Zechariah 11:4-14

The Two Shepherds

4 Thus says Yahweh my God: "Shepherd the flock [doomed] to slaughter.

5 The ones buying them kill them and go unpunished, and the ones selling them say, 'Blessed [be] Yahweh, for I have become rich.' Their own shepherds have no compassion for them.

6 For I will no longer have compassion on the inhabitants of the land," {declares} Yahweh. "Look, I [am] going to cause humankind to fall, each into the hand of his neighbor, and into the hand of his king; and they will devastate the land, and I will not deliver [anyone] from their hand."

7 And I shepherded the flock [doomed] to slaughter, even the afflicted of the flock. I took two staffs, one I called Kindness, and the other I called Unity, and I shepherded the flock.

8 And I got rid of three shepherds in one month, for {I grew impatient} with them, and {they also became tired of me}.

9 So I said, "I will not shepherd you! The [one] dying will die, and the [one] to be destroyed will be destroyed. And the [ones] remaining, let them devour {the flesh of each other}."

10 And I took my staff Kindness and broke it, to break my covenant that I {had made} with all the peoples.

11 And it was broken on that day. Then the afflicted of the flock, the [ones who were] watching me, knew that it [was] the word of Yahweh.

12 And I said to them, "If {it seems right to you}, give [me] my wages, but if not, {keep them}." And they weighed out my wages, thirty silver [shekels].

13 And Yahweh said to me, "Throw it to the potter," {this noble price} [at] which I was valued by them!" So I took the thirty silver [shekels] and I threw them to the potter [in] the house of Yahweh.

14 Then I broke my second staff Unity to break the family ties between Judah and Israel.

Zechariah 11:4-14 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.

Footnotes

• [a] The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
• [b] Literally "declaration of"
• [c] The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
• [d] Hebrew "therefore"
• [e] LXX reads "merchants [of the flock]" which is reflected in some English translations
• [f] The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
• [g] The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
• [h] Literally "my soul became short"
• [i] Literally "also their soul detested me"
• [j] Literally "each the flesh of her neighbor"
• [k] Literally "had cut"
• [l] LXX reads "merchants (of the flock)" which is reflected in some English translations
• [m] The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
• [n] Literally "[it is] good in your eyes"
• [o] Literally "refrain"
• [p] Syriac reads "treasury," followed by NAB, NRSV, TEV
• [q] Literally "the price of honor"
• [r] Syriac reads "treasury," followed by NAB, NRSV, TEV