7. Even from the yamei avoteichem ye are gone away from Mine chukkim, and have not been shomer over them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith Hashem Tzva'os. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8. Will a man rob G-d? Yet ye have robbed Me [Ex 20:15]. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In ma'aser (tithes) and terumah (offerings, contributions).
9. Ye are cursed with a me'erah (curse); for ye have robbed Me, even this whole Goy (nation).
10. Bring ye kol hama'aser (all the tithes) into the Beis HaOtzar (House of the Treasury), that there may be teref (food) in Mine Beis [Hamikdash], and prove Me now herewith, saith Hashem Tzva'os, if I will not open you the windows of Shomayim, and pour you out a berakhah, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the p'ri ha'adamah; neither shall your gefen cast her fruit before the time in the sadeh, saith Hashem Tzva'os.
12. And kol HaGoyim shall call you blessed; for ye shall be an Eretz Chefetz, saith Hashem Tzva'os.
13. Your devarim have been harsh against Me, saith Hashem. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against Thee?
14. Ye have said, Avod Elohim is vain; and what profit is it that we have been shomer over His mishmeret, and that we have walked as mourners before Hashem Tzva'os?
15. And now we call the zedim (proud) happy; yea, they that work rishah (wickedness) are set up; yea, they that tempt Elohim even go free.
16. Then they that feared Hashem spoke often one to another; and Hashem paid heed, and heard it, and a Sefer Zikaron (book of remembrance) was written before Him for them that feared Hashem, and that meditated upon Shmo (His Name).
17. And they shall be Mine, saith Hashem Tzva'os, in that Yom when I make up My segullah (special treasure, possession); and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own ben haoved oto (son that serveth him).