Albert Barnes Commentary Zechariah 7

In the fourth year of Darius - Two years after the series of visions, shown to him, and two years before the completion of the temple. Chisleu being December, it was the end of 518 b.c.

When they had sent to the house of God - Rather, “And Bethel sent;” that is, the inhabitants of Bethel sent. “The house of God” is nowhere in Holy Scripture called Bethel. Bethel is always the name of the place. The “house of God” is designated by historians, Psalmists, prophets, by the name, “Beth-elohim,” more commonly “Beth-Ha-elohim, the God;” or “of the Lord,” YHVH. Zechariah and Haggai use these names. It is not likely that the name, Beth-el, should have first been given to the house of God, when it had been desecrated by the idolatries of Jeroboam.

Bethel also is, in the Hebrew order of the words, naturally the subject. Nor is there any reason why they should have sent to Bethel, since they sought an answer from God. For it would be forced to say that they sent to Bethel, in order that those at Bethel should send to Jerusalem; which is not said.

It would be unnatural also that the name of the sender should not have been mentioned, when the names of persons inferior, because sent, are recorded. Bethel, in Nehemiah’s time (Nehemiah 11:31), was one of the chief places of Benjamin. Two hundred twenty and three of the men of Bethel and Ai (Ezra 2:28) had returned with Zerubbabel. The answer being to “the people” of the land, such were doubtless the enquirers, not those still in Babylon.

The answer shows that the question was not religious, though put as matter of religion. It is remarkable that, whereas in the case of those who brought presents from Babylon, the names express some relation to God, these names are singularly, the one of a parricide son of Sennacherib (Isaiah 37:38; 2 Kings 19:37), and of one, chief among the King of Babylon’s princes; the other probably a secular name, “the king’s friend”.

Osorius: “I do not see why under the name of Bethel, the city so called is not understood. For since Jerusalem was not yet fortified, the Jews chose sites for themselves in various places, where they would be less harassed. All hatred was concentrated on that city, which the neighbors did not wish to be restored to its former greatness. Other cities they did not molest so much. Bethel then, that is, the assembly of the city, sent messengers to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God and consult the wise there.”

To entreat the face of the Lord - They wished, it seems, (so to speak) to ingratiate themselves with God with an account of their past self-humiliation, on the day when the house of God was burned by Nebuchadnezzar. In regard to God, the word is always used of entreating Him by earnest prayer.

Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself? — “In the fifth month,” from the seventh to the tenth day, Jerusalem was in flames, set on fire by Nebuchadnezzar. “He burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem and every great man’s house he burnt with fire.”

Jerome: “Now since it is said that the temple is built and we see that no cause of sorrow remains, answer, we pray, are we to do this or to change our sorrow into joy?”

Separating myself — This phrase seems to be added to intensify the fast they had kept. The Nazarite was bound to “separate himself from wine and strong drink” (Numbers 6:3), and so they severed themselves to the Lord and consecrated themselves to Him (Numbers 5:0; see the note at Amos 2:11). They had severed themselves from food, from pleasant things, and from pleasure—perhaps from sin for the day—but not abidingly: they had not given themselves to God.

As I have done these so many years — Literally, “how many.” As if, although they knew it was seventy years, they could not count them.

And when you eat and when you drink, is it not you who eat and you who drink? — Conversely, now that after your return you feast for joy, this is no religious act; you have all the good of it, there is no thanksgiving to God. Contrary to the apostle’s saying, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glow of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

“He eats and drinks to himself, who receives the nourishments of the body, which are the common gifts of the Creator, without the needy. And anyone fasts to himself, if he does not give to the poor what for the time he withdraws from himself, but keeps it to be thereafter offered to his appetite. Hence, it is said by Joel, sanctify a fast. For to ‘sanctify a fast’ is to show an abstinence worthy of God through other good deeds.”

Let anger cease, quarrels be hushed. For in vain is the flesh worn, if the mind is not refrained from evil pleasures, since the Lord says by the prophet, “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure. Behold, you fast for strife and debate ...” (Isaiah 57:3–4).