Zechariah 11:4-14
Expanded Bible
The Two Shepherds
4 This is what the Lord my God says: “·Feed [Shepherd] the flock that are ·about to be killed [set aside for slaughter]. 5 Their buyers ·kill [slaughter] them and ·are not punished [are not held liable; or feel no remorse]. Those who sell them say, ‘·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, I am rich.’ Even the shepherds don’t ·feel sorry for [have compassion on; or spare] their sheep. 6 I don’t ·feel sorry [have compassion] anymore for the ·people [inhabitants] of this country,” says the Lord. “I will let everyone ·be under the power [L fall into the hand] of his neighbor and king. They will ·bring trouble to [devastate] the country, and I will not save anyone from ·them [L their hand].”
7 So I ·fed [shepherded] the flock ·about to be killed [marked for slaughter], particularly the ·weakest [oppressed] ones. Then I took two ·sticks [staffs]; I called one ·Pleasant [or Favor] and the other Union, and I ·fed [shepherded] the flock. 8 In one month I got rid of three shepherds. The flock ·did not pay attention to [or detested; loathed] me, and I ·got impatient [grew weary] with them. 9 I said, “I will no longer ·take care of you like a shepherd [shepherd you]. Let those that are dying die, and let those that are ·to be destroyed be destroyed [perishing perish]. Let those that are left eat ·each other [L the flesh of his neighbor].”
10 Then I broke the ·stick [staff] named ·Pleasant [or Favor] to ·break [revoke] the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] God made with all the ·nations [peoples]. 11 That day it was ·broken [revoked]. The ·weak [oppressed] ones in the flock who were watching me knew this ·message was from [L was the word of] the Lord.
12 Then I said, “If ·you want [it seems right to you; L it is good in your eyes] to pay me, pay me. If not, ·then don’t [keep it].” So they ·paid [weighed out to] me thirty pieces of silver [Ex. 21:32; Matt. 26:15].
13 The Lord said to me, “Throw the money to the potter.” ·That is how little they thought I was worth […this magnificent price at which they valued me”; C sarcastic, since the sum was about the cost of a slave]. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord [Matt. 27:9, 10].
14 Then I broke the second ·stick [staff], named Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
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Zechariah 11:4-14
New American Standard Bible
4 This is what the Lord my God says: “Pasture the flock doomed to (A)slaughter. 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and [a]go (B)unpunished, and each of those who sell them says, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for (C)I have become rich!’ And their (D)own shepherds have no compassion for them. 6 For I will (E)no longer have compassion for the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord; “but behold, I will (F)let the people fall, each into another’s [b]power and into the [c]power of his king; and they will crush the land, and I will (G)not rescue them from their [d]power.”
7 So I (H)pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, [e]therefore also the (I)afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two (J)staffs: the one I called [f](K)Favor, and the other I called (L)Union; so I pastured the flock. 8 Then I did away with the three shepherds in (M)one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also [g]was tired of me. 9 Then I said, “I will not pasture you. What is to (N)die, [h]let it die, and what is to perish, [i]let it perish; and [j]let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” 10 And I took my staff [k](O)Favor and cut it in pieces, to [l](P)break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was [m]broken on that day, and [n]so the (Q)afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the Lord. 12 And I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my (R)wages; but if not, [o]never mind!” So they weighed out (S)thirty shekels of silver as my wages. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the (T)potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.” So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. 14 Then I cut in pieces my second staff (U)Union, to (V)break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Zechariah 11:5 Lit are not held guilty
- Zechariah 11:6 Lit hand
- Zechariah 11:6 Lit hand
- Zechariah 11:6 Lit hand
- Zechariah 11:7 Another reading is for the sheep dealers
- Zechariah 11:7 Or Pleasantness
- Zechariah 11:8 Or detested
- Zechariah 11:9 Or will die
- Zechariah 11:9 Or will perish
- Zechariah 11:9 Or those...will eat
- Zechariah 11:10 Or Pleasantness
- Zechariah 11:10 Or annul
- Zechariah 11:11 Or annulled
- Zechariah 11:11 Another reading is the sheep dealers who
- Zechariah 11:12 Lit cease
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