Zechariah 7:11

Zechariah 7:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
• New International Version (NIV)“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

Context of Zechariah 7:11

9“This is what the Lord of Armies says: Administer real justice, and be compassionate and kind to each other. 10Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And don’t even think of doing evil to each other. “But people refused to pay attention. They shrugged their shoulders at me and shut their ears so that they couldn’t hear. 12They made their hearts as hard as flint so that they couldn’t hear the Lord’s teachings, the words that the Lord of Armies had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord of Armies became very angry. 13“When I called, they wouldn’t listen. So now when they call, I won’t listen, says the Lord of Armies.

Zechariah 7:11 word by word

וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ לְהַקְשִׁ֔יב וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ כָתֵ֖ף סֹרָ֑רֶת וְאָזְנֵיהֶ֖ם הִכְבִּ֥ידוּ מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But they refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
• to hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• and pulled awayסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
• and pulled awayנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• the shoulderכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
• and stoppedכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: dullH3513
• their earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
• that they should not hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085

Cross-references for Zechariah 7:11

• Zechariah 1:4Don’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.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of the Hebrews says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself in my presence? Let my people go to worship me.
• 2 Kings 17:13The Lord had warned Israel and Judah through every kind of prophet and seer, “Turn from your evil ways, and obey my commands and decrees as I commanded your ancestors in all my teachings, the commands I sent to you through my servants the prophets.”
• 2 Chronicles 33:10When the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, they wouldn’t even pay attention.
• Nehemiah 9:17They refused to listen. They forgot the miracles you performed for them. They became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to slavery ⌞in Egypt⌟. But you are a forgiving God, one who is compassionate, merciful, patient, and always ready to forgive. You never abandoned them,
• Proverbs 1:24“I called, and you refused to listen. I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention.
• Isaiah 1:19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land.
• 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 7:24But they didn’t obey me or pay attention to me. They followed their own plans and their stubborn, evil ways. They went backward and not forward.
• Jeremiah 13:10These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They go their own stubborn ways and follow other gods in order to serve them and worship them. They are like this good-for-nothing belt.
• Jeremiah 26:5Suppose you don’t listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent to you again and again, even though you didn’t listen.
• Jeremiah 35:15I have sent all my servants the prophets to you again and again. They said, “Turn from your evil ways, do what is right, and don’t follow other gods in order to serve them. Then you will live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors.” However, you refused to listen to me or obey me.
• Jeremiah 36:31I will punish him, his descendants, and his attendants for their wickedness. They refused to listen. So I will bring on them, on those who live in Jerusalem, and on the people of Judah all the disasters that I have threatened.’ ”
• Jeremiah 44:16“We won’t listen to the message that you have spoken to us in the Lord’s name.
• Ezekiel 3:7But the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you because they refuse to listen to me. All the people of Israel are very stubborn and hardheaded.
• Hosea 4:16“The people of Israel are as stubborn as a bull. How can the Lord feed them like lambs in an open pasture?

Commentaries on Zechariah 7:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Pulled away the shoulder - From under the yoke of the law, like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11But they gave a backsliding shoulder - Like a restive animal, which would not endure the yoke, dull and stupid as the beasts: as Hosea says, “Israel slideth back like a backsliding heifer” Hosea 4:16. Nehemiah confesses the same; “they gave a backsliding shoulder and hardened their neck and would not hear” Nehemiah 9:29. And made heavy their ears - Fulfilling in themselves what God foretold to Isaiah would be the result of his preaching, “make their ears…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians. The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace. The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God. Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11they refused to pay attention: They ignored God's commands (see Jeremiah 11:10). turned a stubborn shoulder: This phrase shows their proud stubbornness (see Nehemiah 9:29). Putting their fingers in their ears shows they were fully responsible for their stubbornness (compare Isaiah 6:10). The same expression describes Pharaoh when he became stubborn ("hardened his heart") against God and refused to release the Hebrews (Exodus 8:32).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. pulled away the shoulder--literally, "presented a refractory shoulder"; an image from beasts refusing to bear the yoke (Ne 9:29, Margin). stopped ... ears--(Is 6:10; Jr 7:26; Ac 7:57).Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 7:11

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Impenitence
• Self-Will

In the dictionaries

• Bible, the
• Ear
• Shoulder
• Zechariah, Book of

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