Zechariah 7:5

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?

Speak {H559} unto all the people {H5971} of the land {H776}, and to the priests {H3548}, saying {H559}, When ye fasted {H6684} and mourned {H5594} in the fifth {H2549} and seventh {H7637} month, even those seventy {H7657} years {H8141}, did ye at all {H6684} fast {H6684} unto me, even to me?

"Speak to all the people of the land and to the cohanim. Tell them, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months throughout these seventy years, were you really fasting for me? Was it for me?

“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?

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

In Zechariah 7:5, the prophet delivers a probing question from the Lord to the people and priests who have recently returned from Babylonian exile. This verse is part of a larger discourse addressing a delegation from Bethel who inquired whether they should continue observing certain fasts.

Historical and Cultural Context

This prophecy occurs around 518 BC, during the post-exilic period, shortly after the Jewish people had returned to Judah from their seventy-year captivity in Babylon and were engaged in rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. The question posed by the Lord refers to the fasts observed during the period of exile, specifically those in the fifth month (commemorating the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC, as recorded in 2 Kings 25:8) and the seventh month (mourning the assassination of Gedaliah, which led to further dispersion, found in Jeremiah 41:1-2). The "seventy years" directly references the duration of the Babylonian captivity, as prophesied by Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 29:10).

Key Themes and Messages

  • Motive in Worship: The core message is a divine challenge to the sincerity of their religious practices. God questions whether their fasting was truly for Him, or merely a ritualistic observance of mourning and tradition.
  • Authenticity vs. Ritual: The verse highlights the spiritual principle that God values the heart and genuine devotion over outward religious performance. Their fasts, though rigorous, may have lacked the true spiritual intent of honoring God.
  • Spiritual Hypocrisy: Implicitly, the Lord suggests that their seventy years of fasting might have been self-serving or focused on their own sorrow rather than a penitent seeking of God's face.

Linguistic Insights

The repeated phrase "unto me, even to me?" (לִי לִי - li li in Hebrew) powerfully emphasizes God's direct and penetrating inquiry into their motives. It's not just "for Me," but "was it *truly* and *only* for Me?" This repetition underscores the importance of the heart's disposition in all spiritual disciplines. The Hebrew word for "fasted" (צוֹם - tsom) implies a solemn abstinence often accompanied by mourning and repentance.

Practical Application

Zechariah 7:5 serves as a timeless reminder for believers today to examine the motives behind their spiritual disciplines and acts of worship. Whether it's prayer, giving, church attendance, or fasting, the question remains: "Is it truly unto the Lord?" This verse encourages a shift from mere external compliance to a deep, internal commitment and a genuine desire to honor God with our whole being. Just as Jesus taught against fasting for outward show (Matthew 6:16), this passage calls us to cultivate a heart that seeks God above all else, aligning with His desire for mercy and knowledge of Him rather than just sacrifice (Hosea 6:6).

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.

  • Isaiah 58:4

    Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

  • Isaiah 58:6

    [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

  • Zechariah 1:12

    Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

  • 1 Corinthians 10:31

    Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

  • Zechariah 7:6

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

  • Romans 14:6

    He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

  • Romans 14:9

    For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

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