Christian Standard Bible
Zechariah 11:7
7So I shepherded the flock intended for slaughter, the oppressed of the flock. I took two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.
Zechariah 11:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
- New International Version (NIV)So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Zechariah 11:7
5Those who buy them slaughter them but are not punished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord because I have become rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion for them. 6Indeed, I will no longer have compassion on the inhabitants of the land” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, I will turn everyone over to his neighbor and his king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue it from their hand.” So I shepherded the flock intended for slaughter, the oppressed of the flock. I took two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. 8In one month I got rid of three shepherds. I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let what is dying die, and let what is perishing perish; let the rest devour each other’s flesh.”
Read all of Zechariah 11Zechariah 11:7 word by word
וָֽאֶרְעֶה֙ אֶת־צֹ֣אן הַֽהֲרֵגָ֔ה לָכֵ֖ן עֲנִיֵּ֣י הַצֹּ֑אן וָאֶקַּֽח־לִ֞י שְׁנֵ֣י מַקְל֗וֹת לְאַחַ֞ד קָרָ֤אתִי נֹ֙עַם֙ וּלְאַחַד֙ קָרָ֣אתִי חֹֽבְלִ֔ים וָאֶרְעֶ֖ה אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I will feedרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- the flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- of slaughterהֲרֵגָהhărêgâh · slaughterH2028
- youכֵּןkên · soH3651
- O poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
- And I tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- unto me twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- stavesמַקֵּלmaqqêl maqqelâh · rodH4731
- the oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- I calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- Beautyנֹ֫עַםnô‛am · pleasantnessH5278
- Bandsחָבַלchâbal · to pledgeH2254
Cross-references for Zechariah 11:7
- Zechariah 11:4The Lord my God says this: “Shepherd the flock intended for slaughter.
- Zechariah 13:8In the whole land — this is the Lord’s declaration — two-thirds will be cut off and die, but a third will be left in it.
- Isaiah 11:4but he will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with a scepter from his mouth, and he will kill the wicked with a command from his lips.
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;
- Jeremiah 5:4Then I thought: They are just the poor; they have been foolish. For they don’t understand the way of the Lord, the justice of their God.
- Zephaniah 3:12I will leave a meek and humble people among you, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 11:5The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,
- Mark 12:37David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
- James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
- Zechariah 11:10Next I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, annulling the covenant I had made with all the peoples.
- Leviticus 27:32Every tenth animal from the herd or flock, which passes under the shepherd’s rod, will be holy to the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 17:40Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.
- Psalms 23:4Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me.
- Psalms 133:1How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!
- Ezekiel 37:16“Son of man, take a single stick and write on it: Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph — the stick of Ephraim — and all the house of Israel associated with him.
- John 17:21May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.
Commentaries on Zechariah 11:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7And I wilt feed the flock of slaughter - I showed them what God had revealed to me relative to the evils coming upon the land; and I did this the more especially for the sake of the poor of the flock. Two staves - Two shepherd's crooks. One I called Beauty - that probably by which they marked the sheep; dipping the end into vermillion, or some red liquid. And this was done when they were to mark every tenth sheep, as it came out of the field, when the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7The prophetic narrative which follows, differs in its form, in some respects, from the symbolical actions of the prophets and from Zechariah‘s own visions. The symbolical actions of the prophets are actions of their own: this involves acts, which it would be impossible to represent, except as a sort of drama. Such are the very central points, the feeding of the flock, which are still intelligent people who understand God‘s doings: the cutting off of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-14Verses 4-14 Christ came into this world for judgment to the Jewish church and nation, which were wretchedly corrupt and degenerate. Those have their minds wofully blinded, who do ill, and justify themselves in it; but God will not hold those guiltless who hold themselves so. How can we go to God to beg a blessing on unlawful methods of getting wealth, or to return thanks for success in them? There was a general decay of religion among them, and they…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Shepherd’s staffs represent leadership and authority. Favor: This staff symbolized God's choice of Israel as his people (see Genesis 12:1–3) and the promise of a leader like King David (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16). Union: Ezekiel’s staff (Ezekiel 37:16–17) represented the unity of the Hebrew tribes as a single nation during King David’s reign (2 Samuel 5:1–3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. And--rather, "Accordingly": implying the motive cause which led Messiah to assume the office, namely, the will of the Father (Zec 11:4, 5), who pitied the sheep without any true shepherd. I will feed--"I fed" [Calvin], which comes to the same thing, as the past tense must in Zechariah's time have referred to the event of Messiah's advent then future: the prophets often speaking of the future in vision as already present. It was not My fault, Jehovah…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 11:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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