English Standard Version
Zechariah 8:16
16These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;
Zechariah 8:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
- New International Version (NIV)These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;
- New King James Version (NKJV)These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
- New Living Translation (NLT)But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.
Context of Zechariah 8:16
14For thus says the Lord of hosts: "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord." 18And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
Read all of Zechariah 8Zechariah 8:16 word by word
אֵ֥לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ דַּבְּר֤וּ אֱמֶת֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ אֱמֶת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט שָׁל֔וֹם שִׁפְט֖וּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the thingsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- that ye shall doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- ye every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- the truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: trueH571
- to his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- executeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- the judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- and peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
- in your gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
Cross-references for Zechariah 8:16
- Deuteronomy 10:12"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Deuteronomy 11:7For your eyes have seen all the great work of the Lord that he did.
- Micah 6:8He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Luke 3:8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
- Ephesians 4:17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
- 1 Peter 1:13Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Zechariah 8:19"Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
- Zechariah 7:9"Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
- Leviticus 19:11"You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.
- Psalms 15:2He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;
- Proverbs 12:17Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
- Jeremiah 9:3They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord.
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;
- Micah 6:12Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
- Ephesians 4:25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.
Commentaries on Zechariah 8:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Speak ye every man the truth - See Zechariah 7:9, Zechariah 7:10.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16These are the things that ye shall do - He exhorts them to the same duties, to which the former prophets had exhorted their fathers, Zechariah 7:9-10, and, as before, first positively to truth and peace; then to avoid everything contrary to it. “Judgment of peace” must be judgment which issues in peace, as all righteous judgment righteously received, in which case each party acquiesces, must. Kimchi: “If ye judge righteousness, there will be peace between…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 Those only who lay their hands to the plough of duty, shall have them strengthened with the promises of mercy: those who avoid their fathers' faults have the curse turned into a blessing. Those who believed the promises, were to show their faith by their works, and to wait the fulfilment. When God is displeased, he can cause trade to decay, and set every man against his neighbour; but when he returns in mercy, all is happy and prosperous…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16God expects his people to act with honesty and fairness (see Ephesians 4:25). your gates: Legal proceedings took place at the city or temple gates (see Deuteronomy 21:19; 25:7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. The promised blessings are connected with obedience. God's covenanted grace will lead those truly blessed by it to holiness, not licentiousness. truth to ... neighbour--not that the truth should not be spoken to foreigners too; but He makes it an aggravation of their sin, that they spared not even their brethren. Besides, and above all outward ordinances (Zec 7:3), God requires truth and justice. judgment of ... peace--Equitable decisions tend to…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 8:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 8
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries