Zechariah 7:11

11 But ¹they refused to pay attention ²and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.^[a]

Zechariah 7:11 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 7:11

But they refused to hearken
. That is, the Jews, before the captivity, refusal to give heed to the above exhortations, and obey the voice of God in them: and pulled away the shoulder;
from serving the Lord, and supporting his interest: or "they gave", or presented, "a rebellious shoulder" {f}; a refractory one, that slides back, like a backsliding or refractory heifer, that will not admit of the yoke, ( Hosea 4:16 ) so these could not bear the yoke of the law, nor the burden of duty; nor suffer the words of exhortation, or receive the admonitions given them: and stopped their ears, that they should not hear;
like the deaf adder, ( Psalms 58:4 Psalms 58:5 ) they would not hear, and pretended they could not; which was an instance of contempt to the speakers.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (trro Ptk) "scapulam aversam", Pagninus; "deflectentem", Montanus; "rebellem", Munster, Tigurine version; "refractarium", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Ben Melech.

Zechariah 7:11 In-Context

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.

13 "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of hosts,

Cross References

• 1. Zechariah 1:4
• 2. Nehemiah 9:29

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew and made their ears too heavy to hear