Thus says the LORD of hosts: See the comments on 7.9. There is no equivalent to this clause in Good News Translation; Contemporary English Version, however, includes an equivalent: “People of Judah, I, the LORD, demand that.” For LORD of hosts, see the comments on Hag 1.2.

The fast of the fourth month was not mentioned by the questioners in 7.3. It commemorated the day on which the Babylonians had first breached the walls of Jerusalem, the ninth day of the fourth month during the eleventh year of King Zedekiah’s reign (2 Kgs 25.2-4; Jer 39.2).

For the fast of the fifth month, see the comments on 7.3.

For the fast of the seventh month, see the comments on 7.5.

The fast of the tenth month was not mentioned before either. It commemorated the day on which the Babylonian armies had begun their siege, the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of King Zedekiah’s reign (2 Kgs 25.1; Jer 39.1). It appears that the exiles had been keeping all four of these days as fast days during their time in Babylon. The most important fast was that of the fifth month, commemorating the destruction of the Temple. If that fast was to be abandoned, then of course the lesser fasts would also be abandoned. This was probably assumed in the way the question was framed in 7.3. In giving the answer, Zechariah states it clearly. He declares that there is no need to keep any of the four fasts any longer. Instead, for the future, the days on which they were observed shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Good News Translation expresses this more naturally as “will become festivals of joy and gladness….” Contemporary English Version is similar with “you should have a joyful festival.” In some languages “festival” will be rendered as “fiesta” and in others “religious celebration.” This change of attitude can take place because of the promises of God that the future will be better than the past (verses 1-17). The house of Judah means “the people of Judah” (Good News Translation).

Therefore love truth and peace: These words are added rather awkwardly at the end of the verse. The Hebrew has no equivalent to the Revised Standard Version therefore, and it is difficult to see any reason for inserting it, since there is no obvious logical connection with the previous clause. Nevertheless, a number of modern versions have “So” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version). Good News Translation makes this a separate sentence with no connective: “You must love truth and peace” (similarly New English Bible). Other modern versions (Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblen: Det Gamle og Det Nye Testamente) begin the last clause with “But.” The sense that this gives is that in times of feasting, people may forget their moral responsibilities, so the prophet reminds them of them. This seems the most convincing explanation, and translators are advised to use “but” rather than therefore or “so” as the connective.

An alternative model is:

• This is what the LORD says: Instead of having days of going without food in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months, the people of Judah are to have days of glad celebration. But they must remember to love honesty and live together peacefully.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .