Zechariah 11:2-12

2 Yell, thou fir tree, for the cedar fell down, for great men be destroyed; yell, ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is cut down.
3 The voice of yelling of shepherds, for the great worship of them is destroyed; the voice of roaring of lions, for the pride of Jordan is wasted. (The sound of the yelling of the shepherds, or of the leaders, for their great glory is destroyed; the sound of the roaring of the lions, for the thickets of Jordan be destroyed.)
4 My Lord God saith these things, Feed thou beasts of slaughter, (The Lord my God saith these things, Feed thou the beasts for slaughter,)
5 which they that wielded slew; and sorrowed not, and sold them, and they said, Blessed be the Lord, we be made rich. And the shepherds of them spared not them, (which they who possessed them killed; and they did not have any sorrow, or any regret, and they sold them, and they said, Blessed be the Lord, for we be made rich. And their shepherds did not spare them,)
6 and I shall no more spare on them that inhabit the earth, saith the Lord. Lo! I shall betake men, each into the hand of his neighbour, and in(to) the hand of his king, and they shall rend together the land; and I shall not deliver from the hand of them, (and so no more shall I spare any who inhabit the earth, saith the Lord. Lo! I shall deliver all of the people, each one into the hands of his neighbour, and into the hands of his king, and they shall altogether, or shall completely, tear down the land; and I shall not rescue them from their hands,)
7 and I shall feed the beast of slaying. For this thing, ye poor men of the flock, hear (and I shall feed the beasts for slaughter. And so for this, ye poor of the flock, listen). And I took to me two staffs; one I called Fairness, and the tother I called Little Cord; and I fed the flock.
8 And I cutted down three shepherds in one month, and my soul was drawn (al)together in them; for also the soul of them varied in me. (And I cut down three shepherds in one month, for I lost patience with them; and their souls loathed me.)
9 And I said, I shall not feed you; that that dieth, die; and that that is cut down, be cut down; and the residues devour, each man the flesh of his neighbour. (And I said, I shall not feed you; he who shall die, die; and he who shall be cut down, be cut down; and the rest devour each other, yea, each person the flesh of his neighbour.)
10 And I took my staff, that was called Fairness, and I cutted down it, that I should make void my covenant, which I smote with all peoples. (And I took my staff, that was called Fairness, or Favour, and I cut it down, or I broke it in two, so that I would make void my covenant, which I struck with all the peoples, or all the nations.)
11 And it was made void in that day; and the poor men of the flock that kept to me, knew thus, for it is the word of the Lord. (And it was made void, or annulled, on that day; and the poor of the flock who were watching me, knew this, for it was the word of the Lord.)
12 And I said to them, If it is good in your eyes, bring ye my meed (bring ye my reward, or my wages); and if nay, rest ye. And they weighed my meed, thirty pieces of silver.

Zechariah 11:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 11

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of the Jews, and shows the causes and reasons of it; and is concluded with a prediction concerning antichrist. The destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of it, is signified by figurative expressions, Zec 11:1,2 which occasions an howling among the shepherds or rulers of Israel, on account of whose cruelty and covetousness the wrath of God came upon them without mercy, Zec 11:3,5,6 but inasmuch as there were a remnant according to the election of grace among them, named the flock of the slaughter, Christ is called upon to feed them; who undertakes it, and prepares for it, Zec 11:4,7 but being abhorred by the shepherds, whom he therefore loathed and cut off, he determines to leave the people to utter ruin and destruction, Zec 11:8,9 and, as a token of it, breaks the two staves asunder he had took to feed them with, Zec 11:10,11,14 and, as an instance of their ingratitude to him, and which is a justification of his conduct towards them, notice is taken of his being valued at and sold for thirty pieces of silver, Zec 11:12,13 but, in the place of these shepherds cut off, it is suggested that another should arise, who is described by his folly, negligence, and cruelty, Zec 11:15,16 to whom a woe is denounced, Zec 11:17.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.