Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts
The Lord God omniscient and omnipotent, that saw all their
actions, and could punish for them; since they were so careful of
their own houses, and adorning them, and so careless of his
house; he would have them now sit down, and seriously think of
these things, and of what he should further observe unto them:
Consider your ways;
their sinful ways, and repent of them, and forsake them,
particularly their ingratitude before observed; and their civil
ways, their common ways of life; their labour, work, and
business, they were continually employed in; and observe the
event of them; what success they had, what these issued in;
whether there were not some visible tokens of the divine
displeasure on them, which rendered all their attempts to support
and enrich themselves and families vain, and of no effect: and
they would do well to consider to what all this was to be
imputed; whether it was not chiefly owing to this, their neglect
of the house of God; and this he would have considered, not in a
slight cursory way; but with great earnestness, diligence, and
application of mind: "put", or "set your hearts upon your ways"
F16; so it may be literally rendered.