Zechariah 7:6-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zechariah 7:1-7

This occasional sermon, which the prophet preached, and which is recorded in this and the next chapter, was above two years after the former, in which he gave them an account of his visions, as appears by comparing the date of this (Zech. 7:1), in the ninth month of the fourth year of Darius, with the date of that (Zech. 1:1), in the eighth month of the second year of Darius; not that Zechariah was idle all that while (it is expressly said that he and Haggai continued prophesying till the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zechariah 7:8-14

What was said Zech. 7:7; that they should have heard the words of the former prophets, is here enlarged upon, for warning to these hypocritical enquirers, who continued their sins when they asked with great preciseness whether they should continue their fasts. This prophet had before put them in mind of their fathers? disobedience to the calls of the prophets, and what was the consequence of it (Zech. 1:4-6), and now here again; for others? harms should be our warnings. God's judgments upon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 7:6

And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink ,.... Either at common meals, or at their festivals: did not ye eat for yourselves , and drink for yourselves ? merely and only for their own refreshment and pleasure, and not for the glory of God; though that ought to be the principal end in eating and drinking, 1 Corinthians 10:31 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 7:7

Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets ,.... As Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others; suggesting that it would have been much better for them to have regarded the exhortations and instructions which the Lord sent them by his servants, which would have prevented their captivity; and so would have had no occasion of fasting and mourning: for those prophecies were delivered out when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity, and the cities thereof... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 7:8

And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying. Giving him orders to repeat what the former prophets had said, and to urge the same things on the people which they had before rejected, the rejection of which had issued in their ruin. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 7:9

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying ,.... The same things as he had before; for the things following are ever in force, and always to be attended to, and to be regarded and preferred before anything merely ritual and ceremonial; and especially before the traditions and commandments of men, of which nature the above fasts were: Execute true judgment ; or, "judge judgment F5 משפט אמת "judicium veritatis", Montanus, Calvin, Cocceius, Burkius; "jus veritatis", Junius &... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zechariah 7:10

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor ,.... Such as have no husband to provide for them, nor father and mother to care for them, and are in a strange land, where they have no friends or acquaintance, and are poor, and can not help themselves. Laws of this kind were frequently inculcated among the Jews; see Deuteronomy 24:14 , and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart ; thoughts of evil are sinful, and forbidden by the law of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:6

And when ye did eat - They had not observed those fasts as they should have done. They deplored the loss of their temple, and its riches, etc., but they did not humble themselves because of those iniquities which had brought the displeasure of God upon them, their temple, and their city. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:7

The words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets - הראשנים נביאים nebiim harishonim , is the title which the Jews give to Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, and the two books of Kings. The latter prophets, אחרונים נביאים nebiim acharonim , are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. The hagiographa, כתובים kethubim , holy writings, are the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:9

Execute true judgment - See Isaiah 58:6 , Isaiah 58:7 ; Jeremiah Jeremiah 7:23 ; Micah 6:8 , chap. 8. read more

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