Zechariah 13:5

5 Each will say, "I'm not a prophet. I'm a man who works the ground, for the soil has been my occupation since I was young."

Zechariah 13:5 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 13:5

But he shall say, I [am] no prophet
That he is not of the Romish clergy, or of any of their religious orders, having laid aside his habit: I [am] an husbandman;
he shall put on the habit of a husbandman, and work for his bread; for he will not be able to support himself, as before, with the sale of pardons and indulgences, and by praying souls out of purgatory; for no man hereafter will buy of his merchandise, ( Revelation 18:11 ) and he will be ashamed of his former calling and traffic, and will not own that he was ever concerned therein; but will affirm that he was never of the Romish clergy, but always a layman, and employed in husbandry: for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth;
he will say he was brought up to husbandry, or in some mechanic business, from his youth, and never was in any convent or monastery, or of any religious order: it may be rendered, "for man made me to work from my youth" ^F21; and is not to be restrained to keeping cattle, or any particular employment.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (ynnqh) "fecerunt me operari", Noldius; "homo operari fecit me", De Dieu, Burkius.

Zechariah 13:5 In-Context

3 If anyone again prophesies, then that person's birth father and mother will say, "You won't live, for you have told a lie in the name of the LORD." That person's own birth father and mother will stab him when he prophesies.

4 On that day each of the prophets will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and won't put on a shaggy coat in order to deceive.

5 Each will say, "I'm not a prophet. I'm a man who works the ground, for the soil has been my occupation since I was young."

6 Someone will say to him, "What are these wounds between your hands?" And he will say, "These happened when I was hit in my friends' home."

7 Sword, arise against my shepherd, against the man responsible for my community, says the LORD of heavenly forces! Strike the shepherd in order to scatter the flock! I will turn my hand against the little ones.