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
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
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
But they refused to hearken ,..... That is, the Jews, before the captivity, refusal to give heed to the above exhortations, and obey the voice of God in them: and pulled away the shoulder ; from serving the Lord, and supporting his interest: or "they gave", or presented, "a rebellious shoulder" F6 כתף סררת "scapulam aversam", Pagninus; "deflectentem", Montanus; "rebellem", Munster, Tigurine version; "refractarium", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Ben Melech. ; a... read more
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone ,.... The word here used is translated a "diamond" in Jeremiah 17:1 and it is said to be harder than a flint, Ezekiel 3:9 . The Jewish writers say F7 Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 12. Pirke Abot. c. 5. sect. 5. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. Kimchi in 1 Reg. vi. 7. Jarchi in Isa. v. 6. it is a worm like a barley corn, so strong as to cut the hardest stones in pieces; Moses (they say) used it in hewing the stones for the two tables... read more
Execute true judgment - See Isaiah 58:6 , Isaiah 58:7 ; Jeremiah Jeremiah 7:23 ; Micah 6:8 , chap. 8. read more
Evil against his brother in your heart - Do not indulge an unfavourable opinion of another: do not envy him; do not harbour an unbrotherly feeling towards him. read more
Pulled away the shoulder - From under the yoke of the law, like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough. read more
Made their hearts as an adamant stone - שמיר shamir may mean the granite. This is the hardest stone with which the common people could be acquainted. Perhaps the corundum, of which emery is a species, may be intended. Bochart thinks it means a stone used in polishing others. The same name, in Hebrew, applies to different stones. read more
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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