English Standard Version
Zechariah 11:8
8In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.
Zechariah 11:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
- New International Version (NIV)In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them
- New King James Version (NKJV)I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I got rid of their three evil shepherds in a single month. But I became impatient with these sheep, and they hated me, too.
Context of Zechariah 11:8
6For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand." 7So 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. In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9So I said, "I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another." 10And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples.
Read all of Zechariah 11Zechariah 11:8 word by word
וָאַכְחִ֛ד אֶת־שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת הָרֹעִ֖ים בְּיֶ֣רַח אֶחָ֑ד וַתִּקְצַ֤ר נַפְשִׁי֙ בָּהֶ֔ם וְגַם־נַפְשָׁ֖ם בָּחֲלָ֥ה בִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- shepherdsרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- also I cut offכָּחַדkâchad · to hideH3582
- in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- monthיֶ֫רַחyerach · monthH3391
- and my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- lothedקָצֵרqâtsar · be shortH7114
- also abhorredבָּחֵלbâchal · feel loathingH973
Cross-references for Zechariah 11:8
- Hosea 5:7They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.
- Matthew 23:34Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,
- Matthew 24:50the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know
- Leviticus 26:11I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.
- Deuteronomy 32:19"The Lord saw it and spurned them, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
- Psalms 5:5The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
- Psalms 78:9The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
- Psalms 106:40Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage;
- Jeremiah 12:8My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice against me; therefore I hate her.
- Jeremiah 14:21Do not spurn us, for your name's sake; do not dishonor your glorious throne; remember and do not break your covenant with us.
- Hosea 9:15Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels.
- Hebrews 10:38but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
- Isaiah 49:7Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
- Luke 12:50I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
- Luke 19:14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'
- John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
Commentaries on Zechariah 11:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month - Taking this literally, some think the three shepherds mean the three Maccabees, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon; others, the three wicked high priests, Jason, Alcimus, and Menelaus; others, the three last princes of the Asmonean race, Alexander, Hyrcanus, and Antigonus. Perhaps three orders may be intended: The priesthood. The dictatorship, including the Scribes, Pharisees, etc. The magistracy, the great sanhedrin…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And I cut off three shepherds in one month - Jerome: “I have read in some one‘s commentary, that the shepherds, cut off in the indignation of the Lord, are to be understood of priests and false prophets and kings of the Jews, who, after the passion of Christ, were all cut off in one time, of whom Jeremiah speaketh, “The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew Me not; the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets…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. 8The mysterious historical mention of three evil shepherds has led to over 40 attempts to identify them. None of these explanations is effective. Three represents completeness. God appoints good shepherds to replace evil ones for the well-being of his people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Three shepherds ... I cut off--literally, "to cause to disappear," to destroy so as not to leave a vestige of them. The three shepherds whom Messiah removes are John, Simon, and Eleazar, three leaders of factions in the Jewish war [Drusius]. Or, as Messiah, the Antitype, was at once prophet, priest, and king, so He by the destruction of the Jewish polity destroyed these three orders for the unbelief of both the rulers and people [Moore]. If they had…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 11:8
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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Commentaries