The Meaning of Zechariah 1:15 Explained

Zechariah 1:15

KJV: And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

YLT: And with great wrath I am wroth against the nations who are at ease, For I was a little wroth, and they assisted -- for evil.

Darby: and I am wroth exceedingly with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little wroth, and they helped forward the affliction.

ASV: And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I am very  sore  displeased  with the heathen  [that are] at ease:  for I was but a little  displeased,  and they helped  forward the affliction. 

What does Zechariah 1:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord continued to explain that He was very angry with the Gentile nations who were presently at ease. He was angry because they had compounded the punishment of Israel that God had inflicted on the Chosen People by prolonging it (cf. Genesis 12:3).

Context Summary

Zechariah 1:1-17 - A Vision Of Pardon And Restoration
Zechariah does not slur over the sins of the past, but lays stress on the divine forgiveness. His only fear is lest God should call in vain, and the people refuse as their fathers did. Notice the repetition of God's title, Lord of Hosts, five times in the first six verses. The enemy's armies were vast, but the protecting hosts, vaster. A glimpse of these hosts is given in the following vision. A green valley, filled with myrtles, the emblem of humility, where the prophet may have been wont to meditate, seemed alive with mysterious figures, who had been patrolling the earth, and announced that it was peace, for these were the days of Cyrus' illustrious reign. Notice the frequent reference to his celestial friend, Zechariah 1:9; Zechariah 1:14; Zechariah 1:19; Zechariah 4:1; Zechariah 4:4-5; Zechariah 5:5; Zechariah 5:10; Zechariah 6:4. The future was bright with promise, Zechariah 1:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 1

1  Zechariah exhorts to repentance
7  The vision of the horses
12  At the prayer of the angel comfortable promises are made to Jerusalem
18  The vision of the four horns and the four carpenters

What do the individual words in Zechariah 1:15 mean?

And am angry exceedingly I very displeased with the nations at ease for I was angry a little and they helped [but] with evil [intent]
וְקֶ֤צֶף גָּדוֹל֙ אֲנִ֣י קֹצֵ֔ף עַל־ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם הַשַּֽׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ קָצַ֣פְתִּי מְּעָ֔ט וְהֵ֖מָּה עָזְר֥וּ לְרָעָֽה

וְקֶ֤צֶף  And  am  angry 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶצֶף 
Sense: wrath, anger.
גָּדוֹל֙  exceedingly 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
קֹצֵ֔ף  very  displeased 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָצַף  
Sense: to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth.
הַגּוֹיִ֖ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הַשַּֽׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים  at  ease 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: שַׁאֲנָן  
Sense: at ease, quiet, secure.
קָצַ֣פְתִּי  was  angry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָצַף  
Sense: to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth.
מְּעָ֔ט  a  little 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
וְהֵ֖מָּה  and  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
עָזְר֥וּ  helped 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָזַר  
Sense: to help, succour, support.
לְרָעָֽה  [but]  with  evil  [intent] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.