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And it was in the fourth year of◦ Darius the king, that the word of Jehovah was to▵ Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Kisleu,
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when they had sent to the house of God◦ Sharezer and Regemmelech, and their men◦, to implore the face of Jehovah,
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and to say to▵ the priests which were in the house of Jehovah of Armies, and to▵ the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating▵ myself, as◦ I have done these so◦ many years?
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And the word of Jehovah of Armies was to▵ me, saying,
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Say to▵ all the people of the land, and to▵ the priests, saying, When◦ you fasted and wailed in the fifth and seventh month, even▵ these seventy years, fasting did you fast for Me, even for Me◦?
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And when◦ you ate, and when◦ you drank, did not you◦ yourselves eat, and you◦ yourselves drink?
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Are▵ these not the words which Jehovah proclaimed by the hand of the first prophets, when Jerusalem was dwelt··in and tranquil, and her cities all around her in the south and in the lowland were dwelt··in?
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And the word of Jehovah was to▵ Zechariah, saying,
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Thus says Jehovah of Armies, saying, Judge true judgment, and do mercy and compassions, a man◦ with◦ his brother;
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and oppress not the widow, nor◦ the orphan, the sojourner, nor◦ the afflicted; and let none of you think evil, a man◦ against his brother, in your heart.
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But they refused to attend, and gave a defiant shoulder◦, and made· their ears ·heavy, that they should not hear.
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And they set their heart as adamant, and they would not hear the law and the words, which Jehovah of Armies has sent in His spirit by the hand of the former prophets; and there was a great rage from Jehovah of Armies.
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And it was, that as◦ he* called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear, says Jehovah of Armies,
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but I drove them with a whirlwind on all the nations whom they knew not; and the land was desolate after them, from him who crossed··through and from him who returned; and they set the land of desire for a desolation.
