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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.
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(Verse 8, 9.) And I took for myself two staffs: one I called Beauty, and the other I called Cords (or Funicles); and I fed the flock. And I cut off three shepherds in one month, and my soul was grieved with them; for their soul also varied against me. And I said, I will not feed you; let it die, let it die; and let it be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. LXX: And I will take for myself two staffs: one to be called Beauty, and the other I called Cords (or Funicles), and I will feed the sheep. And I will take away three shepherds in one month, and my soul will be embittered against them: for their soul also roared upon me. And I said, I will not feed you: that which is dying, let it die: and that which is cut off, let it be cut off: and let the rest devour every one the flesh of his neighbor. The Lord God had said: Feed the sheep of the slaughter, which their possessors have killed, and do not sin against them to glory, that a buyer may be found for them over them, and their possessors may say: Blessed be the Lord, for I am become rich: and their shepherds will have no pity for them. For I will no more have mercy on the inhabitants of the land, saith, the Lord. And this seemed to be said about one Jewish people, that having killed the prophets, they even laid hands on the Son of God and shouted with a rash voice: His blood be on us and on our children (Matthew 27:25)! Now the Creator of the universe and the Lord explains the mysteries of his world, and says that he had two staffs, one of which he called Beauty, the other Cords, and he fed the flock while being bound with these two staffs; he also cut down three shepherds in one month, and my soul was angry with them; undoubtedly the shepherds signify those whom he cut down in one month. And he explained the reason why he was so indignant with the shepherds that he killed them all in one month: 'Because,' he said, 'their souls changed towards me. And the meaning is this: They did not love me with their whole heart. The hireling shepherds loved the shepherd, not truly me. For the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11)'. Therefore, I also expressed my indignation and spoke to the shepherds themselves, whom I had killed in my anger, or to the remaining flock after the shepherds were killed: 'I will not feed you; but let him who has chosen death die by his own will, and let them devour each other and tear each other apart with mutual slaughter.' We have said these things paraphrastically, in order to pave the way for future interpretation. The Creator and Shepherd, whose sheep know his voice and follow him, took for himself two staffs, or two rods, which in Hebrew are called Macaloth, to demonstrate the appearance of a shepherd. He called one staff Beauty, that is, he protected all the human race with his blessing, from the time of Noah, when the world was restored and sin had not yet defiled it. And for this reason, the calling of all nations is called honorable and beautiful, because nothing is more just than to equally call the parent of the universe, those whom he generated with equal conditions. And another he called the boundaries; for when the Most High was dividing the nations, and dispersing the sons of Adam, he established the boundaries of the nations, according to the number of God's angels (Deut. XXXII). And the part of the Lord became his people Jacob; the boundaries of his inheritance, Israel. And he said, 'I pastured the flock, whether it was Israel itself or the entire human race with Israel.' And he said, 'I cut down three shepherds in one month.' I read in the commentaries of someone: 'The shepherds of the Lord who were cut down with indignation are understood to be the priests, false prophets, and kings of the Jews; because after the passion of Christ, all things were cut down at once, of which Jeremiah speaks: 'The priests did not say, 'Where is the Lord?' Those who hold onto my law did not know me.' And the shepherds have transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and they have followed idols (Jeremiah 2:8). Not satisfied with this explanation, he wants to interpret that the three shepherds who were cut off in one month refer to those who have sinned against the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for all heretics, they sin either against one, or two, or three persons simultaneously. Let him say what he wishes, for his interpretation must not be undermined. We have three shepherds who were killed in one month, Moses seems to be, and Aaron, and Mary (Num. 20); of whom Mary died in the first month, which is called Nisan (), in the desert of Sin, and in the same place because of the water of contradiction, and in the same month, Moses and Aaron were condemned, so that they would not enter the promised land. And so it happened, that out of the three shepherds, one was struck by immediate death, and the others by the sentence of future death. And my soul was contracted, he says, against them: specifically against the three shepherds whom I had placed over my flock. Because their soul also changed towards me, for they did not glorify me at the water of contradiction. But if we refer to the people, that the soul of the people has changed towards God, it must be explained in this way: Therefore, I was angry with them, because they themselves, being wavering between me and idols, fought against me in various ways. Therefore, being angry, I said to Moses: I will not feed you: leave me, and I will destroy them (Exod. XXXII, 10). However, when he says 'Forgive me' in anger, he incites to ask and shows that he can be held back by it. 'Let him die who is destined to die, and let him be cut off who is destined to be cut off; let all bodies be destroyed in solitude, and turned against each other in sedition, like animals tearing each other with mutual bites, and let no one enter the land of promise. Some understood the two callings of Jews and Gentiles, in the first Israel, and in the last by the name Christians. But they did not pay enough attention to how the Christian calling had been previously discarded, and how the Jews remained and were fed by God.
We find the God of the universe often giving rein to humanity because of the excess of its wickedness, and he allows the human race to be borne where it will. Of this he has warned us speaking through his prophet to Israel: “And I said, ‘I will not tend you. That which dies, let it die, and that which perishes, let it perish; and for the rest let each devour the flesh of his neighbor.’ ” When wicked rulers are in control, and cruel, harsh masters rule households, then we should implore the one who directs the universe and, by conversion of life and a change in our ways, make supplication, rousing him to help us, fervently begging him to give us better times.
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Summary
Zechariah 11:9 marks a solemn declaration from the divine Shepherd, signifying a withdrawal of His protective and sustaining care from a rebellious flock. This pronouncement outlines the grim consequences of rejecting divine leadership: those destined to perish will do so, those to be cut off will be eliminated, and the remainder will descend into a state of self-destruction, metaphorically consuming one another in a chaotic breakdown of social order and unity. It underscores the severe judgment that follows persistent unfaithfulness and the removal of God's restraining hand.
Context
Literary Context
Zechariah 11 falls within the prophetic oracles concerning Israel's future, specifically addressing the theme of leadership and the nation's rejection of divine guidance. The chapter opens with a lament over the land's desolation, then transitions to the prophet acting as a shepherd of a "flock appointed to slaughter" (Zechariah 11:4). He uses two symbolic staves: "Beauty" (or "Grace"), representing God's covenant favor and protection, and "Bands" (or "Union"), symbolizing the unity of His people. The narrative describes the people's contempt for the shepherd, culminating in their rejection of his care and the breaking of these staves, first "Beauty" (Zechariah 11:10) and then "Bands" (Zechariah 11:14). Verse 9 is the shepherd's (God's) pronouncement of withdrawal and judgment, a direct consequence of the flock's disdain for His faithful, loving care. It sets the stage for the internal strife and external pressures that would plague the nation, leading to its eventual downfall.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Zechariah is set in the post-exilic period, roughly 520-518 BC, when the Jewish exiles had returned to Judah to rebuild the temple and re-establish their community. This was a time of great challenge, marked by internal struggles, external opposition, and a struggle to maintain spiritual fidelity. The metaphor of the "shepherd" was deeply embedded in ancient Near Eastern culture, where kings and leaders were often depicted as shepherds responsible for the well-being, protection, and provision of their people. In Israel, this metaphor was applied to both human leaders (kings, priests, prophets) and, preeminently, to God Himself as the ultimate Shepherd of His people (Psalm 23). Zechariah 11 critiques the failures of human shepherds (corrupt leaders) and highlights the people's rejection of the divine Shepherd, leading to a state of anarchy and vulnerability, reflecting the political and social instability that often characterized periods of national decline in Israel's history.
Key Themes
Zechariah 11:9 contributes significantly to several major themes found throughout the book and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Divine Abandonment and Judgment. The stark declaration "I will not feed you" signifies God's withdrawal of His protective presence and provision, not as arbitrary punishment, but as a direct, just consequence of the flock's persistent rejection of His faithful, loving care and guidance. This highlights the principle that those who refuse divine sustenance will ultimately be left to face the harsh realities of their own choices, as seen in the consequences outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Secondly, the verse underscores the Consequences of Rebellion. The phrases "that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off" reveal the severe, natural outcomes when God's restraining hand is removed. It implies a state of lawlessness and vulnerability where the weak perish and the flawed are eliminated, emphasizing that a people who forsake their divine Shepherd will suffer internal decay and external threats unchecked. This foreshadows the devastating internal strife that would plague Israel, particularly leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem. Lastly, the chilling conclusion, "and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another," vividly depicts Societal Decay and Internal Strife. This is a powerful, metaphorical image for the utter breakdown of community, where people turn against each other, driven by desperation, lack of moral order, or internal divisions, rather than finding unity under a benevolent shepherd. This theme resonates with other prophetic warnings about internal conflict and self-destruction when a nation strays from God's path, such as those found in Isaiah 9:20.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "to tend a flock," "to pasture," or "to rule." This word encompasses the full scope of a shepherd's responsibility: providing sustenance, protection, and guidance. When the divine Shepherd declares, "I will not feed you," it signifies a complete cessation of this comprehensive care, leaving the flock vulnerable and without direction. It implies a withdrawal of divine oversight and provision, allowing natural consequences to unfold.
Meaning "to die" literally or figuratively, and causatively, "to kill." In this context, "that that dieth, let it die" is a stark pronouncement of abandonment to natural processes of decay and destruction. It indicates that those weakened by disease, famine, or other perils will be left to their fate, without divine intervention to preserve them. This is a judgment of non-intervention, allowing the inevitable outcome of their spiritual sickness to run its course.
Primarily meaning "flesh" (from its freshness), but by extension, "body" or "person." In the phrase "eat every one the flesh of another," it refers to the very substance of their fellow human beings. While likely metaphorical, its literal meaning evokes the most extreme form of human depravity and desperation—cannibalism—to illustrate the utter breakdown of social bonds and mutual respect, reducing human interaction to predatory consumption.
Verse Breakdown
"Then said I, I will not feed you:"
This opening clause marks a decisive turning point. The "I" refers to the Lord, speaking through the prophet Zechariah, embodying the divine Shepherd. His declaration "I will not feed you" is a pronouncement of judgment, signaling the withdrawal of His pastoral care, protection, and provision. This is not an arbitrary act but a direct response to the flock's rejection of His faithful leadership and their contempt for His covenant. It means God will no longer intervene to sustain or protect them from the consequences of their own choices and the external threats they face.
"that that dieth, let it die;"
This phrase signifies a divine permission for natural consequences to unfold without intervention. It refers to the weak, the sick, or those already in decline within the flock. The Lord will not provide healing, sustenance, or rescue. This reflects a state where the vulnerable are left to perish, emphasizing the severity of God's withdrawal and the absence of His preserving hand.
"and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off;"
This clause extends the judgment to those who are isolated, separated, or destined for destruction. "Cut off" (H3582, kâchad') implies being destroyed, eliminated, or concealed from the community, perhaps through external enemies or internal purges. Again, God's stance is one of non-intervention; He allows the processes of disintegration and elimination to proceed unimpeded, highlighting the complete absence of His unifying and protective presence.
"and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another."
This chilling conclusion depicts the ultimate horror of societal breakdown. It is a powerful metaphor for extreme internal strife, exploitation, and self-destruction. Without the divine Shepherd's unifying and moral influence, the remaining members of the flock turn against each other, metaphorically "consuming" one another through violence, oppression, betrayal, and civil war. This portrays a community devoid of compassion, order, or mutual support, where survival comes at the cost of one's neighbor.
