Prophecy of the Shepherds

Thus says the Lord my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter, whose owners slaughter them and (A)feel no guilt; those who sell them (B)say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do (C)not pity them. For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall [a]attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.”

So I fed the flock for slaughter, [b]in particular (D)the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called [c]Beauty, and the other I called [d]Bonds; and I fed the flock. I [e]dismissed the three shepherds (E)in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Then I said, “I will not feed you. (F)Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.” 10 And I took my staff, [f]Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was broken on that day. Thus (G)the[g] poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it is [h]agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they (H)weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.

13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the (I)potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter. 14 Then I cut in two my other staff, [i]Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 11:6 Lit. strike
  2. Zechariah 11:7 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX for the Canaanites
  3. Zechariah 11:7 Or Grace
  4. Zechariah 11:7 Or Unity
  5. Zechariah 11:8 Or destroyed, lit. cut off
  6. Zechariah 11:10 Or Grace
  7. Zechariah 11:11 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX the Canaanites
  8. Zechariah 11:12 good in your sight
  9. Zechariah 11:14 Or Unity

Thus said Jehovah my God: Feed the flock of slaughter; whose [a]possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty; and they that sell them say, Blessed be Jehovah, for I am rich; and [b]their own shepherds pity them not. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah; but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbor’s hand, and into the hand of his king; and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. So I fed the flock of slaughter, verily [c]the poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called [d]Beauty, and the other I called [e]Bands; and I fed the flock. And I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me. Then said I, I will not feed you: that which dieth, let it die; and [f]that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let them that are left eat every one the flesh of another. 10 And I took my staff Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11 And it was broken in that day; and [g]thus [h]the poor of the flock that gave heed unto me knew that it was the word of Jehovah. 12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my hire; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my hire thirty pieces of silver. 13 And Jehovah said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, the goodly price that I was prized at by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them unto the potter, in the house of Jehovah. 14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 11:5 Or, buyers
  2. Zechariah 11:5 Or, their shepherd pitieth
  3. Zechariah 11:7 Or, the most miserable of sheep
  4. Zechariah 11:7 Or, Graciousness
  5. Zechariah 11:7 Or, Binders. Or, Union
  6. Zechariah 11:9 Or, that which is lost, let it be lost
  7. Zechariah 11:11 Or, the poor of the flock . . . knew of a truth
  8. Zechariah 11:11 Or, the most miserable of sheep