7 Should ye not hear the words H1697 which the LORD H3068 hath cried H7121 by H3027 the former H7223 prophets, H5030 when Jerusalem H3389 was inhabited H3427 and in prosperity, H7961 and the cities H5892 thereof round about her, H5439 when men inhabited H3427 the south H5045 and the plain? H8219
And they shall come H935 from the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and from the places about H5439 Jerusalem, H3389 and from the land H776 of Benjamin, H1144 and from the plain, H8219 and from the mountains, H2022 and from the south, H5045 bringing H935 burnt offerings, H5930 and sacrifices, H2077 and meat offerings, H4503 and incense, H3828 and bringing H935 sacrifices of praise, H8426 unto the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
Men shall buy H7069 fields H7704 for money, H3701 and subscribe H3789 evidences, H5612 and seal H2856 them, and take H5749 witnesses H5707 in the land H776 of Benjamin, H1144 and in the places about H5439 Jerusalem, H3389 and in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and in the cities H5892 of the mountains, H2022 and in the cities H5892 of the valley, H8219 and in the cities H5892 of the south: H5045 for I will cause their captivity H7622 to return, H7725 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
For if ye throughly H3190 amend H3190 your ways H1870 and your doings; H4611 if ye throughly H6213 execute H6213 judgment H4941 between a man H376 and his neighbour; H7453
Wash H7364 you, make you clean; H2135 put away H5493 the evil H7455 of your doings H4611 from before H5048 mine eyes; H5869 cease H2308 to do evil; H7489 Learn H3925 to do well; H3190 seek H1875 judgment, H4941 relieve H833 the oppressed, H2541 judge H8199 the fatherless, H3490 plead H7378 for the widow. H490 Come now, H3212 and let us reason together, H3198 saith H559 the LORD: H3068 though your sins H2399 be as scarlet, H8144 they shall be as white H3835 as snow; H7950 though they be red H119 like crimson, H8438 they shall be as wool. H6785 If ye be willing H14 and obedient, H8085 ye shall eat H398 the good H2898 of the land: H776 But if ye refuse H3985 and rebel, H4784 ye shall be devoured H398 with the sword: H2719 for the mouth H6310 of the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it.
O Israel, H3478 return H7725 unto the LORD H3068 thy God; H430 for thou hast fallen H3782 by thine iniquity. H5771 Take H3947 with you words, H1697 and turn H7725 to the LORD: H3068 say H559 unto him, Take away H5375 all iniquity, H5771 and receive H3947 us graciously: H2896 so will we render H7999 the calves H6499 of our lips. H8193 Asshur H804 shall not save H3467 us; we will not ride H7392 upon horses: H5483 neither will we say H559 any more to the work H4639 of our hands, H3027 Ye are our gods: H430 for in thee the fatherless H3490 findeth mercy. H7355
Gather yourselves together, H7197 yea, gather together, H7197 O nation H1471 not desired; H3700 Before the decree H2706 bring forth, H3205 before the day H3117 pass H5674 as the chaff, H4671 before H3808 the fierce H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 come H935 upon you, before the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 anger H639 come H935 upon you. Seek H1245 ye the LORD, H3068 all ye meek H6035 of the earth, H776 which have wrought H6466 his judgment; H4941 seek H1245 righteousness, H6664 seek H1245 meekness: H6038 it may be H194 ye shall be hid H5641 in the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 anger. H639
Wherewith shall I come before H6923 the LORD, H3068 and bow H3721 myself before the high H4791 God? H430 shall I come before H6923 him with burnt offerings, H5930 with calves H5695 of a year H8141 old? H1121 Will the LORD H3068 be pleased H7521 with thousands H505 of rams, H352 or with ten thousands H7233 of rivers H5158 of oil? H8081 shall I give H5414 my firstborn H1060 for my transgression, H6588 the fruit H6529 of my body H990 for the sin H2403 of my soul? H5315 He hath shewed H5046 thee, O man, H120 what is good; H2896 and what doth the LORD H3068 require H1875 of thee, but to do H6213 justly, H4941 and to love H160 mercy, H2617 and to walk H3212 humbly H6800 with thy God? H430
Seek H1875 good, H2896 and not evil, H7451 that ye may live: H2421 and so the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of hosts, H6635 shall be with you, as ye have spoken. H559 Hate H8130 the evil, H7451 and love H157 the good, H2896 and establish H3322 judgment H4941 in the gate: H8179 it may be that the LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts H6635 will be gracious H2603 unto the remnant H7611 of Joseph. H3130
Neither have we hearkened H8085 unto thy servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 which spake H1696 in thy name H8034 to our kings, H4428 our princes, H8269 and our fathers, H1 and to all the people H5971 of the land. H776 O Lord, H136 righteousness H6666 belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion H1322 of faces, H6440 as at this day; H3117 to the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and to the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem, H3389 and unto all Israel, H3478 that are near, H7138 and that are far off, H7350 through all the countries H776 whither thou hast driven H5080 them, because of their trespass H4604 that they have trespassed H4603 against thee. O Lord, H136 to us belongeth confusion H1322 of face, H6440 to our kings, H4428 to our princes, H8269 and to our fathers, H1 because we have sinned H2398 against thee. To the Lord H136 our God H430 belong mercies H7356 and forgivenesses, H5547 though we have rebelled H4775 against him; Neither have we obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 our God, H430 to walk H3212 in his laws, H8451 which he set H5414 before H6440 us by H3027 his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 Yea, all Israel H3478 have transgressed H5674 thy law, H8451 even by departing, H5493 that they might not obey H8085 thy voice; H6963 therefore the curse H423 is poured H5413 upon us, and the oath H7621 that is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of God, H430 because we have sinned H2398 against him. And he hath confirmed H6965 his words, H1697 which he spake H1696 against us, and against our judges H8199 that judged H8199 us, by bringing H935 upon us a great H1419 evil: H7451 for under the whole heaven H8064 hath not been done H6213 as hath been done H6213 upon Jerusalem. H3389 As it is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 all this evil H7451 is come H935 upon us: yet made we not our prayer H2470 before H6440 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 that we might turn H7725 from our iniquities, H5771 and understand H7919 thy truth. H571 Therefore hath the LORD H3068 watched H8245 upon the evil, H7451 and brought H935 it upon us: for the LORD H3068 our God H430 is righteous H6662 in all his works H4639 which he doeth: H6213 for we obeyed H8085 not his voice. H6963
Therefore I will judge H8199 you, O house H1004 of Israel, H3478 every one H376 according to his ways, H1870 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Repent, H7725 and turn H7725 yourselves from all your transgressions; H6588 so iniquity H5771 shall not be your ruin. H4383 Cast away H7993 from you all your transgressions, H6588 whereby ye have transgressed; H6586 and make H6213 you a new H2319 heart H3820 and a new H2319 spirit: H7307 for why will ye die, H4191 O house H1004 of Israel? H3478 For I have no pleasure H2654 in the death H4194 of him that dieth, H4191 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD: H3069 wherefore turn H7725 yourselves, and live H2421 ye.
