Zechariah 1:15

15 and I am very angry with the nations that enjoy quiet and peace. For while I was holding back my anger against my people, those nations made the sufferings of my people worse.

Zechariah 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 1:15

And I am very sore displeased with the heathen [that are]
at ease
The Chaldeans and Persians, and other nations, enemies of the Jews, who were now free from war, and enjoyed great prosperity, when the state and condition of the Jews was very low and discouraging: for I was but a little displeased:
that is, with his people the Jews, for their ingratitude, idolatry, and immorality; and which displeasure he showed by suffering them to be carried into captivity; see ( Isaiah 54:8 ) : and they helped forward the affliction;
that is, the heathens, among whom the Jews were carried captive; they added to their affliction; they oppressed them more than they ought to have done, and more than was agreeable to the will of God and right in his sight; and they insulted them in their misery, and rejoiced over them. The word (rze) , in the Arabic language, signifies to "abound" F21; and the meaning is, that they abounded in bringing evil upon the people of the Jews; they multiplied their afflictions and distresses.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 <arabic> "abundavit, multiplicavit", Golius, col. 1705. Castel. col. 2721. (rze) "Jazar, cum (e) punctato, exuberavit, abundavit, multus fuit", Schindler. Lex. Pentaglot. col. 1307.

Zechariah 1:15 In-Context

13 The Lord answered the angel with comforting words,
14 and the angel told me to proclaim what the Lord Almighty had said: "I have a deep love and concern for Jerusalem, my holy city,
15 and I am very angry with the nations that enjoy quiet and peace. For while I was holding back my anger against my people, those nations made the sufferings of my people worse.
16 So I have come back to Jerusalem to show mercy to the city. My Temple will be restored, and the city will be rebuilt."
17 The angel also told me to proclaim: "The Lord Almighty says that his cities will be prosperous again and that he will once again help Jerusalem and claim the city as his own."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.