The Hebrew Prophets

And he saith unto me, `This is the execration that is going forth over the face of all the land, for every one who is stealing, on the one side, according to it, hath been declared innocent, and every one who hath sworn, on the other side, according to it, hath been declared innocent.

`I have brought it out--an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts--and it hath come in unto the house of the thief, and unto the house of him who hath sworn in My name to a falsehood, and it hath remained in the midst of his house, and hath consumed it, both its wood and its stones.'

And the messenger who is speaking with me goeth forth, and saith unto me, `Lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes, and see what is this that is coming forth?'

And I say, `What is it?' And he saith, `This--the ephah that is coming forth.' And he saith, `This is their aspect in all the land.

And lo, a cake of lead lifted up; and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.'

And he saith, `This is the wicked woman.' And he casteth her unto the midst of the ephah, and casteth the weight of lead on its mouth.

And I lift up mine eyes, and see, and lo, two women are coming forth, and wind in their wings; and they have wings like wings of the stork, and they lift up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.

And I say unto the messenger who is speaking with me, `Whither are they causing the ephah to go?'

And he saith unto me, `To build to it a house in the land of Shinar.' And it hath been prepared and hath been placed there on its base.

And I turn back, and lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, four chariots are coming forth from between two of the mountains, and the mountains are mountains of brass.

In the first chariot are red horses, and in the second chariot brown horses,

and in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot strong grisled horses.

And I answer and say unto the messenger who is speaking with me, `What are these, my lord?'

And the messenger answereth and saith unto me, `These are four spirits of the heavens coming forth from presenting themselves before the Lord of the whole earth.

The brown horses that are therein, are coming forth unto the land of the north; and the white have come forth unto their hinder part; and the grisled have come forth unto the land of the south;

and the strong ones have come forth, and they seek to go to walk up and down in the earth;' and he saith, `Go, walk up and down in the earth;' and they walk up and down in the earth.

And he calleth me, and speaketh unto me, saying, `See, those coming forth unto the land of the north have caused My Spirit to rest in the land of the north.'

And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

to take of the captivity (who came from Babylon) from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah, `and thou hast come in--thou, in that day, yea, thou hast come into the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah,

and thou hast taken silver and gold, and hast made a crown, and hast placed on the head of Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest,

and hast spoken unto him, saying: Thus spake Jehovah of Hosts, saying: Lo, a man! A Shoot-- is his name, And from his place he doth shoot up, And he hath built the temple of Jehovah.

Yea, he doth build the temple of Jehovah, And he doth bear away honour, And he hath sat and ruled on His throne, And hath been a priest on His throne, And a counsel of peace is between both.

And the crown is to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of Jehovah.

And the far-off come in, and they have built in the temple of Jehovah, and ye have known that Jehovah of Hosts hath sent me unto you, yea, it hath come to pass, if ye do certainly hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God.'

And it cometh to pass, in the fourth year of Darius the king hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, in the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu.