Zechariah 1:4

Bishops' Bible (1568)

Be ye not like your forefathers, vnto whom prophetes cryed, saying, thus sayth the Lorde of hoastes, Turne you from your euyl wayes, and from your wicked imaginations: But they woulde not heare nor regarde me, sayth the Lorde.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אַל־תִּהְי֣וּ כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרְאֽוּ־אֲלֵיהֶם֩ הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת שׁ֤וּבוּ נָא֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים וּמַֽעֲלְלֵיכֶ֖ם הָֽרָעִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֛וּ וְלֹֽא־הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה

Transliteration

Not-tihᵉyû like-ʾăḇōtêḵem who qārᵉʾû-to-them the nᵉḇîʾîm the rīʾšōnîm lēʾmōr, 'Thus ʾāmar YHWH ṣᵉḇāʾôt, 'šûḇû nāʾ from-darḵêḵem the hārāʿîm and-from-maʿalᵉlêḵem the hārāʿîm'; and-not šāmᵉʿû and-not-hiqšîḇû to-me nᵉʾum-YHWH

Grammar Details

• *tihᵉyû*: verb qal imperfect 2nd masculine plural with negative particle *ʾal* - do not be
• *ʾăḇōtêḵem*: noun masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix with comparative preposition *kᵉ* - like your fathers
• *qārᵉʾû*: verb qal perfect 3rd common plural - called/cried out
• *nᵉḇîʾîm*: noun masculine plural with definite article - the prophets
• *rīʾšōnîm*: adjective masculine plural with definite article - the former/first
• *lēʾmōr*: preposition with qal infinitive construct - saying
• *ʾāmar*: verb qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - said/says
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *ṣᵉḇāʾôt*: noun feminine plural construct - of hosts/armies
• *šûḇû*: verb qal imperative masculine plural - return/turn
• *nāʾ*: particle of entreaty - now/please
• *darḵêḵem*: noun feminine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix with preposition *min* - from your ways
• *hārāʿîm*: adjective masculine plural with definite article - the evil/bad
• *maʿalᵉlêḵem*: noun masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix with conjunction *wᵉ* and preposition *min* - and from your deeds/practices
• *šāmᵉʿû*: verb qal perfect 3rd common plural with negative particle *lōʾ* - they did not hear/listen
• *hiqšîḇû*: verb hiphil perfect 3rd common plural with negative particle *lōʾ* - they did not pay attention/heed
• *nᵉʾum*: noun masculine singular construct - declaration of

Word Meanings

• *šûḇû*: return/turn/repent
• *nāʾ*: please/now (particle of entreaty)
• *hārāʿîm*: evil/wicked/harmful
• *maʿalᵉlêḵem*: deeds/practices/actions
• *šāmᵉʿû*: hear/listen/obey
• *hiqšîḇû*: pay attention/heed/listen attentively
• *nᵉʾum*: declaration/oracle/utterance

Referenced Verses

• Ps 78:8 : 8 And that they be not as their forefathers were a rebellious and a mutable generation: a generation that directed not their heart aright, and whose spirite cleaued not stedfastly vnto God.
• Ps 106:6-7 : 6 We haue sinned with our fathers: we haue done amisse and dealt wickedly. 7 Our fathers did not well consider thy wonders in Egypt, neither did they remember thy manifolde great goodnes: but they rebelled at the sea, euen at the red sea.
• Isa 1:16-19 : 16 Washe you, make you cleane, put away your euyll thoughtes out of my syght: ceasse from doyng of euyll, 17 Learne to do well, applie your selues to equitie, deliuer the oppressed, helpe the fatherlesse to his ryght, let the widdowes complaynt come before you: 18 And then go to, saith the Lorde, let vs talke together: though your sinnes be as red as scarlet, they shalbe as whyte as snowe: and though they were lyke purple, they shalbe as whyte as wooll. 19 If ye be wyllyng and obedient, ye shal eate the good of the lande:
• 2 Chr 36:15-16 : 15 And the Lorde God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising vp betimes, and sending: for he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his wordes, and misvsed his prophetes, vntill the wrath of the Lorde arose against his people, and till there was no remedie.
• Jer 35:15 : 15 Yea I haue sent my seruauntes al the prophetes vnto you, I rose vp early, and sent you worde, saying: O turne you nowe euery man from his wicked way, amende your liues, and go not after straunge gods to worship them, that ye may continue in the lande whiche I haue geuen vnto you and your fathers: but ye woulde neither heare me nor folowe me.
• Zech 1:3 : 3 And say thou vnto them, thus sayth the Lorde of hoastes: Turne you vnto me saith the Lord of hoastes, & I wil turne vnto you, sayth the Lord of hoastes.
• Ezek 33:11 : 11 Tell them, as truely as I liue saith the Lorde God, I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but much rather that the wicked tourne from his way, and lyue: Turne you, turne you from your wicked wayes, for why wil ye dye O ye of the house of Israel?
• Hos 14:1 : 1 O Israel, returne vnto the Lorde thy God, for thou hast fallen through thine owne wickednesse.
• Amos 5:13-15 : 13 Therfore the wise shall kepe scilence in that time: for it is an euyll time. 14 Seke good and not euill, that ye may liue: & so the Lord God of hoastes shalbe with you, as you haue spoken. 15 Hate the euill and loue the good, and establishe iudgement in the gate: it may be, that the Lord God of hoastes wilbe mercifull vnto the remnaunt of Ioseph.
• Amos 5:24 : 24 And let iudgement run downe as water, and righteousnesse as a mightie riuer.
• Mic 2:6 : 6 Ye shal not prophecie say they to them that prophecie: they shal not prophecie to them, neither shall they take shame.
• Zech 7:11-13 : 11 Neuerthelesse, they would not take heede, but turned their backes, & stopped their eares that they should not heare: 12 Yea, they made their heartes as an Adamant stone, lest they should heare the law and wordes which the Lorde of hoastes sent in his holy spirite by the prophetes aforetime: Wherfore the lord of hoastes was very wroth at them. 13 And thus is it come to passe, that like as he cryed, and they would not heare: euen so they cryed, & I would not heare saith the Lord God of hoastes:
• Matt 3:8-9 : 8 Bryng foorth therefore fruites meete for repentaunce. 9 And be not of suche mynde, that ye woulde say within your selues, we haue Abraham to our father. For I say vnto you, that God is able, of these stones to rayse vp chyldren vnto Abraham. 10 Euen now is the axe also put vnto the roote of the trees: therefore, euery tree which bryngeth not foorth good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.
• Acts 3:19 : 19 Repent ye therfore and conuert, that your sinnes may be done away, when the tyme of refreshyng shall come, in the presence of the Lorde.
• Acts 7:51-52 : 51 Ye styfnecked and of vncircumcised heartes and eares, ye haue alwayes resisted the holy ghost: as your fathers dyd, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted? And they haue slayne them which shewed before of the commyng of that iuste, of whom ye are nowe the betrayers and murtherers:
• Acts 26:20 : 20 But shewed first vnto them of Damascus, & at Hierusalem, and throughout all the coastes of Iurie, and then to the gentiles, that they shoulde repent, and turne to God, and do such workes as become them that repent.
• 1 Thess 2:15-16 : 15 Who both kylled the Lorde Iesus, and their owne prophetes, & haue persecuted vs: and God they please not, and are contrarie to all men: 16 And hynder vs to speake to the gentiles that they myght be saued, to fulfyll their sinnes alway. For the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost.
• 1 Pet 1:18 : 18 Forasmuch as ye knowe, howe that ye were not redeemed with corruptible thynges, as siluer and golde, from your vayne conuersation which ye receaued by the tradition of the fathers:
• Jer 36:2-9 : 2 Take a booke, and write therein all the wordes that I haue spoken to thee against Israel, against Iuda, and against all the people, from the tyme that I began to speake vnto thee in the raigne of Iosias, vnto this day: 3 That when the house of Iuda heareth of the plague whiche I haue deuised for them, they may peraduenture turne euery man from his wicked way, that I may forgeue their offences and sinnes. 4 Then dyd Ieremie call Baruch the sonne of Neriah, and Baruch wrote in the booke at the mouth of Ieremie, all the wordes of the Lorde whiche he had spoken vnto hym. 5 And Ieremie commaunded Baruch, saying: I am in prison, so that I may not come into the house of the Lorde: 6 Therefore go thou thither, and reade the booke that thou hast written at my mouth namely the wordes of the Lord, and reade them in the Lordes house vpon the fasting day, that the people, whole Iuda, and al they that come out of the cities may heare. 7 Peraduenture they wyll pray meekelye before the face of the Lorde, and turne euery one from his wicked way: for great is the wrath and displeasure that the Lorde hath taken against this people. 8 So Baruch the sonne of Neriah, dyd according to all that Ieremie the prophete commaunded hym, reading the wordes of the Lorde out of the booke in the Lordes house. 9 And this was done in the fifth yere of Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias kyng of Iuda, in the ninth moneth, when it was commaunded that all the people of Hierusalem shoulde fast before the Lorde, and they also that were come fro the cities of Iuda vnto Hierusalem: 10 Then read Baruch the wordes of Ieremie out of the booke within the house of the Lorde, out of the treasurie of Gamariah the sonne of Saphan the scribe, which is beside the hyer loft of the new doore of the Lordes house, that all the people might heare.
• Jer 36:23-24 : 23 And when Iehudi had read three or foure leaues therof, he cut the booke in peeces with a penknife, and cast it into the fire vpon the harth, vntill the booke was al brent in the fire vpon the harth. 24 Yet no man was abashed therof, nor rent his clothes, neither the kyng hym selfe nor his seruauntes, though they hearde all these wordes.
• Jer 44:4-5 : 4 Howbeit I sent vnto them my seruauntes all the prophetes, I rose vp early, I sent vnto them and gaue them warning, O do no suche abhominable thinges, and thinges that I hate. 5 But they would not folowe nor hearken to turne from their wickednesse, & to do no more sacrifice vnto straunge gods.
• Jer 44:16 : 16 As for the wordes that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde, we wyll in no wise heare them:
• Ezek 3:7-9 : 7 But the house of Israel will not hearken vnto thee, for they will not hearken vnto me: for al the house of Israel haue stiffe foreheades, & stubburne heartes. 8 Beholde therefore, I haue made thy face strong against their faces, & thy forehead strong against their foreheades. 9 As an Adamant, harder then the flint stone haue I made thy forehead: thou shalt not feare them, nor be abashed at their lookes: for they are a rebellious house.
• Ezek 18:14-17 : 14 Nowe if this man get a sonne also, that seeth all his fathers sinnes whiche he hath done, and feareth, neither doth suche like: 15 namely he hath not eaten vpon the hilles, he hath not lift vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defiled his neighbours wyfe: 16 Neither hath oppressed any, nor hath withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence: but hath geuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment: 17 Neither hath withdrawen his hande from the afflicted, nor receaued vsurie nor encrease, but hath executed my iudgementes, and walked in my statutes: this man shall not dye in his fathers sinne, but shall liue without fayle.
