Zechariah 7 10

Zechariah 7:10 kjv

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Zechariah 7:10 nkjv

Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.'

Zechariah 7:10 niv

Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'

Zechariah 7:10 esv

do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."

Zechariah 7:10 nlt

Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.

Zechariah 7 verses

Zechariah 7 10 Meaning

Zechariah 7:10 articulates God's unwavering expectation for His people to uphold social justice and exhibit genuine compassion. It prohibits the mistreatment of society's most vulnerable – the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, and the poor – and extends this moral imperative to internal thoughts, commanding against harboring evil intentions towards one's fellow man. This verse reveals God's heart for righteousness that permeates both outward action and inner motive, highlighting true piety as love demonstrated in action and thought.

Zechariah 7 10 Context

Zechariah chapter 7 introduces a delegation from Bethel, sent to Jerusalem to inquire whether they should continue their traditional fasts commemorating the destruction of the temple and the Babylonian exile. The temple rebuilding was underway, prompting their question. However, God, through Zechariah, does not simply give a direct yes or no answer regarding the fasts. Instead, He exposes their shallow, self-centered approach to worship and their fundamental failure to obey His more profound commands given through earlier prophets. Verses 9-10, of which Zechariah 7:10 is a part, explicitly recall these ancient divine directives: practicing true justice, showing mercy and compassion, and treating fellow human beings with integrity. God reveals that it was precisely the nation's failure to adhere to these moral and ethical imperatives—their oppression of the vulnerable and their malicious intent towards each other—that led to His judgment, resulting in the previous exile and their present suffering. Therefore, verse 10 stands as a reminder of God's unchanging standard for genuine devotion, emphasizing that true worship extends far beyond mere ritual observance to encompass righteous action and pure heart intent.

Zechariah 7 10 Word analysis

• "And oppress not":

  • Hebrew: וְאַל־תַּעֲשֹׁ֗קוּ (ve'al-ta'asoq) - The verb is עָשַׁק (‘ashaq), meaning to exploit, defraud, or inflict injustice upon someone, often by abusing a position of power. The prefix "אַל־" (al-) signifies a strong prohibition.
  • Significance: This is a fundamental injunction against economic and social exploitation, frequently appearing in the Law and the Prophets. It addresses direct, active injustice.

• "the widow":

  • Hebrew: אַלְמָנָה (’almānah) - A woman who has lost her husband.
  • Significance: Widows in ancient patriarchal societies often lost social status, economic support, and legal protection. Their vulnerability made them frequent targets of exploitation, making their welfare a key indicator of societal righteousness.

• "nor the fatherless":

  • Hebrew: יָתוֹם (yāṯōm) - An orphan, particularly a child without a father.
  • Significance: Similar to widows, the fatherless were inherently vulnerable without a primary male protector and provider, making them susceptible to poverty and abuse. God explicitly identifies as a protector of orphans.

• "the stranger":

  • Hebrew: גֵּר (gēr) - A sojourner or resident alien, a non-Israelite living within Israelite society.
  • Significance: As outsiders, foreigners lacked tribal land, traditional family networks, and full legal protections, placing them in a precarious position. God's command for Israel to care for them often referenced Israel's own past as aliens in Egypt.

• "nor the poor":

  • Hebrew: עָנִי (‘ānī) - The afflicted, humble, oppressed, or economically disadvantaged.
  • Significance: This is a broader category encompassing anyone in need due to lack of resources, illness, or social marginalization. God's Law consistently provides for and advocates on behalf of the poor.

• "and let none of you imagine evil":

  • Hebrew: וְרָעַ֥ת אִ֥ישׁ אָחִ֖יו אַל־תַּחְשְׁב֥וּ (ve-ra‘at ish aḥiv al-tahshvu) - The verb is חָשַׁב (ḥāšav), meaning to think, devise, plan, or calculate. Combined with "evil" (רָעָה rā‘āh), it refers to conceiving or deliberately formulating malicious intent. The "אַל־" is again a strong prohibition.
  • Significance: This elevates God's standard beyond outward actions to encompass internal thoughts and motivations. It prohibits not just performing evil but plotting it, revealing God's demand for heart purity.

• "against his brother":

  • Hebrew: אָחִ֖יו (’aḥiv) - Literally "his brother," referring to a fellow Israelite, but ethically encompassing any fellow human being within the community, extending the principle of neighborly love.
  • Significance: This emphasizes harmonious and righteous relationships within the covenant community. It points to a deep standard of fraternal love.

• "in your heart":

  • Hebrew: בִלְבַבְכֶֽם (bilvavchem) - The Hebrew term לֵב (lev, heart) represents the totality of one's inner being: intellect, will, emotions, and moral core.
  • Significance: This explicitly states that the command penetrates to the very center of a person's being. God's judgment and expectation are not only on external deeds but also on the secret thoughts and intentions harbored in the innermost self.

Zechariah 7 10 Bonus section

• The quartet of the widow, fatherless, stranger, and poor (often mentioned in combination) forms a consistent theological trope throughout the Old Testament, representing the absolute minimum ethical standard required of God's covenant people.
• This verse stands as a sharp polemic against any notion that religious ritual alone can atone for ethical shortcomings or replace a life of justice and mercy. It directly refutes hollow worship that neglects the plight of others.
• The phrase "imagine evil... in your heart" showcases the comprehensive nature of God's law, which does not merely legislate external actions but penetrates the thoughts and intents of the human heart, laying the groundwork for New Testament teachings on inner purity.
• The call to care for the "brother" implies a solidarity and responsibility within the covenant community, mirroring God's own care for His people and serving as a model for how they ought to interact with each other. This fraternal love prevents both exploitation and hidden malice.

Zechariah 7 10 Commentary

Zechariah 7:10 offers a concise, yet profound, statement of God's unchanging moral law. Faced with an inquiry about superficial religious ritual (fasting), God redirects the focus to the core of true righteousness. He first reiterates His demand for practical justice: the absolute prohibition against oppressing society's most defenseless members—the widow, the fatherless, the stranger, and the poor. These groups serve as a barometer for a nation's moral health, reflecting God's own character as a protector and advocate for the vulnerable. The verse then extends this moral standard beyond outward behavior to inner motivation. The command "let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart" reveals that God's law permeates the intellect and will, holding accountable even malicious thoughts and premeditated ill intentions. This signifies a holistic understanding of obedience that includes both external deeds and the purity of the heart, forming the bedrock of loving God by truly loving one's neighbor. Failing these fundamental ethical commands, as Israel had historically done, leads to divine judgment, demonstrating that genuine piety cannot exist without tangible compassion and internal integrity.