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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Zechariah 11:4–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet here is made a type of Christ, as the prophet Isaiah sometimes was; and the scope of these verses is to show that for judgment Christ came into this world (Joh 9:39), for judgment to the Jewish church and nation, which were, about the time of his coming, wretchedly corrupted and degenerated by the worldliness and hypocrisy of their rulers. Christ would have healed them, but they would not be healed; they are therefore left desolate, and abandoned to ruin. Observe here,
I.The desperate case of the Jewish church, under the tyranny of their own governors.
Their slavery in their own country made them as miserable as their captivity in strange countries had done: Their possessors slay them and sell them, Zac 11:5. In Zechariah's time we find the rulers and the nobles justly rebuked for exacting usury of their brethren; and the governors, even by their servants, oppressive to the people, Neh 5:7, Neh 5:15. In Christ's time the chief priests and the elders, who were the possessors of the flock, by their traditions, the commandments of men, and their impositions on the consciences of the people, became perfect tyrants, devoured their houses, engrossed their wealth, and fleeced the flock instead of feeding it. The Sadducees, who were deists, corrupted their judgments. The Pharisees, who were bigots for superstition, corrupted their morals, by making void the commandments of God, Mat 15:16. Thus they slew the sheep of the flock, thus they sold them. They cared not what became of them so they could but gain their own ends and serve their own interests. And,
1.In this they justified themselves: They slay them and hold themselves not guilty. They think that there is no harm in it, and that they shall never be called to an account for it by the chief Shepherd; as if their power were given them for destruction, which was designed only for edification, and as if, because they sat in Moses's seat, they were not under the obligation of Moses's law, but might dispense with it, and with themselves in the breach of it, at their pleasure. Note, Those have their minds woefully blinded indeed who do ill and justify themselves in doing it; but God will not hold those guiltless who hold themselves so.
2.In this they affronted God, by giving him thanks for the gain of their oppression: They said, Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich, as if, because they prospered in their wickedness, got money by it, and raised estates, God had made himself patron of their unjust practices, and Providence had become particeps criminis - the associate of their guilt. What is got honestly we ought to give God thanks for, and to bless him whose blessing makes rich and adds no sorrow with it. But with what face can we go to God either to beg a blessing upon the unlawful methods of getting wealth or to return him thanks for success in them? They should rather have gone to God to confess the sin, to take shame to themselves for it, and to vow restitution, than thus to mock him by making the gains of sin the gift of God, who hates robbery for burnt-offerings, and reckons not himself praised by the thanksgiving if he be dishonoured either in the getting or the using of that which we give him thanks for.
3.In this they put contempt upon the people of God, as unworthy their regard or compassionate consideration: Their own shepherds pity them not; they make them miserable, and then do not commiserate them. Christ had compassion on the multitude because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as if they had no shepherd (as really they had worse than none); but their own shepherds pitied them not, nor showed any concern for them. Note, It is ill for a church when its pastors have no tenderness, no compassion for precious souls, when they can look upon the ignorant, the foolish, the wicked, the weak, without pity.
II.The sentence of God's wrath passed upon them for their senselessness and stupidity in this condition.
There was a general decay, nay, a destruction, of religion among them, and it was all one to them; they regarded it not. My people love to have it so, Jer 5:31. Though they were oppressed and broken in judgment, yet they willingly walked after the commandment, Hos 5:11. And, as their shepherds pitied them not, so they did not bemoan themselves; therefore God says (Zac 11:6), "I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land. They have courted their own destruction, and so let their doom be." But those are truly miserable whom the God of mercy himself will no more have compassion upon. Those who are willing to have their consciences oppressed by those who teach for doctrines the commandments of men (as the Jews were, who called those Rabbi, Rabbi, that did so, Mat 15:9; Mat 23:7), are often punished by oppression in their civil interests, and justly, for those forfeit their own rights who tamely give up God's rights. The Jews did so; the Papists do so; and who can pity them if they be ruled with rigour? God here threatens them,
1.That he will deliver them into the hand of oppressors, every one into his neighbour's hand, so that they shall use one another barbarously. The several parties in Jerusalem did so; the zealots, the seditious, as they were called, committed greater outrages than the common enemy did, as Josephus relates in his history of the wars of the Jews. They shall be delivered every one into the hand of his king, that is, the Roman emperor, whom they chose to submit to rather than to Christ, saying, We have no king but Caesar. Thus they thought to ingratiate themselves with their lords and masters. But for this God brought the Romans upon them, who took away their place and nation.
2.That he will not deliver them out of their hands: They shall smite the land, the whole land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them; and, if the Lord do not help them, none else can, nor can they help themselves.
III.A trial yet made whether their ruin might be prevented by sending Christ among them as a shepherd; God had sent his servants to them in vain, but last of all he sent unto them his Son, saying, They will reverence my Son, Mat 21:37. Divers of the prophets had spoken of him as the Shepherd of Israel, Isa 40:11; Eze 34:23. he himself told the Pharisees that he was the Shepherd of the sheep, and that those who pretended to be shepherds were thieves and robbers (Joh 10:1, Joh 10:2, Joh 10:11), apparently referring to this passage, where we have,
1.The charge he received from his Father to try what might be done with this flock (Zac 11:4): Thus saith the Lord my God (Christ called his Father his God because he acted in compliance with his will and with an eye to his glory in his whole undertaking), Feed the flock of the slaughter. The Jews were God's flock, but they were the flock of slaughter, for their enemies had killed them all the day long and accounted them as sheep for the slaughter; their own possessors slew them, and God himself had doomed them to the slaughter. Yet "feed them by reproof instruction, and comfort; provide wholesome food for those who have so long been soured with the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees." Other sheep he had, which were not of this fold, and which afterwards must be brought; but he is first sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Mat 15:24.
2.His acceptance of this charge, and his undertaking pursuant to it, Zac 11:7. He does as it were say, Lo, I come to do thy will, O my God! and, since this is thy will, it is mine: I will feed the flock of slaughter. Christ will care for these lost sheep; he will go about among them, teaching and healing even you, O poor of the flock! Christ did not neglect the meanest, nor overlook them for their meanness. The shepherds that made a prey of them regarded not the poor; they were conversant with those only that they could get by; but Christ preached his gospel to the poor, Mat 11:5. It was an instance of his humiliation that his converse was mostly with the inferior sort of people; his disciples, who were his constant attendants, were of the poor of the flock.
3.His furnishing himself with tools proper for the charge he had undertaken: I took unto me two staves, pastoral staves; other shepherds have but one crook, but Christ had two, denoting the double care he took of his flock, and what he did both for the souls and for the bodies of men. David speaks of God's rod and his staff (Psa 23:4), a correcting rod and a supporting staff. One of these staves was called Beauty, denoting the temple, which is called the beauty of holiness and one of its gates beautiful, which Christ called his Father's house, and for which he showed a great zeal when he cleared it of the buyers and sellers; the other he called Bands, denoting their civil state, and the incorporate society of that nation, which Christ also took care of by preaching love and peace among them. Christ, in his gospel, and in all he did among them, consulted the advancement both of their civil and of their sacred interests.
4.His execution of his office, as the chief Shepherd. He fed the flock (Zac 11:7), and he displaced those under-shepherds that were false to their trust (Zac 11:8): Three shepherds I cut off in one month. Through the deficiency and uncertainty of the history of the Jewish church, in its latter ages, we know not what particular event this had its accomplishment in; in general, it seems to be an act of power and justice for the punishment of the sinful shepherds and the redress of the grievances of the abused flock. Some understand it of the three orders of princes, priests, and scribes or prophets, who, when Christ had finished his work, were laid aside for their unfaithfulness. Others understand it of the three sects among the Jews, of Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians, all whom Christ silenced in dispute (Mt. 22) and soon after cut off, all in a little time.
IV.Their enmity to Christ, and making themselves odious to him.
