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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’

Context of Zechariah 1:4

2“The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 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. 5Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ ”

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 parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him.
• 2 Chronicles 30:7Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.
• 2 Chronicles 34:21“Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”
• Ezra 9:7From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
• Nehemiah 9:16“But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands.
• Psalms 78:8They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.
• Psalms 106:6We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
• Ezekiel 18:14“But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
• 1 Peter 1:18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,
• Zechariah 7:11“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.
• 2 Chronicles 24:19Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.
• 2 Chronicles 36:15The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.
• Nehemiah 9:26“But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.
• Isaiah 30:9For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.
• Jeremiah 6:16This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
• Jeremiah 13:16Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but he will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom.

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