Zechariah 11:4

4 Thus says the LORD my God, "Pasture the flock doomed to ¹slaughter.

Zechariah 11:4 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 11:4

Thus saith the Lord my God
The Syriac version adds, "to me"; not the Prophet Zechariah, but the Messiah, who calls the Lord his God, as he was man and Mediator, ( John 20:17 ) for what follow are the words of God the Father to him, calling upon him, and giving him a commission to Feed the flock of the slaughter;
meaning the people of the Jews in general, to whom Christ was sent as a prophet, to teach and instruct them by the ministry of the word; so "feeding" is interpreted of prophesying, by the Targum and Jarchi: and these are called "the flock of slaughter", because of the cruel usage they met with from their shepherds and owners, mentioned in the next verse ( Zechariah 11:5 ) ; and because they were appointed and given up to ruin and destruction of God, on account of their sins and transgressions; though there was a remnant among them, a little flock, afterwards in this chapter called the poor of the flock ( Zechariah 11:7 ) , who were the special care of Christ, and were fed by him in a spiritual manner; and may go by this name, because exposed to the cruelties of men, and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, ( Romans 8:36 ) these Christ was called upon by his Father in the council of peace to take care of, which he did; and in the everlasting covenant of grace he agreed to feed them; and in the fulness of time he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who were as sheep without a shepherd; and he fed them with knowledge and with understanding.

Zechariah 11:4 In-Context

2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the glorious trees have been destroyed; Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the impenetrable forest has come down.

3 There is a sound of the shepherds' wail, For their glory is ruined; There is a sound of the young lions' roar, For the pride of the Jordan is ruined.

4 Thus says the LORD my God, "Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter.

5 "Those who buy them slay them and go unpunished , and each of those who sell them says, 'Blessed be the LORD , for I have become rich!' And their own shepherds have no pity on them.

6 "For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of the land," declares the LORD ; "but behold, I will cause the men to fall, each into another's power and into the power of his king; and they will strike the land, and I will not deliver them from their power."

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 44:22; Zechariah 11:7