He came to his own, the sheep of his own pasture; it might have been expected that between them and him there would be an entire affection, as between the shepherd and his sheep; but they conducted themselves so ill that his soul loathed them, was straitened towards them (so it may be read); he intended them kindness, but could not do them the kindness he intended them, because of their unbelief, Mat 13:58. He was disappointed in them, discouraged concerning them, grieved for them, not only for the shepherds, whom he cut off, but for the people, whom Christ often looked upon with grief in his heart and tears in his eyes. Their provocations even wore out his patience, and he was weary of that faithless and perverse generation. Their soul also it abhorred me; and therefore it was that his soul loathed them; for, whatever estrangement there is between God and man, it begins on man's side. The Jewish shepherds rejected this chief Shepherd, as the Jewish builders rejected this chief corner stone. They had indignation at Christ's doctrine and miracles, and his interest in the people, to whom they did all they could to render him odious, as they had made themselves odious to him. Note, There is a mutual enmity between God and wicked people; they are hateful to God and haters of God. Nothing speaks more the sinfulness and misery of an unregenerate state than this does. The carnal mind, the friendship of the world, are enmity to God, and God hates all the workers of iniquity; and it is easy to foresee what this will end in, if the quarrel be not taken up in time, Isa 27:4, Isa 27:5.
V.Christ's rejecting them as incurable, and leaving them their house desolate, Mat 23:38.
The things of their peace are now hidden from their eyes, because they knew not the day of their visitation. Here we have,
1.The sentence of their rejection passed (Zac 11:9): "Then said I, I will not feed you. I will take no further care of you; you shall not see me again; take your own course. As I will not feed you, so I will not cure you; that that dieth, let it die (the Shepherd will do nothing to save its forfeited life); that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; that which will make itself a prey to the wolf, let it be a prey, and let the rest so far forget their own mild and gentle nature as to eat the flesh of one another; let these sheep fight like dogs." Those that reject Christ will be certainly and justly rejected by him, and then are miserable of course.
2.A sign of it given (Zac 11:10): I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, in token of this, that he would be no longer a shepherd to them, as the lord high steward determines his commission by breaking his white staff, and as Moses's breaking the tables of the law put a stop, for the present, to the treaty between God and Israel. The breaking of this staff signified the breaking of God's covenant which he had made with all the people, the covenant of peculiarity made with all the tribes of Israel, and all other people who, by being proselyted to their religion, were incorporated into their nation. The Jewish church was now stripped of all its glory; its crown was profaned and cast to the ground, and all its honour laid in the dust; for God departed from it, and would no more own it for his. When Christ told them plainly that the kingdom of God should be taken from them, and given to another people, then be broke the staff of Beauty, Mat 21:43. And it was broken in that day, though Jerusalem and the Jewish nation held up forty years longer, yet from that day we may reckon the staff of Beauty broken, Zac 11:11. And though the great men did not, or would not, understand it as a divine sentence, but thought to put it by with a cold God forbid (Luk 20:16), yet the poor of the flock, the disciples of Christ, that waited on him, and understood with what authority he spoke, and could distinguish the voice of their Shepherd from that of a stranger, knew that it was the word of the Lord, and trembled at it, and were confident that it should not fall to the ground. Note, Christ is waited on by the poor of the flock; he chose them to be with him, to be his pupils, to be his witnesses; the poor received him and his gospel, when those that had great possessions turned their backs upon him. And those that wait upon Christ, that sit at his feet, to hear and receive his words, shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, Joh 7:17.
3.A further reason given for their rejection. It was said before, Their souls abhorred him; and here we have an instance of it, their buying and selling him for thirty pieces of silver, either thirty Roman pence, or rather thirty Jewish shekels; this is here foretold in somewhat obscure expressions, as it is fit that such particular prophecies should be delivered, lest otherwise the plainness of the prophecy might prevent the accomplishment of it. Here,
(1.)The Shepherd comes to them for his wages (Zac 11:12): "If you think good, give me my price; you are weary of me, pay me off and discharge me; and, if not, forbear; if you be willing to continue me longer in your service, I will continue, or, if to turn me off without wages, I am content." Christ was no hireling, and yet the labourer is worthy of his hire. Compare with this what Christ said to Judas when he was going to sell him, "What thou doest do quickly; be at a word with the chief priests; let them either take the bargain or leave it," Joh 13:27. Those that betray Christ are not forced to it; they might have chosen.
