The deputation from Beth-el asks: 'Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?' — 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month, even these seventy years, did you at all fast to Me?'; the former prophets' word repeated: 'Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother; and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Hashem came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chislev;
verse value 3751
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "was" (הָיָ֨ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "word·of·Hashem" (דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֜ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 273: four, to·Zechariah. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "on·four" (בְּאַרְבָּעָ֛ה), "to·the·month" (לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ), "ninth" (הַתְּשִׁעִ֖י). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "and·it·was" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah); "to·Zechariah" (root איל, 34x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root מלך ("king") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'king', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + בִּשְׁנַ֣ת [in·year·of] (752) + אַרְבַּ֔ע [four] (273) + לְדָרְיָ֖וֶשׁ [of·Darius] (550) + הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ [king] (95) + הָיָ֨ה [was] (20) + דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֜ה [word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֶל־זְכַרְיָ֗ה [to·Zechariah] (273) + בְּאַרְבָּעָ֛ה [on·four] (280) + לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + הַתְּשִׁעִ֖י [ninth] (785) + בְּכִסְלֵֽו [in·Chislev] (118) = 3751.
Radak
And it came to pass in the year:
Metzudat David
“The word of the Lord came” – this is the utterance mentioned below.
Malbim
And it was in the fourth year of Darius, for the vision which had been revealed to Haggai and Zechariah in the second year of Darius, at the time when they began the building of the Temple, ceased in that same year, and they did not find any further vision from the Lord, for it was not then the appointed time for the Divine Presence and prophecy to return to Israel. However, in the fourth year, the word came to him due to a cause which will be related, and this is what is stated: “The word of the Lord came to him”—namely, the word of the Lord which had previously ceased.
When Bethel-sarezer, and Regem-melech and his men, had sent to entreat the favour of Hashem,
verse value 3341
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3341 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "Melech" (מֶ֖לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·his·men" (וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֑יו, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·he·sent" (וַיִּשְׁלַח֙), "Bethel" (בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל), "Sarezer" (שַׂרְאֶ֕צֶר). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "Bethel" (root בית, 27x in Zechariah); "and·his·men" (root איש, 21x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root חלה ("to·entreat") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root פני ("the·face·of") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·his·men', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ [and·he·sent] (354) + בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל [Bethel] (443) + שַׂרְאֶ֕צֶר [Sarezer] (791) + וְרֶ֥גֶם [and·Regem] (249) + מֶ֖לֶךְ [Melech] (90) + וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֑יו [and·his·men] (373) + לְחַלּ֖וֹת [to·entreat] (474) + אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י [the·face·of] (541) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 3341.
Rashi
And Bethel sent Sar-ezer and Regem-melech and his men. These were righteous men, and they sent from Babylonia to their relatives in Bethel, to come and seek the face of the Lord in Jerusalem on their behalf, and to inquire of the priests to inform them whether they should mourn in the month of Av, after the Temple had returned to be rebuilt.
Radak
“And he sent.” Explanation: After he had sent. Similarly, “And now, You have been angry, and we have sinned.” He descended from the performance of the sin-offering and similar offerings. And another explanation: After he had sent, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, and it did not mention who was the sender. And some say that “Bethel” is the name of a person, and he sent from the exile Sheraṣar and Regem Melekh and his men to Jerusalem. And the correct view is that “Bethel” is according to its plain meaning. And Targum Jonathan renders: “And he sent to Bethel,” and these senders were the exiles. And it says “and he sent” in the singular form as a general expression. Similarly, “Shall I weep,” as I did. And the messengers were Sheraṣar and Regem Melekh and his men. And Regem Melekh is a person whose name was so, and he brought men with him, and this is what it says, “and his men.” And they came to Jerusalem to seek the favor of the Lord, and the exiles sent by their hand to inquire and to say to the priests and to the prophets, “Shall I weep?”
Metzudat David
"And they sent to Bethel." This means that the speech refers to the fact that the community in Babylonia sent to the House of the Lord Sar-etzer and Regem-melech and his men who were subject to him, so that they would seek the favor of the Lord to bestow prophecy upon the priests and prophets, who would find an answer to reply to them regarding their inquiry.
