“Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?
English Standard Version (ESV)
God's sharp question, "Was it for me that you fasted?" reveals that their mourning wasn't about genuine sorrow for sin, but a self-focused grief over their losses. The repetition of "unto me" emphasizes that their observances lacked true divine purpose, becoming more about their own feelings than about God's honor.
“Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?
English Standard Version (ESV)
A delegation from Bethel has come to the temple, asking the priests and prophets whether they should continue observing the fasts that have marked their sorrowful history for seventy years. Zechariah is instructed to respond directly to all the people, challenging the sincerity of these long-held mourning rituals. God questions whether these fasts, observed for the destruction of Jerusalem and the murder of Gedaliah, were truly for His sake or merely a habit reflecting their own grief.
Ancient Israel fasted and mourned for seventy years. But God's question cuts to the core: 'Was it for me that you fasted?' This isn't just about skipping meals; it's about our deepest motivations.
The Real Purpose of Worship
God speaks through Zechariah to challenge the people's understanding of religious observance. They had been observing fasts in the fifth and seventh months, likely commemorating tragic events like the destruction of Jerusalem and the murder of Gedaliah.
But God's question, 'Did you fast to me, even to me?' reveals a critical disconnect. It wasn't that the act of fasting was wrong, but the intention behind it. The commentaries suggest the people were fasting out of personal sorrow, a sense of habit, or perhaps even a desire to earn merit, rather than from a sincere desire to honor God or repent of the sins that led to their calamities.
This highlights a timeless truth: God looks at the heart. External religious acts, no matter how seemingly devout, are meaningless to Him if they aren't offered with genuine devotion and a focus on pleasing Him. Our worship should be 'unto Him,' flowing from a relationship with Him, not just a performance for ourselves or others.
The Jews mourned for specific tragic events. But God's message is that mourning the consequences of sin isn't the same as mourning the sin itself.
Grief That Misses the Mark
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Zechariah points out two specific fasts: one in the fifth month (likely commemorating the destruction of the Temple) and one in the seventh month (remembering the murder of Gedaliah). These were significant historical tragedies.
However, the commentaries highlight that the people's grief seems to have been more about the suffering and loss they personally experienced than a deep sorrow for the disobedience and sin that brought God's judgment upon them. They were mourning the inconveniences of their calamity, not the sinfulness of their actions.
This is a crucial distinction. True repentance involves grieving over our sin against a holy God. It's a recognition that our actions have offended Him and broken our relationship with Him. Mourning the results of sin is natural, but God desires a deeper sorrow—a broken heart over the sin itself.
Understand the original words
tsum · Hebrew Verb
A voluntary practice of denying oneself food or other physical comforts for a period of time to focus on prayer, repentance, or seeking God’s guidance and intervention. In Scripture, it is meant to be a sincere expression of humility before God, not a mechanical ritual.
saphad · Hebrew Verb
A profound expression of sorrow or grief, often associated with repentance or lament over sin and judgment. Biblically, it signifies a broken spirit and a recognition of the need for divine mercy and restoration.
The people's question about continuing their fasts arose during the challenging post-exilic period, as they tried to balance remembrance of past tragedies with the present reality of rebuilding their community and Temple. God's response highlights that outward religious acts are meaningless if not rooted in genuine repentance and a heart turned towards Him.
587 BC
Murder of Gedaliah
Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Babylon, was assassinated by Jewish rebels. This event triggered further devastation and the flight of many Jews to Egypt, marking a tragic low point for the remnant in the land.
c. 587 BC - 517 BC
Post-Gedaliah Mourning Fasts
In response to the devastating murder of Gedaliah and the subsequent scattering of the people, two annual fasts were likely established by the Jewish community in exile and by the remnant in the land. These were observed in the fifth month (commemorating the destruction of the Temple) and the seventh month (commemorating Gedaliah's murder).
538 BC
First Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marked the beginning of the return, though many remained in exile.
c. 537 BC - 517 BC
Temple Reconstruction Begins
The returning exiles, led by figures like Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest, begin the monumental task of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, facing significant opposition.
c. 517 BC— this verse
Inquiry About Fasts
Decades after the return and the commencement of Temple rebuilding, a delegation from the remnants in the land (including priests) approaches the prophet Zechariah and another prophet, Haggai, to inquire whether the established mourning fasts should continue.
c. 517 BC
Zechariah's Rebuke
God, through Zechariah, rebukes the people and priests for their superficial fasting, questioning if their observance was truly for Him or for their own comfort and self-righteousness.
This passage directly contrasts Zechariah's message by explaining that God desires a fast that involves true repentance and justice, not just outward religious observance.
Jeremiah 41:1-2This passage provides the historical context for the seventh-month fast mentioned by Zechariah, highlighting the murder of Gedaliah which led to national mourning and a humanly instituted fast.
Matthew 23:23-24Jesus critiques the religious leaders for focusing on the 'mint and dill' of ritual while neglecting 'the weightier matters of the law,' which parallels God's questioning of Israel's focus on fasting while ignoring justice and mercy.
Haggai 1:4-7This passage, from a contemporary prophet, also rebukes the people for focusing on their own comfortable dwellings while God's temple lies in ruins, underscoring a similar theme of misplaced priorities and outward religiosity.
1 Corinthians 10:31This New Testament verse provides a foundational principle that all actions, whether eating, drinking, or fasting, should be done for God's glory, reflecting the core issue Zechariah addresses: the misplaced 'unto me' in their fasting.
wesleyZechariah 7:5: "Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?"
7:5 Unto all the people - By their messengers. And seventh - For the murder of Gedaliah, slain by Ishmael. Even to me - You pleased yourselves in it, not me; you wept more for the inconveniences of the thing than the sinfulness of it.
calvinZechariah 7:4-9: "Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,"
Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
Annon ad sermones quos clamavit Iehova in manu prophetarum priorum, quum esset Ierusalem quieta et opulenta (vel, quieta et tranquilla; diximus enim alibi de hac voce [ysvt] et urbes ejus per circuitus eju…
God's sharp question, "Was it for me that you fasted?" reveals that their mourning wasn't about genuine sorrow for sin, but a self-focused grief over their losses. The repetition of "unto me" emphasizes that their observances lacked true divine purpose, becoming more about their own feelings than about God's honor.
A delegation from Bethel has come to the temple, asking the priests and prophets whether they should continue observing the fasts that have marked their sorrowful history for seventy years. Zechariah is instructed to respond directly to all the people, challenging the sincerity of these long-held mourning rituals. God questions whether these fasts, observed for the destruction of Jerusalem and the murder of Gedaliah, were truly for His sake or merely a habit reflecting their own grief.
A delegation from Bethel has come to the temple, asking the priests and prophets whether they should continue observing the fasts that have marked their sorrowful history for seventy years. Zechariah is instructed to respond directly to all the people, challenging the sincerity of these long-held mourning rituals. God questions whether these fasts, observed for the destruction of Jerusalem and the murder of Gedaliah, were truly for His sake or merely a habit reflecting their own grief.
"“Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?" — God's sharp question, "Was it for me that you fasted?" reveals that their mourning wasn't about genuine sorrow for sin, but a self-focused grief over their losses. The repetition of "unto me" emphasi…
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Last reviewed October 2026