The Meaning of Zechariah 1:4 Explained

Zechariah 1:4

KJV: Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.

YLT: Ye shall not be as your fathers, To whom the former prophets called, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Turn back I pray you, From your evil ways and from your evil doings, And they did not hearken, Nor attend to Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings; but they did not hearken nor attend unto me, saith Jehovah.

ASV: Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Be ye not as your fathers,  unto whom the former  prophets  have cried,  saying,  Thus saith  the LORD  of hosts;  Turn  ye now from your evil  ways,  and [from] your evil  doings:  but they did not hear,  nor hearken  unto me, saith  the LORD. 

What does Zechariah 1:4 Mean?

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 1:4 mean?

Not do be like your fathers whom preached to whom the prophets former saying thus says Yahweh of hosts Turn now from your ways evil - and your deeds evil but not they did hear nor heed Me says Yahweh
אַל־ תִּהְי֣וּ כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרְאֽוּ־ אֲלֵיהֶם֩ הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת שׁ֤וּבוּ נָא֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים [ומעליליכם] (וּמַֽעֲלְלֵיכֶ֖ם‪‬) הָֽרָעִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֛וּ וְלֹֽא־ הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה

תִּהְי֣וּ  do  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם  like  your  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
קָרְאֽוּ־  preached 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֲלֵיהֶם֩  to  whom 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים  the  prophets 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים  former 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רִאשֹׁון  
Sense: first, primary, former.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּ֤ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַר֙  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
שׁ֤וּבוּ  Turn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
נָא֙  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם  from  your  ways 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הָרָעִ֔ים  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
[ומעליליכם]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
(וּמַֽעֲלְלֵיכֶ֖ם‪‬)  and  your  deeds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מַעֲלִיל 
Sense: deed, practice.
הָֽרָעִ֑ים  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמְע֛וּ  they  did  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ  heed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.
אֵלַ֖י  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.