TRV
Translation
King James Version
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
Complete Jewish Bible
But they wouldn't listen, they stubbornly turned their shoulder away and stopped up their ears, so that they wouldn't have to hear it.
Berean Standard Bible
But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.
American Standard Version
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
World English Bible Messianic
But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
Geneva Bible (1599)
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their eares, that they should not heare.
Young's Literal Translation
And they refuse to attend, And they give a refractory shoulder, And their ears have made heavy against hearing.
In the KJVVerse 22,974 of 31,102
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Commentary on Zechariah 7 verses 8–14
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:
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.
11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–14. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Zechariah
(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.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Zechariah 7:11 vividly portrays the deep-seated spiritual stubbornness and willful disobedience of the people of Israel, who consistently refused to heed God's commands and prophetic messages. This verse, part of a divine rebuke to a delegation inquiring about religious fasts, highlights their deliberate rejection of divine instruction, characterized by a defiant posture and an intentional closing off of their ears to avoid hearing uncomfortable truths and calls to repentance.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Zechariah 7 opens with a delegation from Bethel, specifically from the towns of Sharezer and Regem-melech, sent to Jerusalem to inquire of the priests and prophets regarding the continuation of their traditional fasts (mourning the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem) now that the Temple was being rebuilt (Zechariah 7:1-3). God's response, delivered through Zechariah, transcends their specific question about fasting, exposing a deeper spiritual malady. Instead of commending their religious zeal, God challenges their motives, revealing that their fasts were for themselves, not for Him (Zechariah 7:5-6). Verse 11 is a direct indictment, explaining why they were in their current state and why their religious observances were hollow: their ancestors had a long history of refusing to listen to God's word delivered through the former prophets (Zechariah 7:7). This verse serves as a historical and theological anchor, demonstrating a persistent pattern of rebellion that led to the very exile they were now emerging from.
Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Zechariah is set in the post-exilic period, around 520-518 BC, when the Jewish exiles had returned from Babylon and were engaged in the arduous task of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. The fasts mentioned in Zechariah 7:3 and Zechariah 7:5 were established during the exile to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. The people's inquiry reflects a concern for religious ritual, but God's response through Zechariah highlights that their ancestors' failure was not a lack of ritual but a lack of genuine obedience to the moral and ethical demands of the covenant, such as executing true judgment, showing mercy and compassion, and not oppressing the vulnerable (Zechariah 7:9-10). The imagery of "pulling away the shoulder" evokes the cultural experience of an ox refusing to bear a yoke, signifying a deliberate and stubborn resistance to submission or responsibility. Similarly, "stopping their ears" points to a conscious act of spiritual deafness, a refusal to process and respond to divine truth.
Key Themes: Zechariah 7:11 encapsulates several profound themes that resonate throughout the prophetic literature and the broader biblical narrative. Foremost is the theme of Willful Disobedience, where the people's actions are not born of ignorance but a deliberate choice to ignore and reject divine instruction and guidance. This refusal to "hearken" is an active, defiant posture against God's authority. Closely related is Spiritual Stubbornness, vividly depicted by the metaphor of "pulled away the shoulder," which signifies a stiff-necked refusal to submit to God's will or the "burden" of His righteous demands, echoing similar imagery found in Nehemiah 9:29 and Jeremiah 7:24. The phrase "stopped their ears, that they should not hear" emphasizes Intentional Deafness, a conscious act of blocking out God's truth to avoid conviction and the uncomfortable call to change. This deliberate rejection of divine communication ultimately leads to the theme of Consequences of Rebellion, as seen in the broader context of Zechariah 7, where God declares that because they refused to listen, He, in turn, would not listen when they cried out (Zechariah 7:13). This verse underscores the timeless principle that genuine worship is not merely external ritual but a heart posture of eager listening and willing obedience to God's voice.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Zechariah 7:11 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the profound spiritual stubbornness of the people. The most prominent is Metaphor, particularly in the phrases "pulled away the shoulder" and "stopped their ears." The former is a vivid agricultural metaphor, likening the people's defiance to an ox shrugging off a yoke, symbolizing their refusal to submit to God's authority and the responsibilities of the covenant. The latter metaphorically describes a self-imposed spiritual deafness, where the ears are intentionally "made heavy" or "dull" to avoid hearing God's truth. This is a form of Anthropopathy applied to the people, describing their human actions with vivid, almost physical, terms to highlight their spiritual state. The verse also demonstrates a form of Parallelism through the cumulative effect of the three actions: refusing to hearken, pulling away the shoulder, and stopping their ears. Each phrase reinforces the central theme of willful disobedience, building a comprehensive picture of their resistance. The final phrase, "that they should not hear," serves as a Purpose Clause, emphasizing the deliberate intent behind their actions, highlighting the active nature of their rebellion rather than passive ignorance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Zechariah 7:11 stands as a stark reminder of humanity's persistent tendency toward spiritual rebellion and the tragic consequences of rejecting divine truth. It echoes a recurring theme throughout biblical history: God's consistent revelation of His will, met with humanity's equally consistent refusal to obey. This verse underscores that true piety is not found in external religious observances, such as fasting, but in a heart that is eager to listen to and obey God's voice. The people's actions—refusing to hearken, pulling away the shoulder, and stopping their ears—represent a comprehensive rejection of God's covenantal demands, demonstrating a deep-seated preference for their own desires over the Lord's righteous requirements. This spiritual stubbornness ultimately leads to a breakdown in the relationship with God, where His patience is exhausted, and His judgment becomes inevitable, as seen in the subsequent verses of Zechariah 7. It teaches us that active resistance to God's word hardens the heart, making it increasingly difficult to respond to His grace and truth.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Zechariah 7:11 serves as a profound mirror for self-examination, challenging us to honestly assess our own posture toward God's word. In a world saturated with information and distractions, it is easy to become spiritually dull, selectively hearing only what affirms our existing beliefs or comforts our desires. This verse calls us to move beyond mere intellectual assent to the Bible and cultivate a heart that actively "hearkens"—a heart that is attentive, receptive, and eager to obey. Do we, like the people of Zechariah's day, "pull away the shoulder" when God's commands seem inconvenient, burdensome, or contrary to our personal ambitions? Are there areas of our lives where we intentionally "stop our ears" to avoid the conviction of the Holy Spirit or the uncomfortable truths found in Scripture or through godly counsel? True spiritual vitality is marked by a humble willingness to submit to God's will, even when it requires sacrifice or change. Let us pray for soft hearts and open ears, that we may not repeat the mistakes of those who stubbornly resisted the Lord, but instead joyfully embrace His transforming truth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does the phrase "pulled away the shoulder" truly mean in Zechariah 7:11?
Answer: The phrase "pulled away the shoulder" is a vivid metaphor illustrating a deliberate act of stubborn defiance and resistance to God's will. It draws on the common cultural experience of an animal, such as an ox, refusing to submit to the yoke placed upon its shoulders for work. Just as an animal might stiffen its neck and pull back to avoid bearing a burden or being guided, the people of Israel were actively resisting God's commands and the responsibilities of the covenant. It signifies a refusal to submit to divine authority, to carry the "burden" of righteous living, or to be led by God's truth. This imagery emphasizes their willful and active rebellion, not merely a passive failure to understand.
Why were the people so resistant to God's word, as described in Zechariah 7:11?
Answer: The resistance described in Zechariah 7:11 stems from a deep-seated spiritual condition of self-will and a preference for their own ways over God's. While the immediate context involves their inquiry about continuing fasts, God's response reveals that their ancestors, and by extension, they themselves, had consistently prioritized external religious observances and personal comfort over genuine obedience to God's moral and ethical laws. They were called to practice justice, mercy, and compassion (Zechariah 7:9-10), but they refused to listen because it would have required a change of heart and behavior that they were unwilling to make. Their resistance was not due to ignorance, but a deliberate choice to harden their hearts and stop their ears to avoid conviction and the call to repentance. This pattern of willful disobedience ultimately led to severe consequences, including the exile they had just returned from (Zechariah 7:13-14).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Zechariah 7:11, with its lament over humanity's stubborn refusal to hearken and obey God, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the people of Israel consistently "pulled away the shoulder" and "stopped their ears" to the divine voice, Jesus perfectly embodied the opposite: complete and willing submission to the Father's will. He did not come to do His own will, but the will of the Father who sent Him (John 6:38). Unlike rebellious Israel, Jesus perfectly "hearkened" to God, demonstrating perfect obedience even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). He is the true Lamb of God, who willingly bore the yoke of humanity's sin and the burden of God's wrath, never pulling away His shoulder but embracing the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption (John 1:29). Furthermore, through His Spirit, Christ enables those who believe in Him to finally hear and obey God's voice, transforming hearts of stone into hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). He is the Good Shepherd whose sheep hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27), offering rest to those who take His yoke upon them, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). Thus, Christ not only perfectly fulfilled the obedience that Israel failed to render but also provides the means for us to overcome our own natural inclination to rebellion, enabling us to truly hearken and submit to God.