(2.)They value him at thirty pieces of silver. Many years' service he had done them as a Shepherd, yet this is all they will now turn him off with - "A goodly price that I with all my care and pains was valued at by them." If Judas fixed this sum in his demand, it is observable that his name was Judah, the same name with that of the body of the people, for it was a national act; or, if (as it rather seems) the chief priests pitched upon this sum in their proffers, they were the representatives of the people; it was part of the priest's office to put a value upon the devoted things (Lev 27:8), and thus they valued the Lord Jesus. it was the ordinary price of a slave, Exo 21:32. Making light of Christ, and undervaluing the love of that great and good Shepherd, are the ruin of multitudes, and justly so.
(3.)The silver being no way proportionable to his worth, it is thrown to the potter with disdain: "Let him take it to buy clay with, or for any use that a little money will serve to, for it is not worth hoarding; it may be enough for a potter's stock, but not for the pay of such a shepherd, much less for his purchase." So the prophet cast the thirty pieces of silver to the potter in the house of the Lord: "Let him take them, and do what he will with them." Now we find a particular accomplishment of this in the history of Christ's sufferings, and reference is had to this prophecy, Mat 27:9, Mat 27:10. Thirty pieces of silver was the very sum for which Christ was sold to the chief priests; the money, when Judas would not keep it, and the chief priests would not take it back was laid out in the purchase of the potter's field. Even that sudden resolve of the chief priests was according to an ancient prophecy and the more ancient counsel and foreknowledge of God.
4.The completing of their rejection in the cutting asunder of the other staff, Zac 11:14. The former denoted the ruin of their church, by breaking the covenant between God and them - that defaced their beauty; this denotes the ruin of their state, by breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel, by reviving animosities and contention among them, such as were of old between Judah and Israel, the writing of whom as one stick in the hand of the Lord was one of the blessings promised after their return out of captivity, Eze 37:19. But that union shall now be dissolved; they shall be crumbled into parties and factions, exasperated one against another; and their kingdom, being thus divided, shall be brought to desolation.
(1.)Nothing ruins a people so certainly, so inevitably, as the breaking of the staff of Bands, and the weakening of the brotherhood among them; for hereby they become an easy prey to the common enemy.
(2.)This follows upon the dissolving of the covenant between God and them, and the decay of religion among them. When iniquity abounds love waxes cold. No wonder if those fall out among themselves that have provoked God to fall out with them. When the staff of Beauty is broken the staff of Bands will not hold long. An unchurched people will soon be an undone people.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Whenever I remember Zechariah, I shudder at the reaping hook and likewise at his testimony against the priests, his hints in reference to the celebrated Joshua, the high priest, whom he represents as stripped of filthy garments and then clothed in rich priestly apparel. As for words and charges to Joshua which he puts into the angel’s mouth, let them be treated with silent respect, as referring perhaps to a greater and higher object than those who are many priests. But even at his right hand stood the devil, to resist him, a fact, in my eyes, of no slight significance and demanding no slight fear and watchfulness. Who is so bold and adamant of soul as not to tremble and be abashed at the charges and reproaches deliberately urged against the rest of the shepherds? A voice, he says, of the howling of the shepherds. A voice of the roaring lions, for this has befallen them. Does he not all but hear the wailing as if close at hand, and himself wail with the afflicted. A little further is a more striking and impassioned strain. Feed, he says, the flock of slaughter, whose possessors slay them without repentance. They sell them saying, “Blessed be the Lord, for we are rich,” yet their own shepherds are without feeling for them. Therefore I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, says the Lord almighty. And again: “Awake, O sword, against the shepherds, and smite the shepherds, and scatter the sheep, and I will turn my hand upon the shepherds”; and, “My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit the lambs,” adding to the threat those who rule over the people. So industriously does he apply himself to his task that he cannot easily free himself from denunciations, and I am afraid that if I referred to the whole series, I should exhaust your patience. This must then suffice for Zechariah.
