7. The Lord used the earlier prophets to say the same thing. Jerusalem and the surrounding towns were at peace and wealthy then. People lived in the southern area and the western mountain slopes.’”
8. And the Lord spoke his word to Zechariah again:
9. “This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says: ‘Do what is right and fair. Be kind and merciful to each other.
10. Don’t hurt widows and orphans, foreigners or the poor. Don’t even think of doing evil to somebody else.’
11. “But they refused to pay attention. They were stubborn and would not listen.
12. They made their hearts as hard as rock. They would not listen to the teachings of the Lord of heaven’s armies. And they would not hear his words through the earlier prophets. So the Lord of heaven’s armies became very angry.