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

8Then 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.

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

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

12They 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.

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

14But 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 9:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the wordדְּבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularcameוַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionZechariahזְכַרְיָ֖הH2148Noun - proper - masculine singularsayingלֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 9

Cross-references

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

Original words

This is whatכֹּ֥הH3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֖וֹתH6635Noun - common plural. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructsaysאָמַ֛רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularAdministerשְׁפֹ֔טוּH8199Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluraltrueאֱמֶת֙H571Noun - feminine singularjusticeמִשְׁפַּ֤טH4941Noun - masculine singular constructShowעֲשׂ֖וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralloving devotionוְחֶ֣סֶדH2617Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand compassionוְרַֽחֲמִ֔יםH7356Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluraltoאֶת־H854Prepositiononeאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularanotherאָחִֽיו׃H251Noun - 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 22:22Classic cross-references Proverbs 23:10Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:23Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:28Classic cross-references Exodus 22:22Classic cross-references

Original words

Do notאַֽל־H408Adverboppressתַּעֲשֹׁ֑קוּH6231Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralthe widowוְאַלְמָנָ֧הH490Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularor the fatherlessוְיָת֛וֹםH3490Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularthe foreignerגֵּ֥רH1616Noun - masculine singularor the poorוְעָנִ֖יH6041Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singularAnd do notאַֽל־H408Adverbplotתַּחְשְׁב֖וּH2803Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralevilוְרָעַת֙H7451Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructin your heartsבִּלְבַבְכֶֽם׃H3824Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralagainst oneאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularanotherאָחִ֔יוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

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

Original words

But they refusedוַיְמָאֲנ֣וּH3985Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto pay attentionלְהַקְשִׁ֔יבH7181Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructand turnedוַיִּתְּנ֥וּH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plurala stubbornסֹרָ֑רֶתH5637Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularshoulderכָתֵ֖ףH3802Noun - feminine singularthey stopped upהִכְבִּ֥ידוּH3513Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir earsוְאָזְנֵיהֶ֖םH241Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine pluralfrom hearingמִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃H8085Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

BSB notes

Hebrew they made their ears too heavy to hear

Verse 12

Cross-references

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

Original words

They madeשָׂ֣מוּH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir heartsוְלִבָּ֞םH3820Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural[like] flintשָׁמִ֗ירH8068Noun - masculine singularand would not listen toמִ֠שְּׁמוֹעַH8085Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe lawהַתּוֹרָ֤הH8451Article | Noun - feminine singularorוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerto the wordsהַדְּבָרִים֙H1697Article | Noun - masculine pluralthatאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָאוֹת֙H6635Noun - common pluralhad sentשָׁלַ֜חH7971Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularby His Spiritבְּרוּח֔וֹH7307Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singularthroughבְּיַ֖דH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructthe earlierהָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑יםH7223Article | Adjective - masculine pluralprophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֣יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine pluralTherefore greatגָּד֔וֹלH1419Adjective - masculine singularangerקֶ֣צֶףH7110Noun - masculine singularcameוַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמֵאֵ֖תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָאֽוֹת׃H6635Noun - common plural

Verse 13

Cross-references

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

Original words

Andוַיְהִ֥יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularjust asכַאֲשֶׁר־H834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeI had calledקָרָ֖אH7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand they would notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelistenשָׁמֵ֑עוּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralsoכֵּ֤ןH3651Adverbwhen they calledיִקְרְאוּ֙H7121Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralI would notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelistenאֶשְׁמָ֔עH8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularsaysאָמַ֖רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָאֽוֹת׃H6635Noun - common plural

Verse 14

Cross-references

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

Original words

But I scattered them with a whirlwindוְאֵ֣סָעֲרֵ֗םH5590Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralamongעַ֤לH5921Prepositionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe nationsהַגּוֹיִם֙H1471Article | Noun - masculine pluralthatאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativethey had notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleknownיְדָע֔וּםH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine pluraland the landוְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙H776Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularwas left desolateנָשַׁ֣מָּהH8074Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singularbehind themאַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔םH310Preposition | third person masculine pluralso that no one could comeמֵֽעֹבֵ֖רH5674Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularor goוּמִשָּׁ֑בH7725Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularThus they turnedוַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe pleasantחֶמְדָּ֖הH2532Noun - feminine singularlandאֶֽרֶץ־H776Noun - feminine singular constructinto a desolationלְשַׁמָּֽה׃פH8047Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

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