Zechariah 8 17

Zechariah 8:17 kjv

And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

Zechariah 8:17 nkjv

Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,' Says the LORD."

Zechariah 8:17 niv

do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the LORD.

Zechariah 8:17 esv

do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD."

Zechariah 8:17 nlt

Don't scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the LORD."

Zechariah 8 verses

Zechariah 8 17 Meaning

Zechariah 8:17 conveys a divine command for moral uprightness, essential for the restored community of Israel. It forbids harboring malicious intentions or plotting evil against one's fellow citizen ("neighbor") and strongly rejects any endorsement or practice of making false oaths. The verse declares that these specific actions and dispositions are deeply detestable to the Lord, forming a critical ethical foundation for the renewed covenant relationship and promised blessings.

Zechariah 8 17 Context

Zechariah 8:17 falls within a chapter primarily focused on the future restoration and blessings for Jerusalem and its inhabitants after the Babylonian exile. Following messages of rebuke for past sins and calls to repentance (chapters 1-7), chapter 8 shifts to a prophetic vision of hope. God promises to return to Zion (v. 3), restore its population, and bless its land, leading to prosperity and renown among nations. This glorious future, however, is not unconditional. Verses 16-17, along with v. 18-19, explicitly outline the moral requirements for receiving and sustaining these divine blessings. The immediate preceding verse (v. 16) commands telling truth, practicing righteous judgment, and promoting peace. Verse 17 directly follows, detailing specific actions God hates, forming a critical contrast to the positive commands and ensuring the people understand what behaviors are contrary to a restored relationship with God. Historically, the returned exiles faced the temptation to revert to the same social injustices and religious hypocrisy that led to their forefathers' downfall. This verse serves as a crucial ethical warning and instruction to build a community founded on internal moral purity and external truthfulness, directly addressing past failures.

Zechariah 8 17 Word analysis

• Let none of you: Hebrew: וְאִישׁ (ve'ish) - "and a man/each one." The preceding אַל (al - negative command particle, "do not") before תחשׁבוּ (taḥshovû) or תעשו (ta'asoo) would explicitly form the negative injunction. The form הַשְׁמֵרוּ (hashmeru) from שָׁמַר (shamar), which usually means "to guard" or "to keep," in a negative context like this implies guarding against doing something, or actively plotting, devising evil. This unique usage emphasizes an active, conscious restraint from allowing such thoughts to take root.
• think evil: Hebrew: רָעָה (ra'ah) - "evil," "wickedness," "harm," "calamity." When coupled with a verb like hashmeru here, it implies not merely an accidental negative thought but a deliberate plotting, planning, or intending of harm. It signifies malicious intent, not just passing bad thoughts.
• in your hearts: Hebrew: בִּלְבַבְכֶם (bilvavkhem) - "in your heart/mind (plural possessive)." The "heart" (לֵב - lev) in biblical understanding is not just the seat of emotion, but the center of thought, will, intention, and moral character. This phrase underscores that the prohibition is not just against external harmful acts, but against the internal devising and entertaining of such malice. God judges not only deeds but the very source of those deeds.
• against his neighbor: Hebrew: אִישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ (ish et-re'ehu) - "each man against his fellow" or "one against another." רֵעַ (rea') refers to a friend, companion, or fellow citizen, highlighting the societal impact of such internal wickedness. The prohibition targets internal discord and ill will within the community.
• and love no false oath: Hebrew: וּשְׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר לֹא תֶאֱהָבוּ (u-shvu'at sheqer lo te'ehavu) - literally "and an oath of falsehood you shall not love."
  • love no: The negative particle לֹא (lo) paired with תֶאֱהָבוּ (te'ehavu - "you shall love") creates a strong prohibition against even liking or desiring false oaths. It's not just "do not make" but "do not desire or approve of" such a practice. This is a profound demand for heart-level integrity.
  • false oath: Hebrew: שְׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר (shvu'at sheqer) - "oath of falsehood," "perjury." An oath invoked the divine name as a guarantor of truth, making a false oath a direct offense against God's character and a grave act of deception within the community.
• for all these things I hate: Hebrew: כִּי אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה שָׂנֵאתִי (ki et-kol-eleh sane'ti) - "for all these things I have hated."
  • I hate: Hebrew: שָׂנֵאתִי (sane'ti) - the verb שָׂנֵא (sane) in the perfect tense, indicating a complete and abiding hatred. This isn't a passing emotion but an intrinsic aversion rooted in God's holy character. What God hates, is definitively evil.
• declares the Lord: Hebrew: נְאֻם־יְהוָה (ne'um-YHWH) - a common prophetic formula affirming the divine origin and authority of the statement. This makes the commands absolute and binding, emanating directly from God Himself, YHWH, the covenant Lord.

