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Zechariah 7:12

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Zechariah 7:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts.
Zechariah 7:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Zechariah 7

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
9Thus hath Jehovah of hosts spoken, saying, Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother;
10and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the sojourner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.
11But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.
12Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts.
13And it is come to pass that, as he cried, and they would not hear, so they shall cry, and I will not hear, said Jehovah of hosts;
14but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Yea, they made their hearts [as] an adamant stone, etc.] The word here used is translated a “diamond” in (<241701>Jeremiah 17:1) and it is said to be harder than a flint, (<260309>Ezekiel 3:9). The Jewish writers sayf152 it is a worm like a barley corn, so strong as to cut the hardest stones in pieces; Moses (they say) used it in hewing the stones for the two tables of the law, and in fitting the precious stones in the ephod; and Solomon in cutting the stones for the building of the temple; and is so hard that it cannot be broken by iron: and as hard is naturally the heart of man, and which becomes more so by sinning, and obstinate persisting in it, that nothing can remove the hardness of it…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“hearts . . . adamant-- (Eze 3:9; Eze 11:19). Lord . . . sent in Spirit by . . . prophets--that is, sent by the former prophets inspired with His Spirit. therefore . . . great wrath-- (Ch2 36:16). As they pushed from them the yoke of obedience, God laid on them the yoke of oppression. As they made their heart hard as adamant, God brake their hard hearts with judgments. Hard hearts must expect hard treatment. The harder the stone, the harder the blow of the hammer to break it.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Harder than adamant - The stone, whatever it be, was hard enough to cut ineffaceable characters : it was harder than flint . It would cut rocks; it could not be graven itself, or receive the characters of God. This is the last sin, obduracy, persevering impenitence, which “resisted the Holy Spirit” Acts 7:51. and “did despite to the Spirit of grace” Hebrews 10:29. Not through infirmity, but of set purpose, they hardened themselves, lest “they should convert” Isaiah 6:10 and be healed. They feared to trust themselves to God’s word, lest He should convert them by it. Lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord God sent by His Spirit by the hand of the former prophets - The Holy…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“In his spirit - By his holy spirit. Zechariah 7:14”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“7:12 To make one’s heart as hard as stone is to steel one’s will against the will of God (see Jer 17:1; cp. Ezek 3:9). • Instructions (Hebrew torah) refers to God’s laws and commands as taught and interpreted by the prophets.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“their hearts: Neh 9:29; Job 9:4; Isa 48:4; Jer 5:3; Eze 2:4, Eze 3:7-9, Eze 11:19, Eze 36:26 lest: Psa 50:17; Neh 9:29, Neh 9:30; Isa 6:10; Mat 13:15; Mar 4:12; Luk 8:12; Joh 3:19; Joh 3:20; Act 28:27; Th2 2:10-12 sent: Neh 9:30; Act 7:51, Act 7:52; Pe1 1:11, Pe1 1:12; Pe2 1:21 the former: Heb. the hand of the former, Zac 7:7 therefore: Ch2 36:16; Jer 26:19; Dan 9:11, Dan 9:12; Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16 Zechariah 7:13”
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Related study paths

Read Zechariah 7 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification