Zechariah 7:3
And to speake vnto the priestes, which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weepe in the fift moneth, separating my selfe, as I haue done these so many yeeres? Zechariah 7:3 (KJV)
In Zechariah 7:3 the people of Israel send messengers to the priests and prophets asking whether they should continue to fast and mourn in the fifth month, as they had done for many years. The question is directed to the religious leaders in the house of the LORD of hosts, seeking guidance about the continuation of this long‑standing practice.
The book of Zechariah was written in the post‑exilic period, after the Israelites had returned from Babylonian captivity. After seventy years of exile, God allowed the people to return, rebuild the temple, and re‑establish worship in Jerusalem. Zechariah 7:1 records the historical setting: “And 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,” placing the events around 518‑517 BC.
The fifth month mentioned is the month of Av, the month in which the first temple was destroyed in 586 BC and later the second temple in 70 AD. The people were uncertain whether the mourning associated with that month should still be observed now that they were rebuilding the temple and renewing their covenant with God.
God’s answer, recorded in Zechariah 7:4‑7, confronts the motives behind the fasting: “When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months… did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? … did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?” The Lord points out that the rituals had become self‑centered, performed for personal benefit rather than genuine devotion.
The subsequent passage, Zechariah 7:8‑10, expands the divine instruction: “Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother… 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.” God redirects the people from empty external rites to the heart attitudes of justice, mercy, and compassion toward one another.
Through this exchange, Zechariah 7:3 and its surrounding verses challenge believers to examine the motives behind their religious practices. The passage teaches that God values heartfelt obedience, sincere love, and righteous treatment of the vulnerable over mere ritual. It remains a timeless reminder for today’s Christians to prioritize a genuine relationship with God and to let faith be expressed in acts of kindness, justice, and compassion toward others.