Take H3947 thee a roll H4039 of a book, H5612 and write H3789 therein all the words H1697 that I have spoken H1696 unto thee against Israel, H3478 and against Judah, H3063 and against all the nations, H1471 from the day H3117 I spake H1696 unto thee, from the days H3117 of Josiah, H2977 even unto this day. H3117 It may be that the house H1004 of Judah H3063 will hear H8085 all the evil H7451 which I purpose H2803 to do H6213 unto them; that they may return H7725 every man H376 from his evil H7451 way; H1870 that I may forgive H5545 their iniquity H5771 and their sin. H2403
In the cities H5892 of the mountains, H2022 in the cities H5892 of the vale, H8219 and in the cities H5892 of the south, H5045 and in the land H776 of Benjamin, H1144 and in the places about H5439 Jerusalem, H3389 and in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 shall the flocks H6629 pass again H5674 under the hands H3027 of him that telleth H4487 them, saith H559 the LORD. H3068
I spake H1696 unto thee in thy prosperity; H7962 but thou saidst, H559 I will not hear. H8085 This hath been thy manner H1870 from thy youth, H5271 that thou obeyedst H8085 not my voice. H6963
Seek H1875 ye the LORD H3068 while he may be found, H4672 call H7121 ye upon him while he is near: H7138 Let the wicked H7563 forsake H5800 his way, H1870 and the unrighteous H205 man H376 his thoughts: H4284 and let him return H7725 unto the LORD, H3068 and he will have mercy H7355 upon him; and to our God, H430 for he will abundantly H7235 pardon. H5545
Incline H5186 your ear, H241 and come H3212 unto me: hear, H8085 and your soul H5315 shall live; H2421 and I will make H3772 an everlasting H5769 covenant H1285 with you, even the sure H539 mercies H2617 of David. H1732
And the south, H5045 and the plain H3603 of the valley H1237 of Jericho, H3405 the city H5892 of palm trees, H8558 H5899 unto Zoar. H6820
Therefore say H559 thou unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Turn H7725 ye unto me, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and I will turn H7725 unto you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 Be ye not as your fathers, H1 unto whom the former H7223 prophets H5030 have cried, H7121 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Turn H7725 ye now from your evil H7451 ways, H1870 and from your evil H7451 doings: H4611 but they did not hear, H8085 nor hearken H7181 unto me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Your fathers, H1 where are they? and the prophets, H5030 do they live H2421 for ever? H5769 But my words H1697 and my statutes, H2706 which I commanded H6680 my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 did they not take hold H5381 of your fathers? H1 and they returned H7725 and said, H559 Like as the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 thought H2161 to do H6213 unto us, according to our ways, H1870 and according to our doings, H4611 so hath he dealt H6213 with us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Zechariah 7
Commentary on Zechariah 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
We have done with the visions, but not with the revelations of this book; the prophet sees no more such signs as he had seen, but still "the word of the Lord came to him.' In this chapter we have,
And then in the next chapter, having searched the wound, he binds it up, and heals it, with gracious assurances of great mercy God had yet in store for them, by which he would turn their fasts into feasts.
Zec 7:1-7
This occasional sermon, which the prophet preached, and which is recorded in this and the next chapter, was above two years after the former, in which he gave them an account of his visions, as appears by comparing the date of this (v. 1), in the ninth month of the fourth year of Darius, with the date of that (ch. 1:1), in the eighth month of the second year of Darius; not that Zechariah was idle all that while (it is expressly said that he and Haggai continued prophesying till the temple was finished in the sixth year of Darius; Ezra 6:14, 15), but during that time he did not preach any sermon that was afterwards published, and left upon record, as this is. God may be honoured, his work done, and his interest served, by word of mouth as well as by writing; and by inculcating and pressing what has been taught, as well as by advancing something new. Now here we have,
Zec 7:8-14
What was said v. 7, that they should have heard the words of the former prophets, is here enlarged upon, for warning to these hypocritical enquirers, who continued their sins when they asked with great preciseness whether they should continue their fasts. This prophet had before put them in mind of their fathers' disobedience to the calls of the prophets, and what was the consequence of it (ch. 1:4-6), and now here again; for others' harms should be our warnings. God's judgments upon Israel of old for their sins were written for admonition to us Christians (1 Co. 10:11), and the same use we should make of similar providences in our own day.