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Text -- Zechariah 7:11 (NET)
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Wesley -> Zec 7:11
Withdrew their shoulder from the yoke of the law.
Clarke -> Zec 7:11
Clarke: Zec 7:11 - -- Pulled away the shoulder - From under the yoke of the law, like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough.
Pulled away the shoulder - From under the yoke of the law, like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough.
Calvin -> Zec 7:11
Calvin: Zec 7:11 - -- The Prophet here by referring to the fathers more sharply reproves the Jews of his age; for he saw that they differed but little from their fathers. ...
The Prophet here by referring to the fathers more sharply reproves the Jews of his age; for he saw that they differed but little from their fathers. The sum of what he says is, that the Jews in all ages dealt unfaithfully and perversely with God; for how much soever they boasted of their care and zeal for religion they yet sought to satisfy God only by vain trifles. This then was the Prophet’s object. For it is certain that there ever had been some pretense to religion in that nation but it was mere dissimulation for they were in the mean time intent on their ceremonies and when God seriously remonstrated with them their obstinacy and perverseness before concealed instantly appeared.
He therefore says that they refused to hear. He does not now accuse the dead except for this purpose to teach the people of his acre. He saw that they were solicitous about fasting at appointed seasons, while at the same time they regarded almost as nothing the main requirements of the law, even mercy, and justice, and uprightness. These are indeed the three things, which Christ mentions. (Mat 23:23.) He then intimates that this doctrine was not new, and that their fathers had been sufficiently warned and instructed, but that they wilfully, and as it were designedly rebelled against God. In short, he pulls off their mask of ignorance; for as men for the most part seek to extenuate their sins by the plea, that they had not been clearly or seasonably taught, the Prophet declares that there was not any excuse of this kind, because they had been refractory and untameable, they had refused to hear
To set forth more fully this perverseness, he afterwards says, that the shoulder of withdrawing had been presented by them. The Hebrews say that men serve with the shoulder, when they are submissive, and tractable, and willingly undergo the burden laid on them, according to what we have seen in Zep 3:1. The Prophet now, on the contrary, says that the Jews had a refractory shoulder, as they refused to bear the yoke, but shook off every fear of God. The reason for the metaphor is this — that as burdens are carried on the shoulder, so the Lord lays the law on our shoulders, that the flesh may not lasciviate at pleasure, but be kept under restraint. He hence says, that they had presented a rebellious shoulder. The word
He afterwards mentions their ears, They made heavy their ears, lest they should hear. In short, the Prophet sought by all means to prove the Jews guilty, that they might not adduce anything to extenuate their sin: for they had in every way, with the most determined wickedness, refused to obey God, when his teaching was sufficiently clear and intelligible.
TSK -> Zec 7:11
TSK: Zec 7:11 - -- they refused : Zec 1:4; Exo 10:3; 2Ki 17:13-15; 2Ch 33:10; Neh 9:17, Neh 9:26, Neh 9:29; Pro 1:24-32; Isa 1:19, Isa 1:20; Jer 6:16, Jer 6:17, Jer 7:24...
they refused : Zec 1:4; Exo 10:3; 2Ki 17:13-15; 2Ch 33:10; Neh 9:17, Neh 9:26, Neh 9:29; Pro 1:24-32; Isa 1:19, Isa 1:20; Jer 6:16, Jer 6:17, Jer 7:24, Jer 13:10, Jer 26:5, Jer 26:6, Jer 35:15, Jer 36:31, Jer 44:16; Eze 3:7; Hos 4:16; Dan 9:5; Zep 3:2; Act 7:51; Heb 12:25
pulled away the shoulder : Heb. gave a backsliding shoulder, Neh 9:29; Jer 8:5; Hos 4:16; Heb 10:38, Heb 10:39
stopped : Heb. made heavy, Psa 58:4, Psa 58:5; Isa 6:10; Act 7:57
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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Zec 7:11
Barnes: Zec 7:11 - -- But they gave a backsliding shoulder - Like a restive animal, which would not endure the yoke, dull and stupid as the beasts: as Hosea says, "I...
But they gave a backsliding shoulder - Like a restive animal, which would not endure the yoke, dull and stupid as the beasts: as Hosea says, "Israel slideth back like a backsliding heifer"Hos 4:16. Nehemiah confesses the same; "they gave a backsliding shoulder and hardened their neck and would not hear"Neh 9:29.
And made heavy their ears - Fulfilling in themselves what God foretold to Isaiah would be the result of his preaching, "make their ears heavy."The heart, which will not hearken, becomes duller by the outward hearing, as Paul says, "The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God; but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected"Heb 6:7-8.
Poole -> Zec 7:11
Poole: Zec 7:11 - -- But they refused to hearken they wilfully were ignorant, ant, would not consider nor understand.
Pulled away the shoulder next they shift from doin...
But they refused to hearken they wilfully were ignorant, ant, would not consider nor understand.
Pulled away the shoulder next they shift from doing their duty, withdraw their shoulder from the yoke of the law, Neh 9:29 Hos 4:16 .
And stopped their ears and to make it highest contempt, they act the deaf man, stop their ears, and so turn their backs on God.
That they should not hear all this out of an obstinate resolution to be unacquainted with God’ s will and their own duty.
Haydock -> Zec 7:11
Haydock: Zec 7:11 - -- Depart, so to leave the burden on their partner. (Hebrew) (Calmet) ---
Literally, "giving way;" recedentem. Pope Sixtus V, recedentes. Septu...
Depart, so to leave the burden on their partner. (Hebrew) (Calmet) ---
Literally, "giving way;" recedentem. Pope Sixtus V, recedentes. Septuagint, "they gave a contemptuous back," (Haydock) like a slave, whom the whip cannot correct.
Gill -> Zec 7:11
Gill: Zec 7:11 - -- But they refused to hearken,..... That is, the Jews, before the captivity, refusal to give heed to the above exhortations, and obey the voice of God i...
But they refused to hearken,..... That is, the Jews, before the captivity, refusal to give heed to the above exhortations, and obey the voice of God in them:
and pulled away the shoulder; from serving the Lord, and supporting his interest: or "they gave", or presented, "a rebellious shoulder" f; a refractory one, that slides back, like a backsliding or refractory heifer, that will not admit of the yoke, Hos 4:16 so these could not bear the yoke of the law, nor the burden of duty; nor suffer the words of exhortation, or receive the admonitions given them:
and stopped their ears, that they should not hear; like the deaf adder, Psa 58:4 they would not hear, and pretended they could not; which was an instance of contempt to the speakers.
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Zec 7:1-14
TSK Synopsis: Zec 7:1-14 - --1 The captives enquire concerning the set fasts.4 Zechariah reproves the hypocrisy of their fasting.8 Sin the cause of their captivity.
MHCC -> Zec 7:8-14
MHCC: Zec 7:8-14 - --God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians. The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifice...
Matthew Henry -> Zec 7:8-14
Matthew Henry: Zec 7:8-14 - -- What was said Zec 7:7, that they should have heard the words of the former prophets, is here enlarged upon, for warning to these hypocritical enqu...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Zec 7:8-12
Keil-Delitzsch: Zec 7:8-12 - --
The second word of the Lord recals to the recollection of the people the disobedience of the fathers, and its consequences, viz., the judgment of ex...
Constable -> Zec 7:1--8:23; Zec 7:8-14
Constable: Zec 7:1--8:23 - --IV. Messages concerning hypocritical fasting chs. 7--8
A question posed by representative Israelites provided th...
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Constable: Zec 7:8-14 - --C. The command to repent 7:8-14
Having referred to the words of the former prophets (v. 7), Zechariah now summarized them as an exhortation to his own...
Guzik -> Zec 7:1-14
Guzik: Zec 7:1-14 - --Zechariah 7 - Obedience Is Better than Ritual
A. Confronting the sin of religious hypocrisy.
1. (1-3) A question about fasting.
Now in the fourth ...
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