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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Zechariah 13:1–6. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Behold the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world, the sin of the church; for therefore was the Son of God manifested, to take away our sin, Jo1 3:5.
I.He takes away the guilt of sin by the blood of his cross (Zac 13:1):
In that day, in the gospel-day, there shall be a fountain opened, that is, provision made for the cleansing of all those from the pollutions of sin who truly repent and are sorry for them. In that day, when the Spirit of grace is poured out to set them a mourning for their sins, they shall not mourn as those who have no hope, but they shall have their sins pardoned, and the comfort of their pardon in their bosoms. Their consciences shall be purified and pacified by the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, Jo1 1:7. For Christ is exalted to give both repentance and remission of sins; and where he gives the one no doubt he gives the other. This fountain opened is the pierced side of Jesus Christ, spoken of just before (Zac 12:10), for thence came there out blood and water, and both for cleansing. And those who look upon Christ pierced, and mourn for their sins that pierced him, and are therefore in bitterness for him, may look again upon Christ pierced and rejoice in him, because it pleased the Lord thus to smite this rock, that it might be to us a fountain of living waters. See here,
1.How we are polluted; we are all so; we have sinned, and sin is uncleanness; it defiles the mind and conscience, renders us odious to God and uneasy in ourselves, unfit to be employed in the service of God and admitted into communion with him, as those who were ceremonially unclean were shut out of the sanctuary. The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem are under sin, which is uncleanness. The truth is, we are all as an unclean thing, and deserve to have our portion with the unclean.
2.How we may be purged. Behold, there is fountain opened for us to wash in, and there are streams flowing to us from that fountain, so that, if we be not made clean, it is our own fault. The blood of Christ, and God's pardoning mercy in that blood, revealed in the new covenant, are,
(1.)A fountain; for there is in them an inexhaustible fulness. There is mercy enough in God, and merit enough in Christ, for the forgiving of the greatest sins and sinners, upon gospel-terms. Such were some of you, but you are washed, Co1 6:11. Under the law there were a brazen laver and a brazen sea to wash in; those were but vessels, but we have a fountain to ourselves, overflowing, ever-flowing.
(2.)A fountain opened; for, whoever will, may come and take the benefit of it; it is opened, not only to the house of David, but to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to the poor and mean as well as to the rich and great; or it is opened for all believers, who, as the spiritual seed of Christ, are of the house of David, and, as living members of the church, are inhabitants of Jerusalem. Through Christ all that believe are justified, are washed from their sins in his blood, that they may be made to our God kings and priests, Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6.
II.He takes away the dominion of sin by the power of his grace, even of beloved sins.
This evermore accompanies the former; those that are washed in the fountain opened, as they are justified, so they are sanctified; the water came with the blood out of the pierced side of Christ. It is here promised that in that day,
1.Idolatry shall be quite abolished and the people of the Jews shall be effectually cured of their inclination to it (Zac 13:2): I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land. The worship of the idols of their fathers shall be so perfectly rooted out that in one generation or two it shall be forgotten that ever there were such idols among them; they shall either not be named at all or not with any respect; they shall no more be remembered, as was promised, Hos 2:17. This was fulfilled in the rooted aversion which the Jews had, after the captivity, to idols and idolatry, and still retain to this day; it was fulfilled also in the ready conversion of many to the faith of Christ, by which they were taken off from making an idol of the ceremonial law, as the unbelieving Jews did; and it is still in the fulfilling when souls are brought off from the world and the flesh, those two great idols, that they may cleave to God only.
