Zechariah 1:5 — Word Study
WLCאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם אַיֵּה־ הֵ֑ם וְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔ים הַלְעוֹלָ֖ם יִֽחְיֽוּ׃
BSAWhereʼayêh [in what place or state] are your fathers nowʼâb [ancestors, forefathers] And the prophetsnâbîyʼ [spokesmen for God, messengers] do they livechâyâh▸ [remain alive, have eternal life] foreverʻôwlâm [always, to the age, without end]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם | ancestors your | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| אַיֵּה־ | where? | Particle |
| הֵ֑ם | [are] they | Pronoun |
| וְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔ים | and the prophets | Conjunction, particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| הַלְעוֹלָ֖ם | ¿ to forever | Particle, preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יִֽחְיֽוּ׃ | do they live | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? |
| KJV | Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? |
| ASV | Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? |
| YLT | Your fathers — where [are] they? And the prophets — to the age do they live? |
| WEB | Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? |
| BBE | Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they go on living for ever? |
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse without notable differences.
The sentence consists of a main clause and two additional phrases that expand on the subjects being questioned.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהֵם
verbחָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Zechariah 1:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Call to Remembergenerated
Zechariah 1:5 is part of a larger message urging the people to reflect on their history and the consequences of their actions. The prophet Zechariah reminds them of their ancestors and the prophets, questioning their current relevance and existence. This passage serves as a reminder of the importance of heeding God's messages through His prophets, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Zechariah 1:4 and 1:6.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 14:10–12 | But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he? |
| 2 | Psalm 90:10 | The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. |
| 3 | Ecclesiastes 1:4 | Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 9:1–3 | So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate. |
| 5 | Ecclesiastes 12:5–7 | when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם, 'a.vo.tei.Khemgenerated
The word אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם ('avoteikhem) is a construct form of the noun אָב (av), meaning 'father.' It refers to ancestors or forefathers, emphasizing a familial or ancestral relationship. The parsing indicates it is a common feminine plural noun with a suffix, showing possession.
In this context, it evokes a sense of heritage and accountability, asking the people to consider where their fathers are now, implying that they have passed away and their legacy remains. This underscores the transient nature of life and the importance of listening to the prophets.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is translated in the Berean Standard Bible as a straightforward inquiry about the state of the fathers and the prophets.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure is composed of two main clauses: the first asks about the location of the ancestors, and the second questions the eternal life of the prophets. The finite verb יִֽחְיֽוּ (yichyu) governs the second clause, indicating the inquiry into the prophets' existence.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subjects, highlighting the ancestors and the prophets as focal points of the questions posed.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם is rendered as ὑμῶν (humōn), meaning 'your.' This choice shifts the focus slightly from the ancestral lineage to the people being addressed, emphasizing their connection to the past.
The Greek word προφῆται (prophētai) captures the essence of the Hebrew נָבִיא (nabi), maintaining the role of the prophets as spokesmen for God.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Zechariah 1:5 asks where the ancestors are now and whether the prophets live forever. This verse encourages reflection on the past and the messages of the prophets, reminding the people of their heritage and the importance of heeding God's words.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The question highlights the importance of remembering one's heritage and the lessons learned from the past.
He emphasizes the role of prophets as messengers of God, urging the people to consider their words and warnings.
This rhetorical question suggests that while the prophets may not be physically present, their messages and teachings endure.
It serves as a reminder of the consequences of ignoring God's messages, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I reflect on my own heritage and the lessons learned from my ancestors?
- What role do I believe prophets or spiritual leaders play in my life today?
- In what ways do I see the messages of the past continuing to influence the present?
- How can I ensure that I am attentive to the teachings and warnings of those who speak for God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse highlights the significance of the questions posed by Zechariah regarding the ancestors and prophets, emphasizing the enduring nature of God's messages.
Where are your fathers and the prophets? Will they live forever? However, my words and my ordinances that I commanded my servants the prophets,Early Church Fathers on Zechariah 1 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Zechariah 1:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleYour fathers, where [are] they?.... They are not in the land of the living; they perished by the sword of the Chaldeans, or died in captivity: and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Read John Gill on Zechariah 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryYour fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live forever? - In contrast to "my words" (Zechariah 1:6), "which endure forever" (1 Peter 1:25).
Read Robert Jamieson on Zechariah 1 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleYour fathers, where are they? but where are your disobedient fathers? Are they not buried in a strange land? Did they not die of those diseases? Were they not consumed with famine and the sword, as was menaced against them? And the prophets: some apply this to the false prophets who promised peace, but where are they now? But it is better understood of the true prophets, who died as others; they do not nor must live always to warn you.
Read Matthew Poole on Zechariah 1 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsZechariah 1:5 Your fathers, where [are] they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?Ver. 5. Your fathers, where are they?] Is not the grave their house? have they not made their beds in the dark? are not they gone down to the congregation of all living? Job 30:23. Every man should die the same day as he is born; as being born a child of death; the wages of sin is death, and this wages should be paid him down presently. But Christ begs their lives for a season, 1 Timothy 4:10; he is the Saviour of all men, not of eternal preservation, but of temporal reservation. But what a sad thing is it for men to die in their sins, as these in the text and their nephews did, John 8:21; John 8:24. How…
Read John Trapp on Zechariah 1 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Fathers . . . prophets.—To show the evil result of the obstinate disobedience of their fathers, the prophet asks, “Your fathers, where are they?”—i.e., they are perished through their iniquity. To this the people answer, “But the prophets, do they live [or did they go on living] for ever?”—i.e., the prophets, who did not sin, they are dead too; so what is your argument worth?
