Zechariah 8:17

Zec 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these [are things] that I hate, saith the LORD.

Ver. 17. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts] {See Trapp on "Zec 7:10"} Take notice here, that as conversing with evil imaginations and inward lusts proves one to be carnal, Eph 2:3, so the law is spiritual, Rom 7:14, and takes hold of the root of bitterness, Deu 29:18, lie it never so low and close covered. There is something in it, that men are here forbidden to imagine evil (in their hearts). This particle, in their hearts, may seem superfluous; but it holds forth, that for the most secret sins that lie couched in the bottom of the heart, in the hidden man of the heart, and never show themselves to the world, men shall be accountable: see Heb 4:12 Ecc 12:14 Jer 6:19 Rev 2:23. The very want of good thoughts is a sin against that first and great commandment, Mar 12:30, and concupiscence, even before it come to consent, is a sin against the last commandment, Rom 7:7. But evil thoughts allowed and wallowed in is a fiat breach of every commandment; so vain is their plea that say, Thought is free, and do thereupon lay the reins on the neck, and run riot in vain and vile imaginations. O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, if thou meanest to be saved, Jer 4:14. How many, alas, have we that profess large hopes of heaven, whose hearts are no better than dens of darkness, dungeons of filthiness, cages of unclean birds, brothel houses, slaughter houses, pesthouses of malicious motions, devilish deceits, atheistical, proud, covetous, malicious, and fraudulent projects, which they are continually hammering, and wherewith their wretched hearts are day and night haunted and pestered! Contrariwise, a godly man is said to have right thoughts, Pro 12:5, holy imaginations, Pro 12:20, and that his desires are only good, Pro 11:23; or, if worse crowd in (as they will), he rids them out again, and will not let them lodge there, Jer 4:14, he boils out that filthy scum, Eze 24:6, and purifieth himself of all pollutions of flesh and spirit, 2Co 7:1; he both hateth them, Psa 119:113, and forsaketh them, Isa 55:7.

And love no false oath] As not only he that maketh a lie is shut out of heaven, but he that loves it (though made by another), takes it up and divulgeth it, Rev 22:15. So not only he that taketh a false oath, but he that persuadeth another to it, or that abhorreth it not in whomsoever (for here is a meiosis, less is spoken, and more understood), is the object of God’s just hatred.

For all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord] And as the next effect of hatred is revenge, he will not fail to punish such sinners against their own souls.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:17 In Zechariah’s time, the people of Judah were guilty of the same sins that brought about the Babylonian exile. Such behavior put God’s plans for restoration in jeopardy (see 7:8-10; 8:16). • I hate all these things: God’s hatred of evil (Ps 5:5; Prov 6:16-19) stems from his absolute holiness (Pss 5:4; 15:1; 24:3).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

all these . . . I hate--therefore ye too ought to hate them. Religion consists in conformity to God's nature, that we should love what God loves and hate what God hates.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He afterwards adds, And think not evil every one against his friend. Here the Prophet not only condemns open wrongs, but also the hidden purposes of evil. We hence learn, that the law was not only given to restrain men as it were by a bridle, and that it not only contains a rule of life as to outward duties, but that it also rules their hearts before God and angels. The law is indeed really spiritual; and extremely gross and foolish are they who think that they satisfy the law of Moses, when they abstain from murder and theft and other evil deeds; for we see that the Prophets everywhere required a right feeling in the hearts as Zechariah does in this place, who reminds the Jews, that they were not to devise evil against their friends, no, not in their hearts. He might have omitted the last words; but he meant to condemn those frauds which were wont to be covered by many and various disguises. Though then men may not bring forth their wickedness, yet Zechariah shows that God will punish it; for whatever dwells within, however concealed it may be from the eyes of men, however hidden it may be in the depth of the heart, it must yet come to an account before God.

He adds another kind of evil, even perjury, And love not the oath of falsehood. He might have said, swear not to the injury of thy neighbor; but there is to be observed here a contrast between the perverted love of men and the hatred of God. As then God hates a false oath as all other frauds and falsehoods, so he forbids us to desire it: for if we wish to please God, we must see what he requires from us, inasmuch as we designedly provoke his wrath when we desire or covet what he declares that he hates. In a word, Zechariah shows that God would be propitious and kind to the Jews, provided they truly and from the heart repented, and attended to what was right and just — not only to build the temple, to offer sacrifices, and to observe other rites, but also to form their life according to what integrity required; to labor not only by external acts to discharge their duties towards their neighbors; but also to cleanse their hearts from all hatred, all cruelty, and all depraved affections. It now follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying. The word of prophecy, as the Targum paraphrases it: here begins a new prophecy, respecting the abrogation of Jewish fasts, and the calling of the Gentiles.

And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying. The word of prophecy, as the Targum paraphrases it: here begins a new prophecy, respecting the abrogation of Jewish fasts, and the calling of the Gentiles.

Zechariah 8:19

zac 8:19

zac 8:19

zac 8:19Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... What follows is a full answer to the question in Zac 7:3,

The fast of the fourth month; the month Tammuz, which answers to June: this fast was kept on the ninth day of the month, on account of the city of Jerusalem being broken up on that day (o), as it is said, Kg2 25:3 though Kimchi says this was on the seventeenth day of that month, as also says the Misna (p); on which day a fast was kept likewise, for the breaking of the two tables of the law on that day: the reconciliation of this with the above Scriptures is attempted in the Talmud (q) by observing, that the Scripture speaks of the first temple, the Misna of the second temple:

and the fast of the fifth; the month Ab, which answers to July, on the tenth of which the city was burnt, Jer 52:12 but the fast on account of it was kept on the ninth day; See Gill on Zac 7:3 on which day the Jews say that both the first and second temple were destroyed, Bither was taken, and the city ploughed (r):

and the fast of the seventh; the month Tisri, which answers to September; on the third of this month a fast was kept on account of the murder of Gedaliah; see Zac 7:5 and on the tenth day of the same was the day of atonement, which was the grand fast; see Act 27:9,

and the fast of the tenth; the month Tebet; which answers to December, on the tenth day of which the city of Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar; and this fast was kept on that account, Jer 52:4 now of all these fasts the Lord by the prophet says, they

shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; that is, there shall be no occasion for them; but, on the contrary, such plenty of good things, both temporal and spiritual, shall be had, that, instead of them, rather festivals should be kept with the greatest cheerfulness, joy, and gladness. So Maimonides (s) says, that all these fasts shall cease in the times of the Messiah, with all others, which will be times of joy and gladness.

Therefore love the truth and peace; love to speak truth, and execute the judgment of peace, Zac 8:16 or express by words and deeds love to Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life; and also is our Peace, the Peacemaker, and Peace giver; and on these accounts, as well as on others, is greatly to be loved: likewise the Gospel, which is the word of truth, and the Gospel of peace; which contains nothing but truth, and is the ministry of reconciliation, and is to be loved on that account; and even peace with men is no further to be loved and sought after than as it is consistent with truth; and these being the principal things under the Gospel dispensation, these, and not fasts, or any other ceremonial observances, are to be attended to.

(o) T. Bab. Roshhashanah, fol. 18. 2. (p) Taanith, c. 4. sect. 7. (q) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 28. 2. (r) Roshhashanah, ut supra. (fol. 18. 2.) (s) Hilchot Taanioth, c. 5. sect. 19.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For all these things do I hate - Literally, emphatic, “For they are all these things which I hate.” This is the sum of what I hate; for they comprise in brief the breaches of the two tables, the love of God and of man.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Friend means every neighbour, or all mankind, Luke x. 27, 36. Even thoughts must be guarded. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour: see Zec 7:10.

Love no false oath: see Zec 5:4; you that must not lie to a man, must not swear to a lie before God, Psa 15:4; Eze 17:18,19.

For all these are things that I hate; so that I cannot be reconciled to them; so that I must not, will not let them go unpunished. If your will be blest as I promise, look you do as I prescribe. This is reason enough why you should not do them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Let none of you imagine. (see note on Zec_7:10, where these words occur) Love no false oath. The prevalent sins at this time were not idolatry, but cheating and lying and injustice, vices learned in the land of exile, where they had turned their energies to traffic and commerce. (see Zec_5:2-4, and note on ver. 3 there)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And let no one think evil of his neighbors He warned them concerning hatred without cause, which brought about the destruction of the Second Temple.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.