content to accept circumstances the way they were. They made up their
mind to inquire of the Lord about this.
The word “entreat” has a very particular meaning in the Hebrew language.
The Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the King James Version defines the
word as follows:
2470.
הָלָח
ḥ
ālāh, khaw-law'; A primitive root (compare 2342,
2470, 2490); properly to be rubbed or worn; hence
(figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to
grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat.
:--beseech, (be) diseased, (put to) grief, be grieved, (be)
grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to pain, X pray, make
prayer, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make suit (X
supplication), woman in travail, be (become) weak, be
wounded. (Electronic files Copyright © 2015 by Laridian, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.)
The idea is that Sharezer, Rege-meleh and the men with them come before
the Lord as those who were worn out, sick and grieved. They came to
implore God to have mercy on them and restore His blessings. They knew
God was the source of all blessing, and they came to petition Him for the
release of that blessing on their lives.
It would be easy to assume that because the people of Zechariah’s day were
“entreating” the Lord that they were a godly people. There is a world of
difference, however, between being godly and seeking the favour of God.
Many want the favour of God in their lives who have no desire to follow
Him. The people of Jesus’ day followed Him wherever He went seeking a
miracle, but when He went to the cross, their voices could be heard among
those who cried out for His crucifixion.
Several years ago, I was in Haiti. It seemed that wherever I went, I saw
tremendous needs. People came to me, begging for money or something to
eat. All of them had legitimate demands. These people did not know me,