2.False prophecy shall also be brought to an end: I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit, the prophets that are under the influence of the unclean spirit, to pass out of the land. The devil is an unclean spirit; sin and uncleanness are from him; he has his prophets, that serve his interests and receive their instructions from him. Take away the unclean spirit, and the prophets would not deceive as they do; take away the false prophets that produce sham commissions, and the unclean spirit could not do the mischief he does. When God designs the silencing of the false prophets he banishes the unclean spirit out of the land, that wrought in them, and was a rival with him for the throne in the heart. The church of the Jews, when they were addicted to idols, did also dote much upon false prophets, who flattered them in their sins with promises of impunity and peace; but here it is promised, as a blessed effect of the promised reformation, that they should be very much set against false prophets, and zealous to clear the land of them; they were so after the captivity, till, through the blindness of their zeal against false prophets, they had put Christ to death under that character, and, after that, there arose many false Christs and false prophets, and deceived many, Mat 24:11. It is here foretold,
(1.)That false prophets, instead of being indulged and favoured, should be brought to condign punishment even by their nearest relations, which would be as great an instance as any of flagrant zeal against those deceivers (Zac 13:3): When any shall set up for a prophet, and shall speak lies in the name of the Lord, shall preach that which tends to draw people from God and to confirm them in sin, his own parents shall be the first and most forward to prosecute him for it, according to the law. Deu 13:6-11, "If thy son entice thee secretly from God, thou shalt surely kill him. Show thy indignation against him, and prevent any further temptation from him." His father and his mother shall thrust him through when he prophesies. Note, We ought to conceive, and always to retain, a very great detestation and dread of every thing that would draw us out of the way of our duty into by-paths, as those who cannot bear that which is evil, Rev 2:2. And holy zeal for God and godliness will make us hate sin, and dread temptation, most in those whom naturally we love best, and who are nearest to us; there our danger is greatest, as Adam's from Eve, Job's from his wife; and there it will be the most praiseworthy to show our zeal, as Levi, who, in the cause of God, did not acknowledge his brethren, nor know his own children, Deu 33:9. Thus we must hate and forsake our nearest relations when they come in competition with our duty to God, Luk 14:26. Natural affections, even the strongest, must be over-ruled by gracious affections.
(2.)That false prophets should be themselves convinced of their sin and folly, and let fall their pretensions (Zac 13:4): "The prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision; they shall not repeat it, or insist upon it, but desire that it may be forgotten and no more said of it, being ready themselves to own it was a sham, because God has by his grace awakened their consciences and shown them their error, or because the event disproves their predictions, and gives them the lie, or because their prophecies do not meet with such a favourable reception as they used to meet with, but are generally despised and distasted; they perceive the people ashamed of them, which makes them begin to be ashamed of themselves. And therefore they shall no longer wear a rough garment, or garment of hair, as the true prophets used to do, in imitation of Elijah, and in token of their being mortified to the pleasures and delights of sense." The pretenders had appeared in the habit of true prophets; but, their folly being now made manifest, they shall lay it aside, no more to deceive and impose upon unthinking unwary people by it. A modest dress is a very good thing, if it be the genuine indication of a humble heart, and is to instruct; but it is a bad thing if it be the hypocritical disguise of a proud ambitious heart, and is to deceive. Let men be really as good as they seem to be, but not seem to be better than really they are. This pretender, as a true penitent,
[1.]Shall undeceive those whom he had imposed upon: He shall say, "I am no prophet, as I have pretended to be, was never designed nor set apart to the office, never educated nor brought up for it, never conversant among the sons of the prophets. I am a husbandman, and was bred to that business; I was never taught of God to prophesy, but taught of man to keep cattle" Amos was originally such a one too, and yet was afterwards called to be a prophet, Amo 7:14, Amo 7:15. But this deceiver never had any such call. Note, Those who sorrow after a godly sort for their having deceived others will be forward to confess their sin, and will be so just as to rectify the mistakes which they have been the cause of. Thus those who had used curious arts, when they were converted showed their deeds, and by what fallacies they had cheated the people, Act 19:18.
[2.]He shall return to his own proper employment, which is the fittest for him: I will be a husbandman (so it may be read); "I will apply myself to my calling again, and meddle no more with things that belong not to me; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth, and cattle I will again keep, and never set up for a preacher any more." Note, When we are convinced that we have gone out of the way of our duty we must evince the truth of our repentance by returning to it again, though it be the severest mortification to us.
[3.]He shall acknowledge those to be his friends who by a severe discipline were instrumental to bring him to a sight of his error, Zac 13:6. When he who with the greatest assurance had asserted himself so lately to be a prophet suddenly drops his claims, and says, I am no prophet, every body will be surprised at it, and some will ask, "What are these wounds, or marks of stripes, in thy hands? how camest thou by them? Hast thou not been examined by scourging? And is not that it that has brought thee to thyself?" (Vexatio dat intellectum - Vexation sharpens the intellect.) "Hast thou not been beaten into this acknowledgment? Was it not the rod and reproof that gave thee this wisdom?" And he shall own, "Yes, it was; these are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends, who bound me, and used me hardly and severely, as a distracted man, and so brought me to my senses." By this it appears that those parents of the false prophet that thrust him through (Zac 13:3) did not do it till they had first tried to reclaim him by correction, and he would not be reclaimed; for so was the law concerning a disobedient son - his parents must first have chastened him in vain before they were allowed to bring him forth to be stoned, Deu 21:18, Deu 21:19. But here is another who was reduced by stripes, and so prevented the capital punishment; and he had the sense and honesty to own that they were his friends, his real friends, who thus wounded him, that they might reclaim him; for faithful are the wounds of a friend, Pro 27:6. Some good interpreters, observing how soon this comes after the mention of Christ's being pierced, think that these are the words of that great prophet, not of the false prophet spoken of before. Christ was wounded in his hands, when they were nailed to the cross, and, after his resurrection, he had the marks of these wounds; and here he tells how he came by them; he received them as a false prophet, for the chief priests called him a deceiver, and upon that account would have him crucified; but he received them in the house of his friends - the Jews, who should have been his friends; for he came to his own, and, though they were his bitter enemies, yet he was pleased to call them his friends, as he did Judas (Friend, wherefore hast thou come?) because they forwarded his sufferings for him; as he called Peter Satan - an adversary, because he dissuaded him from them.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
(Verse 3) And it will be, when someone prophesies further, his father and mother, who bore him, will say to him: You shall not live, because you have spoken falsehood in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother, who bore him, will pierce him when he prophesies. (Septuagint: If a man prophesies further, his father and mother, who bore him, will say to him: You shall not live, because you have spoken falsehood in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother, who bore him, will bind him when he prophesies.) With the names of the idols removed from the earth, and the false prophets, and the unclean spirit who spoke through them, if anyone should dare to go beyond and prophesy in the name of the Lord, immediately his father and mother will forget their parents, in order to hold onto the service of God, and they will pronounce a sentence of death against their own son. And the minds of all, so devoted to God, will be so pure that there will be no need for a public judgement; rather, let those who are such perish by the judgement of their relatives. Therefore, because we have said this, they will fight against him, which is the same word in Hebrew as above, Dacaru (). So in what way did the seventy interpreters use the word κατωρχήσαντο there, that is, they insulted or mocked him, and to use the word word for word, jumped against him; and here they have translated the word συμποδιοῦσιν, that is, they will hinder: when both Aquila and Symmachus and Theodotius have also translated it there and here in the same way, they have nailed it. But rightly the one who falsely prophesies is called a man, as the Apostle says: For while there are rivalries and contentions among you, are you not carnal and walking according to man (I Cor. III, 3)? And in the Psalms: But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes (Psalm 82:7). And those who are unworthy of the spirit of God shall deserve to hear: My spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are carnal (Genesis 6:3).
(Vers. 3 seqq.) And on that day, the prophets will be confused, each one from his own vision, when he prophesies, and they will not cover themselves with a sackcloth to deceive. Instead, they will say, 'I am not a prophet, I am a farmer, for Adam is my example from my youth.' And it will be said to him, 'What are these wounds in the middle of your hands?' And he will say, 'I have been wounded in the house of those who love me.' LXX: And on that day, the prophets will be confused, each one from his own vision, when he prophesies, and they will wear a hairy garment with which they have deceived, and they will say, 'I am not a prophet, because a man has begotten me from my youth,' and I will say to him, 'What are these wounds in the middle of your hands?' And he will say: To whom have I been struck in the house of the one who loves me? Whoever attempts to prophesy and is condemned by the judgment of his parents, and approves the falsehood of his prophecy by contrary outcomes, he will be confounded by his vision, and he will no longer be covered with a hairshirt in order to lie. For this was the attire of the prophets, that when they called the people to repentance, they would be clothed in a hairshirt. Therefore, it is commanded to Isaiah to take the sackcloth from his loins, and to walk naked (Isa. XX): for it is not at all a time of repentance, but of imminent captivity. Therefore, this false prophet will by no means receive the prophet's garb, so as not to deceive the simple under a foreign guise and covering. Rather, he will find delight in tilling the earth and prove himself dedicated to agriculture, subjecting himself to the divine sentence that was spoken to Adam: 'Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread' (Gen. III, 17-18). And when he presents himself as born for this purpose, to eat his bread in the sweat of his face, another will ask him, and say: What do these wounds mean to you, and these wounds which are in the midst of your hands? And there is meaning: Why do you adhere to the gallows? Why are your hands pierced with nails? What have you committed, that you should submit to this punishment and torture? And he will answer, and say: I received these wounds and these lashes, condemned by the judgment of my parents, and of those who did not hate me, but loved me. And in the meantime, with falsehood dispelled, truth will prevail, so that even he who is punished for his own fault admits that he has suffered rightly. The Hebrews have explained this, which is written: 'They will not cover themselves with a sackcloth to lie,' saying that they will not be filled with the demonic spirit, whom we read in Isaiah as 'hairy,' so that by this occasion they may not lie about the deceptive appearance of God's words in themselves, or deny the Lord: For they lie and deny in their external appearance, as they interpret.
