Zechariah 13:5

Zechariah 13:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.
• New International Version (NIV)Each will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)but he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.’

Context of Zechariah 13:5

3If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You cannot remain alive because you have spoken a lie in the name of the Lord.’ When he prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will pierce him through. 4On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for a man purchased me as a servant since my youth.’ 6If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ — then he will answer, ‘I received the wounds in the house of my friends.’ 7Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate — this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Zechariah 13:5 word by word

וְאָמַ֕ר לֹ֥א נָבִ֖יא אָנֹ֑כִי אִישׁ־עֹבֵ֤ד אֲדָמָה֙ אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אָדָ֖ם הִקְנַ֥נִי מִנְּעוּרָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But he shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• no prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• an husbandmanאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
• an husbandmanעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: labourH5647
• an husbandmanאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• for manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• taught me to keep cattleקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
• from my youthנְעוּרִיםnâ‛ûr nâ‛ûr ne‛ûrâh · youthH5271

Cross-references for Zechariah 13:5

• Amos 7:14So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was not a prophet or the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman, and I took care of sycamore figs.
• Acts 19:17When this became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, they became afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high esteem.

Commentaries on Zechariah 13:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5But he shall say, I am no prophet - This must be the case of a false prophet or diviner, who had been obliged to give up his infamous practice, and become even a laborer in the land. But having been known to be such, he is questioned by the people to see if he still were addicted in heart to the same practices. He declares he is no prophet, neither true nor false; that he is now a husbandman, and was brought up a herdsman.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And he shall say - Repudiating his former claims, “I am a husbandman:” for a man hath taught me from my youth.” There was no room then for his having been a false prophet, since he had had from his youth one simple unlettered occupation, as Amos said truly of himself; “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet‘s son: but I was an herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit” Amos 7:14. The prophet does not approve the lie, any more than our Lord did the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5I work the land: This statement may be a deliberate echo of Amos 7:14. In that passage, Amos says he is not a prophet by profession but a farmer whom the Lord called to speak his message.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. The detection of one of the false prophets dramatically represented. He is seized by some zealous vindicator of the law, and in fear cries out, "I am no prophet." man--that is, one. taught me to keep cattle--As "keeping cattle" is not the same as to be "an husbandman," translate rather, "Has used (or 'appropriated') me as a servant," namely, in husbandry [Maurer]. However, husbandry and keeping cattle might be regarded as jointly the occupation of…Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 13:5

• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Awake
• Fellow
• Refine
• Bible, the
• Salvation
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Zechariah 13

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings