The second main part is made up mostly of poetic oracles concerned with the nation’s leaders.

After a general call to repentance, Zechariah records a series of eight visions to encourage the people in rebuilding the temple. The first and last describe four differently colored horses and their riders sent over the earth. The second and third visions show that hostile foreign powers no longer threaten the country. The sixth and seventh visions report the removal of the people’s sins. The two central visions depict God establishing Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor. The overall message is that God has everything in place for the rebuilding project.

The second sequence of prophecies has six parts. Ever since the disaster of the exile and the temple’s destruction, the people had been fasting at certain times of the year. The messages here urge the people to practice justice as the true form of fasting and to focus on rebuilding. Then Zechariah announces that all their fasts will become joyful celebrations.

The book’s final section predicts that after the people suffer under bad shepherds, God will send a righteous king from David’s line. The

Lord

will triumph over every enemy and be king over the whole earth.

Zechariah

Zechariah 1

A Call to Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of theLordcame to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:

2 “TheLordwas very angry with your ancestors.

3 Therefore tell the people: This is what theLordAlmighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares theLordAlmighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says theLordAlmighty.

4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what theLordAlmighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares theLord.

5 Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever?

6 But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?

“Then they repented and said, ‘TheLordAlmighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ ”

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of theLordcame to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.

8 During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.

9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”

10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones theLordhas sent to go throughout the earth.”

11 And they reported to the angel of theLordwho was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”

12 Then the angel of theLordsaid, “LordAlmighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?”

13 So theLordspoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what theLordAlmighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,

15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’

16 “Therefore this is what theLordsays: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares theLordAlmighty.

17 “Proclaim further: This is what theLordAlmighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and theLordwill again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’ ”

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns.

19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”

He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

20 Then theLordshowed me four craftsmen.

21 I asked, “What are these coming to do?”

He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/ZEC/1-df5bf5cb503ecab723641b6a42395cc9.mp3?version_id=111—