Metzudat Zion
Sharatzar. The name of a man, and likewise Regem-melech:
To pray. The matter of prayer is like "And Moses entreated" (Exodus 32:11):
Malbim
(B-C) “And he sent”—the reason for this was that Sar-ezer and Regem-melech (prominent men from Babylon), sent [a message] to Bethel, that is, to the Temple.
“to entreat the face of the Lord” – its measure.
"To appear before the Lord" — that is, to say to the priests, "to seek the Lord" — that He might again manifest His Holy Spirit and inform the priests and the prophets, "to say" — namely, that they would be able to give the answer to the question: "Shall I weep in the fifth month, abstaining myself?" They did not ask about the other fasts, for regarding the fast of the seventh month, which commemorates the killing of Gedaliah, they had no doubt whatsoever. This fast was instituted because at that time the settlement of the land, which Nebuzaradan had left under Gedaliah’s authority for the common people to till and harvest, was destroyed; due to Gedaliah’s murder, the people fled the land. Now that the settlement of the land has been restored to its proper state, since some have returned in a number comparable to those who were with Gedaliah, there is no longer a reason for this fast. However, regarding the three fasts that were established on account of the destruction of the city and the Temple, they asked whether the Temple now being rebuilt would be greater in its honor than the honor of the previous Temple, thereby nullifying the reason for the fasts, or not? Therefore, they asked about the fast of the fifth month: if it is said that there is no need to fast in the fifth month, all the more so in the fourth and the tenth. They were prompted to ask this question on the fourth of Kislev, so that they might know how to conduct themselves regarding the fast of the tenth of Tevet that follows. They asked both about the weeping, which pertains to the past, and about the fasting, which is what is meant by "the appointed fasts" (hanazer), referring to seeking prayer and supplication for the future. Abarbanel already explained that they asked this because this Temple seemed small in their eyes due to seven reasons: 1) They saw that the Divine Presence did not return to dwell there with glory as it did in the First Temple, and five things were lacking in the Second Temple; 2) It was under the authority of the kings of Persia, and they feared that they might be exiled from the land a second time; 3) Because there was no general ingathering, and the exiles from the four corners of the earth had not returned; 4) They saw that the land was cursed and had not returned to its former state, which was a sign that Divine providence had not returned to it as before; 5) They saw that they were a reproach and a byword among the nations; 6) They saw that the Cutheans had taken possession of a large portion of the land, and the exiles coming from Babylonia were but a few; 7) Because they saw that no man from the House of David ruled over them (as you will see the response to all these concerns in section 8).
and to speak to the priests of the house of Hashem of hosts, and to the prophets, saying: ‘Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?’
verse value 5086
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 78 letters. The shortest word is "this" (זֶ֖ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·the·prophets" (וְאֶל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 271: saying, saying. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "to·the·priests" (אֶל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙), "of·the·house·of·Hashem" (לְבֵית־יְהֹוָ֣ה), "and·to·the·prophets" (וְאֶל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·the·house·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "saying" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "hosts" (root צבא, 54x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root חמישי ("the·fifth") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 9 words.
Rashi
“The Nazirite.” To abstain from pleasures, as I have done for seventy years. There is no Nazirite vow anywhere except in the sense of abstinence.
Radak
"To say, to the House of the Lord. Just as in 'the House of the Lord,' and Targum Jonathan renders: 'who serve in the House of the Sanctuary of the Lord.'"
"And to the prophets." Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. And the Targum and the Sifrei [render it as]:
"Shall I weep?." For they still did not believe in the building of the Temple, because of the enemies who had halted the work for several years. And now, even though they heard that they were building, they were of little faith and did not wish to ascend from Babylonia, for they did not believe that the building of the Temple would be completed and stand firm against those who besieged them. And they asked: Should they fast on the Ninth of Av, as they had done for seventy years?
"הנזר" – an infinitive of the root "נזר" (to abstain). That is to say: if I abstain from food and drink and pleasure. And the Targum [renders it]: "I will restrain my soul from luxuries."
Metzudat David
"To say, etc." This means that He will speak to the priests who serve in the House of the Lord, and to the prophets—namely Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—so that they may respond to their inquiry.
“Will I weep?” This means: The question is whether I will weep from now on in the fifth month, which is the Ninth of Av, and similarly all four fasts, and they grasped the most severe of them all.
