The Meaning of Zechariah 7:7 Explained

Zechariah 7:7

KJV: Should 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?

YLT: Are not these the words that Jehovah proclaimed by the hand of the former prophets, in Jerusalem's being inhabited, and in safety, and its cities round about it, and the south and the plain -- abiding?'

Darby: Are not these the words that Jehovah cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and at peace, and her cities round about her, when the south and the lowland were inhabited?

ASV: Should ye not hear the words which Jehovah cried 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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Should 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? 

What does Zechariah 7:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Zechariah 7:1-14 - The Penalty Of Injustice And Cruelty
During their captivity the Jews observed four feasts. That of the 10th month recalled the first enclosure of Jerusalem by the enemies' lines; of the 4th the capture of the city; of the 5th the destruction by fire of the Temple; of the 7th the murder of Gedaliah. The national life was depressed by this constant memory of disaster. It seemed incongruous to act thus, when the Holy City was rising from the dust. Surely the lamentations which were befitting in Babylon, were out of place now. A deputation was therefore sent to inquire the views of the leaders. Zechariah gave four separate answers to the request. In Zechariah 7:4-7 he suggests that as these fasts had been set up by themselves, they were at liberty to discontinue them, and the main question was whether they were pondering the teachings and warnings of the older prophets. In Zechariah 7:8-14 he implored them not to yield to the obtuseness and disobedience of their fathers, in order that no second catastrophe should cast them back to the disasters they had suffered. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 7

1  The captives enquire concerning the set fasts
4  Zechariah reproves the hypocrisy of their fasting
8  Sin the cause of their captivity

What do the individual words in Zechariah 7:7 mean?

[Should not - the [you have obeyed] words which proclaimed Yahweh through the prophets former when were Jerusalem inhabited and prosperous and the cities around it and the Negev and the Lowland were inhabited -
הֲל֣וֹא אֶת־ הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ בְּיַד֙ הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֔ים בִּהְי֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ יֹשֶׁ֣בֶת וּשְׁלֵוָ֔ה וְעָרֶ֖יהָ סְבִיבֹתֶ֑יהָ וְהַנֶּ֥גֶב ؟ וְהַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה יֹשֵֽׁב פ

הֲל֣וֹא  [Should  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדְּבָרִ֗ים  the  [you  have  obeyed]  words 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
קָרָ֤א  proclaimed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּיַד֙  through 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים  the  prophets 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֔ים  former 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רִאשֹׁון  
Sense: first, primary, former.
בִּהְי֤וֹת  when  were 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
יֹשֶׁ֣בֶת  inhabited 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
וּשְׁלֵוָ֔ה  and  prosperous 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: שָׁלֵו  
Sense: quiet, at ease, prosperous.
וְעָרֶ֖יהָ  and  the  cities 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
סְבִיבֹתֶ֑יהָ  around  it 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
וְהַנֶּ֥גֶב  and  the  Negev 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.
؟ וְהַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה  and  the  Lowland 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁפֵלָה  
Sense: lowland, valley.
יֹשֵֽׁב  were  inhabited 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation