Zechariah 1:15

15 And I am very angry with the nations who are living untroubled: for when I was only a little angry, they made the evil worse.

Zechariah 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 1:15

And I am very sore displeased with the heathen [that are]
at ease
The Chaldeans and Persians, and other nations, enemies of the Jews, who were now free from war, and enjoyed great prosperity, when the state and condition of the Jews was very low and discouraging: for I was but a little displeased:
that is, with his people the Jews, for their ingratitude, idolatry, and immorality; and which displeasure he showed by suffering them to be carried into captivity; see ( Isaiah 54:8 ) : and they helped forward the affliction;
that is, the heathens, among whom the Jews were carried captive; they added to their affliction; they oppressed them more than they ought to have done, and more than was agreeable to the will of God and right in his sight; and they insulted them in their misery, and rejoiced over them. The word (rze) , in the Arabic language, signifies to "abound" ^F21; and the meaning is, that they abounded in bringing evil upon the people of the Jews; they multiplied their afflictions and distresses.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 <arabic> "abundavit, multiplicavit", Golius, col. 1705. Castel. col. 2721. (rze) "Jazar, cum (e) punctato, exuberavit, abundavit, multus fuit", Schindler. Lex. Pentaglot. col. 1307.

Zechariah 1:15 In-Context

13 And the Lord gave an answer in good and comforting words to the angel who was talking to me.

14 And the angel who was talking to me said to me, Let your voice be loud and say, These are the words of the Lord of armies: I am greatly moved about the fate of Jerusalem and of Zion.

15 And I am very angry with the nations who are living untroubled: for when I was only a little angry, they made the evil worse.

16 So this is what the Lord has said: I have come back to Jerusalem with mercies; my house is to be put up in her, says the Lord of armies, and a line is to be stretched out over Jerusalem.

17 And again let your voice be loud and say, This is what the Lord of armies has said: My towns will again be overflowing with good things, and again the Lord will give comfort to Zion and take Jerusalem for himself.