The prophetic message shifts from a technical inquiry about continuing traditional fasts to a deep moral reckoning. God challenges the people to examine the true nature of their mourning and the core of their relationship with Him. The divine response is directed broadly to all the people of the land and the priests. This wide audience encompasses everyone involved, including the exiles in Babylon, the residents of Jerusalem, and the priests who were unsure how to answer the people's initial questions [אבן עזרא]. Alternatively, directing the message specifically to the inhabitants of the land serves to bypass the messengers from Babylon. This acts as a subtle rebuke to those who chose not to return to the Land of Israel, while ensuring the residents of Jerusalem understand the truth [מצודת דוד].
The prophecy addresses the mourning practices observed in the fifth and seventh months. The primary approach among commentators is that the fifth month refers to the mourning over the destroyed Temple, while the seventh month refers to the Fast of Gedaliah. Although there are four distinct fasts associated with the destruction, the Fast of Gedaliah is specifically highlighted because this murder functioned as a second destruction. His death led directly to the exile of the final survivors who had remained in the land [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Placing this event alongside the loss of the Temple teaches that the death of righteous individuals is considered equal in severity to the burning of the sanctuary itself [מצודת דוד]. These mourning practices had continued for seventy years, and while the exact historical timeline might vary slightly, the prophecy employs a rounded, close figure to capture the era [אבן עזרא].
The climax of the message lies in a piercing rhetorical question asking if the people truly fasted for God. The primary approach among commentators is that God asks whether these fasts were ever commanded by Him or done for His honor. In reality, God never instructed them to fast, nor do these days celebrate Him. Rather, they are simply the tragic results of the people's own sins that led to destruction and exile [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, the question highlights the flaw in viewing God in human terms. Fasting does not deprive or starve God, and physical affliction does not somehow obligate Him to grant their requests [מצודת דוד].
On a deeper level, individuals are expected to awaken heavenly mercy by emulating God's true traits, such as kindness, justice, and charity. Since God does not eat or drink, physical deprivation is not a divine trait that a person can emulate. Consequently, fasting alone, without accompanying good deeds, cannot trigger a divine response [מלבי״ם]. The ultimate conclusion is that if the people commit themselves to practicing justice and charity, they will no longer need these days of mourning, and the Temple will be rebuilt [רד״ק].