Zechariah 7:2
New International Version
The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the LORD

New Living Translation
The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech, along with their attendants, to seek the LORD’s favor.

English Standard Version
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the LORD,

Berean Standard Bible
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, along with their men, to plead before the LORD

King James Bible
When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

New King James Version
when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the LORD,

New American Standard Bible
Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,

NASB 1995
Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,

NASB 1977
Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,

Legacy Standard Bible
And the town of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to entreat the favor of Yahweh,

Amplified Bible
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,

Christian Standard Bible
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to plead for the LORD’s favor

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to plead for the LORD’s favor

American Standard Version
Now they of Beth-el had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to entreat the favor of Jehovah,

English Revised Version
Now they of Beth-el had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to entreat the favour of the LORD,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Now, [the people from] Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech with their men to ask the LORD for a blessing.

Good News Translation
The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to the Temple of the LORD Almighty to pray for the LORD's blessing

International Standard Version
The people of Bethel were sending Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to pray in the LORD's presence

Majority Standard Bible
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, along with their men, to plead before the LORD

NET Bible
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their companions to seek the LORD's favor

New Heart English Bible
The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech, and their men, to entreat the LORD's favor,

Webster's Bible Translation
When they had sent to the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

World English Bible
The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech and their men to entreat Yahweh’s favor,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Beth-El sends Sherezer and Regem-Melech, and its men, to appease the face of YHWH,

Young's Literal Translation
And Beth-El sendeth Sherezer and Regem-Melech, and its men, to appease the face of Jehovah,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will send to the house of God, the chief of the treasure, and the friend of the king, and his men to beseech the face of Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
When Sarasar, and Rogommelech, and the men that were with him, sent to the house of God, to entreat the face of the Lord:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Sharezer and Regemmelech, and the men who were with them, sent to the house of God, to entreat the face of the Lord,

New American Bible
Bethelsarezer sent Regem-melech and his men to implore the favor of the LORD

New Revised Standard Version
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men, to entreat the favor of the LORD,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
When they had sent to Beth-el, Sherezar and Rab-mag, and the king and his mighty men had sent word to pray for him before the LORD,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he sent Sheretsar and Rabmag to Bayth Eil, and the King sent and his mighty men to pray for him before LORD JEHOVAH
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
When Bethel-sarezer, and Regem-melech and his men, had sent to entreat the favour of the LORD,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Sarasar and Arbeseer the king and his men sent to Bethel, and that to propitiate the Lord,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Call to Justice and Mercy
1In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, along with their men, to plead before the LORD 3by asking the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts, as well as the prophets, “Should I weep and fast in the fifth month, as I have done these many years?”…

Cross References
Jeremiah 29:12-13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. / You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Isaiah 58:3-7
“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. / You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high. / Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD? ...

Matthew 6:16-18
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. / But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, / so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Isaiah 1:11-17
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. ...

Jeremiah 14:12
Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”

Matthew 9:14-15
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?” / Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Isaiah 58:5
Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

Luke 18:10-14
“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. / The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. / I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ ...

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Amos 5:21-24
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ...

Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? / Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? / He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Mark 2:18-20
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were often fasting. So people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees?” / Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot fast. / But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.


Treasury of Scripture

When they had sent to the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

they.

Zechariah 6:10
Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;

Ezra 6:10
That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

Ezra 7:15-23
And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, …

pray before the Lord.

Zechariah 8:21
And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.

Exodus 32:11
And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

1 Samuel 13:12
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

Jump to Previous
Appease Bethel Beth-El Entreat Face Favor Favour Grace House Melech Regem Request Seek Sharezer Share'zer Supplicate Together
Jump to Next
Appease Bethel Beth-El Entreat Face Favor Favour Grace House Melech Regem Request Seek Sharezer Share'zer Supplicate Together
Zechariah 7
1. The captives enquire concerning the set fasts.
4. Zechariah reproves the hypocrisy of their fasting.
8. Sin the cause of their captivity.














