1 The captives enquire concerning the set fasts.
4 Zechariah reproves the hypocrisy of their fasting.
8 Sin the cause of their captivity.

the fourth. 1:1 Ezr 6:14,15 Hag 2:10,20

Chisleu. Answering to part of November and part of December.

Ne 1:1

2 When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

they. 6:10 Ezr 6:10 7:15-23 8:28-30 Isa 60:7

pray before the Lord. Heb. intreat the face of the Lord. 8:21 Ex 32:11*marg. 1Sa 13:12 1Ki 13:6 Jer 26:19

3 And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

speak. De 17:9-11 33:10 Eze 44:23,24 Ho 4:6 Hag 2:11 Mal 2:7

Should. 5 Ne 8:9-11 9:1-3 Ec 3:4 Isa 22:12,13 Joe 2:17 Mt 9:15 Jas 4:8-10

fifth. This was a fast for the burning of the temple, as that of the seventh month was for the death of Gedaliah; and seeing that the city and temple were in part rebuilt, they wished to know whether they should continue the observance of them.

8:19 2Ki 25:8,9 Jer 52:12-14

separating. 12:12-14 1Co 7:5

4 Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,

Lord of hosts. Isa 10:16

5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

When. Isa 58:5

seventh. 8:19 2Ki 25:23 Jer 41:1-4

seventy. From the eleventh year of Zedekiah to the fourth of Darius Hystapses are just seventy years. 3 1:12 Jer 25:11

did. 6 Isa 1:11,12 58:4-6 Mt 5:16-18 6:2,5,16 23:5 Ro 14:6-9,17,18 1Co 10:31 2Co 5:15 Col 3:23

6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

did not ye eat for. or, be not ye they that did eat for, etc. De 12:7 14:26 1Sa 16:7 1Ch 29:22 Jer 17:9,10 Ho 8:13 9:4 1Co 10:31 11:20,21,26-29 Col 3:17

7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?

Should ye not hear the words. or, Are not these the words, etc. Isa 55:3,6,7

cried. 1:3-6 Isa 1:16-20 Jer 7:5,23 36:2,3 Eze 18:30-32 Da 9:6-14 Ho 14:1-3 Am 5:14,15 Mic 6:6-8 Zep 2:1-3

former. Heb. the hand of former. the south. De 34:3 Jer 17:26 32:44 33:13

8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,

9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

saying. 7 8:16,17 Le 19:15,35-37 De 10:18,19 15:7-14 16:18-20 Ps 82:2-4 Pr 21:3 Isa 58:6-10 Jer 7:5,23 Eze 45:9 Ho 10:12,13 Am 5:24 Mic 6:8 Mt 23:23 Lu 11:42 Jas 2:13-17

Execute true judgment. Heb. Judge judgment of truth. Jer 21:12*marg. Joh 7:51

10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

oppress. Ex 22:21-24 23:9 De 24:14-18 27:19 Ps 72:4 Pr 22:22,23 23:10 Pr 23:11 Isa 1:16,17,23 Jer 5:28 22:15-17 Eze 22:7,12,29 Am 4:1 5:11,12 Mic 2:1-3 3:1-4 Zep 3:1-3 Mal 3:5 Mt 23:14 1Co 6:10 Jas 5:4

imagine. Ps 21:11 36:4 140:2 Pr 3:29 6:18 Jer 11:19,20 18:18 Mic 2:1 Mr 7:21-23 Jas 1:14,15 1Jo 3:15

11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

they refused. 1:4 Ex 10:3 2Ki 17:13-15 2Ch 33:10 Ne 9:17,26,29 Pr 1:24-32 Isa 1:19,20 Jer 6:16,17 7:24 13:10 26:5,6 35:15 36:31 44:16 Eze 3:7 Ho 4:16 Da 9:5 Zep 3:2 Ac 7:51 Heb 12:25

pulled away the shoulder. Heb. gave a backsliding shoulder. Ne 9:29 Jer 8:5 Ho 4:16 Heb 10:38,39

stopped. Heb. made heavy. Ps 58:4,5 Isa 6:10 Ac 7:57

12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

their hearts. Ne 9:29 Job 9:4 Isa 48:4 Jer 5:3 Eze 2:4 3:7-9 11:19 36:26

lest. Ps 50:17 Ne 9:29,30 Isa 6:10 Mt 13:15 Mr 4:12 Lu 8:12 Joh 3:19 Joh 3:20 Ac 28:27 2Th 2:10-12

sent. Ne 9:30 Ac 7:51,52 1Pe 1:11,12 2Pe 1:21

the former. Heb. the hand of the former. 7

therefore. 2Ch 36:16 Jer 26:19 Da 9:11,12 1Th 2:15,16

13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:

as. Ps 81:8-12 Pr 1:24-28 Isa 50:2 Jer 6:16,17 Lu 13:34,35 Lu 19:42-44

so. Pr 21:13 28:9 Isa 1:15 Jer 11:11 14:12 Eze 14:3 20:3 Mic 3:4 Mt 25:11,12 Lu 13:25 Jas 4:3

14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

scattered. 2:6 9:14 Le 26:33 De 4:27 28:33,64 Ps 58:9 Isa 17:13 21:1 Isa 66:15 Jer 4:11,12 23:19 25:32,33 30:23 36:19 Am 1:14 Na 1:3 Hab 3:14

whom. De 28:33,49 Jer 5:15

the land. Le 26:22 2Ch 36:21 Jer 52:30 Da 9:16-18 Zep 3:6

the pleasant land. Heb. the land of desire. Da 8:9