Focused Passage

Zechariah 7:8-14

Fasting, Justice, and the Stubborn Heart

From a delegation's question about fasting to the LORD's exposure of self-focused religion, Zechariah 7 presses the restored community to hear God's word, practice justice and mercy, and avoid the hardened disobedience that led to exile.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying,

9 “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another.

10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’

11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.

12 They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.

13 And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.

14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known, and the land was left desolate behind them so that no one could come or go. Thus they turned the pleasant land into a desolation.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Cross-references

Daniel 9:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the word דְּבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular came וַֽיְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Zechariah זְכַרְיָ֖ה H2148 Noun - proper - masculine singular saying לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 9

Cross-references

Isaiah 1:17 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 3:8 Classic cross-references Micah 6:8 Classic cross-references Zechariah 8:16 Classic cross-references Psalms 82:2 Classic cross-references

Original words

This is what כֹּ֥ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural . . . לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct says אָמַ֛ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Administer שְׁפֹ֔טוּ H8199 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural true אֱמֶת֙ H571 Noun - feminine singular justice מִשְׁפַּ֤ט H4941 Noun - masculine singular construct Show עֲשׂ֖וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural loving devotion וְחֶ֣סֶד H2617 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and compassion וְרַֽחֲמִ֔ים H7356 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural to אֶת־ H854 Preposition one אִ֥ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular another אָחִֽיו׃ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

Verse 10

Cross-references

Proverbs 22:22 Classic cross-references Proverbs 23:10 Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:23 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:28 Classic cross-references Exodus 22:22 Classic cross-references

Original words

Do not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb oppress תַּעֲשֹׁ֑קוּ H6231 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural the widow וְאַלְמָנָ֧ה H490 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular or the fatherless וְיָת֛וֹם H3490 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular the foreigner גֵּ֥ר H1616 Noun - masculine singular or the poor וְעָנִ֖י H6041 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular And do not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb plot תַּחְשְׁב֖וּ H2803 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural evil וְרָעַת֙ H7451 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct in your hearts בִּלְבַבְכֶֽם׃ H3824 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural against one אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular another אָחִ֔יו H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

Proverbs 28:9 Classic cross-references 2 Timothy 4:4 Classic cross-references Isaiah 48:4 Classic cross-references Matthew 13:15 Classic cross-references Proverbs 29:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

But they refused וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ H3985 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to pay attention לְהַקְשִׁ֔יב H7181 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct and turned וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural a stubborn סֹרָ֑רֶת H5637 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular shoulder כָתֵ֖ף H3802 Noun - feminine singular they stopped up הִכְבִּ֥ידוּ H3513 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural their ears וְאָזְנֵיהֶ֖ם H241 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine plural from hearing מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃ H8085 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

BSB notes

Hebrew they made their ears too heavy to hear

Verse 12

Cross-references

Ezekiel 36:26 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 11:19 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 36:16 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 3:9 Classic cross-references Nehemiah 9:29 Classic cross-references

Original words

They made שָׂ֣מוּ H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural their hearts וְלִבָּ֞ם H3820 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural [like] flint שָׁמִ֗יר H8068 Noun - masculine singular and would not listen to מִ֠שְּׁמוֹעַ H8085 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the law הַתּוֹרָ֤ה H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular or וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker to the words הַדְּבָרִים֙ H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאוֹת֙ H6635 Noun - common plural had sent שָׁלַ֜ח H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular by His Spirit בְּרוּח֔וֹ H7307 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular through בְּיַ֖ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct the earlier הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים H7223 Article | Adjective - masculine plural prophets הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural Therefore great גָּד֔וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular anger קֶ֣צֶף H7110 Noun - masculine singular came וַֽיְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular from מֵאֵ֖ת H854 Preposition-m | Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאֽוֹת׃ H6635 Noun - common plural

Verse 13

Cross-references

John 9:31 Classic cross-references Proverbs 1:24 Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:15 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 14:12 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 11:11 Classic cross-references

Original words

And וַיְהִ֥י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular just as כַאֲשֶׁר־ H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative I had called קָרָ֖א H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and they would not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle listen שָׁמֵ֑עוּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural so כֵּ֤ן H3651 Adverb when they called יִקְרְאוּ֙ H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural I would not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle listen אֶשְׁמָ֔ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular says אָמַ֖ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאֽוֹת׃ H6635 Noun - common plural

Verse 14

Cross-references

Leviticus 26:33 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:33 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:64 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 12:19 Classic cross-references Isaiah 28:12 Classic cross-references

Original words

But I scattered them with a whirlwind וְאֵ֣סָעֲרֵ֗ם H5590 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural among עַ֤ל H5921 Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the nations הַגּוֹיִם֙ H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural that אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative they had not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle known יְדָע֔וּם H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural and the land וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ H776 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular was left desolate נָשַׁ֣מָּה H8074 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular behind them אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם H310 Preposition | third person masculine plural so that no one could come מֵֽעֹבֵ֖ר H5674 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular or go וּמִשָּׁ֑ב H7725 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Thus they turned וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural the pleasant חֶמְדָּ֖ה H2532 Noun - feminine singular land אֶֽרֶץ־ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct into a desolation לְשַׁמָּֽה׃פ H8047 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

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