Zechariah 7:3-13

3 by asking the priests who were at the house of the Lord of Hosts as well as the prophets, "Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done these many years?"
4 Then the word of the Lord of Hosts came to me:
5 "Ask all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh [months] for these 70 years, did you really fast for Me?[a]
6 When you eat and drink, don't you eat and drink [simply] for yourselves?[b]
7 Aren't [these] the words that the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and secure,[c] along with its surrounding cities, and when the southern region and the Judean foothills were inhabited?"
8 The word of the Lord came to Zechariah:
9 "The Lord of Hosts says this: Render true justice.[d] Show faithful love and compassion[e] to one another.
10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the stranger or the poor,[f] and do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.[g]
11 But they refused to pay attention[h] and turned a stubborn shoulder; they closed their ears so they could not hear.[i]
12 They made their hearts like a rock so as not to obey the law or the words that the Lord of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets.[j] Therefore great anger came from the Lord of Hosts.
13 Just as He had called, and they would not listen, so when they called, I would not listen," says the Lord of Hosts.

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Zechariah 7:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 7

This chapter treats concerning the nature and use of certain fasts kept by the Jews, on account of the destruction of the temple, and other things; and concerning the message of the former prophets to them, and the effects of it. The occasion of the former was an embassy sent by the Jews to the priests and prophets, to know whether they should continue the fast of the fifth month; upon which the prophet was sent by the Lord unto them. The time of the prophecy is noted, Zec 7:1. An account of the embassy is given, of the persons that were sent, and to whom, and upon what account, Zec 7:2,3. The answer of the Lord to it by the prophet, showing the usefulness of fasts to him, and putting them upon hearkening to his voice by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was in great prosperity, Zec 7:4-7 and then they are exhorted by him, in the ministry of the present prophet, to acts of righteousness, several species of which are mentioned; and which were the same they had been exhorted to by the former prophets, but had neglected, and hardened their hearts against all exhortations and instructions, Zec 7:8-12 and were the reason of their captivity and desolation, Zec 7:13,14.

Footnotes 10

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