New King James Version
Zechariah 11:7
7So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock.
Zechariah 11:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
- New International Version (NIV)So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So I cared for the flock intended for slaughter—the flock that was oppressed. Then I took two shepherd’s staffs and named one Favor and the other Union.
Context of Zechariah 11:7
5whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them. 6For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.” So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock. 8I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 9Then I said, “I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.”
Read all of Zechariah 11Zechariah 11:7 word by word
וָֽאֶרְעֶה֙ אֶת־צֹ֣אן הַֽהֲרֵגָ֔ה לָכֵ֖ן עֲנִיֵּ֣י הַצֹּ֑אן וָאֶקַּֽח־לִ֞י שְׁנֵ֣י מַקְל֗וֹת לְאַחַ֞ד קָרָ֤אתִי נֹ֙עַם֙ וּלְאַחַד֙ קָרָ֣אתִי חֹֽבְלִ֔ים וָאֶרְעֶ֖ה אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I will feedרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- the flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- of slaughterהֲרֵגָהhărêgâh · slaughterH2028
- youכֵּןkên · soH3651
- O poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
- And I tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- unto me twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- stavesמַקֵּלmaqqêl maqqelâh · rodH4731
- the oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- I calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- Beautyנֹ֫עַםnô‛am · pleasantnessH5278
- Bandsחָבַלchâbal · to pledgeH2254
Cross-references for Zechariah 11:7
- Zechariah 11:4Thus says the Lord my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter,
- Zechariah 13:8And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the Lord, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one–third shall be left in it:
- Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
- Isaiah 61:1“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
- Jeremiah 5:4Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.
- Zephaniah 3:12I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 11:5The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
- Mark 12:37Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” And the common people heard Him gladly.
- James 2:5Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
- Zechariah 11:10And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples.
- Leviticus 27:32And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 17:40Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
- Psalms 23:4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Psalms 133:1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
- Ezekiel 37:16“As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’
- John 17:21that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Commentaries on Zechariah 11:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7And I wilt feed the flock of slaughter - I showed them what God had revealed to me relative to the evils coming upon the land; and I did this the more especially for the sake of the poor of the flock. Two staves - Two shepherd's crooks. One I called Beauty - that probably by which they marked the sheep; dipping the end into vermillion, or some red liquid. And this was done when they were to mark every tenth sheep, as it came out of the field, when the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7The prophetic narrative which follows, differs in its form, in some respects, from the symbolical actions of the prophets and from Zechariah‘s own visions. The symbolical actions of the prophets are actions of their own: this involves acts, which it would be impossible to represent, except as a sort of drama. Such are the very central points, the feeding of the flock, which are still intelligent people who understand God‘s doings: the cutting off of the…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. 7Shepherd’s staffs represent leadership and authority. Favor: This staff symbolized God's choice of Israel as his people (see Genesis 12:1–3) and the promise of a leader like King David (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16). Union: Ezekiel’s staff (Ezekiel 37:16–17) represented the unity of the Hebrew tribes as a single nation during King David’s reign (2 Samuel 5:1–3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. And--rather, "Accordingly": implying the motive cause which led Messiah to assume the office, namely, the will of the Father (Zec 11:4, 5), who pitied the sheep without any true shepherd. I will feed--"I fed" [Calvin], which comes to the same thing, as the past tense must in Zechariah's time have referred to the event of Messiah's advent then future: the prophets often speaking of the future in vision as already present. It was not My fault, Jehovah…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 11:7
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