Zechariah 8:17
in Zechariah 8do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith Jehovah.
KJV
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.
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This verse in Zechariah 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For all these things do I hate - Literally, emphatic, “For they are all these things which I hate.” This is the sum of what I hate; for they comprise in brief the breaches of the two tables, the love of God and of man.
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.
This site's exposition
do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor
Barnes reads the last clause as emphatic in Hebrew, these things together being the sum of what the Lord hates. The plotted evil and the false oath cover the breaches of both tables of the law, the love of God and the love of man. A false oath wrongs both.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(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
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The prophet answers the query (Zec 7:3) as to the fast in the fifth month, by a reply applying to all their fasts: these are to be turned into days of rejoicing. So Jesus replied to His disciples when similarly consulting Him as to why fasting was not imposed by Him, as it was by John the Baptist. When the Sun of righteousness shines, tears are dried up (Mt 9:15).
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִ֣ישׁ׀ | veish | and each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רָעַ֣ת | raat | [the] harm of | H7451 → | 662 times |
| רֵעֵ֗הוּ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| אַֽל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תַּחְשְׁבוּ֙ | tachshevu | you plan | H2803 → | |
| בִּלְבַבְכֶ֔ם | bilvavkhem | in heart your | H3824 → | |
| וּשְׁבֻ֥עַת | ushevuat | and an oath of | H7621 → | |
| שֶׁ֖קֶר | sheker | falsehood | H8267 → | 113 times |
| אַֽל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּ | teehavu | you love | H157 → | 211 times |
| כִּ֧י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֵ֛לֶּה | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | [are things] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׂנֵ֖אתִי | saneti | I hate | H8130 → | |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְאִ֣ישׁ׀and each
veishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רָעַ֣ת[the] harm of
raatH7451 →662 times
רֵעֵ֗הוּneighbor his
reehuH7453 →188 times
אַֽל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תַּחְשְׁבוּ֙you plan
tachshevuH2803 →
בִּלְבַבְכֶ֔םin heart your
bilvavkhemH3824 →
וּשְׁבֻ֥עַתand an oath of
ushevuatH7621 →
שֶׁ֖קֶרfalsehood
shekerH8267 →113 times
אַֽל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּyou love
teehavuH157 →211 times
כִּ֧יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֵ֛לֶּהthese
ʾelehH428 →746 times
אֲשֶׁ֥ר[are things] which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שָׂנֵ֖אתִיI hate
sanetiH8130 →
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָֽה׃ סYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Malachi 3:5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud…
it leads to
- James 5:8–9
You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
- Deuteronomy 5:11
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
- James 5:4
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
- Deuteronomy 27:19
‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- James 5:8–9
Through
Habakkuk 1:13Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than…
it leads to
- Psalms 5:4–5
For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.
- Psalms 34:15–16
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Jeremiah 12:1–2
Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live…
- Psalms 5:4–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Zechariah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Zechariah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.