Zechariah 7:3

And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? AND TO SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS ... AND TO THE PROPHETS - Haggai and Zechariah especially. SHOULD I WEEP IN THE FIFTH MONTH - "I" represents here the people of God (cf. Zechariah 8:21). Their hypocrisy appeared, because they showed man concern about a ceremony of human institution (not improper in itself) than about moral obedience. If too, they had trusted God's promise as to the restoration of church and state, the fast would have now given place to joy, for which there was more cause than for grief (Pembellus). The 10th day of the 5th month was kept a fast, being the anniversary of the destruction of Jerusalem ...

Let us now consider the question which the captives proposed to the priests. They asked whether they were to weep in the fifth month, and whether they were to separate themselves as they had done for seventy years and more; for some years, as we have seen, had elapsed beyond that number. We hence learn that a regular fast was observed from the time in which the temple was burned and the city destroyed. He speaks here only of the fifth month, but shortly after mention is made of the seventh month. It is evident from sacred history that the city was demolished and the temple pulled down in the fifth month. It is therefore probable that there was a day of mourning observed by the people in memory of that sad event. In the seventh month, though not in the same year, Gedaliah was slain, and the remainder of the people were driven into exile. As the land became then desolate, it is also probab...

1-7 If we truly desire to know the will of God in doubtful matters, we must not only consult his word and ministers, but seek his direction by fervent prayer. Those who would know God's mind should consult God's ministers; and, in doubtful cases, ask advice of those whose special business it is to search the Scriptures. The Jews seemed to question whether they ought to continue their fasts, seeing that the city and temple were likely to be finished. The first answer to their inquiry is a sharp reproof of hypocrisy. These fasts were not acceptable to God, unless observed in a better manner, and to better purpose. There was the form of duty, but no life, or soul, or power in it. Holy exercises are to be done to God, looking to his word as our rule, and his glory as our end, seeking to please him and obtain his favour; but self was the centre of all their actions. And it was not enough to...

SHOULD I WEEP IN THE FIFTH MONTH, SEPARATING MYSELF? - “In the fifth month,” from the seventh to the tenth day, Jerusalem was in flames, fired by Nebuchadnezzar. “He burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem and every great man’s house he burnt with fire” . Jerome: “Now since it is said that the temple is builded and we see that no cause of sorrow remaineth, answer, we pray, are we to do this or to change our sorrow into joy?” SEPARATING MYSELF - This seems to be added, to intensify the fast which they had kept. The Nazarite was bound to “separate himself from wine and strong drink” Numbers 6:3, and so, they severed themselves to the Lord, and consecrated themselves to Him (Num

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-8:23 Part II. THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION CONCERNING THE OBSERVANCE OF CERTAIN FASTS. ZECHARIAH 7:1 § 1. _A deputation comes from Bethel to ask whether a fast instituted in memory of the calamity of Jerusalem was still to be observed._ ZECHARIAH 7:1 IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF KING DARIUS. This happened, then, B.C. 518, nearly two years after the visions had occurred (Zechariah 1:7). In two years more the te

AND TO SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS WHICH WERE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... That ministered in the sanctuary, as the Targum explains it, who offered sacrifices, c. and who were to be consulted in matters of religion, Malachi 2:7: AND TO THE PROPHETS who were then in being, as Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: SAYING, SHOULD I WEEP IN THE FIFTH MONTH; which is the month Ab, and answers to July: now on the seventh day of this month, according to 2 Kings 25:8, the temple was burnt by the Chaldeans; and, according to Jeremiah 3:12, it was on the tenth of this month, which day was kept by the Jews as a day of fasting and humiliation, in commemoration of it; and by the Misnic doc

Zechariah 7:1. _And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;_ God's prophets were not always in the spirit, and when the Word of God came to them, it was a notable day, and they marked it in their diary. I think that we, too, who are not prophets can remember some special time when God's Word was peculiarly precious to us. We can put down «the fourth day of the ninth month.» Zechariah 7:2. When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done thes

FIFTH MONTH That is, August....

II. QUESTIONS CONCERNING CERTAIN FASTS CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The question (Zechariah 7:1) _ 2. The reproof (Zechariah 7:4) 3. The lessons of the past (Zechariah 7:8) Zechariah 7:1. Nearly two years had passed since Zechariah's great visions, and during that time the people had been obedient to the vision and built the house. Soon the ancient worship was to be resumed. A question arose in the minds of the people concerning certain Jewish days of fasting. The principal day was the day set apart in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It was kept on the ninth day of the fifth mon

ZECHARIAH 7:1 F. The original account of the question about the fasting and Zechariah's answer has been considerably amplified by the insertion of other prophecies, probably later compositions, though they bear some resemblance to the style of Haggai. Note the editorial introductions to the paragraphs beginning Zechariah 7:8 and Zechariah 8:1, which are unnecessary if Zechariah is the speaker throughout. The date is Dec. 4, 518. In Zechariah 7:2 we have an excerpt from Zechariah's own narrative, the beginning of which is lost. The text of Zechariah 7:2