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 Living Translation (NLT)“Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing.

Context of Zechariah 7:11

9“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother. 10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’ “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts.

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 1:4“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.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
• 2 Kings 17:13Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.”
• 2 Chronicles 33:10And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen.
• Nehemiah 9:17They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.
• Proverbs 1:24Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
• Isaiah 1:19If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;
• Jeremiah 6:16Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
• Jeremiah 7:24Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
• Jeremiah 13:10This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.
• Jeremiah 26:5to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded),
• Jeremiah 35:15I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me.
• Jeremiah 36:31I will punish him, his family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed.” ’ ”
• Jeremiah 44:16“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you!
• Ezekiel 3:7But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.
• Hosea 4:16“For Israel is stubborn Like a stubborn calf; Now the Lord will let them forage Like a lamb in open country.

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