(Vers. 4, 5.) Thus says the Lord my God: Feed the sheep of slaughter, which those who possessed them were slaughtering, and they did not grieve, and they were selling them saying: Blessed be the Lord, we have become rich, and their shepherds did not spare them. LXX: Thus says the Lord Almighty: Feed the sheep of slaughter, which those who possessed them were killing, and they did not repent, and those who were selling them, said: Blessed be the Lord, we have become rich, and their shepherds were not patient with them. Where a most clear prophecy is, and the true order of history is narrated through translation, the interpretation of tropes is superfluous, such as when we say that some are good shepherds and others are bad, and this applies both to the old people as well as to the new, that is, both to the priests and rulers of the Jews as well as to the bishops and priests of the Christians, and to whoever the negligent shepherds may be, and if they scandalize one of the least of these, they themselves are the ones who slaughter the sheep and do not suffer anything on them, nor do they grieve, nor can they say with the Apostle: Who is scandalized and I am not burned (I Cor. XI)? And they sell the people entrusted to them, of whom it is written: 'Who devour my people like bread' (Ps. 52:5), and from the deaths of others they acquire riches, praising those who plunder the poor, and blessing the unjust. Let others interpret these things as they wish: let us hold the order of explanation that we once embraced. For Lebanon is laid open, and its cedars and firs are consumed by the burning flame, the howling of shepherds is heard, and the roaring of lions, for all the beauty and pride of the Jordan is laid waste and consumed. Therefore, the Lord my God spoke these words to me: 'O prophet Zechariah, this word is conveyed to you: Feed the flock of slaughter,' that is, for now let it be nurtured and grow, for it will later be killed by the enemy. These sheep and cattle, the princes of the Romans who possessed and maintained them by the right of victory, slaughtered and showed no mercy, or they sacrificed them and felt no pain, that is, they suffered no harm for so much cruelty, and they sold what they withheld not out of mercy, but for a price. We read old histories and traditions of the lamenting Jews, that in the tabernacle of Abraham (where now, every year, a very famous market is held) after the last destruction, which they endured from Adrian, many thousands of people were sold, and those who could not be sold were transported to Egypt and were cut off by shipwreck, famine, and the slaughter of nations. Therefore, these conquerors and avengers of the Lord who killed without remorse and sold cattle and said: Blessed be the Lord, we have become rich, had this belief. Because of their sins, we offended the Jews: therefore we oppressed them, and became rich from their price. It is not surprising, he says, that the enemies were killing the sheep of the conquered justly, and they did not grieve, they sold them, and they boasted in their own wickedness; since their shepherds and teachers themselves did not spare them, and because of their fault, the flock was handed over to wolves.
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Summary
Zechariah 11:5 powerfully condemns the corrupt and exploitative leaders of Israel, portraying them as "possessors" who slaughter their flock without remorse, merchants who profit from their suffering while hypocritically thanking God for their ill-gotten wealth, and "shepherds" who show no compassion for the very sheep they are meant to protect. This verse vividly illustrates a profound moral and spiritual bankruptcy, highlighting the deep injustice and lack of accountability prevalent among those in authority.
Context
Literary Context
Zechariah 11 is a pivotal chapter within the prophetic book, often referred to as the "shepherd chapter." It initiates a symbolic drama where the prophet Zechariah is commanded by God to act as a shepherd to a "flock doomed to slaughter" Zechariah 11:4. This flock represents the people of Israel, particularly in the post-exilic period, who are being exploited and oppressed by their own leaders. The preceding verses establish the context of divine judgment against unfaithful shepherds, while the subsequent verses detail the breaking of two staffs, "Favor" and "Union," symbolizing the dissolution of God's covenant with His people and the breakdown of unity among them. Verse 5 specifically identifies the agents of this exploitation and their callous attitudes, setting the stage for the prophet's symbolic actions and the ultimate rejection of the true Shepherd.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Zechariah was written during the post-exilic period (late 6th century BCE), after the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon. While the temple was being rebuilt and some sense of national identity was being restored, the people faced significant challenges, including economic hardship and internal strife. The imagery of "shepherds" and "flock" was a common metaphor in the ancient Near East and in Israel for rulers and their subjects. Kings, priests, and elders were all considered shepherds of the people. This verse reflects a historical reality where those in positions of power—whether political, religious, or economic—often abused their authority, preying on the vulnerable for personal gain. The lack of accountability and the open hypocrisy depicted here would have resonated deeply with the experiences of the common people under such leadership.
Key Themes
Zechariah 11:5 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book and broader biblical narrative. Foremost among these is the theme of corrupt leadership and divine judgment. The verse starkly portrays the failure of Israel's human shepherds, contrasting their self-serving actions with God's righteous expectations for those who lead His people. This theme is echoed throughout the prophets, notably in Ezekiel 34, which condemns shepherds who feed themselves instead of the flock. Another key theme is exploitation and injustice, as the "possessors" and "sellers" profit from the suffering of the sheep, highlighting a pervasive societal ill. The chilling declaration, "Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich," introduces the theme of hypocrisy and spiritual blindness, where religious language is perverted to justify wickedness, a concept also strongly denounced by Jesus in Matthew 23. Finally, the verse underscores the absence of compassion among those who should care for the people, setting a stark backdrop against which the true, compassionate Shepherd would later be revealed.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "to acquire" or "to buy," and by implication, "to own." In this context, it refers to those who have acquired or bought the sheep, treating them as mere commodities for profit. It highlights a transactional, rather than pastoral, relationship, where the "owner" has absolute power, even to the point of destruction, over what they possess.
Meaning "to smite with deadly intent," "to kill," or "to slaughter." This word emphasizes the violent and destructive nature of the "possessors'" actions. It's not just neglect, but active harm and death inflicted upon the flock, underscoring the severity of their exploitation.
Meaning "to kneel," and by implication "to bless God (as an act of adoration)." The use of this word here is deeply ironic and perverse. Those who are actively destroying the flock simultaneously offer praise to the Lord, attributing their ill-gotten gains—derived from the very act of slaughter—to divine blessing. This reveals a profound spiritual distortion and hypocrisy.
Verse Breakdown
"Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty:"
This clause immediately establishes the horrific reality of the flock's situation. The "possessors" (likely referring to the foreign powers or oppressive internal leaders who "bought" or gained control over the people) are depicted as actively killing their own "property"—the people of Israel. The shocking addition "and hold themselves not guilty" (from H816, ʼâsham, "to be guilty") reveals a profound moral depravity and lack of conscience. They commit grievous harm without any sense of culpability, remorse, or fear of divine judgment, indicating a hardened heart and a complete disregard for justice.
"and they that sell them say, Blessed [be] the LORD; for I am rich:"
This second clause introduces another group of exploiters: "they that sell them" (from H4376, mâkar, "to sell"). These are likely the internal leaders or merchants who profit from the people's suffering, perhaps by selling them into slavery or by exploiting their labor and resources. Their declaration, "Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich" (from H6238, ʻâshar, "to grow rich"), is a chilling display of religious hypocrisy. They attribute their wealth, obtained through the exploitation and suffering of their own people, to God's blessing. This demonstrates a perversion of true piety, using religious language to justify their greed and wickedness, effectively mocking God by praising Him for their sin.
"and their own shepherds pity them not."
The final clause delivers a direct indictment of the "shepherds" (from H7462, râʻâh, "to tend a flock," hence "shepherd")—the spiritual and political leaders of Israel who were meant to care for and protect the flock. The phrase "pity them not" (from H2550, châmal, "to commiserate," "to spare") highlights their utter lack of compassion and empathy. Instead of acting as protectors and nurturers, these appointed leaders are indifferent to the suffering and destruction of their own people, mirroring the cruelty of the possessors and sellers. This neglect is a profound betrayal of their sacred duty and a stark contrast to the divine standard of care.
Literary Devices
Zechariah 11:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. The primary device is Symbolism, where the "flock" represents the people of Israel, and the "possessors," "sellers," and "shepherds" symbolize the various corrupt authorities—both foreign oppressors and internal leaders—who exploit and neglect them. This extended metaphor allows the prophet to critique the systemic failures of leadership. Irony is powerfully used in the phrase "Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich." This statement, uttered by those who profit from the suffering of others, is a grotesque perversion of true worship and highlights the profound moral and spiritual blindness of the exploiters. Their "blessing" of God is a blasphemous justification for their unrighteous gains, creating a stark and disturbing contrast between their words and their actions. Furthermore, the verse uses Juxtaposition to place the actions of the exploiters ("slay them," "sell them") directly against their lack of remorse ("hold themselves not guilty") and their false piety ("Blessed be the LORD"), emphasizing the depth of their depravity. The lack of "pity" from their own shepherds serves as a final, damning indictment, underscoring the complete betrayal of trust.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Zechariah 11:5 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of righteous leadership and the consequences of its corruption. It underscores God's deep concern for justice and His abhorrence of exploitation, particularly when perpetrated by those entrusted with the care of His people. The verse highlights the spiritual danger of hypocrisy, where religious language is twisted to sanctify greed and oppression, demonstrating a severe moral bankruptcy that God will not tolerate. It also foreshadows the ultimate judgment against such false shepherds, emphasizing that true leadership is characterized by compassion, protection, and self-sacrifice, rather than self-enrichment at the expense of the vulnerable. This divine standard for leadership is a consistent theme throughout Scripture, contrasting the self-serving actions of human leaders with God's own perfect shepherding of His flock.
