And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
They went to ask the priests at God's temple and the prophets: 'Should I keep fasting and crying during the fifth month like I've been doing all these years?'
Sometimes we need to ask if our religious routines are still serving their purpose.
📚 Historical Context
Zechariah was a prophet speaking to the Jewish people who had returned from exile in Babylon and were rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. They were questioning whether to continue fasting and weeping in the fifth month, a tradition that commemorated the destruction of the first Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC. This inquiry reflected a broader period of spiritual renewal and debate over which customs from the exile should persist.
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