God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 13:7
7“Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend,” declares the Lord of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
Zechariah 13:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
- New International Version (NIV)“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," declares the Lord of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Context of Zechariah 13:7
5He will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I’m a farmer. I’ve owned this land since I was a child.’ 6“When someone asks him, ‘What are these scars on your chest?’ he will answer, ‘I was hurt at my friend’s house.’ “Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend,” declares the Lord of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones.” 8The Lord declares, “Throughout the land two-thirds will be cut off and die. Yet, one-third will be left in it. 9I will bring this third ⌞of the people⌟ through the fire. I will refine them as silver is refined. I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on me, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people.’ They will reply, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”
Read all of Zechariah 13Zechariah 13:7 word by word
חֶ֗רֶב עוּרִ֤י עַל־רֹעִי֙ וְעַל־גֶּ֣בֶר עֲמִיתִ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת הַ֤ךְ אֶת־הָֽרֹעֶה֙ וּתְפוּצֶ֣יןָ הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י יָדִ֖י עַל־הַצֹּעֲרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Awakeעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
- O swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- against my shepherdרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- and against the manגָּבֶרgeber · great manH1397
- my fellowעָמִית‛âmîyth · neighborH5997
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- and the sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- shall be scatteredפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
- and I will turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- mine handיָדyâd · handH3027
- upon the little onesצָעַרtsâ‛ar · be littleH6819
Cross-references for Zechariah 13:7
- Deuteronomy 32:41I will sharpen my flashing sword and take justice into my own hands. Then I will take revenge on my enemies and pay back those who hate me.
- Isaiah 27:1On that day the Lord will use his fierce and powerful sword to punish Leviathan, that slippery snake, Leviathan, that twisting snake. He will kill that monster which lives in the sea.
- Jeremiah 47:6You cry out, “Sword of the Lord, how long will you keep on fighting? Go back into your scabbard. Stay there and rest!”
- Ezekiel 21:4I’m going to kill the righteous people and the wicked people among you. That is why my sword will come out of its scabbard to be used against everyone from the south to the north.
- Zechariah 11:4This is what the Lord my God says: Take care of the sheep that are about to be slaughtered.
- Isaiah 40:11Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms. He carries them in his arms. He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.
- Ezekiel 34:23Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.
- Ezekiel 37:24“ ‘My servant David will be their king, and all of them will have one shepherd. They will live by my rules, and they will obey my laws.
- Micah 5:2You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago.
- John 10:10A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need.
- Hebrews 13:20The God of peace brought the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back to life through the blood of an eternal promise.
- 1 Peter 5:4Then, when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
- Isaiah 9:6A child will be born for us. A son will be given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Jeremiah 23:5“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will grow a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who will rule wisely. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
- Hosea 12:3Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother’s heel while the two of them were in their mother’s womb. When Jacob became a man, he struggled with God.
- Matthew 1:23“The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
Commentaries on Zechariah 13:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd - This is generally understood of Jesus Christ. The sword is that of Divine justice which seemed to have been long asleep, and should long ago have struck either Man, or his Substitute, the Messiah. Jesus is here called God's Shepherd, because he had appointed him to feed and govern, as well as to save, the whole lost world. This is a prosopopoeia, and the address to the sword is very poetic. There is a fine passage in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Awake, O sword - So Jeremiah apostrophises the sword, “O thou sword of the Lord, when wilt thou be quiet?” Jeremiah 47:6. The prophets express what “will be,” by a command that it should be; “Make the heart of this people heavy” Isaiah 6:10. But by this command he signifies that human malice, acting freely, could do no more than His “Hand and” His “counsel determined before to be done” Acts 4:28. The envy and hatred of Satan, the blind fury of the chief…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 Here is a prophecy of the sufferings of Christ. God the Father gave order to the sword of his justice to awake against his Son, when he freely made his soul an offering for sin. As God, he is called "my Fellow." Christ and the Father are one. He is the Shepherd who was to lay down his life for the sheep. If a Sacrifice, he must be slain, for without shedding of the life-blood there was no remission. This sword must awake against him, yet he had…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The sword is described as a warrior called to awaken for battle, emphasizing its role as God's servant and a tool of death (see Isaiah 31:8; 34:6; 66:16). My shepherd represents the Messiah, the future leader of Israel (see Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24). My partner shows the shepherd's equality with God (see Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Expounded by Christ as referring to Himself (Mt 26:31, 32). Thus it is a resumption of the prophecy of His betrayal (Zec 11:4, 10, 13, 14), and the subsequent punishment of the Jews. It explains the mystery why He, who came to be a blessing, was cut off while bestowing the blessing. God regards sin in such a fearful light that He spared not His own co-equal Son in the one Godhead, when that Son bore the sinner's guilt. Awake--Compare a similar address…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 13:7
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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