Zechariah 1:4

“Be ye not as your fathers, etc.] Who lived before the captivity, and misused the prophets and messengers of the Lord, and despised his word, and fell into gross idolatry; the evil examples of parents and ancestors are not to be followed: unto whom the former prophets have cried: such as Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others: saying, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Turn now from your evil ways, and [from] your evil doings; by their “evil ways” may be meant their idolatrous worship; and by their “evil doings” their immoralities; or, by both, their wicked lives and conversations, both before God and men; from whence they were exhorted by the former prophets to turn, and to reform; even “now”, at…”

“Be ye not as your fathers--The Jews boasted of their fathers; but he shows that their fathers were refractory, and that ancient example and long usage will not justify disobedience (Ch2 36:15-16). the former prophets--those who lived before the captivity. It aggravated their guilt that, not only had they the law, but they had been often called to repent by God's prophets.”

“Be ye not like your fathers - Strangely infectious is the precedent of ill. Tradition of good, of truth, of faith, is decried; only tradition of ill and error are adhered to. The sin of Jeroboam was held sacred by every king of Israel: “The statutes of Omri were diligently kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab” Micah 6:16. “They turned back and were treacherous like their forefathers; they turned themselves like a deceitful bow” Psalms 78:57, is God’s summary of the history of Israel. Cyril: “Absurd are they who follow the ignorances of their fathers, and ever plead inherited custom as an irrefragable defense, though blamed for extremest ills. So idolaters especially, being called to…”

“1:4 Before the Exile, earlier prophets actively called Judah and Israel to repentance. Zechariah especially reflects the prophetic influence of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. • ancestors who would not listen: The people of Israel (2 Kgs 17:13-14) and Judah (2 Chr 36:15-16) were taken into exile because they stubbornly refused to heed the word of the Lord (cp. 2 Chr 30:7).”

“as: Ch2 29:6-10, Ch2 30:7, Ch2 34:21; Ezr 9:7; Neh 9:16; Psa 78:8, Psa 106:6, Psa 106:7; Eze 18:14-17; Pe1 1:18 unto: Zac 7:11-13; Ch2 24:19-22, Ch2 36:15, Ch2 36:16; Neh 9:26, Neh 9:30; Isa 30:9-11; Jer 6:16, Jer 6:17, Jer 13:16-18, Jer 17:19-23, Jer 25:3-7, Jer 35:15, Jer 36:2, Jer 36:3-10, Jer 44:4, Jer 44:5; Eze 3:7-9; Mic 2:6; Act 7:51, Act 7:52; Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16 Turn: Zac 1:3; Isa 1:16-19, Isa 31:6; Jer 3:12, Jer 7:3-7, Jer 18:11; Eze 18:30-32, Eze 33:11; Hos 14:1; Amo 5:13-15, Amo 5:24; Mat 3:8-10; Act 3:19, Act 26:20 but: Jer 11:6-8, Jer 13:9, Jer 13:10, Jer 26:5, Jer 36:23, Jer 36:24, Jer 44:16 Zechariah 1:5”