and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief ¹  from all your enemies. The Lord declares ²  to you that he himself ³  will build a dynastic house ⁴  for you.

I have not spoken in secret, in some hidden place. ¹  I did not tell Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain!’ ²  I am the Lord, the one who speaks honestly, who makes reliable announcements. ³ 

Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord. ‘Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and ¹  all you citizens of the land,’ ²  says the Lord, ‘and begin to work. For I am with you,’ says the Lord who rules over all.

On that day,’ ¹  says the Lord who rules over all, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ ²  says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, ³  for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord who rules over all.” ⁴ 

(I was standing between the Lord and you at that time to reveal to you the message ¹  of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain.) He said:

So all the people departed to eat and drink and to share their food ¹  with others ²  and to enjoy tremendous joy, ³  for they had gained insight in the matters that had been made known to them.

“What ¹  profit is there in taking my life, ²  in my descending into the Pit? ³  Can the dust of the grave ⁴  praise you? Can it declare your loyalty? ⁵ 

“I will rise up against them,” says the Lord who commands armies. “I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people, ¹  including the offspring she produces,” ²  says the Lord.

The exiles from Judah will say, ¹  ‘The Lord has brought about a great deliverance for us! ²  Come on, let’s go and proclaim in Zion what the Lord our God has done!’

Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, ¹  and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign Lord.

Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’ ¹ 

For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer.” ¹  (This means all foods are clean.) ² 

saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers; ¹  in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.” ² 

He will go back the way he came. He will not enter this city,” says the Lord.

I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

Therefore I say, ‘Listen ¹  to me. I, even I, will explain what I know.’

If there is an angel beside him, one mediator ¹  out of a thousand, to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness; ² 

then he reveals ¹  to them what they have done, ²  and their transgressions, that they were behaving proudly.

Have you considered the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know it all!

You said, ¹  ‘Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’