Zechariah 13
Fountain of Cleansing and Purification 1–6
The Striking of the Shepherd and the Remnant 7–9
Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain
Study Notes for Zechariah 13
Verse 1
a fountain opened — Maqor, a spring, the word of ‘the fountain of living waters’ that Israel forsook (Jer 2:13). It is opened to the groups who receive the Spirit in 12:10. ‘Uncleanness’ is niddah, the impurity met by the ‘water of separation… a purification for sin’ (Num 19:9). John says ‘the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7).
Verse 2
the unclean spirit — This is the only verse in the Old Testament where the KJV has ‘unclean spirit’; the phrase is common in the Gospels (Mark 1:23). The names of the idols are cut off as in Hos 2:17, ‘they shall no more be remembered by their name’, and Ex 23:13, ‘make no mention of the name of other gods’.
Verse 3
thou shalt not live — The law made death the penalty for a prophet who spoke ‘to turn you away from the LORD’ (Deut 13:5), and Deut 13:6–9 names the nearest kin among those who must not shield him. Deut 18:20 covers the one who speaks in the LORD’s name what he was not commanded. ‘Thrust him through’ is daqar, the verb of 12:10, ‘whom they have pierced’.
Verse 4
a rough garment — Literally a mantle (addereth) of hair (sear), the dress of Elijah, ‘an hairy man’ (2 Kgs 1:8), whose ‘mantle’ Elisha took up (2 Kgs 2:13); John the Baptist had ‘raiment of camel’s hair’ (Matt 3:4). The prophets who put it on ‘to deceive’ (kachash) are ‘ashamed every one of his vision’.
Verse 5
I am an husbandman — Literally a man who tills the ground (adamah). Amos made a like disclaimer of his trade, ‘I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman’ (Amos 7:14), and was sent by the LORD all the same (Amos 7:15). ‘Taught me to keep cattle’ is qanah, to acquire, the verb of ‘possessors’ in 11:5.
Verse 6
wounds in thine hands — ‘Wounded’ is nakah, to strike, the verb of ‘smite the shepherd’ in v.7. The wounds are read both of a false prophet’s marks and of Christ’s, whose hands bore ‘the print of the nails’ (John 20:25, 27). ‘Friends’ is the word for those who love (ahav), so the wounds were received ‘in the house of my friends’.
Verse 7
the man that is my fellow — Amit, a companion or neighbour, a word found elsewhere only in Leviticus, where it is ‘neighbour’ (Lev 19:15); here the one smitten is the LORD’s own ‘fellow’. ‘Shepherd’ is the ra’ah of ch.11. Christ cites the verse on the night of his arrest: ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad’ (Matt 26:31).
Verse 8
two parts… the third — ‘Parts’ is peh, ‘mouth’, the word of ‘a double portion’ (Deut 21:17). Ezekiel’s sign likewise divided the people into thirds, one by pestilence, one by the sword and one scattered (Ezek 5:12). The third ‘left’ (yathar) is the remnant on which the next verse turns.
Verse 9
refine them as silver is refined — Tsaraph, to smelt, and bachan, to test. The LORD ‘shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver’ (Mal 3:3), and he says of Israel, ‘I have refined thee… in the furnace of affliction’ (Isa 48:10). ‘I will hear them’ is anah, to answer, as in 10:6. ‘Thou art my people… Thou art my God’ is the exchange of Hos 2:23.