Zechariah 8:16

16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute^[a] the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

Zechariah 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 8:16

These [are] the things that ye shall do
Which were duties incumbent on them, and which it became them to perform, under a sense of the favours bestowed on them, to show their gratitude to God, and that they might glorify him: Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour;
not using deceit, prevarication, and lying, ( Ephesians 4:25 ) and it becomes every man under the Gospel dispensation, according to the gift he has received, to speak, publish, and declare the truth of the Gospel, to the edification of others: execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates;
that is, execute true judgment, as in ( Zechariah 7:9 ) do justice between man and man, without respect of persons; the issue of which will be peace between the contending parties: and this was to be done in their "gates", because there their courts of judicature were kept.

Zechariah 8:16 In-Context

14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:

15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,

Footnotes

• [a]. execute...: Heb. judge truth, and the judgment of peace