[7:8] The Lord gave this message to Zechariah:
[7:9] “Long ago I gave these commands to my people: ‘You must see that justice is done, and must show kindness and mercy to one another.
[7:10] Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners who live among you, or anyone else in need. And do not plan ways of harming one another.’
[7:11] “But my people stubbornly refused to listen. They closed their minds
[7:12] and made their hearts as hard as rock. Because they would not listen to the teaching which I sent through the prophets who lived long ago, I became very angry.
[7:13] Because they did not listen when I spoke, I did not answer when they prayed.
[7:14] Like a storm I swept them away to live in foreign countries. This good land was left a desolate place, with no one living in it.”