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And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
Zechariah 1:15 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity.”
  • BSB but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’
  • NKJV I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped—but with evil intent.”
  • NASB But I am very angry with the nations who are carefree; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.”
  • NLT But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God is very angry with the complacent nations who overstepped in afflicting His people. He used them as instruments but they went too far.

Overview

God had been 'a little displeased' with Judah and used the nations to discipline her, but those nations added cruelty beyond His intent. Their ease and arrogance now draw His anger. This shows that God holds even the instruments of His judgment accountable, assuring the oppressed that He sees and will right every wrong.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • Jer 51:24And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
  • Ezek 25:12–17Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;
  • Isa 54:8In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
  • Isa 47:6–9I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
  • Zech 1:2The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
  • Obad 1:10–16For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
  • Ps 83:2–5For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
  • Zech 1:11And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
  • Jer 48:11–13Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
  • Ps 69:26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
  • Isa 10:5–7O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
  • Ps 123:4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
  • Amos 6:1Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
  • Heb 12:6–7For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
  • Ezek 29:6–7And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
  • Ezek 36:4–5Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;
  • Amos 1:3–13Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
  • Ps 137:7Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
  • Ezek 26:2Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste:
  • Ezek 25:3–9And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;
  • Jer 51:34–35Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
  • Rev 18:7–8How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Zechariah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Zechariah 1:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ZechariahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Branch who is both priest and king, the shepherd struck and the flock scattered, the king coming humble on a donkey, the one they pierced, the fountain opened for sin — Zechariah is dense with Christ.

How Zechariah 1:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.