Zechariah 13:4

4 "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He won't deceive people by dressing [like a prophet] in a coat made of hair.

Zechariah 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 13:4

And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the prophets
shall be ashamed, everyone of his vision, when he hath prophesied,
&c.] He shall be ashamed of the doctrines he has delivered, they will appear to all men so ridiculous and absurd; as the doctrines of merit, and the works of supererogation; of transubstantiation and purgatory; of pardons, penance, &c: neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive;
or, "a hairy garment" ^F17; such as the first and ancient inhabitants of the earth wore, who used the skins of beasts for covering, as Diodorus Siculus ^F18 observes: and Pausanias ^F19 says of the first natives of Locris, not knowing how to weave and make garments, used to cover their bodies, to preserve them from the cold, with the undressed skins of beasts, turning the hair outward, as more becoming: and such a hairy garment, or much like it, Elijah wore; hence he is called a hairy man, ( 2 Kings 1:8 ) and John the Baptist, who came in the power and spirit of that prophet, appeared in a like habit, clothed with camel's hair, ( Matthew 3:4 ) and in like manner good men, especially in times of distress and trouble, used to wander about in sheepskins and goatskins, ( Hebrews 11:37 ) which seem to be the same sort of raiment: and now, in imitation of such like good men, and true prophets of the Lord, particularly Elijah, the false prophets, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe, in order to deceive the people, and pass for true prophets, put on such rough and hairy garments, as if they were very humble and self denying men. Braunius ^F20 thinks the prophet may have respect to a custom among the idolatrous prophets, who used to clothe themselves with the skins of the sacrifices, and lie on them in their temples, in order to obtain dreams, and be able to foretell future things; of which (See Gill on Amos 2:8) but it seems to have respect to the habits of the monks and friars, and of the different orders by which they are distinguished as religious persons, and gain respect and veneration among men; and under the guise of sanctity and devotion, and of an austere and mortified life, impose their lies and deceptions upon them; but now will lay their habits aside, as being ashamed of their profession and principles.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (rev trda) "pallio pili", Montanus; "piloso", Pagninus; "chlamyde pilosa", Munster; "pallium ex pilis", Cocceius; "pallium pili", Burkius.
F18 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 21.
F19 Phocica, sive. l. 10. p. 685.
F20 De Vestitu Sacerdot. Heb. l. 1. c. 4. sect. 9. p. 97.

Zechariah 13:4 In-Context

2 "On that day," declares the LORD of Armies, "I will wipe away the names of the idols from the land. They will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the [false] prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.

3 "If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will say, 'You don't deserve to live because you speak lies in the name of the LORD.' Then his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will stab him when he prophesies.

4 "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He won't deceive people by dressing [like a prophet] in a coat made of hair.

5 He will say, 'I am not a prophet. I'm a farmer. I've owned this land since I was a child.'

6 "When someone asks him, 'What are these scars on your chest?' he will answer, 'I was hurt at my friend's house.'