Bible Strands
Zechariah 7:12
They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Zechariah addresses post-exilic Judah, recounting how their ancestors deliberately ignored the law and prophetic warnings delivered by the Spirit. This historical account explains the divine anger that led to their past judgment.
The words — The Hebrew phrase שׁוּמוּ לִבָּם (shumu libbam) literally renders "they made their heart," paired with שָׁמִיר (shamir, "flint"), describing a deliberate hardening against hearing. The text explicitly links this refusal to listen to the Torah and the prophets' words as the direct cause of Yahweh's great anger.
The thread — This pattern of stubborn refusal to heed the law appears in 2 Chronicles 36:16 and Nehemiah 9:29, where repeated rejection of prophetic warning consistently precedes divine judgment. Ezekiel 11:19 is supplied for contrast, describing God's future action to remove a heart of stone and give a responsive spirit.
Why it lands — The passage requires readers to recognize that spiritual decline begins with a conscious decision to harden the heart against known revelation. It demands immediate obedience to Scripture before the window for hearing God's correction closes.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
- Nehemiah 9:29 You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.
- Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,
- Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
- Acts 28:27 For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
- Psalms 50:17 For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
- Isaiah 6:10 Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
- Ezekiel 2:4 They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’
- Ezekiel 3:7 But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.
- Daniel 9:11 All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You.