Zechariah 7:10

10 1do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, 2or the poor, and 3let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."

Zechariah 7:10 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 7:10

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the
stranger, nor the poor
Such as have no husband to provide for them, nor father and mother to care for them, and are in a strange land, where they have no friends or acquaintance, and are poor, and can not help themselves. Laws of this kind were frequently inculcated among the Jews; see ( Deuteronomy 24:14 Deuteronomy 24:17 ) : and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart;
thoughts of evil are sinful, and forbidden by the law of God, as well as actions, which agrees with our Lord's sense of the law, ( Matthew 5:22 Matthew 5:28 ) , see ( Leviticus 19:17 ) .

Zechariah 7:10 In-Context

8 And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying,
9 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."
11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Isaiah 1:23; Jeremiah 5:28; See Exodus 22:21, 22
  • 2. Proverbs 22:22
  • 3. Zechariah 8:17
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.