Zechariah 7:6

Zechariah 7:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
• New International Version (NIV)And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?
• New King James Version (NKJV)When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?

Context of Zechariah 7:6

4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me (Zechariah), saying, 5“Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years [that you were in exile], was it actually for Me that you fasted? When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves [to satisfy your own needs]? 7Should you not hear the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with her cities around her, and the South (the Negev) and the foothills were inhabited?’ ” 8Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,

Zechariah 7:6 word by word

וְכִ֥י תֹאכְל֖וּ וְכִ֣י תִשְׁתּ֑וּ הֲל֤וֹא אַתֶּם֙ הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים וְאַתֶּ֖ם הַשֹּׁתִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when ye did eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and when ye did drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354

Cross-references for Zechariah 7:6

• Deuteronomy 12:7And there you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all to which you put your hand, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.
• Deuteronomy 14:26You may spend the money for anything your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or [other] strong drink, or anything else you want. You shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.
• 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:22They ate and drank that day before the Lord with great rejoicing. They made Solomon the son of David king a second time, and anointed him as ruler for the Lord and Zadok as [high] priest.
• Jeremiah 17:9“The heart is deceitful above all things And it is extremely sick; Who can understand it fully and know its secret motives?
• Hosea 8:13As for My sacrificial offerings, They sacrifice the meat [as a mere formality] and eat it, But the Lord is not pleased with them and does not accept them. Now He will remember and take into account their wickedness and guilt, And punish them for their sins. They will return [in captivity] to [another] Egypt [that is, Assyria].
• Hosea 9:4They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the Lord; Their sacrifices will not please Him. Their bread will be like mourners’ bread [eaten at funerals]; All who eat it will be [ceremonially] unclean, For their bread will be for themselves; It will not enter the house of the Lord [to be consecrated].
• 1 Corinthians 10:31So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God.
• 1 Corinthians 11:20So when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper,
• Colossians 3:17Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Commentaries on Zechariah 7:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6And when ye did eat - They had not observed those fasts as they should have done. They deplored the loss of their temple, and its riches, etc., but they did not humble themselves because of those iniquities which had brought the displeasure of God upon them, their temple, and their city.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6And when ye eat and when ye drink, is it not ye who eat and ye who drink? - Conversely now that, after your return, ye feast for joy, this is no religious act; ye have all the good of it, there is no thanksgiving to God. Contrary to the apostle‘s saying, “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glow of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31. “He eateth and drinketh to himself, who receiveth the nourishments of the body, which are the common gifts of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-7Instead of answering immediately, Zechariah challenged his listeners about their selfish motives and hypocrisy. The key issue was whether their true desire was to please God and follow his will. If not, fasting did not matter.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. did not ye eat for yourselves?--literally, "Is it not ye who eat?" that is, it is not unto Me and My glory. It tends no more to My glory, your feasting than your fasting.Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 7:6

• Hypocrisy
• Impenitence
• Minister, Christian
• Selfishness

In the dictionaries

• Fast
• Bible, the
• Zechariah, Book of
• Fasts

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