Zechariah 11:15-17
New English Translation
15 Again the Lord said to me, “Take up once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd.[a] 16 Indeed, I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not take heed of the sheep headed to slaughter, will not seek the scattered, and will not heal the injured.[b] Moreover, he will not nourish the one that is healthy, but instead will eat the meat of the fat sheep[c] and tear off their hooves.
17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd
who abandons the flock!
May a sword fall on his arm and his right eye!
May his arm wither completely away,
and his right eye become completely blind!”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 11:15 sn The grammar (e.g., the incipient participle מֵקִים, meqim, “about to raise up,” v. 16) and overall sense of vv. 15-17 give the incident a future orientation. Zechariah once more is role-playing but this time he is a “foolish” shepherd, i.e., one who does not know God and who is opposed to him (cf. Prov 1:7; 15:5; 20:3; 27:22). The individual who best represents this eschatological enemy of God and his people is the Antichrist (cf. Matt 24:5, 24; 2 Thess 2:3-4; 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7).
- Zechariah 11:16 tn Heb “the broken” (so KJV, NASB; NRSV “the maimed”).
- Zechariah 11:16 tn Heb “the fat [ones].” Cf. ASV “the fat sheep”; NIV “the choice sheep.”
Zechariah 11:15-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
15 Then the Lord said to me: “Take once more the implements of a worthless shepherd.(A) 16 For I am now raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for the perishing, or seek the wandering,[a] or heal the maimed, or nourish the healthy,[b] but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.
17 Oh, my worthless shepherd,
who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
and his right eye!
Let his arm be completely withered,
his right eye utterly blinded!”(B)
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