Zechariah 1:15

15 and in great wrath I shall be wroth on rich folks; for I was wroth a little, forsooth they helped into evil. (and with great anger I shall rage against the rich nations; because before, when I was but a little angry, they helped evil to increase.)

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 And the Lord answered to the angel, that spake in me (who spoke to me), good words, and words of comfort.

14 And the angel that spake in me, said to me, Cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, I loved Jerusalem and Zion in great fervor; (And the angel who spoke to me, said to me, Cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, I loved Jerusalem and Zion with great fervor;)

15 and in great wrath I shall be wroth on rich folks; for I was wroth a little, forsooth they helped into evil. (and with great anger I shall rage against the rich nations; because before, when I was but a little angry, they helped evil to increase.)

16 Therefore the Lord saith these things, I shall turn again to Jerusalem in mercies. Mine house shall be builded in it, saith the Lord of hosts; and a plummet shall be stretched out on Jerusalem. (And so the Lord saith these things, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My House shall be rebuilt in it, saith the Lord of hosts; and a plumb line shall be stretched out upon Jerusalem.)

17 Yet cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Yet my cities shall flow with goods, and yet the Lord shall comfort Zion, and yet he shall choose Jerusalem. (Once again cry thou, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Once again my cities shall overflow with good things, and once again the Lord shall comfort Zion, and once again he shall choose Jerusalem.)