Geneva Study Bible Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was {a} jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.
(a) I loved my city with a singular love, so that I could not endure that any should do her any injury. Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the LORD; I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a {b} city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
(b) Because she will be faithful and loyal toward me her husband. 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 for very age. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old {c} men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
(c) Though their enemies did greatly molest and trouble them, yet God would come and dwell among them, and so preserve them as long as nature would allow them to live, and increase their children in great abundance. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be 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. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it is {d} marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.
(d) He shows in what our faith consists, that is, to believe that God can perform that which he has promised, though it seem ever so impossible to man; Ge 13:14, Rom 4:20. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. And I will bring them, and they shall {e} dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
(e) So that their return will not be in vain: for God will accomplish his promise, and their prosperity will be sure and stable. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your {f} hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who were in the day when the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
(f) Let neither respect of your personal benefits, neither counsel of others, nor fear of enemies, discourage you in the going forward with the building of the temple, but be steadfast and obey the Prophets, who encourage you to that. For before these days there was no hire 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 all men every one against his neighbour. For before these days there was no hire for {g} 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 all men every one against his neighbour.
(g) For God cursed your work, so that neither man nor beast had profit from their labours. But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.
For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
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, but let your hands be strong. 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, but let your hands be strong.
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish {h} you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:
(h) Read Eze 18:20. So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. So again have I thought in these days {i} to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
(i) Which declares that man cannot turn to God until he changes man's heart by his Spirit, and so begin to do good to them, which is to pardon his sins and to give him his graces. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the {k} tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
(k) Which fast was appointed when the city was besieged, and was the first fast of these four. And here the prophet shows that if the Jews will repent, and turn wholly to God, they will have no more occasion to fast, or to show signs of heaviness, for God will send them joy and gladness. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come {l} people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
(l) He declares the great zeal that God would give the Gentiles to come to his Church, and to unite with the Jews in his true religion, which would be in the kingdom of Christ. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.
Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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