Bible Strands
Zechariah 7:2
Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, along with their men, to plead before the LORD
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Zechariah 7:1 places the event in the fourth year of King Darius during the ninth month of Chislev. The verse records a delegation from Bethel arriving to address the religious authorities on behalf of their community.
The words — The text uses וַ/יִּשְלַח (va/i.yish.Lach), meaning "and it had sent," to describe the dispatch of Sharezer and Regem-melech. Their compound names, built from שַׂר (sar, "prince") and אֶ֕צֶר ('E.tzer, "helper") alongside רֶ֥גֶם (Re.gem, "plea") and מֶ֖לֶךְ (Me.lekh, "king"), function as personal identifiers rather than theological titles in this narrative.
The thread — The delegation's mission to "plead before the LORD" echoes Zech 8:21, where residents of one city travel to another to seek the LORD, and parallels 1 Kings 13:6, where a king requests a representative to intercede before God.
Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to note that communal religious inquiry operates through formal representation rather than spontaneous ritual. It establishes the procedural framework that directly triggers the fasting question recorded in Zech 7:3.
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
When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem–melech, and their men, to pray before the Lord,
Cross-references
- Zechariah 8:21 and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’
- 1 Samuel 13:12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
- 1 Kings 13:6 Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before.
- Jeremiah 26:19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did Hezekiah not fear the LORD and seek His favor, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster He had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”
- Exodus 32:11 But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
- Ezra 6:10 Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a sweet aroma to the God of heaven and to pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
- Ezra 7:15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
- Ezra 8:28 Then I told them, “You are holy to the LORD, and these articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers.
- Isaiah 60:7 All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will serve you and go up on My altar with acceptance; I will adorn My glorious house.
- Zechariah 6:10 “Take an offering from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon—and go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.