Zechariah 11
Zechariah 11 is a prophecy focused on judgment and the rejection of Israel's shepherds, symbolic of its leaders and ultimately foreshadowing the rejection of the Messiah. The chapter explores the consequences of Israel's refusal to follow God’s chosen leaders, detailing the broken relationship between God and His people. It paints a picture of divine disappointment, judgment, and prophetic fulfillment concerning the Good Shepherd, who is rejected by His flock.
Zechariah 11:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, that fire may devour your cedars!
2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has come down.
3 There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins. There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.
These verses personify Lebanon, with its cedar trees symbolizing leaders and people of influence, now facing judgment. The destruction of the cedars, cypress, and oaks conveys the collapse of prominent figures and the mourning of those who once led with power. The imagery of wailing shepherds and lions signifies the grief and ruin coming upon the nation, specifically its leaders who failed to protect and guide their people faithfully.
Zechariah 11:4-6 (NKJV)
4 Thus says the Lord my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter,
5 whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them.
6 For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.”
Here, God instructs Zechariah to "feed the flock for slaughter," signifying a tragic destiny for Israel’s people. The shepherds (leaders) exploit the flock (people) without remorse, seeing them as a means to wealth. God declares that He will no longer shield the land's inhabitants from their enemies, abandoning them to internal discord and external oppression as a consequence of their leaders' corruption and the people’s waywardness.
Zechariah 11:7-9 (NKJV)
7 So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock.
8 I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
9 Then I said, “I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.”
Zechariah follows God’s command, tending to the "poor of the flock" with two staffs named Beauty (grace) and Bonds (unity). The removal of three shepherds indicates God’s rejection of certain leaders who failed to serve faithfully. This reflects the mutual rejection between God and His people, leading to severe judgment where God allows those who are perishing to suffer the consequences of their choices.
Zechariah 11:10-11 (NKJV)
10 And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples.
11 So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.
Zechariah breaks the staff called Beauty, symbolizing the end of God’s grace and protection over Israel. This breaking of covenant signifies God’s withdrawal of favor due to Israel’s persistent rebellion. Yet, the "poor of the flock" (faithful remnant) recognize this action as divine prophecy, understanding the gravity of God's message.
Zechariah 11:12-13 (NKJV)
12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.
The thirty pieces of silver represents the undervaluation of the Good Shepherd (symbolic of Christ), foreshadowing Judas' betrayal of Jesus. This “princely price” is sarcastic, highlighting the people’s disregard for God’s messenger. God instructs Zechariah to throw the money into the temple for the potter, symbolizing rejection and prophetic fulfillment in the New Testament, where this same amount is given to betray Jesus and later used to buy a potter’s field.
Zechariah 11:14 (NKJV)
14 Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
The breaking of the second staff, Bonds, signifies the dissolution of unity between Judah and Israel. This act demonstrates the consequence of rejecting God’s leadership, as disunity and division are allowed to take hold within the nation.
Zechariah 11:15-17 (NKJV)
15 And the Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd.
16 For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces.
17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm and against his right eye; his arm shall completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded.”
God commands Zechariah to portray a foolish shepherd, symbolizing future leaders who will exploit rather than nurture the people. This shepherd’s neglect reflects the corrupt leaders Israel will encounter as a consequence of rejecting the Good Shepherd. The chapter concludes with a curse upon this "worthless shepherd," foretelling divine judgment on those who fail in their duty to protect and guide, leading ultimately to their own destruction.