TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Zechariah 7:8–14. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
What was said Zac 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 (Zac 1:4-6), and now here again; for others' harms should be our warnings. God's judgments upon Israel of old for their sins were written for admonition to us Christians (Co1 10:11), and the same use we should make of similar providences in our own day.
I.This prophet here repeats the heads of the sermons which the former prophets preached to their fathers (Zac 7:9, Zac 7:10), because the very same things were required of them now. "Thus does the Lord of hosts speak to you now, and thus he did speak to your fathers, saying, Execute true judgment." The duties here required of them, which would have been the lengthening of the tranquillity of their fathers and must be the restoring of their tranquillity, are not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, duties which they were bound to by the light and law of nature, though there had been no prophets sent to insist upon them, duties which had a direct tendency to the public welfare and peace, and which they themselves would be the gainers by, and not God. 1. Magistrates must administer justice impartially, according to the maxims of the law and the merits of the cause, without respect of persons: "Judge judgment of truth, and execute it when you have judged it." 2. Neighbours must have a tender concern for one another, and must not only do one another no wrong, but must be ready to do one another all the good offices that lie in their power. They must show mercy and compassion every man to his brother, as the case called for it. The infirmities of others, as well as their calamities, are to be looked upon with compassion. Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim - This kindness we ask and exercise. 3. They must not bear hard upon those whom they have advantage against, and who, they know, are not able to help themselves. They must not, either in commerce or in course of law, oppress the widow, the fatherless, the stranger, and the poor, Zac 7:10. The weakest must not be thrust to the wall because they are weakest. No thanks to men not to deny right to those who are in a capacity to demand it and recover it; but we must, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake, give those their own who have not power to force it from us. Or it intimates that that which is but exactness with others is exaction upon the widows and the fatherless; nay, that not relieving and helping them as we ought is, in effect, oppressing them. 4. They must not only not do wrong to any, but they must not so much as desire it nor think of it: "Let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Do not project it; do not wish it; nay do not so much as please yourself with the fancy of it." The law of God lays a restraint upon the heart, and forbids the entertaining, forbids the admitting, of a malicious, spiteful, ill-natured thought. Deu 15:9, Beware that there be not a thought in thy Belial heart against thy brother.
II.He describes the wilfulness and disobedience of their fathers, who persisted in all manner of wickedness and injustice, notwithstanding these exhortations and admonitions frequently given them in God's name; various expressions to this purport are here heaped up (Zac 7:11, Zac 7:12), setting forth the stubbornness of that carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not in subjection to the law of God, neither indeed can be. They were obstinate and refractory, and persisted in their transgressions of the law purely from a spirit of contradiction to the law.
1.They would not, if they could help it, come within hearing of the prophets, but kept at a distance; or, if they could not avoid hearing what they said, yet they resolved they would not heed it: They refused to hearken, and looked another way as if they had not been spoken to.
2.If they did hear what was said to them, and, as it seemed, inclined at first to comply with it, yet they flew off when it came to the setting to, and, like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, they pulled away the shoulder, and would not submit to the easy yoke and the light burden of God's commandments. They gave a withdrawing shoulder (so the word is); they seemed to lay their shoulder to the work, but they presently withdrew it again, as those Jer 34:10, Jer 34:11. They were like a deceitful bow, as that son that said, I go, sir, but went not.
3.They filled their own minds with prejudices against the word of God, and had some objection or other ready wherewith to fortify themselves against every sermon they heard. They stopped their ears, that they should not hear, as the deaf adder (Psa 58:4), and none are so deaf as those that will not hear, that make their own ear heavy, as the word is.
