A Question About Fasting
Zechariah 7
Men sent from Bethel ask the priests and prophets whether the people should continue the fast kept for many years, and the word of the Lord answers that their fasting and feasting alike were done for themselves, not for him. The Lord recalls how he had earlier called them through the prophets to true justice and mercy toward the widow, the orphan, the stranger and the poor, and to great anger because they refused to listen, resulting in the scattering of the land.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonAND it came to pass in the fourth year of Darius the king, that a word of the Lord came to Zacharias on the fourth of the ninth month which is Chaseleu.
BrentonAnd it came to pass in the fourth year of Darius the king, that the word of the Lord came to Zacharias on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chaseleu.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ τετάρτῳ ἔτει ἐπὶ Δαρείου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς Ζαχαρίαν τετράδι τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ ἐννάτου, ὅς ἐστι Χασελεύ.
KJVAnd it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;
JPSAnd it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chislev;
2
ThomsonWhen the king and his men sent Sarasar and Arbeseer to Baithel to conciliate the favour of the Lord,
BrentonAnd Sarasar and Arbeseer the king and his men sent to Bæthel, and that to propitiate the Lord,
GreekΚαὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν εἰς Βαιθὴλ, Σαρασὰρ καὶ Ἀρβεσεὲρ ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξιλάσασθαι τὸν Κύριον,
KJVWhen they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,
JPSWhen Bethel-sarezer, and Regem-melech and his men, had sent to entreat the favour of the LORD,
3
Thomsonsaying to the priests who were at the house of the Lord Almighty, and saying to the prophets: The dedication came hither in the fifth month as it hath done now for many years.
Brentonspeaking to the priests that were in the house of the Lord Almighty, and to the prophets, saying, The holy offering has come in hither in the fifth month, as it has done already many years.
Greekλέγων πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοὺς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου παντοκράτορος, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς προφήτας, λέγων, εἰσελήλυθεν ὧδε ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ πέμπτῳ τὸ ἁγίασμα, καθότι ἐποίησεν ἤδη ἱκανὰ ἔτη.
KJVAnd to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
JPSand to speak unto the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying: ‘Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?’
4
ThomsonThen a word of the Lord of Hosts came to me saying,
BrentonAnd the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων πρὸς ἐμὲ, λέγων,
KJVThen came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,
JPSThen came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying:
5
ThomsonSpeak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying: Though you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months, lo, seventy years! did you keep a fast for me?
BrentonSpeak to the whole people of the land, and to the priests, saying, Though ye fasted or lamented in the fifth or seventh months (yea, behold, these seventy years) have ye at all fasted to me?
Greekεἰπὸν πρὸς ἅπαντα τὸν λαὸν τῆς γῆς, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς, λέγων, ἐὰν νηστεύσητε ἢ κόψησθε ἐν ταῖς πέμπταις ἢ ἐν ταῖς ἑβδόμαις, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη, μὴ νηστείαν νενηστεύκατέ μοι;
KJVSpeak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?
JPS’Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying: When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month, even these seventy years, did ye at all fast unto Me, even to Me?
6
ThomsonAnd though you ate and drank, did you not eat and drink for yourselves?
BrentonAnd if ye eat or drink, do ye not eat and drink for yourselves?
GreekΚαὶ ἐὰν φάγητε ἢ πίητε, οὐκ ὑμεῖς ἔσθετε καὶ πίνετε;
KJVAnd when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
JPSAnd when ye eat, and when ye did drink, are ye not they that eat, and they that drink?
7
ThomsonWere not these the words which the Lord spake by the ministry of the prophets who were in former times when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities around her and the hilly country and the plain were inhabited?
BrentonAre not these the words which the Lord spoke by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and her cities round about her, and the hill country and the low country was inhabited?