Read Charles John Ellicott on Zechariah 1 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. Your fathers, where are they?] Israel has been destroyed and ruined in the bloody wars with the Assyrians; and Judah, in those with the Chaldeans. The prophets, do they live for ever?] They also, who spoke unto your fathers, are dead; but their predictions remain; and the events, which have taken place according to those predictions, prove that God sent them.
Read AdamClarke on Zechariah 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2–6. The call to Repentance. Zechariah’s first message is one of warning, by the example of their fathers and the earlier prophets. On their fathers, as they well knew, the displeasure of Almighty God had fallen heavily (Zechariah 1:2). Now, for the first time in this new era of their history, God is sending to them, as He did to their fathers of old, His servants the prophets, himself and Haggai, with a call to repentance and a promise of reconciliation, Zechariah 1:3. Let them not be like their fathers, who turned a deaf ear to the remonstrances of the prophets and refused to amend, Zechariah 1:4; lest, being like them in their sin, they should be like them in their punishment also, and…
Read Cambridge on Zechariah 1 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleYour fathers, where are they? - The abrupt solemnity of the question seems to imply an unexpected close of life which cut short their hopes, plans, promises to self.
Read Albert Barnes on Zechariah 1 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?
Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?
“As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever?
Tyndale line
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
your fathers, where are they? and doe the Prophets liue for euer?
Strictly literal
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
Your fathers — where [are] they? And the prophets — to the age do they live?
Your fathers—where [are] they? And the prophets—do they live for all time?
Your fathers,—where are they! and the prophets,— could they live for ever!
Your fathers, where are they? Where are the prophets, are they here forever?
From the Latin
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, shall they live always?
Simplified
Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, did they live forever?
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they go on living for ever?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם אַיֵּה־ הֵ֑ם וְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔ים הַלְעוֹלָ֖ם יִֽחְיֽוּ׃, and this is closely matched by the Septuagint, which reflects the same questions. The Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q80 show three words preserved, with the rest supplied by an editor, indicating some loss in the text.
אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם אַיֵּה־ הֵ֑ם וְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔ים הַלְעוֹלָ֖ם יִֽחְיֽוּ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[אבותי׳כם] [איה] [הם] והנביאים הלעולם יחיו
3 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Zechariah 1:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp2mp
The Hebrew word אַיֵּה (*'ayeh*) means "where?" and is used as an interrogative adverb. It can refer to the location of persons or things and may also be used rhetorically. The word is derived from a prolonged form of another root, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage in specific verses.
אַיֵּה 46 interr.adv. Where?
base
H346 אַיֵּה Where?
346 'ayeh ah-yay'
prolonged from 335; where?:--where.
see HEBREW for 0335
אַיֵּה (ay.yeh) — where?.
1) where?
1a) of persons, things
1b) rhetorical
Part — ParticleHTi
הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.
הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they
base
H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they
1992 hem haym
or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from
1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)
many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,
their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.
see HEBREW for 01981
הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).
they, these, the same, who
HPp3mp — PronounHPp3mp
נָבִיא (nabiy') refers to a prophet or an inspired speaker, covering genuine, false, and heathen prophets. It is derived from the root meaning to bubble forth, indicating a connection to prophecy. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, highlighting its significance in both true and false prophetic roles.
נָבִיא 306 n.m. spokesman, speaker, prophet
genuine prophet of י׳
false prophets
heathen prophets
base
H5030 נָבִיא spokesman, speaker, prophet
5030 nabiy' naw-bee'
from 5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man:--prophecy,
that prophesy, prophet.
see HEBREW for 05012
נָבִיא (na.vi) — prophet.
1) spokesman, speaker, prophet
1a) prophet
1b) false prophet
1c) heathen prophet
Aramaic equivalent: ne.vi (נְבִיא "prophet" H5029)
Conj | Art | N-mp — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Td/Ncmpa
A class of men of God, especially in the Old Testament dispensation, inspired to foretell future and secret events; and who also revealed he will of God as to current events and duties, and were his ambassadors to men. But the word is sometimes used in a wider sense; thus Aaron was Moses; prophet, Ex 7:1, appointed to deliver to the people the messages that Moses received from God; the sacred musicians are said to prophecy, 1Ch 25:1; and Paul gives the name, according to the custom of the Greeks, to the poet Aratus, "a prophet of their own," Tit 1:12. Scripture does not withhold the name of prophet from impostors, although they falsely boasted of inspiration. As true prophets, when filled y the energy of God’s Spirit, were…
עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.
עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity
base
H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity
5769 `owlam o-lawm'
or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the
vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),
i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial
(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),
ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,
(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)
old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world
(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.
see HEBREW for 05956
see HEBREW for 05331
see HEBREW for 05703
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.
: enduring/eternal
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.
This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.
: any_time
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.
: old/ancient
Part | Prep | N-ms — Particle · preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTi/R/Ncmsa
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp