- Ye looked:
- They had used all proper means in the cultivation of their lands, and had "sown much;" but when they rationally entertained the most sanguine expectations of a large increase, they were strangely disappointed; and even what they had brought home was unaccountably wasted, as if the Lord had "blown upon it," and driven it away! And the reason was, because they neglected the temple, and left it in ruins, whilst they eagerly employed themselves in building and decorating their own houses; therefore they were visited by drought and famine, and by various diseases on man and beast. "Ye have sownª° much,ª° and bring²° in¹ little;ª ye eat,ª° but ye have not enough;²¹¹ ye drink,ª° but ye are not filled with drink;ª°¹ ye clotheª° you, but there is none warm;²¹¹ and he that earneth wagesª° earneth wagesª° [to put it] into¹ a bagª with holes.ª°" {Hgg 1:6} + "Since those [days] were,¹¹ when [one] cameª° to¹ an heapª of twentyª [measures], there were¹ [but] ten:ª when [one] cameª° to¹ the pressfatª for to draw outª° fiftyª [vessels] out of the press,ª there were¹ [but] twenty.ª ... I smoteª° you with blastingª and with mildewª and with hailª in¹ all¹ the laboursª of your hands;ª yet ye [turned] not¹ to¹ me, saithª° the LORD.ª" {Hgg 2:16-17} + "Because¹ thou hast forgottenª° the Godª of thy salvation,ª and hast not¹ been mindfulª° of the rockª of thy strength,ª therefore¹¹ shalt thou plantª° pleasantª plants,ª and shalt setª° it with strangeª° slips:ª ... In the dayª shalt thou make thy plantª to grow,ª° and in the morningª shalt thou make thy seedª to flourish:ª° [but] the harvestª [shall be] a heapª in the dayª of griefª° and of desperateª° sorrow.ª" {Isa 17:10-11} + "Will a manª robª° God?ª Yet¹ ye¹ have robbedª° me. But ye say,ª° Wherein¹ have we robbedª° thee? In tithesª and offerings.ª ... And I will rebukeª° the devourerª° for your sakes, and he shall not¹ destroyª°¹ the fruitsª of your ground;ª neither¹ shall your vineª cast her fruit²° before the time¹ in the field,ª saithª° the LORDª of hosts.ª" {Mal 3:8-11}
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