Zechariah 13:5

5 Each of them will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer and have been a farmer 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 a person continues to prophesy, his own father and mother, the ones who gave birth to him, will tell him, 'You have told lies using the Lord's name, so you must die.' When he prophesies, his own father and mother who gave birth to him will stab him.

4 "At that time the prophets will be ashamed of their visions and prophecies. They won't wear the prophet's clothes made of hair to trick people.

5 Each of them will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer and have been a farmer since I was young.'

6 But someone will ask, 'What are the deep cuts on your body?' And each will answer, 'I was hurt at my friend's house.'

7 "Sword, hit the shepherd. Attack the man who is my friend," says the Lord All-Powerful. "Kill the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter, and I will punish the little ones."