Zechariah 8:17

17 Do not devise evil in your hearts [against] your neighbor, and do not love {a false oath}, because all these [are] things I hate," {declares} Yahweh.

Zechariah 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 8:17

And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against
his neighbour (See Gill on Zechariah 7:10) hatred without a cause was a governing vice under the second temple, and Jarchi says was the cause of the destruction of it; see ( John 15:25 ) : and love no false oath;
whereby the character and property of a fellow creature are hurt; nor any vain one, which the Jews were addicted to, ( Matthew 5:34 Matthew 5:35 ) : for all these [are things] that I hate, saith the Lord;
as being contrary to his nature, and to his law; and is a reason why they should be hated and avoided by men.

Zechariah 8:17 In-Context

15 {so again I have planned} in these days to do good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Do not be afraid!

16 These [are] the things that you must do: speak truth, each [of you], with his neighbor; practice trustworthy judgment and peace in your gates.

17 Do not devise evil in your hearts [against] your neighbor, and do not love {a false oath}, because all these [are] things I hate," {declares} Yahweh.

18 And the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying

19 "Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'The fast of the fourth [month], the fifth [month], the seventh [month], and the tenth [month] will be for the house of Judah jubilation and joy and merry festivals; therefore love truth and peace.'

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "an oath of deception"
• [b] Literally "declaration of"