4.They resolved that nothing which was said to them, for the enforcing of these injunctions, should make any impression upon them: They made their hearts as an adamant-stone, as a diamond, the hardest of stones to be wrought upon, or as a flint, which the mason cannot hew into shape as he can other stone out of the quarry. Nothing is so hard, so unmalleable, so inflexible, as the heart of a presumptuous sinner; and those whose hearts are hard may thank themselves; they are of their own hardening, and it is just with God to give them over to a reprobate sense, to the hardness and impenitence of their own hearts. These stubborn sinners hardened their hearts on purpose lest they should hear what God said to them by the written word, by the law of Moses, and by the words of the prophets that preached to them; they had Moses and the prophets, but resolved they would hear neither, nor would they have been persuaded though one had been sent to them from the dead. The words of the prophet were not regarded by them, though they were words which the Lord of hosts sent and directed to them, though he sent them immediately by his Spirit in the prophets; so that in despising them they affronted God himself and resisted the Holy Ghost. Note, The reason why men are not good is because they will not be so; they will not consider, will not comply; and therefore, if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
III.He shows the fatal consequences of it to their fathers:
Therefore came great wrath from the Lord of hosts. God was highly displeased with them, and justly; he required nothing of them but what was reasonable in itself and beneficial to them; and yet they refused, and in a most insolent manner too. What master could bear to be so abused by his own servant? Such an implacable enmity to the gospel as this was to the law and the prophets was that which brought wrath to the uttermost upon the last generation of the Jewish church, Th1 2:16. Great sins against the Lord of hosts, whose authority is incontestable, bring great wrath from the Lord of hosts, whose power is irresistible. And the effect was,
1.As they had turned a deaf ear to God's word, so God turned a deaf ear to their prayers, Zac 7:13. As he cried to them in their prosperity to leave their sins, and they would not hear, but persisted in their iniquities, so they cried to him in the day of their trouble to remove his judgments, and he would not hear, but lengthened out their calamities. Those that set God at defiance, in the height of their pride, when pangs came upon them cried unto him. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee. But God has said it, and will abide by it, He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination, Pro 28:9; Pro 1:24, etc. Iniquity, regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer, Psa 66:18.
2.As they flew off from their duty and allegiance to God, and were of desultory and unsettled spirits, so God dissipated them and threw them about as chaff before a whirlwind: He scattered them among all the nations whom they knew not, and whom therefore they could not expect to receive any kindness from, Zac 7:14.
3.As they violated all the laws of their land, so God took away all the glories of it: Their land was desolate after them, and no man passed through or returned. All that country that was the kingdom of the two tribes, after the dispersion of the remaining Jews, upon the slaughter of Gedaliah, was left utterly uninhabited; there was not man, woman, or child, in it, till the Jews returned at the end of seventy years' captivity; nay, it should seem, the very roads that lay through the country were deserted (none passed or repassed), which, as it had an intimation of mercy in it (though they were cast out of it, yet it was kept empty for their return), so for the present it made the judgment appear much the more dismal; for what a horrid wilderness must a land be that had been so many years uninhabited! And they might thank themselves; it was they that by their own wickedness laid the pleasant land desolate. It was not so much the Chaldeans that did it. No; they did it themselves. The desolations of a land are owing to the wickedness of its inhabitants, Psa 107:34. This came of their wilful disobedience to the law of God. And the present generation saw how desolate sin had made that pleasant land, and yet would not take warning.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
And Zechariah also, among the twelve prophets, pointing out to the people the will of God, says, “These things does the Lord omnipotent declare: ‘Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion each one to his brother. And oppress not the widow, and the orphan, and the proselyte and the poor; and let none imagine evil against your brother in his heart.’ ” And again, he says, “ ‘These are the words which you shall utter. Speak the truth every man to his neighbor, and execute peaceful judgment in your gates, and let none of you imagine evil in your heart against his brother, and you shall not love false swearing, for all these things I hate,’ says the Lord almighty.” Moreover, David also says in like manner: “What man is there who desires life and would long to see good days? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips that they speak not guile. Shun evil and do good: seek peace, and pursue it.”
And therefore this question must at once be determined, whether the discipline of patience is enjoined by the Creator? When by Zechariah he commanded, “Let none of you imagine evil against his brother,” he did not expressly include his “neighbor;” but then in another passage he says, “Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor.” He who counseled that an injury should be forgotten was still more likely to counsel the patient endurance of it.
(Verses 8 onwards) And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in order not to hear. They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. And it came to pass as he had spoken, and they did not hear: so shall they cry, and I will not hear, saith the Lord of hosts. And I scattered them throughout all the kingdoms which they did not know; and the land was desolate from them, because there was no one who passed by or returned; and they made the pleasant land a wilderness. LXX: And the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying: Thus saith the Lord Almighty, saying: Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow, and the orphan, and the poor man: and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your hearts. And they were unwilling to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear, says the Lord of hosts, and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate. I wanted these things more, I sought those things that you, not doing, are handed over to captivity; and not the fasting of the fifth and seventh month of desolation and death. Judge a just judgment, so that you may not hear in the Psalms: How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Judge for the orphan and the widow; justify the humble and the poor (Psalm 81:2, 3), lest Isaiah also speak to you: Those who justify the wicked for bribes and take away the justice of the righteous (Isaiah 5:23); and because of you, let Habakkuk make a complaint to God on behalf of those who are oppressed: Judgment has been done against me, and the judge accepts bribes; therefore the law is useless and justice does not reach its end, because the wicked oppress the righteous (Habakkuk 1:3, 4). Nor should we consider this commandment of God to be something new; once upon a time, He had given these instructions through Moses: 'You shall judge great as small: you shall not show partiality to anyone, and you shall not have pity on the poor in judgment, for it is the judgment of God' (Deuteronomy 1:17). Each person shall also show mercy and compassion towards their brother. After the severity of judgment, let mercy follow for all, especially towards brothers, whom we perceive to be of the same blood or of the same faith as us. Also see the widow and orphan, of whom it was commanded to us: Be a father to the orphans and a husband to their mother; judge the orphan and justify the widow (Eccl. IV, 10). And do not slander the stranger and the poor, for one is made a foreigner by travel, the other is made lowly by poverty. And let not a man think evil of his brother in his heart, as it is said in the Septuagint: And let everyone not remember the wickedness of his brother in his heart (Luke X). But we must accept our brother and neighbor, or all kinds of people; because we are all generated from one parent, or those who are of the household of faith, according to the parable of the Gospel, which wants all people to be understood as neighbors, not just those who are blood relatives. And whatever anger should be resolved before the sun sets, and all the evil that we have suffered from others should be erased from memory, and we read this in many places, especially in Jeremiah, who speaks in the voice of God: And let each one not remember the malice of his neighbor in your hearts. When I commanded them to do these things, they refused to pay attention and turned their back, despising my orders, disregarding the posture of my body. For we are accustomed, when we wrinkle our forehead and contract our nostrils, to show disdain, to turn our back, according to that which is written: They turned their back to me, and not their face (Jeremiah 2:27). And they have made their ears heavy, so they could not hear, like the deaf adder that stops its ears, which will not hear the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful they might be. For they have made their ears heavy, that they may not hear, and their heart they have turned away, that they may not understand the law of God. Hence, Isaiah, threatening them, says: The heart of this people is fat, and with their ears they have been heavily affected, and their eyes they have closed, lest perhaps they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Moreover, what is said according to the Hebrew: And they have placed their heart as adamant (or as adamant), signifies the hardness of heart, and a stony heart, that they have not been willing to receive the words of God. For indeed, the diamond is the strongest stone, which in Hebrew is called Samir, so hard that it breaks all metals and it itself is not broken by any. Hence, it is called indomitable by the Greeks. Pharaoh's heart was hardened by this diamond, so that he would not let the people of God go (Exod. 7 et seq.). And because they had, or rather they set their hearts like a diamond, willingly taking on the hardness of heart, they did not listen to the words of the Lord, which he sent in his spirit, that is, in the Holy Spirit through the hand of the prophets of old, Isaiah, Hosea, and the others, who had clean hands, as it is evident from before the captivity: therefore, great anger was brought about by great sins, and the words of the Lord have been fulfilled, in accordance with the principle of like for like, that just as they walked towards him in wickedness, so he would walk towards them in wickedness, and he would not listen to the words of those calling out, because they too had disregarded the words of the Lord with a deaf ear. Therefore, he scattered them throughout all the kingdoms that they did not know, the kingdoms of the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Medes, Persians, and other nations that were subject to these empires, and in whose lands they were scattered. And all of Judah became desolate, because it had no inhabitant, and there was no one passing through or returning. And the land, which was a honeycomb among all lands and flowed with milk and honey abundantly, they turned into a wilderness. Can we apply these things to those who, in the Church, as delinquents, were cast out from the land of confession, because they refused to hear the Lord, and turned their back on Him departing, and made heavy their ears, and hardened their heart like adamant. And the indignation of the Lord came upon them, and they were scattered throughout all the kingdoms of vices, and their land was deserted, either in soul or body, having no indwelling Lord, nor a returning spirit within themselves. And the once desirable land, which was the dwelling place of the Trinity, has been turned into a desert, the abode of dragons. Let us quickly pass over those things which are clear, so that there may be room for discussing obscure matters: for we are not writing lengthy and flourishing treatises in which eloquence plays a pleasing role, but rather we are writing commentaries, whose duty it is to pass over obvious things and discuss obscure matters.
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Summary
Zechariah 7:10 delivers a profound divine command, urging the post-exilic community to prioritize ethical righteousness and inner integrity over mere ritualistic observance. It calls for active protection of society's most vulnerable—widows, the fatherless, strangers, and the poor—by forbidding their oppression. Furthermore, it penetrates to the heart of human malice, prohibiting the internal plotting or devising of evil against one's fellow human being, emphasizing that true piety encompasses both external justice and internal purity of intention.
Context
Literary Context
Zechariah 7:10 is an integral part of God's response to a delegation from Bethel, who had come to Jerusalem to inquire whether they should continue their traditional fasts commemorating the destruction of the temple and the exile. Rather than directly addressing the fasting rituals, God, through Zechariah, redirects their attention to the true essence of His covenant demands: justice, mercy, and righteousness. This verse, following the direct commands for true judgment, mercy, and compassion in Zechariah 7:9, serves as a specific articulation of what genuine righteousness looks like in practice. Chapters 7 and 8 form a cohesive unit, contrasting the past disobedience that led to national calamity with God's vision for a restored community characterized by moral purity and social justice, promising future blessings contingent on their obedience.
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is post-exilic Judah, around 518 BC, when the community was rebuilding the temple and re-establishing their national identity after returning from Babylonian captivity. The people were grappling with how to live faithfully under the restored covenant. In ancient Near Eastern societies, widows, orphans (fatherless), and strangers (sojourners) were particularly vulnerable groups, often lacking legal protection, familial support, or land rights. The poor were perpetually susceptible to exploitation. Laws throughout the Mosaic Covenant—such as those found in Exodus 22:21-24 and Deuteronomy 24:17-22—repeatedly emphasized God's special concern for these groups, reflecting His own character as a defender of the defenseless. The prohibition against imagining evil in one's heart also speaks to a society where interpersonal relationships and community harmony were paramount, and internal malice could easily fester into destructive actions.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Zechariah and the broader prophetic tradition. Firstly, it underscores God's unwavering concern for social justice and the protection of the vulnerable. This theme is a consistent thread throughout the Old Testament, portraying Yahweh as the advocate for the oppressed, as seen in Psalm 68:5. Secondly, it highlights the importance of internal righteousness and purity of heart as foundational to true obedience. God is not merely concerned with outward actions but with the very intentions and thoughts that originate within the human heart. This anticipates the New Testament emphasis on inner transformation, as exemplified by Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5. Finally, Zechariah 7:10 reinforces the prophetic message that genuine obedience to God's moral law takes precedence over ritualistic observance. The prophet, like Isaiah (Isaiah 1:10-17) and Amos (Amos 5:21-24), reminds the people that God desires mercy and justice more than sacrifices or fasts.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from H6231, this term signifies more than mere discomfort; it means "to press upon," "to defraud," "to violate," or "to get deceitfully." It implies a deliberate, often systemic, act of exploitation, extortion, or unjust treatment, especially against those who are powerless to resist. It speaks to a perversion of justice where the stronger party takes advantage of the weaker.
This word refers to "a guest," and by implication, "a foreigner," "alien," or "sojourner." In ancient Israel, a gêr was a non-Israelite resident who lived among the community, often without land or tribal affiliation, and was therefore dependent on the hospitality and justice of the Israelites. God's law consistently commanded special care and protection for the gêr, reflecting Israel's own history as sojourners in Egypt.
This root means "to plait or interpenetrate," or "to weave," and figuratively, "to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense)." It indicates a deliberate mental effort to devise, plan, or scheme, not just a fleeting thought. When paired with "evil," it points to the premeditated formation of malevolent intentions.
This term is broad, encompassing "bad" or "evil" in both natural and moral senses. It can refer to adversity, calamity, harm, mischief, or wickedness. In the context of "imagining evil," it specifically denotes moral wickedness, malicious intent, or a plan to cause harm or distress to another.
Verse Breakdown
"And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor;"
This initial clause issues a direct, emphatic prohibition against the exploitation of society's most vulnerable members. "Oppress" (H6231) carries the weight of deliberate, unjust, and often violent exploitation. The list—widow, fatherless, stranger, poor—is a merism, representing all those who are marginalized, defenseless, and dependent on the justice and compassion of the community. It underscores God's deep concern for social equity and His identification with the disadvantaged, demanding that His people reflect His character by actively protecting rather than harming these groups.
"and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart."
This second clause shifts from external actions to internal intentions, revealing the depth of God's moral requirements. "Imagine evil" (H2803 H7451) means to plot, scheme, or devise malevolent plans. The phrase "against his brother" (H251) uses "brother" in a broad sense, referring to any fellow human being, particularly within the covenant community. The crucial addition "in your heart" (H3824) emphasizes that true righteousness is not merely about refraining from outward harmful acts, but about cultivating a pure inner life, free from malice, envy, or vengeful plotting. This command targets the very root of sin, highlighting that God judges intentions as much as actions.