The crown. Shall I be separated on that day from eating and drinking and from pleasure, as I have done for many years since the time of the Destruction? And as it is said: “Since the Temple has been rebuilt, is there still room for mourning?” For that building of the Temple was small in their eyes, because they were still subjugated to Persia.
Metzudat Zion
"To the House of the Lord." In the phrase "In the House of the Lord," the letter lamed comes in place of the letter bet. Similarly, it is written: "You have sat upon the throne" (Psalms 9:5).
Abstaining. A matter of separation/abstention, like “the days of his separation” (Numbers 6).
How many? Its meaning is "many."
’Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying: When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month, even these seventy years, did you at all fast to Me, even to Me?
verse value 4279
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "and·this" (וְזֶה֙) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "say" (אֱמֹר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·the·priests" (וְאֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים, 9 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "to·all·people·of" (אֶל־כׇּל־עַ֣ם), "and·to·the·priests" (וְאֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים), "when·you·fasted" (כִּֽי־צַמְתֶּ֨ם). The root צום appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "the·land" (root ארץ, 36x in Zechariah); "to·all·people·of" (root איל, 34x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root צום ("when·you·fasted") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root ספד ("and·mourned") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Rashi
"And on the seventh" – this refers to the fast of Gedaliah.
"When you fasted, was it for Me?" The letter He has a dot indicating a chataf patach, because it serves as an expression of astonishment: "Perhaps you fasted for My sake, so that you will need to fast even now?"
Radak
He said: They taught that [the fasts are observed] on the fifth and the seventh [months]. Even though they are four fasts, [we] remember the fifth [month] in which the destruction occurred, and [we] remember the seventh [month] in which Gedaliah was killed, and it was the second destruction. for already the "poor of the land" remained—meaning the land was not desolate—since the "poor of the people" remained, namely those whom Nebuzaradan left behind for vintagers and plowmen, Gedaliah was killed on the first day of the seventh month. And since that day is a festival, they established the fast for the day after it.
“The fast—have you fasted Me?” “Have you fasted Me?” means: If you have fasted for My sake, on account of your sins, the Temple was destroyed and you were exiled; for this reason you fast. But if you do justice and righteousness, you need not fast, for the House will be rebuilt, you will return from exile, and you will dwell in the land all your days. If you do what is good in My eyes, you will never be exiled from it. And what He says, “Me,” after saying “Have you fasted?” means: I, I commanded you to fast. And the Targum: “The fast—have you afflicted yourselves? You afflict yourselves before Me.”
Metzudat David
“Speak to all the people of the land.” He did not command that the speech be directed toward the messengers, for they were like those who had been reprimanded before Him for not having gone up to dwell in the Land of Israel; rather, the speech was directed toward the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they too would not be left in doubt regarding this matter.
For you have fasted. That which you have fasted and mourned in the fifth [month]—this is the Ninth of Av—and in the seventh [month]—this is the Fast of Gedaliah (the 3rd of Tishrei)—and this for seventy years during which you observed this practice. (And he also mentioned the Fast of Gedaliah, as if to say: Behold, they were not correct in mentioning only the Ninth of Av, which is the more severe in their eyes, for the Fast of Gedaliah too is like it, for the death of the righteous is weighed equally against the burning of the House of the Lord, as our Sages of blessed memory stated.)
When you fasted, was it for Me? [Meaning:] and did you really fast for Me? And as an added clarification the verse says "Me" (ani), meaning: did you thereby starve Me by this, that I should be concerned about your fast?
Malbim
“Proclaim, etc., ‘For you have fasted’—this means that a person must emulate the ways of God by performing acts of kindness, justice, and charity. Then God is aroused to respond to him with these same attributes. This applies only to matters in which God is described, such as being merciful, gracious, good, and forgiving, and the like. But if one fasts and afflicts his soul, how will God be aroused to respond to him according to his deeds? Is there eating and drinking before Him? And this is what it says: ‘When you fasted, was the fast for Me?’—and as if to say, ‘Do you intend to cause Me to act in accordance with your deeds?’ This is impossible, for…”
And when you eat, and when you did drink, are you not they that eat, and they that drink?
verse value 3426
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 37 letters. Notable word values: "and·when" (וְכִ֥י) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "and·when" (וְכִ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·ones·who·eat" (הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 36: and·when, and·when. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "eat" (תֹאכְל֖וּ), "you·will·drink" (תִשְׁתּ֑וּ), "the·ones·who·eat" (הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·when" (root כי, 36x in Zechariah); "not" (root לא, 36x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root אכל ("eat") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root שתה ("you·will·drink") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·will·drink', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְכִ֥י [and·when] (36) + תֹאכְל֖וּ [eat] (457) + וְכִ֣י [and·when] (36) + תִשְׁתּ֑וּ [you·will·drink] (1106) + הֲל֤וֹא [not] (42) + אַתֶּם֙ [you] (441) + הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים [the·ones·who·eat] (106) + וְאַתֶּ֖ם [and·you] (447) + הַשֹּׁתִֽים [that·drink] (755) = 3426.
Rashi
“And when you eat and when you drink.” If you do not fast, what difference does it make to Me in this matter? Is it not for your own pleasure that you eat and drink?
Radak
“And when you eat.” This means: What concern is it to Me whether you fast or whether you eat? You fast because of your sins, and you eat and drink for your own pleasure. All of this is for your sake; what concern is it to Me in all this? For neither fasting nor eating involves anything for My honor.
Metzudat David
“And when you eat.” Likewise, [in the verse] “When you eat and when you drink” , it is you who are eating and drinking, and you derive benefit from this, but I do not derive any benefit from it. It is as if [God] is saying: “What is this question about fasting? What concern is it to Me whether they fast or eat?”
Malbim
"And when you eat and when you drink" — surely only those who eat are referred to here, and there is no eating in the Upper Realm; if so, He will not be aroused on your account, neither through eating nor through fasting.
Should you not hearken to the words which Hashem has proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’
verse value 5924
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 85 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·words" (אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֗ים, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "the·words" (אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֗ים), "when·was" (בִּהְי֤וֹת), "and·peaceable" (וּשְׁלֵוָ֔ה). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "when·was" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah); "which" (root אשר, 44x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root נגב ("and·the·South") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'around·her', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 3 words.
Rashi
“Is it not the words?” What caused you to fast and mourn? Were it not the words of rebuke that the Lord proclaimed, etc.—it was they that destroyed you, and therefore you fasted. And these are the words that He proclaimed: “Execute the judgment of truth.”
Radak
Is it not so? What caused you the fast, but your sins? And when Jerusalem was at peace, I called through the hand of My servants the prophets that you should return from your sins, so that the land would not be destroyed; yet you did not wish to listen.
“And the Negev and the Shephelah dwelt.” This means that the entire land dwelt in security. It specifically mentions the Negev and the Shephelah, and all the more so the mountains and the hills, which dwelt in security. “Dwelt” means that there was secure settlement in them.
Metzudat David
“Is it not the words?”—as if to say: “Who asked for this fast from them? Is it not in this that I desired — the words,” etc.
Yoshevet. This means: sitting in tranquility and calmness.
And its cities. Likewise, the cities in its vicinity were inhabited in tranquility and peace.
“Yoshev.” This means: populated with people.
Metzudat Zion
"And the Negev." The cities of the Negev:
“and the lowlands.” The valley.
Malbim
“Surely with words,” meaning: Only in this way will He be aroused against you—through the words that He proclaimed via the First Prophets, which He will elucidate in verse 9, namely that they should practice justice, kindness, and mercy, and then He too will practice justice, kindness, and mercy toward His creatures. And He explained to them that these words were proclaimed through the prophets while Jerusalem was dwelling in peace and tranquility. And because they did not heed them, Jerusalem was destroyed. And all the more so now that it lies in ruins, that it cannot be rebuilt to its former state unless they observe these very words. For the factor that served as a cause to bring about a certain matter that did not previously exist, all the more so will it suffice to maintain that matter once it has already come into existence. Just as fire that heats cold water, all the more so will it suffice to keep the water warm so that it does not cool down.
Verse structure: 4 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "and·it·was" (וַֽיְהִי֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "word·of·Hashem" (דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 7 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "saying" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "and·it·was" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah). Full calculation: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה [word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֶל־זְכַרְיָ֖ה [to·Zechariah] (273) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 807.
Radak
"And the word of the Lord came." After the speech was interrupted by the matter of ‘and the Shephelah dwelt’ (quoting the previous verse), and it broke off there, he returned to speak with him the conclusion of the first matters, that he would say further to all the people of the land, and what the first prophets used to call them, saying to them:
Metzudat David
"And the word of the Lord came." The Omnipresent returned and said to Zechariah to remind them of the matters that the Lord had called forth from of old through the hand of the prophets, and to say to them:
Malbim
“And the word of the Lord came” – the utterance came to explain what are the matters that He called forth through the earlier prophets and that caused the Destruction.
’Thus has Hashem of hosts spoken, saying: Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother;
verse value 3822
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3822 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֥ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·compassion" (וְרַֽחֲמִ֔ים, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "judgment" (מִשְׁפַּ֤ט), "and·mercy" (וְחֶ֣סֶד), "and·compassion" (וְרַֽחֲמִ֔ים). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "hosts" (root צבא, 54x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root אמת ("truth") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֛ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֖וֹת [hosts] (499) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + מִשְׁפַּ֤ט [judgment] (429) + אֱמֶת֙ [truth] (441) + שְׁפֹ֔טוּ [judge] (395) + וְחֶ֣סֶד [and·mercy] (78) + וְרַֽחֲמִ֔ים [and·compassion] (304) + עֲשׂ֖וּ [do] (376) + אִ֥ישׁ [man] (311) + אֶת־אָחִֽיו [his·brother] (426) = 3822.
Radak
Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Execute true judgment. When you judge between a man and his fellow, let your judgment be true judgment; and whoever needs to perform kindness and mercy with him—which are beyond the strict letter of the law—do so.
Metzudat David
“Thus says the Lord”: This means that the Lord said to the earlier prophets, saying to them, “Administer true justice, and so forth.”
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: Through the former prophets, judge true justice — and this will cause Him to render justice for you against your enemies; and practice kindness and mercy — and He will likewise practice kindness and mercy with you.
and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.
verse value 3695
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "sojourner" (גֵּ֥ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "do·not·oppress" (אַֽל־תַּעֲשֹׁ֑קוּ, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "widow" (וְאַלְמָנָ֧ה), "and·orphan" (וְיָת֛וֹם), "sojourner" (גֵּ֥ר). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "do·not·oppress" (root איל, 34x in Zechariah); "man" (root איש, 21x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root עני ("and·poor") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'do·not·oppress', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְאַלְמָנָ֧ה [widow] (132) + וְיָת֛וֹם [and·orphan] (462) + גֵּ֥ר [sojourner] (203) + וְעָנִ֖י [and·poor] (136) + אַֽל־תַּעֲשֹׁ֑קוּ [do·not·oppress] (907) + וְרָעַת֙ [and·evil] (676) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + אָחִ֔יו [his·brother] (25) + אַֽל־תַּחְשְׁב֖וּ [do·not·devise] (747) + בִּלְבַבְכֶֽם [in·your·heart] (96) = 3695.
Radak
"And a widow." These are those who are weak; be very careful with them not to oppress them, neither in money nor in words.
"And the evil of a man against his brother." This means: Do not entertain in your heart the thought of harming your brother; even the thought itself is forbidden, all the more so the actual deed. Furthermore, thought leads to action. And even if one does not carry out the deed, it is forbidden, as it is stated: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart."
Metzudat David
“And a widow, etc.” – These are mentioned because they are weak in strength, and [therefore] there is strength to oppress and plunder them.
And you shall not hate one another. Do not think of one another with the intention of doing harm.
Malbim
And regarding a widow, in accordance with justice it says, “You shall not oppress a widow” (Exodus 22:22); and in accordance with kindness and mercy it says, “And a man shall not devise evil against his brother” (Zechariah 7:10)—even in your heart, in thought.
But they refused to attend, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
verse value 3014
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "shoulder" (כָתֵ֖ף, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·their·ears" (וְאׇזְנֵיהֶ֖ם, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·they·refused" (וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ), "to·attend" (לְהַקְשִׁ֔יב), "and·they·gave" (וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ). 8 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'rebeling', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ [and·they·refused] (113) + לְהַקְשִׁ֔יב [to·attend] (447) + וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ [and·they·gave] (472) + כָתֵ֖ף [shoulder] (500) + סֹרָ֑רֶת [rebeling] (860) + וְאׇזְנֵיהֶ֖ם [and·their·ears] (119) + הִכְבִּ֥ידוּ [laid·burdens] (47) + מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ [from·hearing] (456) = 3014.
