Zechariah 7 11

Zechariah 7:11 kjv

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

Zechariah 7:11 nkjv

"But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

Zechariah 7:11 niv

"But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.

Zechariah 7:11 esv

But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.

Zechariah 7:11 nlt

"Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing.

Zechariah 7 verses

Zechariah 7 11 Meaning

Zechariah 7:11 declares that the people refused to obey God's divine instructions, actively rejecting His voice. They exhibited willful obstinacy and rebellion, deliberately turning away from His commands and closing their minds and hearts to the prophetic warnings and teachings He sent. This verse highlights a progression of deliberate disobedience: unwillingness to listen, stubborn resistance, and an active decision to block out truth, leading to spiritual deafness and hardened hearts.

Zechariah 7 11 Context

Zechariah chapter 7 opens with a delegation from Bethel, arriving at the temple to inquire if they should continue the traditional fasts established during the exile. These fasts commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. In response, the Lord addresses the people through Zechariah, shifting the focus from mere ritual to genuine obedience. He questions their motives for fasting, implying their practices were self-serving rather than truly for Him (Zech 7:5-6). Zechariah 7:11 then explains why the past generations suffered divine judgment, including the exile itself. It was not due to a lack of rituals, but because of a persistent and active refusal to listen to God's commands and prophetic warnings. This verse acts as a bridge, reminding the present post-exilic community of the spiritual failures of their ancestors, urging them to learn from history and not repeat the same stubborn patterns of disobedience that led to the desolation and dispersion of the nation (Zech 7:12-14). The passage emphasizes that outward religious observance without inward transformation and obedience is meaningless and offensive to God.

Zechariah 7 11 Word analysis

• But they refused to pay attention (וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ לְהַקְשִׁ֗יב - way'ma'anu le'haqshiv)
  • וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ (way'ma'anu): "and they refused/were unwilling/rejected." From the root מאן (ma'an), signifying a strong, deliberate, and definitive act of refusal. It's not passive neglect, but an active turning away. This highlights the human agency in sin—it is a conscious choice to resist God's will.
  • לְהַקְשִׁ֗יב (le'haqshiv): "to listen/to pay attention/to incline the ear." From the root קשב (qashav). This isn't just about hearing sounds, but about attentively heeding with the intent to understand and obey. It implies listening with the ear of the heart. The refusal here is not of hearing, but of genuinely listening with an open heart to respond in obedience. This act of refusal implies an unwillingness to engage intellectually or spiritually with God's word.
• and stubbornly turned their backs (וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ כָתֵף֙ סֹרֶ֔רֶת - way'yitt'nu khatef sorereth)
  • וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ כָתֵף֙ (way'yitt'nu khatef): Literally, "and they gave a shoulder" or "presented a shoulder." This is an idiomatic expression. The shoulder is the part of the body that carries burdens or takes on responsibility. To "give a shoulder" (in a positive sense) implies submitting to a yoke or task (like an ox to the plow), taking on responsibility. In a negative sense, as here, to "give a rebellious shoulder" or "turn a shoulder" implies resisting the yoke or turning away from the required task/responsibility. It denotes shrugging off obligation.
  • סֹרֶ֔רֶת (sorereth): "rebellious/stubborn/unruly/apostate." From the root סרר (sarar), to be stubborn, rebellious, or wayward; to turn aside. This describes the quality of the shoulder: a defiant, uncooperative shoulder. The imagery is often used for a recalcitrant animal, such as a heifer or ox, refusing to bear its burden or follow directions. It depicts insolent disobedience and open defiance against legitimate authority. This is a powerful metaphor for actively resisting divine leadership and discipline.
• and stopped their ears (וְאָזְנֵיהֶ֣ם הִכְבִּ֔ידוּ - ve'oznehem hikbidu)
  • וְאָזְנֵיהֶ֣ם (ve'oznehem): "and their ears." Refers to the physical organ of hearing, but contextually, it implies the spiritual capacity to perceive and understand God's word.
  • הִכְבִּ֔ידוּ (hikbidu): "they made heavy/made dull/made insensitive." From the root כבד (kavad), meaning "heavy" or "glorious." In this Hiphil stem, it means to make heavy or dull. This action is deliberate. They didn't just passively "become deaf"; they "made their ears heavy" to God's messages, making them dull of hearing, deliberately sealing off access for truth. This signifies a chosen spiritual insensitivity, where people consciously reject the impact of divine communication, choosing not to be burdened or affected by it. It is an act of self-imposed spiritual deafness.

Words-Group Analysis:The verse demonstrates a powerful, threefold progression of escalating and intentional disobedience:

1. Refusal to actively listen (way'ma'anu le'haqshiv): Initial rejection of inward spiritual engagement.
2. Stubbornly turning backs/shoulders (way'yitt'nu khatef sorereth): An outward physical manifestation of resistance and rebellion, an active turning away from commitment.
3. Stopping/dulling their ears (ve'oznehem hikbidu): A further, self-inflicted spiritual condition, closing off the very channel through which God speaks, hardening the heart and mind to any future divine input.

This sequence indicates a deep-seated and persistent rebellion against God's Word, moving from intellectual/spiritual refusal to physical rejection and finally to self-imposed spiritual blindness/deafness, confirming an entrenched heart of disobedience that brought about the judgment of exile.

Zechariah 7 11 Bonus section

The strong imagery used in this verse ("stubbornly turned their backs," "stopped their ears") conveys the intense, personal, and active nature of the rebellion against God. It’s not passive neglect or accidental falling away but a conscious and determined act of resistance. This active turning away suggests a shift in allegiance from the Lord to one's own desires or false gods. The refusal to hear and obey ultimately stems from a heart that is not fully committed to God (compare Jer 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"). The prophets were God's messengers, speaking His exact words (Zech 7:7, 12), making the people's refusal to listen a direct rejection of God Himself. This progression of hardening is seen throughout Israel's history and is mirrored in human resistance to the Gospel in later periods, where deliberate choice leads to an inability to perceive spiritual truth. God's repeated outreach was met with intentional shut-down. The consequences (Zech 7:13-14) reveal God's judgment as a direct and just response to such stubborn spiritual insensitivity.

Zechariah 7 11 Commentary

Zechariah 7:11 reveals the root cause of Judah's historical judgment and exile: not merely external ritual failure, but a profound and deliberate heart-rebellion against God's direct word. It shows a three-stage progression of willful disobedience. First, they "refused to pay attention" (refusal to engage the mind and spirit with God's message). This implies an active rejection of divine teaching, despite it being clearly communicated through prophets. Second, they "stubbornly turned their backs," illustrating a posture of defiance and an unwillingness to carry the burden or responsibility of obedience to the Lord. It's the picture of an animal resisting the yoke, refusing submission to its master. Finally, they "stopped their ears," a self-inflicted spiritual deafness, ensuring that no further truth could penetrate and disturb their chosen path of rebellion. This cumulative hardening of the heart meant that God's loving and persistent calls to repentance and righteous living were not merely ignored but actively suppressed and rejected. The verse underscores that God's judgment is often a consequence of persistent human choice to resist and reject His benevolent rule, transforming superficial piety into profound apostasy. This serves as a timeless warning against prioritizing external religious forms over true, heart-level obedience to the divine will.

Examples:

• Parental Advice: A child continuously ignores parents' warnings about poor choices (refuses to pay attention), then walks away when being spoken to (turns their back), and eventually tunes out everything said (stops their ears), leading to negative consequences.
• Spiritual Blindness: A person regularly attending church but refusing to truly listen to the sermon's challenge, consistently acting contrary to biblical teaching, and over time becoming completely numb to spiritual conviction or the Holy Spirit's promptings.