Zechariah11

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.

Prophecy of Devastation and Judgment

1
Open your doors, L'vanon, so that fire can consume your cedars. ​
2
Wail, cypress, because the cedar has fallen, those splendid trees are ruined. Wail, oaks of Bashan, because the thick forest has been felled. ​
3
Listen to the wail of the shepherds, because their glory is spoiled. Listen to the roaring of young lions, because the Yarden's thickets are plundered. ​

Commission to Feed the Doomed Flock

4
ADONAI my God says this: "Shepherd the flock for slaughter. ​
5
Their buyers kill them and go unpunished; while those who sell them say, 'Barukh ADONAI! Now I'm rich!' Even their own shepherds show them no pity. ​
6
I will no longer show pity to the inhabitants of the land," says ADONAI. "No, I will hand every one of them over to the power of a neighbor and to the power of his king; they will crush the land; and I won't rescue them from their power." ​

The Symbolic Acts of the True Shepherd

7
So I shepherded the flock for slaughter, truly the most miserable of the sheep; and I took two staffs for myself. I called the one No'am [pleasantness], the other I called Hovalim [bound together], and I shepherded the flock. ​
8
"In a single month I got rid of three shepherds, because I grew impatient with them; and besides, they detested me. ​
9
I said, 'I'm not going to shepherd you. Whichever one is going to die, let it die; whichever is going to be destroyed, let it be destroyed; and the rest can all devour each other.'" ​
10
I took my staff No'am and snapped it in two, "in order to break my covenant, which I made with all the peoples." ​
11
On that day when it was broken, the most miserable of the sheep who paid attention to me knew that this was indeed a message from ADONAI. ​
12
I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; if not, don't." So they weighed out my wages, thirty silver [shekels, that is, twelve ounces]. ​
13
Concerning that "princely sum" at which they valued me, ADONAI said, "Throw it into the treasury!" So I took the thirty silver [shekels] and threw them into the treasury in the house of ADONAI. ​
14
Then I snapped in two my other staff Hovalim [bound together], in order to break up the brotherhood between Y'hudah and Isra'el. ​

The Coming of the Worthless Shepherd

15
ADONAI said to me, "This time, take the equipment of a worthless shepherd. ​
16
For I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who won't bother about the ones who have been destroyed, won't seek out the young, won't heal the broken and won't feed those standing still; on the contrary, he will eat the meat of the fat ones and break their hoofs in pieces. ​
17
"Woe to the worthless shepherd who abandons the sheep! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye. May his arm be completely withered and his right eye totally blinded." ​

Study Notes for Zechariah 11

Verse 1

Lebanon, known for its mighty cedars, symbolizes the strength and pride of the nation. The fire represents the swift, consuming judgment of God, likely through foreign invasion.

Verse 2

The destruction moves from the proud cedars of Lebanon (V. 1) to the strong oaks of Bashan, signifying that all powerful national symbols and leaders will fall under God’s judgment.

Verse 3

The 'shepherds' (leaders) are howling because their 'glory' (power and authority) is stripped away. The 'roaring of young lions' refers to the powerful enemies who will now occupy the fertile lands of Jordan.

Verse 4

The LORD commissions the prophet (or a symbolic figure representing the coming Messiah) to 'feed the flock of the slaughter,' meaning to care for a people already destined for judgment due to their rebellion.

Verse 5

This verse describes the corruption of Israel's leadership: the 'possessors' (foreign rulers or corrupt elite) exploit the people, and the 'shepherds' (local leaders) show no pity, viewing their exploitation as divine blessing.

Verse 6

God declares that because of the leaders' corruption and the people’s subsequent suffering, He will withdraw His pity and deliver them into civil strife and the power of their own king (or foreign rulers).

Verse 7

The prophet takes two symbolic staves: 'Beauty' (No'am, signifying God’s favor and grace toward His people) and 'Bands' (Hebel, signifying the unity and brotherhood between Judah and Israel).

Verse 8

The 'three shepherds' likely symbolize a rapid succession of corrupt or ineffective leaders (perhaps political, priestly, and prophetic authorities) whom God swiftly removes from power.

Verse 9

The true shepherd resigns his charge, symbolizing God’s decision to abandon the people to their fate and internal destruction because of their rejection of His guidance.

Verse 10

Breaking the staff 'Beauty' symbolizes the breaking of God’s covenant of favor and protection (His 'beauty') with the people, signaling the end of His unique protective relationship with them.

Verse 11

While the majority were blind, the 'poor of the flock' (the faithful remnant who trusted the true shepherd) recognized that the withdrawal of God's favor was a genuine divine judgment.

Verse 12

The shepherd demands his wage, and the people contemptuously offer 'thirty pieces of silver.' This was the price of a slave (Ex. 21:32), representing their utter scorn for God’s appointed representative.

Verse 13

The LORD commands the money to be cast to the potter. This action, fulfilled by Judas Iscariot (Matt. 27:9-10), confirms the prophetic nature of this passage regarding the rejection and betrayal of the Messiah.

Verse 14

Breaking the second staff, 'Bands,' symbolizes the dissolution of the 'brotherhood' or unity between the two houses (Judah and Israel), leading to internal division and civil chaos.

Verse 15

The prophet is commanded to adopt the 'instruments of a foolish shepherd,' symbolizing the wicked, oppressive ruler God will allow to rise up and govern the people as a further act of judgment.

Verse 16

This 'worthless shepherd' is characterized by his cruelty and neglect; he will not care for the weak or lost but will exploit the strong ('eat the flesh of the fat'), reversing the role of a true shepherd.

Verse 17

This final 'Woe' pronounces a severe judgment upon the 'idol shepherd' (a worthless, false ruler), symbolizing the judgment that will inevitably fall upon all corrupt leaders who betray their divine trust.

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