Zechariah 7:11

Zechariah 7:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
• New International Version (NIV)“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

Context of Zechariah 7:11

9“Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion, to each other; 10and do not oppress or exploit the widow or the fatherless, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise or even imagine evil in your hearts against one another.’ But they refused to listen and pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder [stiffening themselves in resistance] and stopped up their ears. 12They made their hearts [hard] like flint, so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts;

Zechariah 7:11 word by word

וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ לְהַקְשִׁ֔יב וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ כָתֵ֖ף סֹרָ֑רֶת וְאָזְנֵיהֶ֖ם הִכְבִּ֥ידוּ מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But they refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
• to hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• and pulled awayסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
• and pulled awayנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• the shoulderכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
• and stoppedכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: dullH3513
• their earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
• that they should not hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085

Cross-references for Zechariah 7:11

• Zechariah 1:4Do 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.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.
• 2 Kings 17:13Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and My statutes, in accordance with all the Law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.”
• 2 Chronicles 33:10Now the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.
• Nehemiah 9:17They refused to listen and obey, And did not remember Your wondrous acts which You had performed among them; So they stiffened their necks and [in their rebellion] appointed a leader in order to return them to slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and merciful and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not abandon them.
• Proverbs 1:24Because I called and you refused [to answer], I stretched out my hand and no one has paid attention [to my offer];
• Isaiah 1:19If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the best of the land;
• Jeremiah 6:16Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; then walk in it, And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’
• Jeremiah 7:24But they did not obey Me or bend their ear [to hear Me], but followed the counsels and the stubbornness of their [own] evil heart (mind), and [they turned and] went backward instead of forward.
• Jeremiah 13:10These wicked and malevolent people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubborn way of their heart and have followed other gods [which are nothing—just man-made carvings] to serve them and to worship them, let them be just like this waistband which is completely worthless.
• Jeremiah 26:5and listen and follow [carefully] the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you repeatedly—though you have not listened—
• Jeremiah 35:15I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them repeatedly, saying, ‘Let every one of you turn now from his evil way and alter your behavior, and do not follow other gods to worship and serve them; and then you will live in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers. But you have not submitted or listened to Me.
• Jeremiah 36:31I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their wickedness, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the destruction that I have declared against them—but they would not listen.” ’ ”
• Jeremiah 44:16“As for the word (message) that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we are not going to listen to you.
• Ezekiel 3:7yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you and obey you, since they are not willing to listen to Me and obey Me, for the entire house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate.
• Hosea 4:16For Israel is stubborn, Like a stubborn heifer. Can the Lord now pasture them Like a lamb in a large field?

Commentaries on Zechariah 7:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Pulled away the shoulder - From under the yoke of the law, like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11But they gave a backsliding shoulder - Like a restive animal, which would not endure the yoke, dull and stupid as the beasts: as Hosea says, “Israel slideth back like a backsliding heifer” Hosea 4:16. Nehemiah confesses the same; “they gave a backsliding shoulder and hardened their neck and would not hear” Nehemiah 9:29. And made heavy their ears - Fulfilling in themselves what God foretold to Isaiah would be the result of his preaching, “make their ears…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians. The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace. The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God. Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11they refused to pay attention: They ignored God's commands (see Jeremiah 11:10). turned a stubborn shoulder: This phrase shows their proud stubbornness (see Nehemiah 9:29). Putting their fingers in their ears shows they were fully responsible for their stubbornness (compare Isaiah 6:10). The same expression describes Pharaoh when he became stubborn ("hardened his heart") against God and refused to release the Hebrews (Exodus 8:32).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. pulled away the shoulder--literally, "presented a refractory shoulder"; an image from beasts refusing to bear the yoke (Ne 9:29, Margin). stopped ... ears--(Is 6:10; Jr 7:26; Ac 7:57).Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 7:11

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Impenitence
• Self-Will

In the dictionaries

• Bible, the
• Ear
• Shoulder
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Zechariah 7

• 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