Literary Devices
Zechariah 7:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. Parallelism is evident in the structure, contrasting outward actions ("oppress not") with inward intentions ("imagine evil"). This creates a comprehensive ethical demand, showing that God's law applies to both behavior and thought. The listing of "the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor" functions as a merism, a figure of speech in which a whole is represented by enumerating some of its parts. By naming these specific, archetypal vulnerable groups, the prophet implies a universal command to protect all who are disadvantaged or marginalized. Furthermore, the verse demonstrates antithesis by setting God's desired righteous conduct against the backdrop of the people's past disobedience, which led to the very fasts they were inquiring about. The command to not "imagine evil against his brother in your heart" also serves as a form of hyperbole or emphasis, pushing the ethical boundary beyond mere action to the very genesis of sin in the human mind, thereby demanding a profound level of moral integrity.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Zechariah 7:10 profoundly articulates God's unchanging character and His covenant expectations for His people. It reveals a God who is not satisfied with superficial religious rituals but demands a genuine transformation of both outward conduct and inward disposition. This verse connects deeply to the broader biblical theme of divine justice and compassion, demonstrating that true worship of Yahweh is intrinsically linked to ethical living and the pursuit of righteousness in society. It underscores the principle that God's law is holistic, addressing not only actions but also the thoughts and intentions of the heart, laying the groundwork for a community that reflects His holiness and love.
Reflection and Application
Zechariah 7:10 remains powerfully relevant for believers today, serving as a timeless call to holistic righteousness. It challenges us to move beyond superficial religious observance and embrace a faith that actively seeks justice and cultivates purity of heart. In a world still marked by systemic oppression and interpersonal malice, this verse compels us to be advocates for the marginalized—the vulnerable, the voiceless, the exploited—in our communities and globally. This means not only refraining from causing harm but actively working to dismantle structures of injustice and extend practical compassion. Simultaneously, the command to guard our hearts against imagining evil reminds us that true spiritual formation begins within. It calls for constant self-examination, confession, and reliance on the Holy Spirit to transform our thoughts, motives, and intentions, ensuring that our inner life aligns with the outward expression of God's love and justice. It is a call to live with integrity, where our actions are rooted in a heart free from malice and filled with genuine love for our neighbor.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of God listing specific vulnerable groups like "widow, fatherless, stranger, and poor"?
The listing of "the widow, the fatherless, the stranger, and the poor" is highly significant because these groups consistently represented the most vulnerable and marginalized in ancient Israelite society, lacking the familial, legal, or economic protections that others enjoyed. God's repeated emphasis on their protection throughout the Mosaic Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 24:17-22) highlights His own character as a just and compassionate defender of the defenseless. By specifically naming them, Zechariah underscores that true piety is not abstract but manifests in concrete acts of justice and mercy towards those most susceptible to exploitation, serving as a test of the community's faithfulness to God's covenant.
Why does God emphasize "imagining evil in your heart" in addition to outward oppression?
God emphasizes "imagining evil in your heart" because true righteousness extends beyond mere external actions to the very intentions and thoughts of the human mind. This command reveals God's holistic standard, where He judges not only what we do but also what we plot, scheme, or desire in our inner being. It teaches that the root of sin often lies in the heart's malicious intentions, even if they never materialize into outward acts. This principle anticipates Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, where He equates anger with murder and lust with adultery, demonstrating that sin originates in the heart (Matthew 5:21-28). This emphasis calls for a profound level of moral integrity and inner transformation.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Zechariah 7:10 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the embodiment of God's righteousness and compassion, Jesus perfectly exemplified the commands given through Zechariah. He consistently demonstrated radical care for the marginalized and vulnerable, ministering to the sick, the poor, the outcasts, and those society deemed "strangers" or "sinners," as seen in His interactions throughout the Gospels (e.g., Luke 4:18-19). More profoundly, Jesus addressed the very root of the problem: the human heart. In His Sermon on the Mount, He taught that sin originates not just in outward acts but in the inner thoughts and intentions, warning against anger, lust, and malice (e.g., Matthew 5:21-22). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ provides the means for true inner transformation, enabling believers to receive a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27), empowering them by the Holy Spirit to live out the commands of justice and love, not merely as external obligations but as expressions of a renewed nature that genuinely seeks the good of others and imagines no evil against their brother (Romans 13:10).