New King James Version
Zechariah 11:16
16For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces.
Zechariah 11:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
- New International Version (NIV)For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.
- New Living Translation (NLT)This illustrates how I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves.
Context of Zechariah 11:16
14Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 15And the Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd. For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces. 17“Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.”
Read all of Zechariah 11Zechariah 11:16 word by word
כִּ֣י הִנֵּֽה־אָנֹכִי֩ מֵקִ֨ים רֹעֶ֜ה בָּאָ֗רֶץ הַנִּכְחָד֤וֹת לֹֽא־יִפְקֹד֙ הַנַּ֣עַר לֹֽא־יְבַקֵּ֔שׁ וְהַנִּשְׁבֶּ֖רֶת לֹ֣א יְרַפֵּ֑א הַנִּצָּבָה֙ לֹ֣א יְכַלְכֵּ֔ל וּבְשַׂ֤ר הַבְּרִיאָה֙ יֹאכַ֔ל וּפַרְסֵיהֶ֖ן יְפָרֵֽק׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For, lo, I will raise upקוּםqûm · to arise: raiseH6965
- a shepherdרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- shall not visitפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
- those that be cut offכָּחַדkâchad · to hideH3582
- neither shall seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- the young oneנַ֫עַרna‛ar · young oneH5289
- nor healרָפָאrâphâ' râphâh · to healH7495
- that that is brokenשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- nor feedכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
- that that standethנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- still: but he shall eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- of the fatבָּרִיאbârîy' · fatH1277
- and tearפָּרַקpâraq · to tearH6561
- their clawsפַּרְסָהparsâh · hoofH6541
Cross-references for Zechariah 11:16
- Jeremiah 23:2Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord.
- Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
- Matthew 23:2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
- Luke 12:45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,
- John 10:12But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
- Genesis 33:13But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die.
- 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,
- Isaiah 40:11He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
- Genesis 31:38These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
- Ezekiel 34:10Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”
- John 10:1“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Commentaries on Zechariah 11:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I will raise up a shepherd in the land - Some wicked king; and Newcome supposes Hoshea may be meant. See 2 Kings 17:1, 2 Kings 17:2, and to such an abominable sovereign the prophecy may well apply.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16I will raise up - God supplies the strength or wisdom which people abuse to sin. He, in His Providence, disposeth the circumstances, of which the ambitious avail themselves. antichrist, whom the Jews look for, will be as much an instrument of God for the perfecting the elect, as the Chaldees Habakkuk 1:6 or the Assyrians Amos 6:14 whom God raised up, for the chastisement of His former people, or the Medes against Babylon Isaiah 13:17. Which shall not…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 God, having showed the misery of this people in their being justly left by the Good Shepherd, shows their further misery in being abused by foolish shepherds. The description suits the character Christ gives of the scribes and Pharisees. They never do any thing to support the weak, or comfort the feeble-minded; but seek their own ease, while they are barbarous to the flock. The idol shepherd has the garb and appearance of a shepherd, receives…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16tear off their hooves: This is a Hebrew saying. It means searching greedily for the last bit of meat on an animal carcass (see Micah 3:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. in the land--Antichrist will probably he a Jew, or at least one in Judea. not visit ... neither ... seek ... heal ... broken, nor feed ... but ... eat ... flesh ... tear--Compare similar language as to the unfaithful shepherds of Israel in Eze 34:2-4. This implies, they shall be paid in kind. Such a shepherd in the worst type shall "tear" them for a limited time. those ... cut off--"those perishing" [Septuagint], that is, those sick unto death, as if…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 11:16
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries