Zechariah 1:6

Zechariah 1:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
• New International Version (NIV)But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, 'As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? “So they returned and said: ‘Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.’ ” ’ ”

Context of Zechariah 1:6

4Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Repent [that is, change your way of thinking] and return now from your evil way [of life] and from your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me,” declares the Lord. 5“Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not My words (warnings) and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts planned to do to us [in discipline and punishment], in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so has He dealt with us.’ ” ’ ” 7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (Feb 15, 519 b.c.), which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of [the reign of] Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, as follows: 8In the night I saw [a vision] and behold, a Man was riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees that were in the ravine; and behind Him were horses: red, sorrel (reddish-brown), and white.

Zechariah 1:6 word by word

אַ֣ךְ׀ דְּבָרַ֣י וְחֻקַּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־עֲבָדַ֣י הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים הֲל֥וֹא הִשִּׂ֖יגוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר זָמַ֜ם יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָ֔נוּ כִּדְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּכְמַ֣עֲלָלֵ֔ינוּ כֵּ֖ן עָשָׂ֥ה אִתָּֽנוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But my wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• and my statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• which I commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• my servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• did they not take holdנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
• of your fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• and they returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Like as the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• thoughtזָמַםzâmam · to planH2161
• to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• unto us, according to our waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• and according to our doingsמַעֲלָלma‛ălâl · deedH4611

Cross-references for Zechariah 1:6

• Isaiah 55:1“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy grain and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost [simply accept it as a gift from God].
• Numbers 23:19God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it?
• Numbers 32:23But if you do not do this, behold, you will have sinned against the Lord; and be sure that your sin will find you out.
• 2 Chronicles 36:17Therefore He brought the king of the Chaldeans against them, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand.
• Isaiah 44:26Confirming the word of His servant And carrying out the plan of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall [again] be inhabited!’ And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall [again] be built.’ And I will raise up and restore her ruins.
• Jeremiah 26:15But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
• Jeremiah 44:28Yet a small number [of My choosing] who escape the sword will return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah; and all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know whose words will stand, Mine or theirs.
• Ezekiel 12:25For I the Lord will speak, and whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and I will fulfill it,” says the Lord God.’ ”
• Daniel 9:11Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, even turning aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us and the oath which is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.
• Matthew 24:35Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
• Deuteronomy 28:15“But it shall come about, if you do not listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
• Jeremiah 12:16And if these [neighboring nations] will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My Name, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’—even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up among My people.
• Amos 9:10All the sinners among My people will die by the sword, Those who say [defiantly], ‘The disaster will not overtake or confront us.’
• 1 Thessalonians 5:4But you, believers, [all you who believe in Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him as God’s Son] are not in spiritual darkness [nor held by its power], that the day [of judgment] would overtake you [by surprise] like a thief;
• Job 6:29Turn away [from your suspicion], let there be no injustice; Turn away, my righteousness and vindication is still in it.
• Malachi 3:18Then you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.

Commentaries on Zechariah 1:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Did they not take hold of your fathers? - Every thing happened according to the predictions, and they were obliged to acknowledge this; and yet they would not turn from their evil way.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Only My words and My decrees - Which God spake by them, “did not they overtake them?” (as Psalm 2:7; Zephaniah 2:2). Pagan reminiscence of God‘s justice acknowledged, “Rarely hath punishment with limping tread parted with the forerunning miscreant.” “All these curses,” Moses foretells, “shall come upon thee and overtake thee, until thou art destroyed” Deuteronomy 28:45. And they returned to God and said - The history of the Jews in Babylon is omitted in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6did not My words … overtake your fathers?: The covenant curses described in Deuteronomy 28:15–68 had come upon their ancestors because they refused to obey God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. statutes--My determined purposes to punish for sin. which I commanded my servants--namely, to announce to your fathers. did they not take hold--that is, overtake, as a foe overtakes one fleeing. they returned--Turning from their former self-satisfaction, they recognized their punishment as that which God's prophets had foretold. thought to do--that is, decreed to do. Compare with this verse La 2:17. our ways--evil ways (Jr 4:18; 17:10; 23:2).Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 1:6

• Judgment
• Punishment

In the dictionaries

• Lord of Hosts
• Angel
• Bible, the
• Foreknow; Foreknowledge
• Israel, History of
• Joshua (3)
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Zechariah 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings