Zechariah 8:16

16 'These are the things which you should do: speak the ¹truth to one another; ²judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.

Zechariah 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 8:16

These [are] the things that ye shall do
Which were duties incumbent on them, and which it became them to perform, under a sense of the favours bestowed on them, to show their gratitude to God, and that they might glorify him: Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour;
not using deceit, prevarication, and lying, ( Ephesians 4:25 ) and it becomes every man under the Gospel dispensation, according to the gift he has received, to speak, publish, and declare the truth of the Gospel, to the edification of others: execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates;
that is, execute true judgment, as in ( Zechariah 7:9 ) do justice between man and man, without respect of persons; the issue of which will be peace between the contending parties: and this was to be done in their "gates", because there their courts of judicature were kept.

Zechariah 8:16 In-Context

14 "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and I have not relented,

15 so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear!

16 'These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.

17 'Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury ; for all these are what I hate,' declares the LORD ."

18 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 15:2; Proverbs 12:17-19; Zechariah 8:3; Ephesians 4:25
• 2. Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 11:4, 5; Zechariah 7:9

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. the place where court was held