Words-group analysis:

• "Let none of you think evil in your hearts against his neighbor": This phrase directly addresses the internal disposition of individuals within the community. It goes beyond outward actions to condemn the malicious planning or desiring of harm against fellow members. It reflects the deep ethical concern of the biblical prophets and the law, which understood the heart as the root of all behavior, highlighting a principle akin to "love your neighbor as yourself" from the inside out. This kind of thought was likely a root cause of social injustice and internal strife leading to the exile.
• "and love no false oath": This command expands the ethical requirement to truthfulness, particularly in matters of sacred promises. The prohibition against loving false oaths is particularly potent, moving beyond simply "do not make" them, to a rejection of the very inclination towards deception and the profaning of God's name through insincere pledges. Such a heart-level rejection implies an embrace of truth as a core value.
• "for all these things I hate, declares the Lord": This final clause provides the theological foundation and authoritative weight for the preceding prohibitions. God's active hatred for these actions (and the heart condition they stem from) underscores their severity and makes it clear that such behaviors are entirely antithetical to His character and His will for His covenant people. It is a powerful deterrent and a motivation for genuine moral transformation, promising blessing for obedience and warning against what provoked His judgment in the past.

Zechariah 8 17 Bonus section

The commands in Zechariah 8:16-17 demonstrate a profound connection between God's blessings and the ethical conduct of His people. The divine promises of restoration (abundant harvests, security, numerous children) are not mere automatic gratuities but are predicated on the community adopting specific moral behaviors. This highlights a consistent biblical principle that spiritual health and physical well-being are interwoven, especially in a covenantal context.

The use of "love no false oath" is particularly insightful. While "do not make a false oath" would directly address the action, "love no false oath" delves deeper into the disposition. It prohibits the inner desire for dishonesty, implying a commitment to truth at a more fundamental level than mere outward conformity. This anticipatory avoidance of sin, desiring virtue instead of merely refraining from vice, is a higher ethical standard. It speaks to a transformative work in the heart, aligning one's affections with God's. This ethical purity distinguishes the restored people from surrounding nations whose legal and social practices might not hold truth with such sanctity, particularly if oaths were merely contractual mechanisms without genuine divine accountability.

Zechariah 8 17 Commentary

Zechariah 8:17 articulates a crucial ethical demand, revealing that a truly restored community must exhibit both internal purity and outward truthfulness. The double negative command, "think no evil" and "love no false oath," cuts to the core of personal and communal righteousness. Plotting evil in the heart targets the very source of sinful action; it's a call to examine and purify inner motives. This command ensures peace and trust within the community, essential after the divisiveness that preceded the exile. Loving a false oath implies an approval or desire for deceit, which is antithetical to God's nature. Honesty, especially when invoking God's name through an oath, is foundational to trust between God and humanity, and among people themselves.

The stark declaration, "for all these things I hate, declares the Lord," establishes a non-negotiable standard. God's hatred is not an emotional outburst but a holy revulsion against evil, reflecting His unchangeable righteous character. It signals that these practices are not merely minor infractions but a fundamental affront to divine holiness and the integrity of human relationships. The blessings promised elsewhere in Zechariah 8 are intrinsically linked to such ethical transformation, demanding a shift from the corrupt ways of the past to a new way of living founded on truth and love for one another, cultivated first in the heart.Example: A shopkeeper tempted to overcharge a trusting customer, or a worker planning to spread rumors about a colleague, should recall God's hatred for such evil thoughts and plots against their "neighbor." Similarly, those who consider lying to avoid consequence, even when swearing, are engaging in what God detests, challenging their commitment to truth.