New English Translation
Zechariah 13:5
5Instead he will say, ‘I am no prophet – indeed, I am a farmer, for a man has made me his indentured servant since my youth.’
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
3Then, if anyone prophesies in spite of this, his father and mother to whom he was born will say to him, ‘You cannot live, for you lie in the name of the Lord.’ Then his father and mother to whom he was born will run him through with a sword when he prophesies. 4“Therefore, on that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and will no longer wear the hairy garment of a prophet to deceive the people. Instead he will say, ‘I am no prophet – indeed, I am a farmer, for a man has made me his indentured servant since my youth.’ 6Then someone will ask him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ and he will answer, ‘Some that I received in the house of my friends.’ 7“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate,” says the Lord who rules over all. Strike the shepherd that the flock may be scattered; I will turn my hand against the insignificant ones.
Read all of Zechariah 13Zechariah 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
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
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries