Zechariah 11

King James Version

Full text for Zechariah Chapter 11

1¶ Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

2Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

3[There is] a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.

4¶ Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;

5Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed [be] the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.

6For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour'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].

7And I will feed the flock of slaughter, [even] you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

9Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

10And I took my staff, [even] Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.

11And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it [was] the word of the LORD.

12And I said unto them, If ye think good, give [me] my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty [pieces] of silver.

13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty [pieces] of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

14Then I cut asunder mine other staff, [even] Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15¶ And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

16For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, [which] shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

17Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword [shall be] upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Zechariah 11 opens with a prophecy of destruction upon the land and its corrupt leaders, symbolized by the falling cedars of Lebanon. The LORD then commissions Zechariah to shepherd a doomed flock, representing His own ministry and subsequent rejection by His people. This rejection is marked by the breaking of two staves, "Beauty" and "Bands," and the payment of thirty pieces of silver, foreshadowing a future "foolish shepherd" who will exploit the flock.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with a lament over the impending destruction of the land, symbolized by the falling cedars of Lebanon and the howling of mighty trees and leaders. The LORD declares His intention to no longer pity the inhabitants, delivering them into the hands of their oppressors. Zechariah is then commanded to "feed the flock of the slaughter," representing the people exploited by their own shepherds. He takes two staves, "Beauty" (covenant) and "Bands" (unity), and swiftly removes three corrupt shepherds. However, the flock rejects him, leading him to break "Beauty," signifying the annulment of the covenant. His payment of thirty pieces of silver is cast to the potter, and "Bands" is broken, symbolizing the division between Judah and Israel. The chapter concludes with a prophecy of a "foolish shepherd" who will neglect and exploit the flock, bringing a curse upon himself.

Long Summary

Zechariah 11 commences with a vivid prophetic lament, calling upon Lebanon's cedars, fir trees, and oaks of Bashan to howl, signifying the imminent destruction and downfall of powerful nations and their leaders. The voice of howling shepherds and roaring young lions further emphasizes the ruin of their glory and pride. The LORD then declares His judgment, stating He will no longer pity the land's inhabitants but will deliver them into the hands of their neighbors and king, who will smite them without deliverance. In a symbolic act, the prophet Zechariah is commanded to "feed the flock of the slaughter," representing the people of Israel who are exploited by their own unmerciful possessors and shepherds. He takes two staves, naming one "Beauty," symbolizing God's covenant and favor, and the other "Bands," representing the unity of the people. During his brief ministry, he cuts off three shepherds in one month, indicating divine judgment upon corrupt leadership. However, his soul and the flock's souls abhor each other, leading him to declare he will no longer feed them, leaving them to their own destruction. He then breaks the staff "Beauty," signifying the breaking of the covenant the LORD had made with all the people, a moment understood by the "poor of the flock." Subsequently, Zechariah requests his wages, and they weigh out thirty pieces of silver, a sum the LORD ironically calls a "goodly price" and commands to be cast to the potter in the house of the LORD. Finally, he breaks the second staff, "Bands," to signify the breaking of the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. The chapter concludes with a further prophetic instruction for Zechariah to take on the "instruments of a foolish shepherd," foretelling a future oppressive leader who will neglect the weak, exploit the strong, and ultimately face divine judgment, with his power and understanding withered.

Core Concepts

  • Destruction of LeadersThe initial verses use imagery of falling cedars and howling shepherds to symbolize the impending downfall and judgment upon the powerful and corrupt leaders of the land.
  • The Flock of SlaughterThis refers to the people of Israel, who are depicted as a flock being exploited, slain without guilt, and unpitied by their own possessors and shepherds.
  • The Shepherd's RejectionZechariah, acting as a symbolic shepherd for the LORD, is ultimately rejected by the flock, leading to his declaration that he will no longer feed them, signifying God's withdrawal of His protective care.
  • Breaking the StavesThe breaking of "Beauty" (covenant) and "Bands" (unity) symbolizes the annulment of God's covenant with His people and the subsequent division between Judah and Israel.
  • Thirty Pieces of SilverThis specific sum is paid as the shepherd's price and is then cast to the potter, representing the low value placed upon the LORD's ministry and foreshadowing a future betrayal.
  • The Foolish ShepherdA prophecy of a future oppressive leader who will neglect the vulnerable, exploit the strong, and ultimately face severe divine judgment, losing his power and insight.
  • Divine JudgmentThroughout the chapter, the LORD's active judgment is evident, first upon the corrupt leaders, then upon the ungrateful flock, and finally upon the future "idol shepherd."