Zechariah 7 12

Zechariah 7:12 kjv

Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 7:12 nkjv

Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 7:12 niv

They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.

Zechariah 7:12 esv

They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 7:12 nlt

They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the LORD of Heaven's Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the LORD of Heaven's Armies was so angry with them.

Zechariah 7 verses

Zechariah 7 12 Meaning

Zechariah 7:12 describes the deep-rooted disobedience of the pre-exilic Israelites, highlighting their willful rejection of God's divine instruction. They hardened their hearts to an extreme degree, likened to an 'adamant stone,' actively refusing to heed the moral laws and specific messages delivered by the earlier prophets through the inspiration of God's Spirit. This deliberate and persistent rebellion against God's communicated will directly resulted in the severe consequence of divine wrath, manifesting as the exile and scattering that had just ended for the generation Zechariah addressed. The verse explains the theological justification for their previous suffering, emphasizing that it was a direct consequence of their determined refusal to listen and obey.

Zechariah 7 12 Context

Zechariah 7 takes place in the fourth year of King Darius, approximately two years after Zechariah began prophesying and roughly 15 years after the first return from Babylonian exile. The chapter addresses a delegation from Bethel sent to the priests and prophets in Jerusalem with a specific inquiry: should they continue the customary fasting in the fifth and seventh months, established during the exile to mourn the temple's destruction and Gedaliah's assassination? The Lord's response, delivered through Zechariah, does not directly answer with a simple "yes" or "no." Instead, it pivots to rebuke their past and present spiritual hypocrisy, accusing them of fasting not for genuine repentance, but for themselves (7:5-6). God reminds them that their former prosperity turned to exile precisely because they neglected true justice, mercy, and compassion, despite the persistent warnings of the "former prophets" (7:7-11). Verse 12 is the climax of this explanation, articulating the depth of their spiritual rebellion and the righteous cause for God's "great wrath." This sets the stage for God's call to sincere righteousness as the pathway to restoration.

Zechariah 7 12 Word analysis

• yea, they made their hearts: This phrase emphasizes agency and volition. "Made" (שָׂמוּ - samu) indicates an intentional act. The Israelites chose to harden their own hearts, it was not merely a passive state or solely a divine imposition, but a conscious human decision to resist.

• as an adamant stone: The Hebrew word for "adamant" is שָׁמִיר (shamir). This refers to an extremely hard stone, often identified as a diamond or a similarly unyielding mineral (possibly emery or corundum), renowned for its cutting ability and impenetrability. It signifies ultimate, intractable resistance—more unyielding than typical rock or stubbornness. Their hearts were rendered utterly unresponsive to God's word, showing deliberate, extreme stubbornness that resisted all external influence or divine message.

• lest they should hear: The Hebrew לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמֹועַ (lĕvilĕtî shĕmoaʿ) indicates an explicit purpose or intent: in order not to hear. It highlights their deliberate choice to shut out God's voice, actively resisting comprehension and obedience, not just passively failing to listen. "Hear" (שָׁמַע - shamaʿ) implies much more than auditory reception; it encompasses listening attentively, understanding, and most critically, obeying the message.

• the law: תּוֹרָה (torah) in this context broadly refers to God's divine instruction, not exclusively the Pentateuch, but God's teaching and revealed will concerning righteous living.

• and the words: דְּבָרִים (dĕvarim) refers to specific messages, pronouncements, or prophetic utterances, distinct from the broader 'Torah' but intrinsically connected to it. These were direct, spoken instructions and warnings.

• which the Lord of hosts hath sent: This emphasizes the divine origin and authority behind the messages. יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת (YHWH Tsĕva'ot), "the Lord of hosts," stresses God's absolute sovereignty, power over all creation, and his authority as the commander of heavenly armies. The sender is not just a deity but the supreme, powerful God.

• in his spirit: רוּחוֹ (ruḥo). This clearly indicates divine inspiration. The messages delivered by the prophets were not their own opinions but came through the direct empowering and guidance of God's Holy Spirit, establishing their infallible authority.

• by the former prophets: נְבִיאִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים (nĕvi'im ha-rishonim). This specifically points to the pre-exilic prophets (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Hosea, Micah) who continually warned Israel and Judah about their covenant violations. This direct reference links Zechariah's current message to a consistent, unbroken chain of divine revelation, underscoring the consistent nature of God's warnings and the persistent nature of Israel's disobedience.

• therefore came a great wrath: The consequence (לָכֵן הָיָה קֶצֶף גָּדוֹל - lakhen haya qetsef gadol) directly results from their hardened rebellion. "Wrath" (קֶצֶף - qetsef) denotes intense, righteous anger, resulting in punitive judgment. "Great" emphasizes its severity and comprehensive impact, leading to exile and suffering.

• from the Lord of hosts: This reiterates the ultimate source of judgment. The punishment was not an accident or a historical inevitability, but a deliberate and just divine act executed by the sovereign God who had also sent the neglected messages. It closes the verse by framing both the message and the judgment under the same divine authority.

• they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear: This is a crucial "words-group" highlighting their active and deliberate rebellion. It speaks to intentional, self-willed resistance. Their hardening was not passive; it was a proactive effort to prevent themselves from obeying God's voice, choosing ignorance and defiance over submission to divine authority. This willful act against knowing and doing is what truly angered God.

• the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: This collection of terms stresses the integrity, unity, and divine authority of God's entire prophetic tradition. It confirms that God consistently used multiple avenues ("law" and "words") through His appointed agents ("former prophets") under direct divine inspiration ("in His spirit") from the supreme source ("Lord of hosts"). Their rejection was comprehensive: it wasn't just individual messages but the entire established system of divine communication.

Zechariah 7 12 Bonus section

The concept of shamir (adamant stone) has fascinating historical and cultural significance, often appearing in Jewish tradition as a legendary worm or material capable of splitting even the hardest stones without touch, used by Solomon for building the Temple. Its usage here, however, metaphorically represents a heart hardened to the ultimate degree, a spiritual imperviousness to God's truth. This deep-seated resistance isn't merely apathy but an active, aggressive refusal to receive and be shaped by God's words, underscoring human culpability. The explicit mention of the "Lord of hosts" at both the sending of the word and the manifestation of wrath creates a divine rhetorical frame, emphasizing God's singular authority over both grace (through prophets) and judgment (through exile). It ensures that the people understand that both their past instruction and their recent suffering flow from the same just and sovereign source. This divine perspective counters any tendency to blame circumstances or other nations for their exile; it was an internal spiritual failure leading to a divine decree.

Zechariah 7 12 Commentary

Zechariah 7:12 functions as a poignant summary and theological justification for the Babylonian exile, answering why God permitted such a devastating national catastrophe. It unequivocally places the blame on Israel's doorstep, highlighting their profound, self-inflicted spiritual condition: a heart made utterly unyielding, harder than any stone. This adamant obstinacy wasn't accidental but a deliberate choice to not listen, comprehend, or obey God's consistently delivered commandments and specific prophetic warnings. The severity of their sin was compounded by the fact that these messages originated from the all-powerful "Lord of hosts," conveyed through His very "Spirit" via the esteemed "former prophets," thus bearing supreme divine authority. Their persistent rejection of such authoritative and divinely inspired counsel, spanning generations, rendered divine judgment both necessary and just. The resulting "great wrath" was not capricious but a righteous response to deliberate and protracted defiance. This verse stands as a powerful testament to human accountability and the direct, inescapable consequences of spiritual rebellion against God's revealed will.