Zechariah 8 14

Zechariah 8:14 kjv

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:

Zechariah 8:14 nkjv

"For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Just as I determined to punish you When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'And I would not relent,

Zechariah 8:14 niv

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me," says the LORD Almighty,

Zechariah 8:14 esv

For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts,

Zechariah 8:14 nlt

"For this is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

Zechariah 8 verses

Zechariah 8 14 Meaning

Zechariah 8:14 reiterates God's unwavering resolve and intentionality in bringing severe judgment upon His people in the past, specifically the exile, as a direct consequence of their ancestors' persistent rebellion and provocation. This declaration serves as a stark reminder of God's just character and the certainty of His Word when judgment is decreed, establishing a foundational contrast for the promises of future blessing found in the subsequent verse.

Zechariah 8 14 Context

Zechariah 8:14 is nestled within a powerful section (chapters 7-8) of Zechariah's prophecies. While Chapter 7 addresses a query about fasting and transitions into a rebuke for past disobedience and superficial piety, Chapter 8 pivots dramatically. It presents nine oracles of restoration, blessing, and future glory for Jerusalem and Judah. Verse 14 functions as a crucial bridge, a historical flashback. It vividly reminds the returned exiles that their nation's past suffering, including the Temple's destruction and the Babylonian Exile, was not random misfortune but the deliberate and justified consequence of their ancestors' persistent covenant breaking. By unequivocally stating God's steadfast resolve in bringing past judgment, this verse highlights the gravity of their forefathers' sins and sets the stage for the equally steadfast and even more glorious promises of God's future kindness and restoration articulated in Zechariah 8:15 onwards. The immediate historical context is the post-exilic community facing challenges and discouragement, trying to rebuild, and needing assurance of God's renewed favor while not forgetting the lessons of the past.

Zechariah 8 14 Word analysis

• Word by word analysis:

  • "For thus" (כִּי כֹּה - ki khoh): A conjunction and demonstrative, signifying a strong connection and emphasizing that what follows is a direct, authoritative declaration. It marks the statement as a matter of great certainty and importance, logically linked to the broader context of God's character and actions.
  • "says" (אָמַר - amar): The standard prophetic introductory formula, indicating that the following words originate directly from God, not from the prophet. This affirms the divine inspiration and ultimate authority of the message.
  • "the Lord of hosts" (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - Yahweh Tsva'ot): A majestic and powerful divine title. It emphasizes God's supreme sovereignty over all celestial and earthly armies, forces, and powers. Its repeated use here underscores the absolute authority and unchallengeable certainty of the pronouncements concerning both past judgment and future blessing.
  • "Just as I purposed" (כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַמְתִּי - ka'asher zamamti): The word "purposed" (zāmamti) conveys deliberate, firm intention, deep design, and pre-meditated resolve. God's judgment was not an impulsive act but a reasoned, sovereign decree for covenant breach. In human contexts, zāmam often denotes malicious plotting, emphasizing the severe and intentional nature of divine wrath against sin.
  • "to bring disaster" (לְהָרַע - lehara'): From the root רָע (ra'), which means "evil," "calamity," or "harm." Here, it denotes the direct, negative consequences of God's judgment—the desolation, suffering, and exile inflicted upon His disobedient people. It was a deserved and necessary punitive action to achieve spiritual correction.
  • "upon you" (אֶתְכֶם - etchem): This pronoun directly connects the listening generation to the historical experiences of their ancestors, acknowledging the communal impact and the lasting consequences of past sin upon the collective identity and national life.
  • "when your fathers provoked me to wrath" (בְּהַכְעִיס אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם אֹתִי - b'hak'is avoteikhem oti): "Provoked" (hakh'is) means to anger, vex, or exasperate. It refers to a prolonged pattern of rebellion, idolatry, unfaithfulness, and rejection of God's word that exhausted His patience and ignited His righteous anger. "Your fathers" specifically links the disaster to the long history of disobedience by previous generations.
  • "says the Lord of hosts" (נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - n'um Yahweh Tsva'ot): This reiteration of the divine formula again stamps the declaration with unassailable authority and certainty, leaving no room for doubt about the origin or truthfulness of the statement.
  • "and I did not relent" (וְלֹא נִחַמְתִּי - v'lo nikhamti): "Did not relent" (lo nikhamti) implies God did not change His mind, revoke His judgment, or show compassion while in the process of executing the decreed punishment. Once the sentence was set and the time came, God brought it to full completion without softening its impact, until its righteous purpose was served (e.g., through the full period of exile). This highlights the steadfastness and irrevocability of divine justice when continuously defied.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "For thus says the Lord of hosts": This opening phrase establishes the absolute divine authority and reliability of the statement. It is a foundational truth coming directly from the Sovereign God.
  • "Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you": Emphasizes the deliberate, pre-meditated nature of God's past judgments. The disaster was not random chance but a carefully designed, just consequence for covenant infidelity, reflecting God's sovereignty over all events.
  • "when your fathers provoked me to wrath": Clearly identifies the root cause of the past calamities—the repeated and prolonged rebellion and unfaithfulness of Israel's ancestors, which aroused God's righteous anger. It removes any notion of undeserved suffering.
  • "says the Lord of hosts, and I did not relent": The repeated divine title reinforces the immutable truth of the statement. "Did not relent" powerfully signifies God's unwavering commitment to carrying out His declared judgments to their full extent, emphasizing His unchangeable justice and word. This full execution of judgment makes the coming change to blessing in the next verse even more remarkable.

Zechariah 8 14 Bonus section

• The striking rhetorical device in Zechariah 8 is the strong contrast between past judgment and future blessing. This verse (8:14) focuses on the "disaster" God purposed due to "wrath," whereas the subsequent verse (8:15) states "so also have I purposed in these days to do good" because of His "kindness." This juxtaposition highlights the depth of God's faithfulness in executing both His disciplinary decrees and His covenant promises.
• This verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty over history. Events, even catastrophic ones like exile, are not random or dictated by other nations but are instruments in God's hands to fulfill His deliberate purposes for His people.
• The prophetic repetition of "Lord of hosts" provides a powerful oral emphasis that would have resonated deeply with the original audience, who understood the profound implications of this name for God's power and faithfulness.
• Zechariah 8:14-15 forms a chiasmus (A-B-B'-A') structure around God's purposing: "I purposed to bring disaster" (A) ... "provoked me to wrath" (B) vs. "I purposed to do good" (A') ... "because of their unrighteousness." This structure highlights the direct, intentional shift from wrath to grace, further reinforcing the reliability of both decrees.

Zechariah 8 14 Commentary

Zechariah 8:14 serves as a foundational bridge in Zechariah's prophetic message, solemnly grounding the glorious future promises in God's immutable character. It reminds the post-exilic community that their ancestors' catastrophic experiences—the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian Exile—were not arbitrary misfortunes but the precise and determined outworking of God's justice. The phrase "Just as I purposed to bring disaster" reveals a deliberate divine intention behind the calamity, refuting any idea of accidental or unfair suffering. This judgment was the righteous consequence for their "fathers" who consistently "provoked me to wrath" through their deep and continuous disobedience. The conclusive declaration "and I did not relent" powerfully affirms God's unwavering resolve; once a just judgment was pronounced and initiated, He saw it through to its complete and purposeful execution, enduring until His aim of national purification and the fulfillment of His Word were achieved. This vivid recall of God's past, unyielding severity prepares the ground for the radical turn in Zechariah 8:15, where He will declare an equally unwavering purpose to bless. By comprehending the absolute certainty of His word in judgment, the people can truly grasp the unfailing reliability and immense grace in His promised restoration and kindness.