Zechariah 8:19

19 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”

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Zechariah 8:19 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
19 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
English Standard Version (ESV)
19 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.
The Message Bible (MSG)
19 "The days of mourning set for the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be turned into days of feasting for Judah - celebration and holiday. Embrace truth! Love peace!"
American Standard Version (ASV)
19 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth [month], and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
19 This is what the LORD of Armies says: The fast in the fourth month, the fast in the fifth month, the fast in the seventh month, and the fast in the tenth month will become joyful and glad occasions as well as happy festivals for the nation of Judah. So love truth and peace.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
19 "The Lord of Hosts says this: The fast of the fourth [month], the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
19 "You have established special times to go without eating. They are your fasts in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. They will become days of joy. They will be happy times for Judah. It will happen if you take delight in telling the truth and bringing about peace."

Zechariah 8:19 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 8:19

Thus saith the Lord of hosts
What follows is a full answer to the question in ( Zechariah 7:3 ) : The fast of the fourth [month];
the month Tammuz, which answers to June: this fast was kept on the ninth day of the month, on account of the city of Jerusalem being broken up on that day F15, as it is said, ( 2 Kings 25:3 2 Kings 25:4 ) ( Jeremiah 39:2 ) ( Jeremiah 52:6 Jeremiah 52:7 ) though Kimchi says this was on the seventeenth day of that month, as also says the Misna F16; on which day a fast was kept likewise, for the breaking of the two tables of the law on that day: the reconciliation of this with the above Scriptures is attempted in the Talmud F17 by observing, that the Scripture speaks of the first temple, the Misna of the second temple: and the fast of the fifth;
the month Ab, which answers to July, on the tenth of which the city was burnt, ( Jeremiah 52:12 Jeremiah 52:13 ) but the fast on account of it was kept on the ninth day; (See Gill on Zechariah 7:3) on which day the Jews say that both the first and second temple were destroyed, Bither was taken, and the city ploughed F18: and the fast of the seventh;
the month Tisri, which answers to September; on the third of this month a fast was kept on account of the murder of Gedaliah; see ( Zechariah 7:5 ) and on the tenth day of the same was the day of atonement, which was the grand fast; see ( Acts 27:9 ) : and the fast of the tenth;
the month Tebet; which answers to December, on the tenth day of which the city of Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar; and this fast was kept on that account, ( Jeremiah 52:4 ) now of all these fasts the Lord by the prophet says, they shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful
feasts;
that is, there shall be no occasion for them; but, on the contrary, such plenty of good things, both temporal and spiritual, shall be had, that, instead of them, rather festivals should be kept with the greatest cheerfulness, joy, and gladness. So Maimonides F19 says, that all these fasts shall cease in the times of the Messiah, with all others, which will be times of joy and gladness. Therefore love the truth and peace;
love to speak truth, and execute the judgment of peace, ( Zechariah 8:16 ) or express by words and deeds love to Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life; and also is our Peace, the Peacemaker, and Peace giver; and on these accounts, as well as on others, is greatly to be loved: likewise the Gospel, which is the word of truth, and the Gospel of peace; which contains nothing but truth, and is the ministry of reconciliation, and is to be loved on that account; and even peace with men is no further to be loved and sought after than as it is consistent with truth; and these being the principal things under the Gospel dispensation, these, and not fasts, or any other ceremonial observances, are to be attended to.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 T. Bab. Roshhashanah, fol. 18. 2.
F16 Taanith, c. 4. sect. 7.
F17 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 28. 2.
F18 Roshhashanah, ut supra. (fol. 18. 2.)
F19 Hilchot Taanioth, c. 5. sect. 19.

Zechariah 8:19 In-Context

17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.
18 The word of the LORD Almighty came to me.
19 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”
20 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come,
21 and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’

Cross References 6

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