GreekΟὐχ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι, οὓς ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἐν χερσὶ τῶν προφητῶν τῶν ἔμπροσθεν, ὅτε ἦν Ἱερουσαλὴμ κατοικουμένη, καὶ εὐθηνοῦσα, καὶ αἱ πόλεις κυκλόθεν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἡ ὀρεινὴ καὶ ἡ πεδινὴ κατῳκεῖτο;
KJVShould ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
JPSShould ye not hearken to the words which the LORD hath proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’
8
ThomsonThen there was a word of the Lord to Zacharias saying,
BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying,
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς Ζαχαρίαν, λέγων,
KJVAnd the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,
JPSAnd the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying:
9
ThomsonThus saith the Lord Almighty: Execute just judgment and shew mercy and compassion one to another;
BrentonThus saith the Lord Almighty; Judge righteous judgment, and deal mercifully and compassionately every one with his brother:
Greekτάδε λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, Κρίμα δίκαιον κρίνετε, καὶ ἔλεος καὶ οἰκτιρμὸν ποιεῖτε ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ,
KJVThus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
JPS’Thus hath the LORD of hosts spoken, saying: Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother;
10
Thomsonand oppress not the widow, nor the orphan, nor the stranger, nor the poor; and let none treasure up in his heart for evil an injury done by his brother.
Brentonand oppress not the widow, or the fatherless, or the stranger, or the poor; and let not one of you remember in his heart the injury of his brother.
Greekκαὶ χήραν, καὶ ὀρφανὸν, καὶ προσήλυτον, καὶ πένητα μὴ καταδυναστεύετε, καὶ κακίαν ἕκαστος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ μὴ μνησικακείτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν.
KJVAnd oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
JPSand oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.
11
ThomsonBut they refused to attend and turned back contemptuously; and stopped their ears that they might not hear;
BrentonBut they refused to attend, and madly turned their back, and made their ears heavy, so that they should not hear.
GreekΚαὶ ἠπείθησαν τοῦ προσέχειν, καὶ ἔδωκαν νῶτον παραφρονοῦντα, καὶ τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν ἐβάρυναν τοῦ μὴ εἰσακούειν.
KJVBut they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
JPSBut they refused to attend, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
12
Thomsonand made their heart disobedient that they might not hearken to My law. Therefore (according to the words which the Lord Almighty by His spirit sent by the ministry of the former prophets) there was great wrath from the Lord Almighty,
BrentonAnd they made their heart disobedient, so as not to hearken to my law, and the words which the Lord Almighty sent forth by his Spirit by the former prophets: so there was great wrath from the Lord Almighty.
GreekΚαὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἔταξαν ἀπειθῆ τοῦ μὴ εἰσακούειν τοῦ νόμου μου, καὶ τοὺς λόγους, οὓς ἐξαπέστειλε Κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἐν πνεύματι αὐτοῦ ἐν χερσὶ τῶν προφητῶν τῶν ἔμπροσθεν· καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ μεγάλη παρὰ Κυρίου παντοκράτορος.
KJVYea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
JPSYea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His spirit by the hand of the former prophets; therefore came there great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
13
Thomsonthat it might come to pass as He said: As they hearkened not, so they shall cry and I will not listen, saith the Lord Almighty,
BrentonAnd it shall come to pass, that as he spoke, and they hearkened not, so they shall cry, and I will not hearken, saith the Lord Almighty.
GreekΚαὶ ἔσται, ὃν τρόπον εἶπε, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσαν, οὕτως κεκράξονται, καὶ οὐ μὴ εἰσακούσω, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ.
KJVTherefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
JPS—
14
Thomsonand I will cast them out into all the nations which they knew not; and the land behind them shall be a desolation, without a traveller and without a sojourner.
BrentonAnd I will cast them out among all the nations, whom they know not; and the land behind them shall be made utterly destitute of any going through or returning: yea they have made the choice land a desolation.
GreekΚαὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτοὺς εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἃ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν· καὶ ἡ γῆ ἀφανισθήσεται κατόπισθεν αὐτῶν ἐκ διοδεύοντος καὶ ἐξ ἀναστρέφοντος· καὶ ἔταξαν γῆν ἐκλεκτὴν εἰς ἀφανισμόν.
KJVBut I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
JPSbut I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned; for they laid the pleasant land desolate.’