“Do not be like your ancestors!
The former prophets
Cried out
Against them.
Thus says Yahweh of hosts.
‘Return from your evil ways!
Return from your evil deeds!
But they did not hear.
They did not heed me.’
Says Yahweh.
‘Your ancestors,
Where are they?
The prophets,
Do they live forever?
But my words,
My statutes,
That I commanded
My servants,
The prophets,
Did they not overtake
Your ancestors?
Thus,
They repented.
They said.
‘Yahweh of hosts
Has dealt with us
According to our ways,
According to our deeds,
Just as he planned to do.’”
Yahweh, via Zechariah, wanted the people of Israel not to be like their ancestors. They should return from their evil ways and deeds. Their ancestors had not listened to the former prophets proclaiming the word of Yahweh. What happened to their ancestors? Neither they nor these prophets would live forever. However, the statutes and commands of Yahweh as pronounced by his servants, the prophets, overtook them. They repented and agreed that Yahweh had treated them fairly according to their ways and deeds.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 