Berean Standard Bible

Zechariah 7:5-10

5“AskH559 H413 allH3605 the peopleH5971 of the landH776 H413 and the priestsH3548 H559, ‘WhenH3588 you fastedH6684 and mournedH5594 in the fifthH2549 and seventh monthsH7637 for theseH2088 seventyH7657 yearsH8141, was it really for MeH589 that you fastedH6684? 6And whenH3588 you were eatingH398 H3588 and drinkingH8354, were you notH3808 doing so simply for yourselvesH8354? 7Are these notH3808 the wordsH1697 thatH834 the LORDH3068 proclaimedH7121 throughH3027 the earlierH7223 prophetsH5030, when JerusalemH3389 and its surroundingH5439 townsH5892 wereH1961 populousH3427 and prosperousH7961, and the NegevH5045 and the foothillsH8219 1 were inhabitedH3427?’”

8Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 ZechariahH2148, sayingH559, 9“This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 H559 saysH559: ‘AdministerH8199 trueH571 justiceH4941. ShowH6213 loving devotionH2617 2 and compassionH7356 toH854 oneH376 anotherH251. 10Do notH408 oppressH6231 the widowH490 or the fatherlessH3490, the foreignerH1616 or the poorH6041. And do notH408 plotH2803 evilH7451 in your heartsH3824 against oneH376 anotherH251.’

Notes

1. Zechariah 7:7 Hebrew Shephelah or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea ↩
2. Zechariah 7:9 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant. ↩