Zechariah 1 6

Zechariah 1:6 kjv

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

Zechariah 1:6 nkjv

Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? "So they returned and said: 'Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.' " ' "

Zechariah 1:6 niv

But 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 1:6 esv

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, 'As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.'"

Zechariah 1:6 nlt

But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, 'We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven's Armies. He has done what he said he would do.'"

Zechariah 1 verses

Zechariah 1 6 Meaning

Zechariah 1:6 conveys a critical message to the returned exiles: the judgments their ancestors endured, specifically the exile, were the direct and undeniable fulfillment of the prophetic warnings given to them. Despite ignoring God's "words and statutes" proclaimed by the prophets, their fathers eventually recognized and admitted that God's actions were just, proportionate consequences for their unrighteous "ways and deeds." This serves as a potent call to the present generation to heed the current prophetic message and repent, lest they suffer similar divine discipline.

Zechariah 1 6 Context

Zechariah 1:6 forms part of the introductory section of the prophet Zechariah's message (1:1-6), which serves as a call to repentance for the returned exiles in post-exilic Judah. The Jewish community had returned from Babylonian exile but was slow to rebuild the temple and fully restore their relationship with God. Zechariah, along with Haggai, was commissioned to stir them to action.

This specific verse, 1:6, highlights the historical lesson from the preceding generations. Zechariah reminds the contemporary audience that their fathers ignored the consistent warnings given by God's "servants the prophets." This historical neglect led directly to the calamitous judgments predicted by those prophets, culminating in the exile from which they had just returned. The crucial point is that even the generation in exile was forced to acknowledge the divine justice in their suffering, confessing that God acted righteously based on their disobedience. By referencing this painful, recent history, Zechariah validates the authority of prophecy, emphasizing that God's word will be fulfilled, whether for blessing or judgment. It powerfully underscores the urgency of responding positively to God's renewed call through Zechariah himself, to prevent a repetition of the past.

Zechariah 1 6 Word analysis

• But my words (אָךְ דְּבָרַי - ach d'varai):

  • אָךְ (ach): A strong adversative particle, "but," indicating a sharp contrast with the unheeded calls for repentance in Zec 1:3-5. It pivots from the current call to the historical evidence.
  • דְּבָרַי (d'varai): "My words," referring specifically to divine messages, pronouncements, and decrees delivered by the prophets. These are not merely suggestions but authoritative communications from God, carrying His will and power. It implies the prophetic warnings of judgment and calls to repentance.

• and my statutes (וְחֻקּוֹתַי - ve-chukkotai):

  • וְ (ve): "and."
  • חֻקּוֹתַי (chukkotai): "My statutes" or "decrees." While often referring to the Mosaic Law's ordinances, in this context alongside "words" and delivered by "prophets," it denotes God's fixed, unalterable principles of justice and righteous governance, often implying the divinely established consequences for obedience or disobedience to the covenant. It underscores the firm and binding nature of God's pronouncements.

• which I commanded my servants the prophets (אֲשֶׁר צִוֵּיתִי אֶת עֲבָדַי הַנְּבִיאִים - asher tsivveiti et avadai ha-nevi'im):

  • אֲשֶׁר צִוֵּיתִי (asher tsivveiti): "which I commanded" or "tasked." Emphasizes the divine origin and authoritative nature of the prophetic message. The prophets were not speaking their own ideas but delivering God's directives.
  • עֲבָדַי הַנְּבִיאִים (avadai ha-nevi'im): "my servants the prophets." "Servants" (avadim) is a common, respectful, and authoritative designation for prophets in the Old Testament (e.g., Amos 3:7, Jer 7:25). It highlights their role as agents of God's will and message, underscoring their legitimacy and the high privilege of their commission.

• did they not overtake your fathers? (הֲלוֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם - halo hissigu avoteikhem):

  • הֲלוֹא (halo): "Did they not?" A rhetorical question expecting a "yes" answer. It emphasizes the undeniable truth of the statement.
  • הִשִּׂיגוּ (hissigu): "overtook," "caught up with," "reached," or "attained." This powerful verb signifies the unavoidable and conclusive fulfillment of God's word. The consequences of their fathers' actions were not escaped; God's word, as if a pursuer, "overtook" them in the form of divine judgment and exile.

• And they returned and said, (וַתָּשׁוּבוּ וַתֹּאמְרוּ - va-tashuvu va-tomru):

  • וַתָּשׁוּבוּ וַתֹּאמְרוּ (va-tashuvu va-tomru): "And they returned/repented and said" or "Then you returned and said." The verb "tashuvu" (from "shuv") here means "they came to themselves," or "turned (in acknowledgement)," rather than necessarily "repented" in the full sense. It describes their forced admission in the face of judgment. They reflected on their plight and finally confessed. This indicates a painful and reluctant acknowledgment of truth through lived experience.

