For this cause the heaven over you is kept from giving dew, and the earth from giving her fruit.

And now, give thought, looking back from this day to the time before one stone was put on another in the Temple of the Lord:

And now, give thought; looking on from this day, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the time when the base of the Lord's house was put in its place, give thought to it.

Is the seed still in the store-house? have the vine and the fig-tree, the pomegranate and the olive-tree, still not given their fruit? from this day I will send my blessing on you.