Zechariah 7:2-7
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 7
2Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the Lord, 3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of armies, and to the prophets, saying, 'Shall I weep in the fifth month and fast, as I have done these many years?' 4Then the word of the Lord of armies came to me, saying, 5Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted? 6And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? 7Are these not the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and carefree along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’?'King James Version
Chapter 7
2When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the Lord, 3And 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? 4Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying, 5Speak 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? 6And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 7Should 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?Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 7
2Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to plead for the Lord’s favor 3by asking the priests who were at the house of the Lord of Armies as well as the prophets, "Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done these many years?"
4Then the word of the Lord of Armies came to me:
5"Ask all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me?
6When you eat and drink, don’t you eat and drink simply for yourselves?
7Aren’t these the words that the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and secure, along with its surrounding cities, and when the southern region and the Judean foothills were inhabited?"
New Living Translation
Chapter 7
2The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech, along with their attendants, to seek the Lord’s favor. 3They were to ask this question of the prophets and the priests at the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: 'Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?'
4The Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply:
5Say to all your people and your priests, ‘During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting?
6And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?
7Isn’t this the same message the Lord proclaimed through the prophets in years past when Jerusalem and the towns of Judah were bustling with people, and the Negev and the foothills of Judah were well populated?’'
English Standard Version
Chapter 7
2Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the Lord, 3saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"
4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me:
5"Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?
6And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?
7Were not these the words that the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’"
New International Version
Chapter 7
2The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the Lord 3by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets, "Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"
4Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me:
5"Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?
6And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?
7Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?’ "
New King James Version
Chapter 7
2when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord, 3and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”
4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
5“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?
6When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?
7Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’ ”
