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 fathers. 3Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of armies, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of armies. “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me,” declares the Lord. 5“Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6But did My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘Just as the Lord of armies planned to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”’”

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

• like your fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• to whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• proclaimedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Thisכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of armiesצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• Returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• nowנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• from your evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• deedsמַעֲלָלma‛ălâl · deedH4611
• not listenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• or payקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• to Me,” declaresנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002

Cross-references for Zechariah 1:4

• 2 Chronicles 29:6For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and they have abandoned Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and have turned their backs.
• 2 Chronicles 30:7Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the Lord God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, just as you see.
• 2 Chronicles 34:21“Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for the wrath of the Lord which has poured out on us is great, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to act in accordance with everything that is written in this book.”
• Ezra 9:7Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and because of our wrongful deeds we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to open shame, as it is this day.
• Nehemiah 9:16“But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments.
• Psalms 78:8And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
• Psalms 106:6We have sinned like our fathers, We have gone astray, we have behaved wickedly.
• Ezekiel 18:14“Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father’s sins which he committed, but he has seen them and does not do likewise.
• 1 Peter 1:18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
• Zechariah 7:11But they refused to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and plugged their ears from hearing.
• 2 Chronicles 24:19Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.
• 2 Chronicles 36:15Yet the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place;
• Nehemiah 9:26“But they became rebellious and revolted against You, And threw Your Law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them In order to bring them back to You, And they committed great blasphemies.
• Isaiah 30:9For this is a rebellious people, false sons, Sons who refuse to listen To the instruction of the Lord;
• Jeremiah 6:16This is what the Lord says: “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find a resting place for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
• Jeremiah 13:16Give glory to the Lord your God Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the mountains in the dark, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into gloom, And turns it into thick 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