God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 13:3
3“If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will say, ‘You don’t deserve to live because you speak lies in the name of the Lord.’ Then his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will stab him when he prophesies.
Zechariah 13:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, 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: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
- New International Version (NIV)And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, 'You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the Lord.' And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies.
- New King James Version (NKJV)It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord.’ And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
Context of Zechariah 13:3
1⌞The Lord declares,⌟ “On that day a fountain will be opened for David’s family and for those who live in Jerusalem to wash away ⌞their⌟ sin and stain. 2“On that day,” declares the Lord of Armies, “I will wipe away the names of the idols from the land. They will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the ⌞false⌟ prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. “If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will say, ‘You don’t deserve to live because you speak lies in the name of the Lord.’ Then his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will stab him when he prophesies. 4“On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He won’t deceive people by dressing ⌞like a prophet⌟ in a coat made of hair. 5He will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I’m a farmer. I’ve owned this land since I was a child.’
Read all of Zechariah 13Zechariah 13:3 word by word
וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יִנָּבֵ֣א אִישׁ֮ עוֹד֒ וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵ֠לָיו אָבִ֨יו וְאִמּ֤וֹ יֹֽלְדָיו֙ לֹ֣א תִֽחְיֶ֔ה כִּ֛י שֶׁ֥קֶר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וּדְקָרֻ֜הוּ אָבִ֧יהוּ וְאִמּ֛וֹ יֹלְדָ֖יו בְּהִנָּבְאֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- when anyאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- shall yet prophesyנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
- then his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- that begatיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- him shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, Thou shalt not liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- for thou speakestדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- liesשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- in the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- him shall thrustדָּקַרdâqar · to pierceH1856
Cross-references for Zechariah 13:3
- Exodus 32:27He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Each of you put on your sword. Go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other, and kill your relatives, friends, and neighbors.”
- Deuteronomy 13:6Your own brother, son, or daughter, the wife you love, or your best friend may secretly tempt you, saying, “Let’s go worship other gods.” (Those gods may be gods that you and your ancestors never knew.
- Deuteronomy 18:20But any prophet who dares to say something in my name that I didn’t command him to say or who speaks in the name of other gods must die.”
- Deuteronomy 33:9They said that they didn’t know their father and mother. They didn’t recognize their own brothers. They didn’t acknowledge their own children. But they obeyed your word and were faithful to the terms of your promise.
- Matthew 10:37“The person who loves his father or mother more than me does not deserve to be my disciple. The person who loves a son or daughter more than me does not deserve to be my disciple.
- Luke 14:26“If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16So from now on we don’t think of anyone from a human point of view. If we did think of Christ from a human point of view, we don’t anymore.
Commentaries on Zechariah 13:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3When any shall yet prophesy - Falsely; such shall be the horror of such an evil, that there shall be no toleration of it. Itself, and they who practice it, shall be everywhere destroyed.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3His father and mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live - The prophet describes the zeal against false prophecy, with reference to the law against those who seduced to apostasy from God. Deuteronomy 13:6-10: “the nearest relations were themselves to denounce any who had secretly tried to seduce them, and themselves, as the accusers, to cast the first stone at them. Cyril: “Such shall in those times be the reverence to Godward, so…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3You shall not remain alive: According to God's law, a false prophet must be executed (Deuteronomy 13:5, 10; 18:20). The Israelites had tolerated false prophets and killed the Lord's true prophets. In the future, this situation would change.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. The form of phraseology here is drawn from De 13:6-10; 18:20. The substantial truth expressed is that false prophecy shall be utterly abolished. If it were possible for it again to start up, the very parents of the false prophet would not let parental affection interfere, but would be the first to thrust him through. Love to Christ must be paramount to the tenderest of natural ties (Mt 10:37). Much as the godly love their children, they love God and…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 13:3
In the dictionaries
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
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