Zechariah 7:11

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

But they refused {H3985} to hearken {H7181}, and pulled away {H5414}{H5637} the shoulder {H3802}, and stopped {H3513} their ears {H241}, that they should not hear {H8085}.

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.

But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.

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

Zechariah 7:11 describes the persistent rebellion and spiritual stubbornness of the people of Israel against God's commands and prophetic messages. This verse is part of a divine rebuke delivered through the prophet Zechariah to a delegation from Bethel, who inquired about continuing their traditional fasts.

Context

The book of Zechariah was written during the post-exilic period, around 520-518 BC, when the Jewish exiles had returned from Babylon and were rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. In Zechariah chapter 7, people from Bethel send a delegation to inquire of the priests and prophets whether they should continue to mourn and fast, as they had done during their exile, now that the Temple was being rebuilt. God's response, delivered through Zechariah, exposes their misplaced priorities and deep-seated spiritual issues. Rather than focusing on genuine repentance and obedience, they were concerned with external religious observances. Verse 11 highlights the historical pattern of their ancestors' refusal to heed God's voice, which ultimately led to the very exile they were now emerging from.

Key Themes

  • Willful Disobedience: The verse clearly states "they refused to hearken," indicating a deliberate choice to ignore divine instruction and guidance. This wasn't a misunderstanding but an active rejection.
  • Stubborn Resistance: The phrase "pulled away the shoulder" is a vivid metaphor. It evokes the image of an ox refusing to bear a yoke or a burden, signifying a stubborn, stiff-necked refusal to submit to God's will or the "burden" of His righteous demands. This imagery is also found in Nehemiah 9:29.
  • Intentional Deafness: "Stopped their ears, that they should not hear" emphasizes their deliberate act of spiritual deafness. They actively blocked out God's truth to avoid conviction and the call to change.
  • Consequences of Rebellion: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the larger context of Zechariah 7 and the history of Israel demonstrates that such persistent refusal to obey God's word invariably leads to severe consequences, as seen in Zechariah 7:13, where God declares He would not listen when they cried out.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "pulled away the shoulder" (natash katheph) literally means "to abandon the shoulder" or "to present a defiant shoulder." It powerfully conveys a defiant, unwilling posture against submission or responsibility, much like an animal shrugging off a yoke. "Stopped their ears" (hikhbîsh 'oznayim) implies a deliberate act of making oneself deaf, a willful closing off of perception to avoid hearing uncomfortable truths or commands.

Practical Application

Zechariah 7:11 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual apathy and intentional disobedience in any generation. It challenges us to examine our own hearts:

  • Are we truly listening to God's Word, or do we selectively hear what we want?
  • Do we display a willingness to submit to God's will, or do we "pull away the shoulder" when His commands feel burdensome or inconvenient?
  • Are we open to correction and guidance from Scripture and godly counsel, or do we "stop our ears" to avoid conviction?

True worship involves not just external religious acts but a heart that is eager to hearken and obey the voice of the Lord, learning from the past mistakes of those who refused to listen.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Nehemiah 9:29

    And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

  • Jeremiah 8:5

    Why [then] is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

  • Hosea 4:16

    For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

  • Zechariah 1:4

    Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and [from] your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 35:15

    I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending [them], saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

  • Ezekiel 3:7

    But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel [are] impudent and hardhearted.

  • Acts 7:57

    Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

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