Now the people of Bethel
The mention of Bethel, which means "House of God" in Hebrew, is significant. Historically, Bethel was a place of worship and a spiritual center for the Israelites. It was here that Jacob had his vision of the ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:10-19). However, Bethel also became a center of idolatry during the divided kingdom period (1 Kings 12:28-33). The people of Bethel sending representatives indicates a desire to reconnect with their spiritual roots and seek divine guidance, reflecting a turning back to God after a period of exile and spiritual decline.

had sent Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men
The names Sharezer and Regem-melech are of Babylonian origin, suggesting the influence of the Babylonian exile on the Jewish people. Sharezer means "protect the king," and Regem-melech means "friend of the king." Their Babylonian names highlight the historical context of the Jewish return from exile, where they had been immersed in a foreign culture. The sending of these men signifies a formal and serious approach to seeking God's will, as they were likely leaders or officials entrusted with this important task.

to plead before the LORD
The phrase "to plead before the LORD" indicates a humble and earnest seeking of God's guidance and favor. The Hebrew root for "plead" (לְחַלּוֹת, lechannot) can also mean to entreat or to seek favor, suggesting a deep desire for reconciliation and understanding of God's will. This act of pleading reflects a heart of repentance and a recognition of the need for divine direction. It underscores the importance of approaching God with humility and sincerity, especially in times of uncertainty or transition.

Verse 2. - When they had sent unto the house of God. The Vulgate supports this version, Et miserunt ad domum Dei; the LXX. gives, Καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν εἰς Βαιθὴλ Σαρασὰρ καὶ Ἀρβεσεὲρ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ, "And Sarasar and Arbescer the king and his men sent to Bethel" - which is far from clear. But the temple is never called Beth-el, while a mission to the town Bethel would be unmeaning. So "Bethel" is to be taken as the subject of the sentence, thus: "Now Bethel (i.e. they of Bethel) sent." The persons named may be taken either as the deputation or as the persons meant by "they of Bethel." The former seems most likely to be intended. The Bethelites sent these men to Jerusalem to make the inquiry. The exiles returned each to his own city, as we read in Ezra it.; among them were many people of Bethel (Ezra 2:28; Nehemiah 7:32), which town they rebuilt (Nehemiah 11:31). They seem to have tacitly acquiesced in the spiritual supremacy of Jerusalem, notwithstanding the associations Connected with their own city. Sherezer. The names of the deputies are Assyrian; they seem to have retained them on their return. Sherezer, equivalent to Assyrian Sar-usur or Asur-sar-usur, "Asur protect the King," is the name borne by a sen of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:37). Regem-melech; "Friend of the King." The first half of the word is probably Assyrian (see Schrader, 'Die Keilinschr. und Alt. Test.,' pp. 206, 417). And their men. Certain persons associated with them in the business. To pray before the Lord; literally, to stroke the face of the Lord (Zechariah 8:21, 22; Exodus 32:11); so Latin, mulcere caput. Hence it means, "to entreat the favour of God" for their city. This was one object of their mission. The other purpose is mentioned in the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now the people of Bethel
אֵ֔ל (’êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1008: Bethel -- 'house of God', a city in Ephraim, also a place in southern Judah

had sent
וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

Sharezer
אֶ֕צֶר (’e·ṣer)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8272: Sharezer -- an Assyrian, also perhaps an Israelite

and
וְרֶ֥גֶם (wə·re·ḡem)
0
Strong's Hebrew

Regem-melech,
מֶ֖לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7278: Regemmelech -- 'king's heap', an Israelite

along with their men,
וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֑יו (wa·’ă·nā·šāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

to plead
לְחַלּ֖וֹת (lə·ḥal·lō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick

before
פְּנֵ֥י (pə·nê)
Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH


Links
Zechariah 7:2 NIV
Zechariah 7:2 NLT
Zechariah 7:2 ESV
Zechariah 7:2 NASB
Zechariah 7:2 KJV

Zechariah 7:2 BibleApps.com
Zechariah 7:2 Biblia Paralela
Zechariah 7:2 Chinese Bible
Zechariah 7:2 French Bible
Zechariah 7:2 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Zechariah 7:2 The people of Bethel sent Sharezer (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 7:1
Top of Page
Top of Page