• 'As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us (כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ - ka'asher zamam Adonai Ts'va'ot la'asot lanu):

  • כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם (ka'asher zamam): "As purposed," "devised," or "planned." The verb זָמַם (zamam) implies intentional design, counsel, or a deliberate scheme. Here, it conveys God's firm resolve and purposefulness in His dealings, indicating that the judgments were not accidental or capricious but part of a well-ordered, deliberate divine plan for correction.
  • יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת (YHWH Ts'va'ot): "The Lord of hosts" or "LORD of armies." This divine title emphasizes God's sovereign power over all heavenly and earthly forces, indicating His supreme authority to execute His will and word without hindrance.

• for our ways and our deeds, so has he dealt with us.'" (כִּדְרָכֵינוּ וּכְמַעֲלָלֵינוּ כֵּן עָשָׂה עִמָּנוּ - ki-d'rakheinu u-khma'alaleinu ken asah immanu):

  • כִּדְרָכֵינוּ וּכְמַעֲלָלֵינוּ (ki-d'rakheinu u-khma'alaleinu): "for our ways and our deeds." This is a profound admission of human accountability. Their "ways" refer to their moral character and manner of life, while "deeds" are their specific actions. This highlights the direct cause-and-effect relationship between Israel's unrighteous conduct and God's just judgment.
  • כֵּן עָשָׂה עִמָּנוּ (ken asah immanu): "so has he dealt with us." This confirms the precise correlation between the punishment and the transgression, testifying to God's righteousness and consistency.

Words-group Analysis:

• "My words and my statutes... did they not overtake your fathers?": This phrase underscores the inevitable and active fulfillment of divine prophecy. God's communicated will, encompassing both direct messages ("words") and underlying divine principles ("statutes"), possesses inherent power to accomplish its intended purpose. It's a reminder that God's truth is not passive; it confronts and ultimately actualizes. The rhetorical question drives home the undeniable reality of this historical fact.
• "And they returned and said, 'As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so has he dealt with us.'": This declaration is the core of their historical confession. It reveals a forced, post-facto acknowledgment by the generation in exile that their suffering was justly deserved and precisely measured by God according to their ungodly lifestyle and actions. It’s an admission of divine sovereignty and their own culpability, a validation of God's character and the prophets' integrity, extracted through severe experience.

Zechariah 1 6 Bonus section

The Hebrew word זָמַם (zamam), translated "purposed" or "devised" concerning God's actions, sometimes carries a negative connotation when describing human scheming (e.g., plans for evil, Deut 19:19; Psa 37:12; Zec 7:10). However, when applied to God, as here, it signifies His absolute resolve, intentionality, and strategic design, particularly in bringing about righteous judgment or sovereign will. It underscores that God's "plan" or "purpose" concerning judgment is not arbitrary but is carefully and deliberately enacted based on human actions. This nuance further deepens the previous generation's admission, recognizing not just what happened but that it happened exactly as God had deliberately intended, highlighting His perfect justice and unwavering will.

The "return" (שוב - shuv) of the fathers here implies a painful coming to themselves or turning to acknowledge the truth in the bitter school of experience. It is not necessarily full repentance leading to restoration, but rather an inescapable confrontation with reality and an admission of divine justice. This demonstrates that even when people stubbornly resist God's initial call to repent, His word will still achieve its purpose, often through corrective judgment, compelling an eventual, albeit painful, acknowledgement of His righteousness.

Zechariah 1 6 Commentary

Zechariah 1:6 serves as God's compelling defense and a potent lesson for the returned exiles. It retrospectively justifies divine actions against the former generations by stating the unequivocal fulfillment of prophetic warnings. The divine "words and statutes" are presented not merely as advice, but as binding pronouncements that possessed an inherent power to "overtake" those who disregarded them. This imagery vividly portrays God's message as an inescapable force, bringing the predicted consequences directly upon the unrepentant.

Crucially, the verse reveals that even the suffering ancestors eventually confessed God's righteousness and their own guilt. Their statement, "As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so has he dealt with us," is a profound admission. It demonstrates that judgment was neither arbitrary nor excessive, but a precise and deliberate execution of God's holy purpose, justly aligned with their collective disobedience. The title "Lord of hosts" here underscores the infinite power and sovereign authority behind this precise fulfillment.

This historical validation of prophecy for the exiles was vital. Having witnessed the "overtaking" of their fathers by God's word, the current generation was to grasp the absolute reliability of God's message. Zechariah is thus telling them: "Don't be like your fathers. Don't be blind to the clear link between sin and judgment. Learn from their painful admission. Respond to my words now, and walk in repentance, to avoid repeating their tragic history." It is a powerful foundation for Zechariah's subsequent visions and commands, emphasizing divine consistency, human accountability, and the call to repentance.