O ye children of Israel, are ye not unto me, even as the Ethiopian?" sayeth the LORD, "Have not I brought Israel out of the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphthor, and the Syrians from Kir?

And I will plant them their own land, and they shall not be any more plucked out of their land which I have given them," saith the LORD thy God.

This is the vision that was showed unto Obadiah. Thus hath the LORD God spoken upon Edom: We have heard of the LORD that there is an ambassador sent among the Heathen: "Up, let us arise, and fight against them!"

Shall not I at the same time destroy the wise men of Edom; and those that have understanding, from the mount of Esau?

For likewise as ye have drunken upon mine holy hill, so shall all Heathen drink continually: yea drink shall they, and swallow up, so that ye shall be as though ye had never been.

They of the South shall have the mount of Esau in possession. And look: what lieth upon the ground, that shall the Philistines have. The plain fields shall Ephraim and Samaria possess: and the mountains of Gilead shall Benjamin have.

They that observe vain vanities, have forsaken him that was merciful unto them.

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving, and will pay that that I have vowed, that saving cometh of the LORD."

And the LORD prepared as it were a wild vine which sprang up over Jonah, that he might have shadow over his head, to deliver him out of his pain. And Jonah was exceeding glad of the wild vine.

And should not I have compassion on Nineveh that great city, wherein there is a multitude of people, even above a hundred thousand that know not their righthand from the left, besides much cattle?"

When they covet to have land, they take it by violence; they rob men of their houses. Thus they oppress a man for his house, and every man for his heritage.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, against this household have I devised a plague, whereout ye shall not pluck your necks. Ye shall no more go so proudly, for it will be a perilous time.

but my people doth the contrary, therefore must I take part against them. For they take away both coat and cloak from the simple. Ye have turned yourselves to fight;

the women of my people have ye shot out from their good houses, and taken away my excellent gifts from their children.

Up, get you hence, for here shall ye have no rest. Because of their Idolatry they are corrupt, and shall miserably perish.

Now the time shall come, that when they call unto the LORD, he shall not hear them, but hide his face from them, because that through their own Imaginations they have dealt so wickedly.

And as concerning the prophets that deceive my people, thus the LORD sayeth against them: When they have any thing to bite upon, then they preach that all shall be well. But if a man put not some thing in to their mouths, they preach of war against him.

Then shall the vision seers be ashamed, and the soothsayers confounded: yea they shall be fain, all the pack of them, to stop their mouths: for they have not God's word.

Therefore, whereas all people have walked every man in the name of his own god, we will walk in the name of our God for ever and ever.

At the same time, sayeth the LORD, will I gather up the lame and the outcasts, and such as I have chastened;

In the meanwhile he plagueth them for a season, until the time that she which shall bear have born: then shall the remnant of his brethren be converted unto the children of Israel.

O my people, what have I done unto thee? Or wherein have I hurt thee? Give me answer!

I will show thee, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requireth of thee: Namely, to do right, to have pleasure in loving-kindness, to be lowly, and to walk with thy God.

among those that be full of riches unrighteously gotten: where the citizens deal with falsity, speak lies, and have deceitful tongues in their mouths?

Thou salt eat, and not have enough: yea, thou shalt bring thyself down. Thou shalt flee, but not escape: and those that thou wouldest save, will I deliver to the sword.

Thou shalt sow, but not reap; thou shalt press out olives, but oil shalt thou not have to anoint thyself withal; thou shalt tread out sweet must, but shall drink no wine.

Woe is me! I am become as one that goeth a gleaning in the harvest. There are no more grapes to eat, yet would I fain, with all my heart, have of the best fruit.

I will bear the punishment of the LORD - For why? I have offended him - till he sit in judgment upon my cause, and see that I have right. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall see his righteousness.

Where is there such a God as thou? That pardonest wickedness, and forgivest the offenses of the remnant of thine heritage? He keepeth not his wrath for ever. And why? His delight is to have compassion.

for the LORD shall restore again the glory of Jacob, like as the glory of Israel. The destroyers have broken them down, and marred the wine branches.

Yea, all they that look upon thee shall start back, and say, "Nineveh is destroyed!" Who will have pity upon thee? Where shall I seek one to comfort thee?

Thy merchants have been numbered with the stars of heaven: but now shall they spread abroad as the locusts, and flee their way.

Thou makest men as the fish in the sea, and like as the creeping beasts, that have no guide.

Shall not the LORD of Hosts bring this to pass, that the laborers of the people shall be burnt with a great fire, and that the thing whereupon the people have wearied themselves, shall be lost?

{A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk for the ignorances} O LORD, I have heard thy voice, and was afraid.

I will bring the people to such vexation, that they shall go about like blind men; because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood shall be shed as the dust, and their bodies as the mire.

I have heard the despite of Moab, and the blasphemies of the children of Ammon: how they have shamefully intreated my people, and magnified themselves within the borders of their land.

Therefore as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel, Moab shall be as Sodom, and Ammon as Gomorrah: even dry thorn hedges, salt pits and perpetual wilderness. The residue of my folk shall spoil them, the remnant of my people shall have them in possession.

This shall happen unto them for their pride, because they have dealt so shamefully with the LORD of Hosts' people, and magnified themselves above them.

Such as I have subdued, and my children also whom I have scattered abroad, shall bring me presents beyond the waters of Ethiopia.

Such as have been in heaviness, will I gather together, and take out of thy congregation: as for the shame and reproof that hath been laid upon thee, it shall be far from thee.

And lo, in that time will I destroy all those that vex thee: I will help the lame, and gather up the cast away: yea, I will get them honour and praise in all lands, where they have been put to shame.

Ye sow much, but ye bring little in; Ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled; ye deck yourselves, but ye are not warm; and he that earneth any wage, putteth it in a broken purse.

I have called for a drought, both upon the land and upon the mountains, upon corn, upon wine, and upon oil, upon everything that the ground bringeth forth, upon men and upon cattle, yea and upon all handy labour."

is not the seed yet in the barn? Have not the vines, the fig trees, the pomegranates and the olive trees been yet unfruitful? But from this day forth, I shall make them to prosper."

And as for thee, O Zerubbabel, sayeth the LORD of Hosts, thou son of Shealtiel my servant: I will take thee, sayeth the LORD, at the same time: and make thee as a seal. For I have chosen thee, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.'"

And they answered the angel of the LORD, that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, 'We have gone through the world: and behold all the world dwell at ease, and are careless.'

And I said unto the angel, that talketh with me, 'What be these?' He answered me, 'These are the horses, which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem abroad.'

Then said I, 'What will these do?' He answered, and said, 'Those are the horns, which have so strawed Judah abroad, that no man durst lift up his head: But these are come to fray them away, and to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lift up their horn over the land of Judah, to scatter it abroad.'

"O get you forth! O flee from the land of the north, sayeth the LORD; ye whom I have scattered into the four winds under heaven, sayeth the LORD.

Which answered and said unto those that stood before him, 'Take away the foul clothes from him.' And unto him he said, 'Behold, I have taken away thy sin from thee, and will deck thee with change of raiment.'

for lo, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon one stone shall be seven eyes. Behold, I will hew him out, sayeth the LORD of Hosts, and take away the sin of that land in one day.

and said unto me, 'What seest thou?' And I said, 'I have looked, and behold: a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon it, and his seven lamps therein, and upon every lamp seven stalks.

'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands also shall finish it: that ye may know, how that the LORD of Hosts hath sent me unto you.

Yea, even he shall build up the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the praise, he shall sit upon the LORD's throne, and have the domination. A priest shall he be also upon his throne, and a peaceable counsel shall be betwixt them both.

and that they should say unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of Hosts, and to the prophets, "Should I weep in the fifth month, and abstain, as I have done now certain years?"

"Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: I was in a great jealousy over Zion, yea I have been very jealous over her in great displeasure.

but they shall be a seed of peace. The vineyard shall give her fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew: and I shall cause the remnant of this people, to have all these in possession.

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: In that time shall ten men, out of all manner of languages of the Gentiles, take one Jew by the hem of his garment, and say, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is among you.'"

Behold, the LORD shall take her in, and have her in possession: he shall smite down her power in to the sea, and she shall be consumed with fire.

And so will I compass my house round about with my men of war going to and fro: that no oppressor come upon them any more. For that have I seen now with mine eyes.

For Judah have I bent out as a bow for me, and Ephraim have I filled. Thy sons, O Zion, will I raise up against the Greeks, and make thee as a giant's sword:

For vain is the answer of Idols. The soothsayers see lies, and tell but vain dreams. The comfort that they give, is nothing worth. Therefore go they astray like a flock of sheep, and are troubled, because they have no shepherd.

Moreover, upon the house of David and upon the citizens of Jerusalem, will I pour out the spirit of grace and prayer, so that they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and they shall beweep him, as men mourn for their only begotten son: Yea, and be sorry for him, as men are sorry for their first child

In that time shall the house of David and the citizens of Jerusalem have an open well, to wash of sin and uncleanness.

This shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite all people, that have fought against Jerusalem: Namely, their flesh shall consume away, though they stand upon their feet; their eyes shall be corrupt in their holes, and their tongue shall consume in their mouth.

"I have loved you," sayeth the LORD: And yet ye say, "Wherein hast thou loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" sayeth the LORD, "Yet have I loved Jacob,

and hated Esau: Yea I have made his hills waste, and his heritage a wilderness for dragons."

"Should not a son honour his father, and a servant his master? If I be now a father, where is mine honour? If I be the LORD, where am I feared? sayeth the LORD of Hosts, now, to you priests that despise my name. And if ye say, 'Wherein have we despised thy name?'

In this: that ye offer unclean bread upon mine altar. And if ye will say, 'Wherein have we offered any unclean thing unto thee?' In this that ye say: the altar of the LORD is not to be regarded.

And now make your prayer before God, that he may have mercy upon us: for such things have ye done. Shall he regard your persons, think ye, sayeth the LORD of Hosts?

Yea, what is he among you, that will do so much as to shut the doors, or to kindle the fire upon mine altar for naught? I have no pleasure in you, sayeth the LORD of Hosts: and as for the meat offering, I will not accept it at your hand.

But ye have unhallowed it, in that ye say, 'The altar of the LORD is not to be regarded, and the thing that is set thereupon, not worthy to be eaten.'

Now say ye, 'It is but labour and travail,' and thus have ye thought scorn at it, sayeth the LORD of Hosts; offering robbery, yea the lame and the sick. Ye have brought me in a meat offering? Should I accept it of your hand? sayeth the LORD.

And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you: that my covenant which I made with Levi, might stand, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.

But as for you, ye are gone clean out of the way, and have caused the multitude to be offended at the law: ye have broken the covenant of Levi, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.

Therefore will I also make you to be despised, and to be of no reputation among all the people: because ye have not kept my ways, but been partial in the law.

Have we not all one father? Hath not one God made us? Why doth every one of us then despise his own brother, and so break the covenant of our fathers?

Now have ye brought it to this point again, that the altar of the LORD is covered with tears, weeping, and mourning: so that I will no more regard the meat offering, neither will I receive or accept anything at your hands.

Ye grieve the LORD with your words, and yet ye say, 'Wherewithal have we grieved him?' In this, that ye say: 'All that do evil are good in the sight of God, and such please him.' Or else where is the God that punisheth?

"Ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and since the time of your forefathers have ye not kept them. Turn you now unto me, and I will turn me unto you, sayeth the LORD of Hosts. Ye say, 'Wherein shall we turn?'

Ye speak hard words against me, sayeth the LORD. And yet ye say, 'What have we spoken against thee?'

Ye have said, 'It is but lost labour, to serve God: What profit have we for keeping his commandments, and for walking humbly before the LORD of Hosts?

saying, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him."

and sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child. And when ye have found him, bring me word, that I may come and worship him also."

and was there unto the death of Herod: to fulfill that which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, which sayeth, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

And see that you think not to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father': for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but and if the salt have lost her saltiness, what can be salted therewith? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men.

"Ye have heard how it was said unto them of the old time, 'Thou shalt not kill; for whosoever killeth shall be in danger of judgment:'

I say unto ye verily, Thou shalt not come out thence, till thou have paid the utmost farthing.

"Ye have heard how it was said to them of old time, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery:'

"Again, ye have heard how it was said to them of old time, 'Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform thine oath to God':

"Ye have heard how it is said, 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.'

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

"Ye have heard how it is said, 'Thou shalt love thine neighbor, and hate thine enemy.'

For if ye love them which love you, what reward shall ye have? Do not the Publicans even so?

Whensoever therefore thou givest thine alms, thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blown before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets, for to be praised of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, because they would be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

Be ye not like them therefore: for your father knoweth whereof ye have need, before ye ask of him.

"Moreover, when ye fast, be not sad as the hypocrites are: for they disfigure their faces, that they might be seen of men how they fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.