Zechariah 1:4

Zechariah 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord.

Context of Zechariah 1:4

2“The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3Tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me, declares the Lord of Armies, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.’ Don’t be like your ancestors, who heard the earlier prophets preach to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.’ But they didn’t listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5Your ancestors—where are they now? And the prophets—are they still alive? 6Didn’t my warnings and my laws, which I’ve commanded my servants the prophets ⌞to preach⌟, finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, ‘The Lord of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.’ ”

Zechariah 1:4 word by word

אַל־תִּהְי֣וּ כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרְאֽוּ־אֲלֵיהֶם֩ הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת שׁ֤וּבוּ נָא֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים וּמַֽעֲלְלֵיכֶ֖ם הָֽרָעִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֛וּ וְלֹֽא־הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Be ye not as your fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• unto whom the formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• have criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• Turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• ye now from your evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• doingsמַעֲלָלma‛ălâl · deedH4611
• but they did not hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• nor hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• unto me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002

Cross-references for Zechariah 1:4

• 2 Chronicles 29:6Our ancestors were unfaithful and did what the Lord our God considered evil. They deserted him. They turned away from the Lord’s tent and turned their backs on him.
• 2 Chronicles 30:7Don’t be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen.
• 2 Chronicles 34:21“On behalf of those who are left in Israel and Judah and me, ask the Lord about the words in this book that was found. The Lord’s fierce anger has been poured on us because our ancestors did not obey the Lord’s word by doing everything written in this book.”
• Ezra 9:7From our ancestors’ days until now, we have been deep in guilt. Our kings and our priests have been handed over to foreign kings to be executed. We have been taken captive, robbed, and humiliated, as we still are today because of our sins.
• Nehemiah 9:16But they—our own ancestors—acted arrogantly. They became stubborn and wouldn’t obey your commands.
• Psalms 78:8Then they will not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation. Their hearts were not loyal. Their spirits were not faithful to God.
• Psalms 106:6We have sinned, and so did our ancestors. We have done wrong. We are guilty.
• Ezekiel 18:14“But suppose this person has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he doesn’t do such things.
• 1 Peter 1:18Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed.
• Zechariah 7:11“But people refused to pay attention. They shrugged their shoulders at me and shut their ears so that they couldn’t hear.
• 2 Chronicles 24:19The Lord sent them prophets to bring them back to himself. The prophets warned them, but they wouldn’t listen.
• 2 Chronicles 36:15The Lord God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his messengers because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place.
• Nehemiah 9:26But they were defiant and rebelled against you. They threw your teachings over their shoulders and killed your prophets who warned them to turn back to you. They committed outrageous sins.
• Isaiah 30:9These people are rebellious and deceitful children, children who refuse to listen to the Lord’s teachings.
• Jeremiah 6:16This is what the Lord says: Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask which paths are the old, reliable paths. Ask which way leads to blessings. Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves. But you said that you wouldn’t live that way.
• Jeremiah 13:16Honor the Lord your God before it gets dark, before your feet stumble on the mountains in the twilight. You will look for light, but the Lord will turn it into the shadow of death and change it into deep darkness.

Commentaries on Zechariah 1:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Be ye not like your fathers - Strangely infectious is the precedent of ill. Tradition of good, of truth, of faith, is decried; only tradition of ill and error are adhered to. The sin of Jeroboam was held sacred by every king of Israel: “The statutes of Omri were diligently kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab” Micah 6:16. “They turned back and were treacherous like their forefathers; they turned themselves like a deceitful bow” Psalm 78:57, is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Before the exile in Babylon, earlier prophets urged Judah and Israel to repent. Zechariah shows the influence of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. your fathers … they did not listen: The people of Israel (2 Kings 17:13–14) and Judah (2 Chronicles 36:15–16) went into exile because they stubbornly ignored the word of the Lord (compare 2 Chronicles 30:7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Be ye not as your fathers--The Jews boasted of their fathers; but he shows that their fathers were refractory, and that ancient example and long usage will not justify disobedience (2Ch 36:15, 16). the former prophets--those who lived before the captivity. It aggravated their guilt that, not only had they the law, but they had been often called to repent by God's prophets.Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 1:4

• Example
• Impenitence

In the dictionaries

• Lord of Hosts
• Angel
• Bible, the
• Chemarim
• Ezekiel
• Joshua (3)
• Molech; Moloch
• Remnant
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Zechariah 1

• 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