Literary Devices
Zechariah 11:9 is rich in literary devices that amplify its grim message. The most prominent is Metaphor, where the entire scenario of the shepherd and his flock serves as an extended metaphor for God's relationship with Israel and the consequences of their rebellion. The "eating of the flesh of another" is a particularly vivid and disturbing Metaphor for internal strife and societal cannibalism, representing the utter breakdown of communal bonds and the descent into self-destructive chaos. This imagery borders on Hyperbole, exaggerating the internal conflict to emphasize its extreme and horrific nature, painting a picture of a society literally preying on itself. The passage also employs Anthropomorphism, attributing human actions and emotions (saying, not feeding) to God, making His pronouncement of judgment more immediate and impactful. The repetition of "let it die" and "let it be cut off" uses Anaphora to underscore the finality and inevitability of the judgment, creating a sense of grim determination in the divine decree.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Zechariah 11:9 profoundly illustrates the theological principle that God's covenant faithfulness is met with human responsibility, and persistent rejection of His grace inevitably leads to severe consequences. It reveals that divine judgment is not always an active, punitive strike, but can also manifest as a withdrawal of protection and provision, allowing the natural destructive forces of sin and rebellion to run their course. This passage underscores the critical importance of faithful leadership and the dire need for unity within God's people. When spiritual authority is despised and internal divisions fester, the community becomes vulnerable to self-destruction, mirroring the chaos depicted in the verse. This serves as a timeless warning against spiritual apathy, moral decay, and the dangers of a people turning away from their divine Shepherd.
Reflection and Application
Zechariah 11:9 serves as a sobering warning for individuals and communities today. It highlights the profound dangers of rejecting divine authority and guidance. When we, like the flock in Zechariah, despise God's protective care, His moral standards, or the spiritual leadership He provides, we open ourselves up to internal dissolution and devastating consequences. This verse compels us to examine our own hearts and communities: Are we truly submitting to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, or are we, through our actions and attitudes, rejecting His guidance? Are we fostering unity within the body of Christ, or are we allowing divisions, strife, and self-interest to "eat away" at our collective health and witness? The chilling imagery of "eating the flesh of another" should provoke us to confront any form of exploitation, gossip, or conflict that undermines the bonds of love and fellowship within our relationships and churches. It underscores that true flourishing, both individually and communally, is found only under the benevolent, unifying, and protective care of God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is the "eating the flesh of another" in Zechariah 11:9 meant to be literal cannibalism?
While the imagery is stark and horrifying, it is overwhelmingly understood by scholars as a powerful metaphor for extreme internal strife, societal breakdown, and self-destruction rather than literal cannibalism. It depicts a community so utterly devoid of moral order, compassion, and unity that its members turn against each other, metaphorically "consuming" one another through exploitation, violence, betrayal, and civil war. This vivid language emphasizes the complete collapse of social cohesion when God's restraining hand and unifying presence are removed due to persistent rebellion.
Does Zechariah 11:9 imply that God truly abandons His people?
Zechariah 11:9 describes a specific form of divine judgment: the withdrawal of God's direct, protective, and sustaining care in response to the people's persistent rejection of His leadership. It signifies that God will allow the natural consequences of their unfaithfulness and rebellion to unfold without His intervention. This is not an ultimate, unconditional abandonment of His covenant people forever, but a severe disciplinary measure that allows them to experience the painful results of their choices. Throughout Scripture, God often "gives over" a rebellious people to their own devices (as seen in Romans 1:24), allowing them to learn the futility of life apart from His guidance, often as a prelude to a future restoration for a remnant.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Zechariah 11:9, with its grim portrayal of a rejected shepherd and a scattered, self-consuming flock, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate Good Shepherd, who came to gather His sheep (as described in John 10). Yet, like the shepherd in Zechariah, He was ultimately rejected by His own people, who cried out, "Crucify him!" (as recorded in Matthew 27:22). His rejection led to the scattering of His disciples, fulfilling the prophecy of the shepherd being struck and the sheep scattered (foreshadowed in Zechariah 13:7, explicitly quoted in Matthew 26:31). However, unlike the shepherd in Zechariah 11 who withdraws, Jesus' "abandonment" on the cross was a willing, atoning sacrifice, bearing the judgment for our sin, so that we might not be left to "eat every one the flesh of another" in spiritual and societal chaos. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus creates a new flock, His Church, where unity and love replace internal strife (Ephesians 2:14-16). He is the Great Shepherd who brings peace and reconciliation, preventing the self-destruction that results from rejecting divine care, ultimately gathering His sheep into eternal life and communion with God (John 10:27-28).