Zechariah 1:4

4 Be ye not as your fathers, to which the former prophets cried, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Be ye converted from your evil ways, and your worst thoughts; and they heard not, neither took attention to me, saith the Lord of hosts. (Do not ye be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets, or the prophets of old, cried, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Turn ye away from your evil ways, and your worst thoughts; and they did not listen, nor pay any attention to me, saith the Lord of hosts.)

Zechariah 1:4 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 1:4

Be ye not as your fathers
Who lived before the captivity, and misused the prophets and messengers of the Lord, and despised his word, and fell into gross idolatry; the evil examples of parents and ancestors are not to be followed: unto whom the former prophets have cried:
such as Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others: saying, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Turn now from your evil ways,
and [from] your evil doings;
by their "evil ways" may be meant their idolatrous worship; and by their "evil doings" their immoralities; or, by both, their wicked lives and conversations, both before God and men; from whence they were exhorted by the former prophets to turn, and to reform; even "now", at that present time they prophesied to them, immediately, lest destruction come upon them: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord;
speaking by his prophets, who were sent by him, and came and spoke in his name; so that not hearing them was not hearing him who sent them, and whom they represented.

Zechariah 1:4 In-Context

2 The Lord is wroth on your fathers with wrathfulness. (The Lord was truly angry with your forefathers.)

3 And thou shalt say to them, The Lord of hosts saith these things. Be ye turned again to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall be turned again to you, saith the Lord of hosts. (And thou shalt say to the people, The Lord of hosts saith these things. Return ye to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall return to you/Come ye back to me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I shall come back to you.)

4 Be ye not as your fathers, to which the former prophets cried, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Be ye converted from your evil ways, and your worst thoughts; and they heard not, neither took attention to me, saith the Lord of hosts. (Do not ye be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets, or the prophets of old, cried, saying, The Lord of hosts saith these things, Turn ye away from your evil ways, and your worst thoughts; and they did not listen, nor pay any attention to me, saith the Lord of hosts.)

5 Where be your fathers and (the) prophets? whether they shall live [into] without end? (And now where be your forefathers, and the prophets? do they live forever?)

6 Nevertheless my words and my lawful things, which I commanded to my servants (the) prophets, whether they caught not your fathers? And they were turned again, and said, As the Lord of hosts thought for to do to us by our ways, and by our findings, he did to us. (Nevertheless my words and my laws, which I commanded to my servants the prophets, did they not catch, or overtake, your forefathers? And then they repented, or turned, and said, As the Lord of hosts thought to do to us because of our ways, and our deeds, so he hath done to us.)