Radak
“And they refused” — this denotes turning aside, like a stubborn heifer. The meaning of “twisting” is like that of a stubborn heifer, and one who does not wish to listen to the one calling him will twist his shoulder against him and will not wish to turn toward him.
Metzudat David
"And they refused." The men of that generation refused to listen and gave a stubborn shoulder, like a person who refuses to heed his fellow's words, turning his shoulder away from him and walking off.
From hearing. From [the root] to hear:
Metzudat Zion
"And they refused." They did not wish to.
To hearken. The matter of hearing:
Rebellious. The term is derived from the root meaning "removal":
Malbim
“And they refused to listen”: At first, they did not wish to listen at all and gave a stubborn shoulder; they turned their shoulder so as not to see with their eyes what the prophets were showing them. And afterward, when the words of the prophets came in a loud voice, until they heard the voice from afar, nevertheless their ears were heavy to hear.
Indeed, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Hashem of hosts had sent by His spirit by the hand of the former prophets; therefore came there great wrath from Hashem of hosts.
verse value 6751
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 92 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "name" (שָׂ֣מוּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·words" (וְאֶת־הַדְּבָרִים֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 499: hosts, hosts. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·their·heart" (וְלִבָּ֞ם), "thorns" (שָׁמִ֗יר), "the·law" (אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֤ה). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "and·it·was" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah); "hosts" (root צבא, 54x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root לב ("and·their·heart") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·former', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 6 words.
Rashi
They called it the samir. It is a worm stronger than rock; they place it on a stone, and the stone cracks.
Radak
"And they set their heart upon the shmir." The shmir is a strong stone that iron cannot cut.
"And the words." The words of reproof that the prophets used to say to them:
“Through His spirit.” Through the spirit of prophecy that spoke with the prophets:
And there was a great anger. Upon your fathers:
Metzudat David
"They set [their hearts as] shamir." They made their hearts hard as shamir, so as not to heed the Torah.
“By His spirit.” Through His angel, by means of the prophets.
"And there was anger." And because of this, there was great anger against them from the Lord.
Metzudat Zion
Shamir. It is the strong iron, and likewise, "like a shamir, harder than flint" (Ezekiel 3:9).
“By His Spirit.” By His angel. And similarly, “The Lord God has sent Me and His Spirit” (Isaiah 48:16).
Malbim
“And their heart” — even after the prophets had terrified them with punishments, and the punishments came and they saw them with their own eyes, they set their hearts as hard as a diamond so that they would not fear the terror of punishment, [so as not] to hear the Torah. The statements are parallel: “and they refused to listen and turned a stubborn shoulder from hearing the Torah,” which warns according to reason; “and their ears were heavy from hearing,” and their heart they set as a diamond from hearing the words which the Lord sent in His Spirit by the hand of the prophets, who foretold to them punishments and severe rebukes. And therefore “there was great anger.”
And it came to pass that, as He called, and they would not hear; so they shall call, and I will not hear, said Hashem of hosts;
verse value 2907
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֤ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "as·He·called" (כַאֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֖א, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 37: and·not, and·not. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "as·He·called" (כַאֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֖א), "they·call" (יִקְרְאוּ֙), "I·will·hear" (אֶשְׁמָ֔ע). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "and·it·was" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·heard', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֥י [and·it·was] (31) + כַאֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֖א [as·He·called] (822) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + שָׁמֵ֑עוּ [they·heard] (416) + כֵּ֤ן [so] (70) + יִקְרְאוּ֙ [they·call] (317) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + אֶשְׁמָ֔ע [I·will·hear] (411) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָאֽוֹת [hosts] (499) = 2907.
Rashi
"And it came to pass, when He called, that they did not listen." The Lord of Hosts said concerning them: in those days, "Thus shall they call, and I will not listen."
Radak
"And it came to pass when He called." Just as He called to them in My name and they did not listen, so too they will call out and not be heard.
Metzudat David
“And it came to pass, etc.” – “Said the Lord of Hosts”: This means that the Lord said to them at that time that their reward would be measure for measure: just as He called to them through the prophets and they did not listen, so they will call out to Me in their distress, and I will not heed the sound of their cry.
Malbim
"And it came to pass, when He called, and they did not hear, so shall they call" — the measure of the verse is: the Lord of Hosts says, "So shall they call, and I will not hear."
but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they laid the pleasant land desolate.’
verse value 3969
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 65 letters. Verse gematria: 3969 = 63². The shortest word is "among" (עַ֤ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·the·nations" (כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 348: and·from·returning, land·of·desire. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·I·will·scatter·them" (וְאֵ֣סָעֲרֵ֗ם), "not·they·knew·them" (לֹֽא־יְדָע֔וּם), "was·breathed" (נָשַׁ֣מָּה). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "whom" (root אשר, 44x in Zechariah); "and·the·land" (root ארץ, 36x in Zechariah); "among" (root על, 33x in Zechariah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·from·returning', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאֵ֣סָעֲרֵ֗ם [and·I·will·scatter·them] (377) + עַ֤ל [among] (100) + כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ [all·the·nations] (114) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [whom] (501) + לֹֽא־יְדָע֔וּם [not·they·knew·them] (161) + וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ [and·the·land] (302) + נָשַׁ֣מָּה [was·breathed] (395) + אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם [after·them] (264) + מֵֽעֹבֵ֖ר [from·passing] (312) + וּמִשָּׁ֑ב [and·from·returning] (348) + וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ [and·they·put] (372) + אֶֽרֶץ־חֶמְדָּ֖ה [land·of·desire] (348) + לְשַׁמָּֽה [to·astonishment] (375) = 3969.
Rashi
"And I will scatter them." In exile; and so I have done.
And they placed. Because of their sin:
A delightful land [made] into a desolation. And He caused them fasting and mourning; but now I am zealous for Zion’s sake, I will be zealous against the Chaldeans for Zion’s sake.
Radak
"And I will scatter them among the nations that do not know them." The word "And I will scatter them" is difficult grammatically, and they said that it is a compound of the qal and nifal stems. My master and father, of blessed memory, wrote that it is entirely from the qal stem, and although it is unique, its meaning is "And I will be distressed with them," like "they shall be glad with them" in "The wilderness and the parched land shall be glad," whose meaning is "they shall be glad with them." And he said "And I will scatter them" according to the rule, in order to broaden the ayin and lighten the burden upon it, and they pointed the aleph with a tsere and the samekh with a qamats, to lengthen the word and broaden it further. The meaning of the verse is that I am distressed with them in exile, as in the sense of "In all their affliction He was afflicted." And Scripture speaks in the language of human beings. And it is possible to interpret that "And I will scatter them" is an active verb, for we have found that in one verb it stands as both intransitive and transitive, for we have found "the horse’s hooves stamped," which is intransitive, and "He struck me," which is transitive, as in "I did not know." And the wise man Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, of blessed memory, interpreted "And I will scatter them" as "upon them," in the storm of My anger, and He dispersed them among all the nations.
"And the land was desolate after them." The opposite is stated: "And the Negev and the Shephelah were inhabited."
Metzudat David
And I will scatter them. I will disperse them by a stormy wind over all the lands of the nations, which they had not known of old, and the land will be a desolation after their departure from it, without there being found in it any passerby or traveler.
"And they made it." This means that they themselves turned a desirable land into a desolation, for despite all these things, they clung to their ways and were exiled from it due to their sins, and it remained a desolation. The verse is construed with reference to the preceding context, to say: "Behold, all My desire is in good deeds, and concerning this I warned your fathers, and because of this I exiled them for not heeding Me in this matter. But I never sought from anyone the words of fasting."
Metzudat Zion
"And I stormed them away." The word is derived from "storm," and it refers to a strong wind.
Neshamah. From [the word] shimmamon (desolation).
And they set. And they made:
Malbim
And I will scatter them: Also this, the Lord of Hosts said, “I will not hear.” Rather, I will scatter them among all the nations, which is their dispersion into the exiles—and the land will be desolate after them, meaning the land will become desolate. And they will make: With this, the pole of the statement concludes. That is to say, did not the Lord say all this while Jerusalem was dwelling in peace? And consequently, the land was destroyed. How much more so now, when the land is already desolate and they still do not listen? Thus, they will make the desirable land into a desolation. For as long as they do not listen to the words of the Lord, the desolation of the land will not cease. And the fact that it remains persistently desolate is attributed to them, for they are the ones making it desolate by still not listening to the words of the Lord.
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim