Zechariah 7:2

Zechariah 7:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem–melech, and their men, to pray before the Lord,
• New International Version (NIV)The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the Lord
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the Lord,
• New King James Version (NKJV)when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord,

Context of Zechariah 7:2

1In the fourth year of [the reign of] King Darius [of Persia], the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev (Dec 7, 518 b.c.). Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to seek the favor of the Lord, 3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts and to the prophets, saying, “[Now that I am returned from exile] shall I weep in the fifth month [mourning the destruction of the temple], and fast as I have done these many years [in Babylon]?” 4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me (Zechariah), saying,

Zechariah 7:2 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל שַׂר־אֶ֕צֶר וְרֶ֥גֶם מֶ֖לֶךְ וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֑יו לְחַלּ֖וֹת אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When they had sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• unto the houseבֵּיתbayith · betweenH1004
• of Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
• Sherezerשַׁרְאֶ֫צֶרshar'etser · SharezerH8272
• and Regem–melechרֶ֫גֶם מֶ֫לֶךְregem melek · Regem-melechH7278
• and their menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• to prayחָלָהchâlâh · to begH2470
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Zechariah 7:2

• Zechariah 6:10“Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah [as representatives]; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.
• Ezra 6:10so that they may offer pleasing (sweet-smelling) sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
• Ezra 7:15and to bring [with you] the silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
• Ezra 8:28Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, the utensils are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.
• Isaiah 60:7All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you [as the eastern pastoral tribes join the trading tribes], The rams of Nebaioth will serve you; They will go up with acceptance [as sacrifices] on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My honor and splendor.
• Zechariah 8:21The inhabitants of one [city] will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to ask the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts. I will go also.”
• Exodus 32:11But Moses appeased and entreated the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
• 1 Samuel 13:12therefore, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the Lord’s favor [by making supplication to Him].’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”
• 1 Kings 13:6The king answered and said to the man of God, “Please entreat [the favor of] the Lord your God and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
• Jeremiah 26:19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put Micah to death? Did he not [reverently] fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord? And did not the Lord relent and reverse His decision concerning the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But [here] we are [thinking of] committing a great evil against ourselves.”

Commentaries on Zechariah 7:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2When they had sent - Sherezer and Regem-melech - To inquire whether the fasts should be continued, which they had hitherto observed on account of their ruined temple; and the reason why they inquired was, that they were rebuilding that temple, and were likely to bring it to a joyful issue.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2When they held sent unto the house of God - Rather, “And Bethel sent;” that is, the inhabitants of Bethel sent. “The house of God” is nowhere in Holy Scripture called Bethel. Bethel is always the name of the place.. The “house of God” is designated by historians, Psalmists, prophets, by the name, “Beth-elohim,” more commonly “Beth-Ha-elohim, the God;” or “of the Lord,” YHVH. Zechariah and Haggai use these names. It is not likely that the name, Beth-el…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2to plead before the LORD (literally to soften the face of the Lord): They asked God to grant a request or decide on a matter. They likely offered a sacrifice or offering with their request.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. they ... sent unto ... house of God--The Jews of the country sent to the house of God or congregation at Jerusalem. The altar was long since reared (Ezr 3:3), though the temple was not completed till two years afterwards (Ezr 6:15). The priests' duty was to give decision on points of the law (De 17:9; Mt 2:4). Beth-el is here used instead of Beth-Jehovah, because the religious authorities, rather than the house itself (designated "Beth-Jehovah" in Zec…Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 7:2

• Church
• Regem-Melech
• Sharezer
• Sherezer
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• House of God
• Regem-Melech
• Fast
• Regemmelech
• Sherezer
• Bethel
• Bible, the
• Sharezer

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