Reflection and Application
Zechariah 11:5 stands as a timeless warning against the abuse of power and the corrosive effects of greed and hypocrisy in leadership, whether in spiritual, political, or economic spheres. For believers today, this verse calls for a keen discernment to recognize when authority is wielded for personal gain rather than for the well-being of others, and when religious claims are used to mask injustice. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and motives, especially if we are in positions of influence, ensuring that our actions are driven by compassion, integrity, and a genuine concern for those under our care, rather than by self-interest or the pursuit of wealth. The verse reminds us that true blessing comes from living righteously and caring for the vulnerable, not from ill-gotten gains obtained through exploitation or indifference. It compels us to advocate for justice and to hold leaders accountable, praying for and supporting those who genuinely shepherd with integrity and compassion.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are the "possessors," "sellers," and "shepherds" mentioned in Zechariah 11:5?
These terms are symbolic, representing different facets of corrupt leadership and exploitation within Israel during the prophet's time, and by extension, throughout history. The "possessors" (or buyers) likely refer to foreign powers or internal elites who acquired control over the people, treating them as property to be exploited, even to the point of death. "They that sell them" could represent those who profit from the people's misery, perhaps by selling them into servitude or by unjustly enriching themselves through oppressive economic practices. The "shepherds" are the most direct indictment, referring specifically to Israel's own religious, political, and judicial leaders (kings, priests, elders) who were divinely appointed to care for the flock (the people) but instead neglected or actively harmed them. This verse paints a comprehensive picture of a nation suffering under the weight of both external and internal oppression, facilitated by those who should have been their protectors.
What does it mean for them to "hold themselves not guilty"?
The phrase "hold themselves not guilty" (Hebrew: velo ye'shamu) signifies a profound lack of remorse, accountability, or even awareness of their wrongdoing. It means they do not perceive themselves as culpable or deserving of punishment for their destructive actions. This indicates a hardened conscience and a moral blindness where they are either oblivious to the injustice they inflict or they actively rationalize their behavior, believing themselves to be justified. This attitude is a stark contrast to the biblical call for repentance and acknowledgment of sin, highlighting the depth of their spiritual and moral corruption. It suggests that their actions are not merely accidental but are carried out with a callous disregard for the consequences or for divine law.
Why do those who "sell them" say, "Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich"?
This declaration is a chilling example of religious hypocrisy and blasphemy. By saying "Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich," these exploiters are attributing their ill-gotten gains—wealth accumulated through the suffering and exploitation of their own people—to God's blessing. They are essentially using religious language to justify their greed and wickedness, believing (or pretending to believe) that their prosperity is a sign of divine favor, regardless of the immoral means by which it was acquired. This reveals a profound spiritual distortion, where the worship of God is perverted into a cover for self-serving ambition and a disregard for justice, demonstrating a complete misunderstanding or willful rejection of God's righteous character and His concern for the oppressed.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Zechariah 11:5, with its stark condemnation of false and exploitative shepherds, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth. The verse laments the absence of compassion and the prevalence of self-serving leadership among God's people, setting a desperate stage for the arrival of the true Shepherd. Jesus, in stark contrast to the "possessors," "sellers," and unpitying "shepherds" described here, declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He did not exploit His flock for personal gain but came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The prophecy of Zechariah 11, particularly the rejection of the good shepherd for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13), is explicitly fulfilled in the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:14-16 and Matthew 27:3-10). While the shepherds of Zechariah's day lacked pity, Jesus was moved with compassion for the crowds, seeing them as "sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). Thus, Zechariah 11:5 not only exposes the depth of human depravity in leadership but also magnifies the unparalleled love, sacrifice, and true shepherding heart of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the compassionate and righteous care that Israel's leaders so tragically lacked.