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Summary
Zechariah 13:3 delivers a stark and sobering prophecy concerning the extreme measures to be taken against false prophets in a future day of purification for Israel. It declares that when anyone presumes to prophesy lies in the name of the Lord, even their own parents, who gave them life, will condemn them to death and personally execute the judgment, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to divine truth that supersedes all natural familial bonds. This verse underscores the absolute severity with which God views spiritual deception and blasphemy within His covenant community.
Context
Literary Context
Zechariah 13:3 is embedded within a profound prophetic vision detailing the spiritual cleansing and restoration of Jerusalem and Judah. The preceding verses establish the necessity and scope of this purification. Zechariah 13:1 introduces a "fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness," symbolizing a radical spiritual washing for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Following this promise of purification, Zechariah 13:2 explicitly declares God's intent to "cut off the names of the idols out of the land" and, crucially, to "cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart." Zechariah 13:3 then elaborates on the drastic means by which this eradication of false prophecy will be achieved, illustrating the depth of commitment required from the community to uphold divine truth. This progression from spiritual cleansing to the removal of idolatry and false prophecy, culminating in the severe judgment described in verse 3, highlights a comprehensive purging designed to restore the purity of worship and prophetic revelation.
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical backdrop for Zechariah's prophecies is the post-exilic period, as the Jewish remnant had returned from Babylon and was rebuilding the temple and their national identity. This was a time of spiritual vulnerability, with lingering temptations towards idolatry and the potential for false prophets to mislead the people, as had occurred frequently in pre-exilic Israel. The Mosaic Law, particularly in Deuteronomy 13:5 and Deuteronomy 18:20, explicitly mandated the death penalty for false prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord without His authorization or who encouraged idolatry. Zechariah 13:3 reflects and amplifies this legal precedent, showcasing a future scenario where the community's commitment to this law would be so absolute that even the closest family ties—father and mother—would not deter them from executing divine judgment. This radical commitment was necessary to safeguard the integrity of God's word and the spiritual purity of the nation, preventing a relapse into the spiritual apostasy that had led to the Babylonian exile.
Key Themes
Zechariah 13:3 powerfully contributes to several major themes present in the book of Zechariah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the Holiness and Jealousy of God, demonstrating His absolute intolerance for anything that defiles His name or misrepresents His truth. Speaking lies "in the name of the LORD" is presented as a profound violation of His character. Secondly, the verse highlights the theme of Radical Purification and Judgment, emphasizing that true restoration involves the decisive removal of all spiritual corruption, including deceptive prophecy. The imagery of parents executing their own child serves as a powerful Hyperbole for the extreme measures necessary to achieve this purity, signifying that loyalty to God's truth must transcend all earthly allegiances. This also reinforces the Severity of God's Law concerning spiritual matters, particularly the capital offense of false prophecy as outlined in the Torah. Finally, it speaks to the Importance of True Prophecy and Discernment, serving as a stark warning against those who would presume to speak for God without His authorization, thereby protecting the integrity of His message to His people.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root (H5012) means "to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse); prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet." In this verse, the word is used ironically or tragically, as the act of "prophesying" is immediately qualified by "speakest lies," indicating a perversion of a sacred calling. It highlights the distinction between true, divinely inspired speech and deceptive, self-proclaimed utterances.
Derived from H8267, this word signifies "an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial); without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, [phrase] lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully." Its inclusion here precisely defines the nature of the false prophet's offense: not merely error, but intentional falsehood and deception, a direct affront to the truthfulness of God.
This primitive root (H1856) means "to stab; by analogy, to starve; figuratively, to revile; pierce, strike (thrust) through, wound." The use of this strong, violent verb emphasizes the definitive, fatal, and uncompromising nature of the judgment against the false prophet. It denotes a piercing, lethal blow, underscoring the severity with which such spiritual deception is to be eradicated.
Verse Breakdown
"And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy"
This opening clause sets the stage for a future scenario, indicating a time when the problem of false prophecy, despite previous purifications, might re-emerge or persist. The phrase "any" (H376, ʼîysh') emphasizes that the judgment applies universally to anyone who dares to engage in this deception, regardless of their standing or relationship.
"then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD"
This is the core of the prophecy's shocking severity. The parents (H1, ʼâb' and H517, ʼêm'), who gave life (H3205, yâlad'), are depicted as the ones who will condemn their own child, declaring that they "shalt not live" (H2421, châyâh'). The justification for this extreme measure is explicitly stated: "for thou speakest (H1696, dâbar') lies (H8267, sheqer') in the name (H8034, shêm') of the LORD (H3068, Yᵉhôvâh')." This highlights that the offense is not merely personal but a profound blasphemy against God's holy name and authority.
"and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth"
This final clause describes the execution of the judgment. The parents, the very source of the prophet's life, are to be the instruments of their death, physically "thrusting him through" (H1856, dâqar') at the very moment he attempts to prophesy falsely. This graphic imagery underscores the absolute priority of divine truth over even the strongest human bonds and the definitive end to such spiritual corruption.
Literary Devices
Zechariah 13:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. The most prominent is Hyperbole, where the command for parents to execute their own child for false prophecy is an extreme, almost unthinkable scenario designed to emphasize the absolute severity of the offense and the radical nature of the required purification. This is not necessarily a literal prediction of common practice, but a vivid illustration of the uncompromising commitment to God's truth. There is also strong Symbolism at play: the parents represent the community's ultimate loyalty to God, which must supersede all natural bonds, while the act of "thrusting through" symbolizes the decisive and complete eradication of spiritual falsehood. The verse also contains a stark Contrast between the life-giving role of parents ("that begat him") and their life-taking role in judgment, highlighting the perversion of the prophetic gift that necessitates such a reversal of natural order.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Zechariah 13:3 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to the purity of His name and the integrity of His revelation. It underscores the theological truth that true worship and relationship with God demand absolute adherence to His truth, and that spiritual deception is a grave offense against His holiness. The radical nature of the judgment against false prophets demonstrates that God values the preservation of His true word and the spiritual well-being of His people above all else, even human life and familial ties. This reflects a divine intolerance for anything that would lead His people astray from Him, emphasizing the critical importance of discerning true prophetic utterance from deceitful ones. The verse serves as a powerful reminder that God's justice is uncompromising when His character and truth are maligned.
Reflection and Application
While the literal application of Zechariah 13:3's severe punishment is not practiced in the New Covenant era, its underlying spiritual principles remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This verse compels us to consider the immense gravity of spiritual truth and the dangers of spiritual deception. It calls for an unwavering commitment to God's Word as the ultimate standard for all teaching and prophecy. We are challenged to cultivate a discerning spirit, carefully testing all claims and teachings against the clear revelation of Scripture, rather than simply accepting them at face value. Furthermore, it reminds us that loyalty to Christ and His truth must take precedence over all other allegiances, even those to family or tradition, if they contradict God's revealed will. This passage should instill in us a deep reverence for God's name and a fierce protectiveness of the purity of the Gospel message within the church.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Zechariah 13:3 command parents to literally kill their children for false prophecy in all contexts?
No, Zechariah 13:3 describes a prophetic vision of extreme purification in a specific future context for Israel, where the integrity of God's name and prophecy would be so paramount that even familial bonds would be superseded by divine law. While the Old Testament Law did prescribe death for false prophets (Deuteronomy 13:5), the graphic imagery of parents executing their own child in Zechariah 13:3 is best understood as hyperbole or symbolism, emphasizing the absolute, uncompromising commitment to eradicating spiritual deception, rather than a literal, universal command for all time. In the New Covenant, the focus shifts from physical punishment to spiritual discernment and the consequences of false teaching, which include spiritual death and divine judgment (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Zechariah 13:3, with its drastic portrayal of purging false prophecy, finds its ultimate fulfillment and spiritual transformation in Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament law mandated the physical removal of false prophets to preserve the purity of Israel, Christ's coming inaugurated a new covenant where the purification is primarily spiritual and internal. Jesus himself is the True Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15), the embodiment of truth, who perfectly revealed the Father (John 14:6). He warned against false prophets (Matthew 7:15) and cleansed the temple, symbolizing the spiritual purification He would bring. The "fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness" mentioned in Zechariah 13:1 is ultimately fulfilled in Christ's atoning blood, which cleanses believers from all sin and spiritual defilement, including the deceit that gives rise to false prophecy (1 John 1:7). In the New Covenant, the emphasis shifts from physical execution to spiritual discernment guided by the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:1) and the authoritative Word of God, ensuring that the church, as the body of Christ, remains pure from the lies that profane God's name.