כֶם

He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. It will no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God, and his people Israel.

“Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up.’ ”

Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem.

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel, said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River came to them, with Shetharbozenai, and their companions, and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”

Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”

Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God.

Then I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.”

“ ‘ “In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”

My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what does it reprove?

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?

What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,

But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.

be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.”

Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”

It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for he gives sleep to his loved ones.

Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

He said, “Listen now, house of David. Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Tell them, ‘As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so I will do to you.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?

You are my threshing, and the grain of my floor!” That which I have heard from Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

Yahweh of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.

Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?

I have set watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day nor night. You who call on Yahweh, take no rest,

The thing pleased me well. I took twelve of your men, one man for every tribe.

All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t, for it is sealed;”

Therefore the strength of Pharaoh will be your shame, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly in an instant.

Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers won’t be hidden any more, but your eyes will see your teachers;

You will have a song, as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one goes with a flute to come to Yahweh’s mountain, to Israel’s Rock.

For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you.