6 And when ye did eat, H398 and when ye did drink, H8354 did not ye eat H398 for yourselves, and drink H8354 for yourselves?
When ye G5216 come together G4905 therefore G3767 into G1909 one place, G846 this is G2076 not G3756 to eat G5315 the Lord's G2960 supper. G1173 For G1063 in G1722 eating G5315 every one G1538 taketh before G4301 other his own G2398 supper: G1173 and G2532 one G3739 G3303 is hungry, G3983 and G1161 another G3739 is drunken. G3184
And there ye shall eat H398 before H6440 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and ye shall rejoice H8055 in all that ye put H4916 your hand H3027 unto, ye and your households, H1004 wherein the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath blessed H1288 thee.
And thou shalt bestow H5414 that money H3701 for whatsoever thy soul H5315 lusteth after, H183 for oxen, H1241 or for sheep, H6629 or for wine, H3196 or for strong drink, H7941 or for whatsoever thy soul H5315 desireth: H7592 and thou shalt eat H398 there before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and thou shalt rejoice, H8055 thou, and thine household, H1004
But the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 Look H5027 not on his countenance, H4758 or on the height H1364 of his stature; H6967 because I have refused H3988 him: for the LORD seeth not as man H120 seeth; H7200 for man H120 looketh H7200 on the outward appearance, H5869 but the LORD H3068 looketh H7200 on the heart. H3824
And did eat H398 and drink H8354 before H6440 the LORD H3068 on that day H3117 with great H1419 gladness. H8057 And they made Solomon H8010 the son H1121 of David H1732 king H4427 the second time, H8145 and anointed H4886 him unto the LORD H3068 to be the chief governor, H5057 and Zadok H6659 to be priest. H3548
The heart H3820 is deceitful H6121 above all things, and desperately wicked: H605 who can know H3045 it? I the LORD H3068 search H2713 the heart, H3820 I try H974 the reins, H3629 even to give H5414 every man H376 according to his ways, H1870 and according to the fruit H6529 of his doings. H4611
They sacrifice H2076 flesh H1320 for the sacrifices H2077 of mine offerings, H1890 and eat H398 it; but the LORD H3068 accepteth H7521 them not; now will he remember H2142 their iniquity, H5771 and visit H6485 their sins: H2403 they shall return H7725 to Egypt. H4714
They shall not offer H5258 wine H3196 offerings to the LORD, H3068 neither shall they be pleasing H6149 unto him: their sacrifices H2077 shall be unto them as the bread H3899 of mourners; H205 all that eat H398 thereof shall be polluted: H2930 for their bread H3899 for their soul H5315 shall not come H935 into the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
For G1063 as often as G302 G3740 ye eat G2068 this G5126 bread, G740 and G2532 drink G4095 this G5124 cup, G4221 ye do shew G2605 the Lord's G2962 death G2288 till G891 G302 he G3739 come. G2064 Wherefore G5620 whosoever G3739 G302 shall eat G2068 this G5126 bread, G740 and G2228 drink G4095 this cup G4221 of the Lord, G2962 unworthily, G371 shall be G2071 guilty G1777 of the body G4983 and G2532 blood G129 of the Lord. G2962 But G1161 let G1381 a man G444 examine G1381 himself, G1438 and G2532 so G3779 let him eat G2068 of G1537 that bread, G740 and G2532 drink G4095 of G1537 that cup. G4221 For G1063 he that eateth G2068 and G2532 drinketh G4095 unworthily, G371 eateth G2068 and G2532 drinketh G4095 damnation G2917 to himself, G1438 not G3361 discerning G1252 the Lord's G2962 body. G4983
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Zechariah 7
Commentary on Zechariah 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
Zec 7:1-14. II. Didactic Part, Seventh and Eighth chapters. Obedience, Rather than Fasting, Enjoined: Its Reward.
1. fourth year of … Darius—two years after the previous prophecies (Zec 1:1, &c.).
Chisleu—meaning "torpidity," the state in which nature is in November, answering to this month.
2. they … sent unto … house of God—The Jews of the country sent to the house of God or congregation at Jerusalem. The altar was long since reared (Ezr 3:3), though the temple was not completed till two years afterwards (Ezr 6:15). The priests' duty was to give decision on points of the law (De 17:9; Mt 2:4). Beth-el is here used instead of Beth-Jehovah, because the religious authorities, rather than the house itself (designated "Beth-Jehovah" in Zec 7:3), are intended. The old Beth-el had long ceased to be the seat of idol-worship, so that the name had lost its opprobrious meaning. "The house of the Lord" is used for the congregation of worshippers headed by their priests (Zec 3:7; Ho 8:1). Maurer makes the "house of God" nominative to "sent." Henderson makes "Beth-el" so.
Sherezer—an Assyrian name meaning, "Prefect of the treasury."
Regemmelech—meaning, "The king's official." These names perhaps intimate the semi-heathen character of the inquirers, which may also be implied in the name "Beth-el" (Hebrew for "house of God"), so notorious once for its calf-worship. They sent to Jehovah's house as their forefathers sent to old Beth-el, not in the spirit of true obedience.
pray before the Lord—literally, "to entreat the face of," that is, to offer sacrifices, the accompaniment of prayers, to conciliate His favor (1Sa 13:12).
3. Should I weep in the fifth month—"I" represents here the people of God (compare Zec 8:21). This rather favors Maurer's view, taking "the house of God," the congregation, as nominative to "sent." Their hypocrisy appeared because they showed more concern about a ceremony of human institution (not improper in itself) than about moral obedience. If, too, they had trusted God's promise as to the restoration of Church and State, the fast would have now given place to joy, for which there was more cause than for grief [Pembellus].
to the prophets—Haggai and Zechariah especially. The tenth day of the fifth month was kept a fast, being the anniversary of the destruction of Jerusalem (Jer 52:12-14). They ask, Should the fast be continued, now that the temple and city are being restored?
separating myself—sanctifying myself by separation, not only from food, but from all defilements (compare Joe 2:16) as was usual in a solemn fast.
5. Speak unto all—The question had been asked in the name of the people in general by Sherezer and Regemmelech. The self-imposed fast they were tired of, not having observed it in the spirit of true religion.
seventh month—This fast was in memory of the murder of Gedaliah and those with him at Mizpah, issuing in the dispersion of the Jews (2Ki 25:25, 26; Jer 41:1-3).
did ye … fast unto me?—No; it was to gratify yourselves in hypocritical will-worship. If it had been "unto Me," ye would have "separated yourselves" not only from food, but from your sins (Isa 58:3-7). They falsely made the fast an end intrinsically meritorious in itself, not a means towards God's glory in their sanctification. The true principle of piety, reference to God, was wanting: hence the emphatic repetition of "unto Me." Before settling questions as to the outward forms of piety (however proper, as in this case), the great question was as to piety itself; that being once settled, all their outward observances become sanctified, being "unto the Lord" (Ro 14:6).
6. did not ye eat for yourselves?—literally, "Is it not ye who eat?" that is, it is not unto Me and My glory. It tends no more to My glory, your feasting than your fasting.
7. Should ye not hear the words—rather, "Should ye not do the words," as their question naturally was as to what they should do (Zec 7:3); "hearing" is not mentioned till Zec 7:12. The sense is, It is not fasts that Jehovah requires of you, but that ye should keep His precepts given to you at the time when Jerusalem was in its integrity. Had ye done so then, ye would have had no occasion to institute fasts to commemorate its destruction, for it would never have been destroyed (Zec 7:9-14) [Maurer]. Or, as the Margin, "Are not these the words" of the older prophets (Isa 58:3; Jer 14:12) which threatened a curse for disobedience, which the event has so awfully confirmed. If ye follow them in sin, ye must follow them in suffering. English Version is good sense: Ye inquire anxiously about the fasts, whereas ye ought to be anxious about hearing the lesson taught by the former prophets and verified in the nation's punishment; penitence and obedience are required rather than fasts.
the plain—southwest of Jerusalem. They then inhabited securely the region most unguarded.
9. speaketh—implying that these precepts addressed to their ancestors were the requirements of Jehovah not merely then, but now. We must not only not hurt, but we must help our fellow men. God is pleased with such loving obedience, rather than with empty ceremonies.
10. imagine evil—that is, devise evil. The Septuagint takes it, Harbor not the desire of revenge (Le 19:18). "Devise evil against one another" is simpler (Ps 36:4; Mic 2:1).
11. pulled away the shoulder—literally, "presented a refractory shoulder"; an image from beasts refusing to bear the yoke (Ne 9:29, Margin).
stopped … ears—(Isa 6:10; Jer 7:26; Ac 7:57).
12. hearts … adamant—(Eze 3:9; 11:19).
Lord … sent in Spirit by … prophets—that is, sent by the former prophets inspired with His Spirit.
therefore … great wrath—(2Ch 36:16). As they pushed from them the yoke of obedience, God laid on them the yoke of oppression. As they made their heart hard as adamant, God brake their hard hearts with judgments. Hard hearts must expect hard treatment. The harder the stone, the harder the blow of the hammer to break it.
13. he cried—by His prophets.
they cried—in their calamities.
I … not hear—retribution in kind (Pr 1:24-26; Isa 1:15; Mic 3:4).
14. whirlwind—of wrath (Na 1:3).
nations whom they knew not—foreign and barbarous.
desolate after them—after their expulsion and exile. It was ordered remarkably by God's providence, that no occupants took possession of it, but that during the Jews' absence it was reserved for them against their return after seventy years.
they laid … desolate—The Jews did so by their sins. The blame of their destruction lay with themselves, rather than with the Babylonians (2Ch 36:21).
pleasant land—Canaan. Literally, "the land of desire" (Jer 3:19).