7:1 In King Darius’ fourth year, on the fourth day of Kislev, the ninth month, 1 the word of the Lord came to Zechariah. 7:2 Now the people of Bethel 2 had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their companions to seek the Lord’s favor 7:3 by asking both the priests of the temple 3 of the Lord who rules over all and the prophets, “Should we weep in the fifth month, 4 fasting as we have done over the years?” 7:4 The word of the Lord who rules over all then came to me, 7:5 “Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh 5 months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me – for me, indeed? 7:6 And now when you eat and drink, are you not doing so for yourselves?’”
1 sn The fourth day of Kislev, the ninth month would be December 7, 518
2 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
3 tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
4 sn This lamentation marked the occasion of the destruction of Solomon’s temple on August 14, 586
5 tn The seventh month apparently refers to the anniversary of the assassination of Gedaliah, governor of Judah (Jer 40:13-14; 41:1), in approximately 581