Zacharia 11:4

4 Alzo zegt de HEERE, mijn God: Weidt deze slachtschapen.

Zacharia 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.

Zacharia 11:4 In-Context

2 Huilt, gij dennen! dewijl de cederen gevallen zijn, dewijl die heerlijke bomen verwoest zijn; huilt, gij eiken van Basan! dewijl het sterke woud nedergevallen is.

3 Er is een stem des gehuils der herderen, dewijl hun heerlijkheid verwoest is; een stem des gebruls der jonge leeuwen, dewijl de hoogmoed van de Jordaan verwoest is.

4 Alzo zegt de HEERE, mijn God: Weidt deze slachtschapen.

5 Welker bezitters hen doden, en houden het voor geen schuld; en een ieder dergenen, die ze verkopen, zegt: Geloofd zij de HEERE, dat ik rijk geworden ben; en niemand van degenen, die ze weiden, verschoont ze.

6 Zekerlijk, Ik zal niet meer de inwoners dezes lands verschonen, spreekt de HEERE; maar ziet, Ik zal de mensen overleveren, elkeen in de hand zijns naasten, en in de hand zijns konings, en zij zullen dit land te morzel slaan, en Ik zal ze uit hun hand niet verlossen.