Zechariah 7:4
New International Version
Then the word of the LORD Almighty came to me:

New Living Translation
The LORD of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply:

English Standard Version
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me:

Berean Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,

King James Bible
Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,

New King James Version
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

New American Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD of armies came to me, saying,

NASB 1995
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

NASB 1977
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the word of Yahweh of hosts came to me, saying,

Amplified Bible
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me (Zechariah), saying,

Christian Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD of Armies came to me:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me: “

American Standard Version
Then came the word of Jehovah of hosts unto me, saying,

English Revised Version
Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the LORD of Armies spoke his word to me. He said,

Good News Translation
This is the message of the LORD that came to me.

International Standard Version
Then this message from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies came to me:

Majority Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,

NET Bible
The word of the LORD who rules over all then came to me,

New Heart English Bible
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
Then came the word of the LORD of hosts to me, saying,

World English Bible
Then the word of Yahweh of Armies came to me, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And there is a word of YHWH of Hosts to me, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And there is a word of Jehovah of Hosts unto me, saying:

Smith's Literal Translation
And the word of Jehovah of armies was to me, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:

New American Bible
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me:

New Revised Standard Version
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the answer of LORD JEHOVAH was upon me, saying:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Call to Justice and Mercy
3by asking the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts, as well as the prophets, “Should I weep and fast in the fifth month, as I have done these many years?” 4Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying, 5“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?…

Cross References
Isaiah 58:3-7
“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. / You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high. / Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD? ...

Jeremiah 7:5-7
For if you really correct your ways and deeds, if you act justly toward one another, / if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm, / then I will let you live in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? / Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? / He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Amos 5:21-24
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ...

Matthew 23:23-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. / You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ...

Isaiah 1:11-17
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. ...

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 7:6-9
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ / You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.” ...

Luke 11:42
Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

Proverbs 21:3
To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Matthew 15:7-9
You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: / ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. / Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.


Treasury of Scripture

Then came the word of the LORD of hosts to me, saying,

Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 10:16
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

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Zechariah 7
1. The captives enquire concerning the set fasts.
4. Zechariah reproves the hypocrisy of their fasting.
8. Sin the cause of their captivity.














Then
The word "Then" indicates a continuation or a response to a preceding event or inquiry. In the context of Zechariah 7, the people of Bethel had sent men to seek the favor of the LORD and inquire about continuing their fasts. This word sets the stage for a divine response, emphasizing the immediacy and relevance of God's communication in response to human actions and questions.

the word
In Hebrew, "word" is "dabar," which signifies not just a spoken word but a matter or thing. It implies authority and purpose. In the biblical context, "the word" of the LORD is not merely a message but a powerful, creative force that accomplishes what it declares. This underscores the divine authority and the active nature of God's communication with His people.

of the LORD
The term "LORD" is translated from the Hebrew "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, often rendered as Yahweh. This name signifies God's eternal, self-existent nature and His covenant relationship with Israel. It reminds the reader of God's faithfulness and His role as the sovereign ruler over all creation.

of Hosts
"Hosts" translates from the Hebrew "Tsebaoth," meaning armies or multitudes. This title portrays God as the commander of heavenly armies, emphasizing His supreme power and authority over both the spiritual and earthly realms. It reassures the faithful of God's ability to protect and deliver His people.

came
The word "came" suggests movement and intentionality. It indicates that the message from God was not static but actively delivered to Zechariah. This highlights the personal nature of God's communication, as He reaches out to His prophets to convey His will and guidance.

to me
The phrase "to me" personalizes the message, indicating that Zechariah, the prophet, is the recipient of God's word. This personal address underscores the role of prophets as intermediaries between God and His people, chosen to receive and relay divine revelations.

saying
"Saying" introduces the content of the message that follows. It prepares the reader for the direct words of God, emphasizing the importance of what is to be communicated. This word serves as a transition from the introduction of the divine message to its actual content, inviting the audience to listen attentively to God's instructions and insights.

Verses 4-7. - § 2. In answer to the inquiry, the delegates are told that fasting is in itself an indifferent thing, but is to be estimated by the conduct of those who observe it. Verse 4. - Then came the word of the Lord. This formula marks the several portions of the answer to the inquiry (see ver. 8; ch. 8:1, 18). The present verse takes up the sentence in ver. 1, interrupted by the explanation of the object of the deputation (vers. 2, 3).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the word
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

of Hosts
צְבָא֖וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

came
וַיְהִ֛י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to me,
אֵלַ֥י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

saying,
לֵאמֹֽר׃ (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT Prophets: Zechariah 7:4 Then the word of Yahweh of Armies (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 7:3
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