[ 2:19] Set your hearts now [to think] from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth [day] of the ninth month, even from the day when the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid;

And now thus says the Lord Almighty; Consider your ways!

Thus says the Lord Almighty; Consider your ways!

Who is wise, and will observe these things, and understand the mercies of the Lord?

For they drink wine with harp, and psaltery, and drums, and pipes; but they regard not the works of the Lord, and consider not the works of His hands.

Who is wise, and will understand these things? Or prudent, and will know them? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them; but the ungodly shall fall therein.

Will a man insult God? For you insult Me. But you say, How have we insulted You? In that the tithes and firstfruits are with you [still].

The year is completed, and you have brought all the produce into the storehouses; but there shall be the plunder thereof in its house: return now on this behalf, says the Lord Almighty, [see] if I will not open to you the torrents of heaven, and pour out My blessing upon you, until you are satisfied.

So what fruit did you have then of which [things] you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

For if we judge ourselves correctly, we would not be judged.

And they laid a foundation for building the house of the Lord; and the priests in their robes stood with trumpets and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the order of David king of Israel.

Thus the work of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.