A paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. Viz. Hoseah. Joel. Amos. Obadiah. Jonah. Micah. Nahum. Habakkuk. Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi. / By Da. Stokes. D.D.

CHAP. VIII.

1. AGain the word of the Lord of hostes came to me, saying,

2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I was jealous for Zi∣on with great jealousie, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

3 Thus saith the Lord, I am returned unto Zion: and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem, and Ierusa∣lem shall be called a Citie of truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.

4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts. There shall yet old men, and old women dwell in the streets of Ierusalem, and every man with his staffe in his hand for very age.

5 And the streets of the citie shall be full of boyes and girls playing in the streets thereof.

6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.

7 Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Behold, I will save my people from the east-countrey, and from the west-countrey.

8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Ierusalem, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousnesse.

9 Thus saith the Lord of

hosts, Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these dayes 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.

10 For before these daies there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast, nei∣ther 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.

11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this peo∣ple, as in the former daies saith the Lord of hosts.

12 For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her en∣crease, and the heavens shall give their dew, and I will curse the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

13 And it shall come to passe, that a•••• ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Iudah, and house of Israel: so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, As I thought to punish you, when your fa∣thers provoked me to wrath saith the Lord of hostes, and I repented not;

15 So again have I thought in these dayes to do well unto Ierusalem, and to the house of Iudah: fear ye not.

16 These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour: execute the judg∣ment of truth and peace in your gates.

17 And let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.

18 And the word of the Lord of hosts, came unto me, saying.

19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, The fast of the

fourth moneth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Iudah joy and gladness, and chearfull feasts: there∣fore love the truth and peace.

20 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, it shall yet come to passe, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities.

21 And the inhabitants of one city shbll go to ano∣ther, saying, Let us go spee∣dily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also.

22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hostes in Ierusalem, and to pray be∣fore the Lord.

23 Thus saith the Lord of hostes, In those daies it shall come to passe, 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 Iew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.