Zechariah 1:3

3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: ¹Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and ²I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

Zechariah 1:3 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 1:3

Therefore say thou unto them
This is an order from the Lord to Zechariah, to say unto them, in the name of the Lord: thus saith the Lord of hosts;
of the hosts above and below, of angels and of men, of heaven and earth, and all that is therein: this is said, that the greater regard might be had to his words: turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts;
by repentance, and acknowledgment of former sins; by reformation for the future; by attending to the worship and service of God, and seeking to glorify him. So the Targum, "return to my worship": this is not the condition of what follows, but what follows is the motive and encouragement to this: and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts;
to dwell among them, manifest himself unto and protect them. Three times the phrase, "the Lord of hosts", is used in this verse: it may be with respect to the three Persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit; who manifest themselves unto, and take up their abode with, such as love the Lord, and keep his commandments; see ( John 14:21 ) .

Zechariah 1:3 In-Context

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying,

2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers.

3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds. ’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.

5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

Cross References

• 1. 1:3 Isa. 31:6; Jer. 3:1, 22; Ezek. 18:30; Mal. 3:7
• 2. 1:3 Jer. 12:15; Mic. 7:19