Zechariah 8:16
in Zechariah 8These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
These are the things that ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth with his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates;
KJV
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
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This verse in Zechariah 8
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
These are the things that ye shall do - He exhorts them to the same duties, to which the former prophets had exhorted their fathers, Zec 7:9-10, and, as before, first positively to truth and peace; then to avoid everything contrary to it. “Judgment of peace” must be judgment which issues in peace, as all righteous judgment righteously received, in which case each party acquiesces, must. Kimchi: “If ye judge righteousness, there will be peace between the litigants, according to that proverb, Sanhedr. f. 7. a. quoted by Me.
This site's exposition
These are the things you must do
on Zechariah 8:16-17
Restoration is tied to conduct: speak truth, give “true and sound judgments”, plot no evil against a neighbor, and do not “love to swear falsely”. Henry notes that the list answers the charge of chapter 7 almost point for point, naming again the sins that brought the exile.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
[Burnt offerings] he accordingly did away with, so that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ might be without restraining yoke and without manmade offering. Again he says to them, "Did I command your fathers when they came out of the land of Egypt …
For indeed there is nothing equal to this virtue. Wouldest thou learn the power of this virtue? "Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me," saith God, "my soul would not regard them." Nevertheless, those whom Moses and Samuel were not able to snatch away from God's wrath, this precept when observed was able to snatch away. Hence it is, that He continually exhorts those to whom He had spoken these things, saying, "Let none of you revengefully imagine evil against his brother in your heart," and "let none of you think of his neighbour's malice." It is not said merely, forego wrath; but retain it not in thy mind; think not of it; part with all thy resentment; do away the sore. For thou supposest that thou art paying him back the injury; but thou art first tormenting thyself, and setting up thy rage as an executioner within thee in every part, and tearing up thine own bowels. For what can be more wretched than a man perpetually angry? And just as maniacs, who never enjoy tranquility, so also he who is resentful, and retains an enemy, will never have the enjoyment of any peace; incessantly raging, as he does, and daily increasing the tempest of his thoughts, calling to mind his words and acts, and detesting the very name of him who has aggrieved him. Do you but mention his enemy, he becomes furious at once, and sustains much inward anguish; and should he chance to get only a bare sight of him, he fears and trembles, as if encountering the worst evils. Yea, if he perceives any of his relations, if but his garment, or his dwelling, or street, he is tormented by the sight of them.
(Verse 16, 17) These are the words you shall do: Speak truth, each one with his neighbor. Give judgment of truth and peace in your gates. And let none of you think evil in your hearts against his neighbor. And love not a false oath. For all these are the things that I hate, says the Lord. LXX: These are the words you shall do: Speak truth, each one with his neighbor. Give judgment of peace and justice in your gates. And let none of you think evil against his neighbor in your hearts. And love not a false oath.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The very same duties which the former prophets pressed upon their fathers from the consideration of the wrath threatened ( ch. vii. 9, 10 ) this prophet presses upon them from the consideration of the mercy promised: "Leave it to God, to perform for you what he has promised, in his own way and time, but upon condition that you make conscience of your duty.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Judgment of truth - True judgment. Peace - That may restore, and settle peace among you.
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
These are the things that ye shall do,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Speak ye every man the truth - See Zec 7:9, Zec 7:10.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֥לֶּה | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| הַדְּבָרִ֖ים | hadevarim | [are] the things | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ | taasu | you will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| דַּבְּר֤וּ | daberu | speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֱמֶת֙ | ʾemet | truth | H571 → | 127 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| רֵעֵ֔הוּ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| אֱמֶת֙ | ʾemet | faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
| וּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט | umishpat | and justice of | H4941 → | |
| שָׁל֔וֹם | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| שִׁפְט֖וּ | shiftu | judge | H8199 → | |
| בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃ | beshaareikhem | in gates your | H8179 → | 374 times |
אֵ֥לֶּהthese
ʾelehH428 →746 times
הַדְּבָרִ֖ים[are] the things
hadevarimH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּyou will do
taasuH6213 →2628 times
דַּבְּר֤וּspeak
daberuH1696 →1141 times
אֱמֶת֙truth
ʾemetH571 →127 times
אִ֣ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
רֵעֵ֔הוּneighbor his
reehuH7453 →188 times
אֱמֶת֙faithfulness
ʾemetH571 →127 times
וּמִשְׁפַּ֣טand justice of
umishpatH4941 →
שָׁל֔וֹםpeace
shalomH7965 →236 times
שִׁפְט֖וּjudge
shiftuH8199 →
בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃in gates your
beshaareikhemH8179 →374 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
- Romans 12:5
so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.
- Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
- Colossians 3:9
Through
Psalms 15:2He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart,
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:18
He who walks with integrity will be kept safe, but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
- Ephesians 4:25
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.
- Proverbs 2:7–8
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
- Psalms 34:12–13
Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?
- Proverbs 28:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Zechariah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Zechariah; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 20:6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Pseudo-Barnabas, EPISTLE OF BARNABAS 2.