• Ezek 18:30-32 : 30 Therefore I wyll iudge you, euery man according to his wayes, O ye house of Israel saith the Lorde: returne and bryng your selues agayne from all your wickednesse, so iniquitie shall not be your destruction. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions wherby ye haue transgressed, and make you a newe heart and a newe spirite: for why wyll ye dye O ye house of Israel? 32 Seing I haue no pleasure in the death of hym that dyeth, saith the Lord God: bryng agayne your selues then, and ye shall lyue.
• Ezra 9:7 : 7 Since the time of our fathers haue we ben in great trespasse vnto this day, and because of our wickednesses haue we and our kinges and our priestes ben deliuered into the hande of the kinges of the nations, vnto the sworde, into captiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as it is to see this day.
• Neh 9:16 : 16 But they and our fathers were proud and hardnecked, so that they folowed not thy commaundementes:
• Neh 9:26 : 26 Neuerthelesse, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behinde their backes, & slue their prophetes, which exhorted them earnestly that they might bring them againe vnto thee, and did great blasphemies.
• Neh 9:30 : 30 Yet many yeres diddest thou forbeare them, and testifiedst vnto them through thy spirite, euen by the hand of thy prophetes, and yet would they not heare: therefore gauest thou them into the hand of the nations of the landes.
• 2 Chr 24:19-22 : 19 And he sent prophetes to them, to bring the againe vnto the Lord, & they testified vnto them: but they woulde not heare. 20 And the spirite of God came vpon Zacharia the sonne of Iehoiada the priest, which stoode by the people, and sayd vnto them, thus sayth God: Why transgresse ye the commaundementes of the Lorde, that ye can not prosper? For because ye haue forsaken the Lord, he also hath forsaken you. 21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commaundement of the king, euen in the court of the house of the Lorde. 22 And so Ioas the king remembred not ye kindnesse whiche Iehoiada his father had done to him, but slue his sonne: And when he died, he sayde, The Lorde loke vpon it, and require it.
• 2 Chr 29:6-9 : 6 For our fathers haue trespassed, and done euill in the eyes of the Lorde our God, and haue forsaken him, and turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backes on it. 7 And beside that, they haue shut vp the doores of the porche, and quenched the lampes, and haue neither burnt incense, nor offered burnt offringes in the holy place vnto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of the Lorde fell on Iuda & Hierusalem, and he hath brought them to trouble to be wondred on, & to be hissed at, euen as ye see with your eyes. 9 For loe, our fathers were ouerthrowen with the sword, and our sonnes, our daughters, and our wyues were caried away captiue for the same cause. 10 And now it is in myne heart to make a couenaunt with the Lord God of Israel, that he may turne away his heauy indignation from vs.
• 2 Chr 30:7 : 7 And be not ye lyke your fathers and your brethren, which trespassed against the Lorde God of their fathers, which gaue them vp to be destroyed, as ye see.
• 2 Chr 34:21 : 21 Go and enquire of the Lord for me and for them that are left in Israel and Iuda, concerning the wordes of the booke that is founde: For great is the wrath of the Lord that is fallen vpon vs, because our fathers haue not kept the worde of the Lorde, to do after all that is written in this booke.
• Isa 30:9-9 : 9 For this is an obstinate people, and dissembling chyldren, chyldren that refuse to heare the lawe of the Lorde. 10 For they say vnto the seers, see not, and to them that be cleare of iudgement, loke not out right thinges for vs: but speake fayre wordes vnto vs, loke out errours. 11 Get you out of this way, depart out of this path, and turne the holy one of Israel from vs.
• Isa 31:6 : 6 Therefore O ye chyldren of Israel, turne againe vnto him whom you haue ofttimes forsaken.
• Jer 3:12 : 12 And therfore go preach these wordes towarde the north, and say, Thou disobedient Israel, turne agayne saith the Lorde, and I wyll not bring my wrath vpon you: for I am mercifull saith the Lorde, and I wyll not alway beare displeasure agaynst thee:
• Jer 6:16-17 : 16 Thus saith the Lorde, Go into the streetes, consider and make inquisition for the olde way, and if it be the good and right way, then go therein, that ye may finde rest for your soules: but they say, we wyll not walke therin. 17 Moreouer, I wyl set watchmen ouer you, and therefore take heede vnto the voyce of the trumpet: but they say, we wyll not take heede.
• Jer 7:3-7 : 3 Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes, the God of Israel: Amende your wayes and your counsels, and I wyll let you dwell in this place. 4 Trust not in false lying words, saying: Here is the temple of the Lord, here is the temple of the Lord, here is the temple of the Lorde: 5 But rather in deede amende your wayes and counsels, and iudge right betwixt a man and his neighbour, 6 Oppresse not the straunger, the fatherlesse, and the widowe, shed not innocent blood in this place, cleaue not to straunge gods to your owne destruction: 7 Then wyll I let you dwell in this place, yea in the land that I gaue afore tyme to your fathers for euer.
• Jer 11:6-8 : 6 Then the Lord sayd vnto me againe: Preache this in the cities of Iuda, and rounde about Hierusalem, & say: Heare the wordes of this couenaunt, and kepe them. 7 For I haue diligently exhorted your fathers, euer since the tyme that I brought them out of the lande of Egypt vnto this day, I gaue them warning be times, saying: hearken vnto my voyce. 8 Neuerthelesse, they would not obey me, nor encline their eares vnto me: but folowed the wicked imaginations of their owne heartes, and therefore I haue brought vpon them al the wordes of this couenaunt that I gaue them to kepe, which they notwithstanding haue not kept.
• Jer 13:9-9 : 9 Thus saith the Lorde, Euen so wyll I corrupt the pride of Iuda, and the hye mynde of Hierusalem. 10 This people is a wicked people, they wyll not heare my worde, they folowe the wicked imaginations of their owne heart, and hang vpon straunge gods, them they serue and worship, and therfore they shalbe as this breeche that serueth for nothyng.
• Jer 13:16-18 : 16 Honour the Lorde your God or he take his light from you, and or euer your feete stumble in darcknesse at the hyll: lest when you loke for the lyght, he turne it into the shadowe and darcknesse of death. 17 But if ye wyll not heare me that geue you secrete warnyng, I wyll mourne from my whole heart for your stubburnnesse: Piteously wyll I weepe, and the teares shall gushe out of mine eyes, for the Lordes flocke shalbe caried away captiue. 18 Tell the kyng and the queene, humble your selues, sit you downe lowe, for your dignitie shalbe throwen downe, and the crowne of your glorie shall fall from your head.
• Jer 17:19-23 : 19 Thus hath the Lorde sayde vnto me, Go and stande vnder the gate wherethrough the people and the kynges of Iuda go out and in, yea vnder all the gates of Hierusalem, 20 And say vnto them, Heare the worde of the Lorde ye kynges of Iuda, and all thou people of Iuda, and all the citezins of Hierusalem, that go through this gate. 21 Thus the Lorde comaundeth, Take heede for your lyues that ye cary no burthen vpon you in the Sabbath, to bryng it through the gates of Hierusalem. 22 Ye shall beare no burthen also out of your houses in the Sabbath, you shall do no labour therin: but halowe the Sabbath, as I commaunded your fathers. 23 Howbeit they obeyed me not, neither hearkened they vnto me: but were obstinate & stubburne, and neither obeyed me, nor receaued my correction.
• Jer 18:11 : 11 Speake nowe therfore vnto whole Iuda, and to them that dwell at Hierusalem, thus saith the Lorde, Beholde I am deuisyng a plague for you, and am takyng a thyng in hande agaynst you: therfore let euery man turne from his euyll way, and take vpon you the thyng that is good and ryght.
• Jer 25:3-7 : 3 From the thirteenth yere of Iosias the sonne of Amon kyng of Iuda vnto this present day (that is euen twentie and three yeres) the worde of the Lord hath ben committed vnto me, and so I haue spoken vnto you, I haue risen vp early, I haue geuen you warning in season: but ye woulde not heare me. 4 Though the Lord hath sent his seruauntes all the prophetes vnto you in season, yet would ye not obay, ye would not encline your eares to heare. 5 He sayde: Turne againe euery man from his euill way, and from your wicked imaginations, and so shall ye dwell for euer in the lande that the Lord promised you and your forefathers. 6 And go not after straunge gods, serue them not, worship them not, and anger me not with the workes of your owne handes, then wyll I not punishe you. 7 Neuerthelesse, ye woulde not heare me saith the Lorde, but haue prouoked me to anger with the workes of your handes, to your great harme.
• Jer 26:5 : 5 And to heare the wordes of my seruauntes the prophetes whom I sent vnto you, risyng vp tymely, and styll sendyng, yet you haue not hearkened: