Zechariah 1:15

King James Version

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.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
And I am very angry at the nations that feel so safe. I was only a little angry, and I used them to punish my people. But they caused too much damage."

New American Standard Bible
"But I am very angry with the nations who are carefree; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster."

New Century Version
And I am very angry with the nations that feel so safe. I was only a little angry at them, but they made things worse.'

Update Bible Version
And I am very intensely displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I am very greatly displeased with the heathen [that are] at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

Amplified Bible
"But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease and feel secure; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster [against the people of Israel]."

English Standard Version
And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster.

World English Bible
I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and in greet wraththe Y schal be wroth on riche folkis; for Y was wrooth a litil, forsothe thei helpiden in to yuel.

English Revised Version
And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

Berean Standard Bible
but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have increased the calamity.'

Contemporary English Version
For a while I was angry at the nations, but now I am furious, because they have made things worse for Jerusalem and are not the least bit concerned.

American Standard Version
And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

Bible in Basic English
And I am very angry with the nations who are living untroubled: for when I was only a little angry, they made the evil worse.

Complete Jewish Bible
and [to the same degree] I am extremely angry with the nations that are so self-satisfied; because I was only a little angry [at Yerushalayim and Tziyon], but they made the suffering worse.'

Darby Translation
and I am wroth exceedingly with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little wroth, and they helped forward the affliction.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped for evil.

King James Version (1611)
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.

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
But I am very angry with the nations who take it easy. When I was only a little angry, they added to the trouble."

New Revised Standard
And I am extremely angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they made the disaster worse.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And am greatly angrie against the carelesse heathen: for I was angrie but a litle, and they helped forward the affliction.

George Lamsa Translation
And I am very angry with the nations who are raging; for while I was but a little angry, they helped to carry the disaster to the extreme.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, with a great displeasure, am I displeased with the careless nations, - in that, when, I, was displeased (for) a little, then, they, helped forward the calamity,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I am angry with a great anger with the wealthy nations: for I was angry a little, but they helped forward the evil.

Revised Standard Version
And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little they furthered the disaster.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And sore displeased at the carelesse heathen: for where as I was but a litle angry, they helped forward the affliction.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I am very angry with the heathen that combine to attack her: forasmuch as I indeed was a little angry, but they combined to attack her for evil.

Good News Translation
and I am very angry with the nations that enjoy quiet and peace. For while I was holding back my anger against my people, those nations made the sufferings of my people worse.

Christian Standard Bible®
I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made the destruction worse.

Hebrew Names Version
I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity."

Lexham English Bible
And I am extremely angry with the nations that are at ease, for while I was a little angry, they furthered disaster."

Literal Translation
And with great anger I am angered at the nations at ease; in that I was but a little angry, and they gave help for evil.

Young's Literal Translation
And [with] great wrath I am wroth against the nations who are at ease, For I was a little wroth, and they assisted -- for evil.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and sore displeased at the carelesse Heithen: for where as I was but a litle angrie, they dyd their best that I might destroye them

New English Translation
But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.

New King James Version
I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped--but with evil intent."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster."

Legacy Standard Bible
But I am very wrathful with the nations who are at ease; for I was only a little wrathful, but they helped increase the calamity."

Contextual Overview

⁷ Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, ⁸ I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. ⁹ Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. ¹⁰ And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. ¹¹ And 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. ¹² Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? ¹³ And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. ¹⁴ So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ Therefore thus saith the Lord ; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Zechariah 1:2, Zechariah 1:11, Isaiah 47:7-9, Jeremiah 48:11-13, Amos 6:1, Revelation 18:7, Revelation 18:8

for: Isaiah 54:8, Hebrews 12:6, Hebrews 12:7

and: Psalms 69:26, Psalms 83:2-5, Psalms 137:7, Isaiah 10:5-7, Isaiah 47:6, Jeremiah 51:24, Jeremiah 51:34, Jeremiah 51:35, Ezekiel 25:3-7, Ezekiel 25:12-17, Ezekiel 26:2, Ezekiel 29:6, Ezekiel 29:7, Ezekiel 25:3-9, Ezekiel 36:4, Ezekiel 36:5, Amos 1:3-13, Obadiah 1:10-16

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:27 - lest their 2 Samuel 24:14 - let me not 1 Kings 8:49 - cause 2 Chronicles 6:39 - cause 2 Chronicles 28:9 - because the Lord God Job 30:13 - they set forward Psalms 2:5 - sore Psalms 18:18 - me in Psalms 79:7 - For they Proverbs 24:18 - and he Isaiah 7:5 - Syria Isaiah 21:2 - all the Isaiah 40:2 - double Jeremiah 2:3 - all that Jeremiah 10:25 - eaten Jeremiah 12:14 - that Jeremiah 50:7 - We offend Jeremiah 50:13 - Because Jeremiah 50:33 - and all Lamentations 3:35 - turn Ezekiel 28:26 - when I Obadiah 1:13 - looked Habakkuk 2:8 - the violence Zechariah 2:8 - After Zechariah 6:8 - quieted Revelation 6:16 - and from

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I am very sore displeased with the heathen [that are] at ease,.... The Chaldeans and Persians, and other nations, enemies of the Jews, who were now free from war, and enjoyed great prosperity, when the state and condition of the Jews was very low and discouraging:

for I was but a little displeased: that is, with his people the Jews, for their ingratitude, idolatry, and immorality; and which displeasure he showed by suffering them to be carried into captivity; see Isaiah 54:8:

and they helped forward the affliction; that is, the heathens, among whom the Jews were carried captive; they added to their affliction; they oppressed them more than they ought to have done, and more than was agreeable to the will of God and right in his sight; and they insulted them in their misery, and rejoiced over them. The word עזר, in the Arabic language, signifies to "abound" u; and the meaning is, that they abounded in bringing evil upon the people of the Jews; they multiplied their afflictions and distresses.

u "abundavit, multiplicavit", Golius, col. 1705. Castel. col. 2721. עזר "Jazar, cum ע punctato, exuberavit, abundavit, multus fuit", Schindler. Lex. Pentaglot. col. 1307.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I am sore displeased - literally “with great anger am I angered against the nations which are at ease.” The form of the words shows that the greatness of the displeasure of God against those who oppress His people, is proportionate to the great and tender love toward themselves. God had been angered indeed with His people; with their enemies He was “angered with a great anger;” and that the more, because they were at ease, in unfeeling self-enjoyment amid the miseries of others.

I was a little displeased - Little, in comparison with our deserts; little in comparison with the anger of the human instruments of His displeasure; little in comparison with theirs, who, in their anger, sought their own ends.

They helped forward the affliction - ^o “He is wroth with the nations at ease, because He delivered His people to be corrected, but they used cruelty toward those delivered; He wills them to be amended as a son by a schoolmaster; they set themselves to slay and punish them, as an enemy. Like that in Isaiah, “I gave them into thy hands; thou didst show them no mercy; upon the ancients hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke” Isaiah 47:6.

Or it may be, “helped for evil,” in order to bring about evil, as in Jeremiah, “Behold I set My face against you for evil, and to destroy all Judah” Jeremiah 44:11, that is, as we should say, they were the instruments of God, , “cooperated in the execution of My justice toward you, but cruelly and with perverse intention. For although the Assyrians and Chaldaeans wasted the Jewish people, God so ordaining in as far as He willed through them to punish in the present the sins of His people, yet they did it, not in view of God and out of zeal for righteousness, but out of pride covetousness and with the worst ends. Hence God says by Isaiah, “Woe to Asshur, the rod of Mine anger, and the staff in his hand is Mine indignation. Howbeit he thinketh not so, but his heart is to destroy and cut off nations not a few” Isaiah 10:5, Isaiah 10:7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. I was but a little displeased — I was justly displeased with my people, and I gave their enemies a commission against them; but they carried this far beyond my design by oppression and cruelty; and now they shall suffer in their turn.