Zechariah 11:16

Translations

Modern

For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will neither care for the lost, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the choice sheep and tear off their hooves.

Traditional

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.

Literal

For behold, I am raising up a shepherd in the land: Those being cut off he will not attend to; the young one he will not seek, and the one being broken he will not heal. The one standing still he will not sustain, and the flesh of the fat one he will devour, and their hooves he will tear off!

Latin

Quia ecce ego suscitabo pastorem in terra, qui derelicta non visitabit, dispersum non quæret, et contritum non sanabit, et id quod stat non enutriet, et carnes pinguium comedet, et ungulas eorum dissolvet.

Original

Hebrew

English

For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will neither care for the lost, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the choice sheep and tear off their hooves.

Notes

Zechariah 11:16

tear 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).

Zechariah 11:4–17

The Hebrew leaders are compared to shepherds in the last three messages (Zechariah 9:9–11:17) of Zechariah’s first oracle (Zechariah 9–11). This message uses allegory and symbolic actions by Zechariah to show the wickedness of Israel’s leaders. The prophet acts out a story of a “good shepherd” chosen by God to guide and unite the people. However, the people reject this shepherd and the promise of protection from other nations (Zechariah 11:10) and unity between Judah and Israel (11:14). Zechariah’s symbolic actions point ahead to the work of Jesus the Messiah. His ministry fulfills this image as the Good Shepherd (see John 10:1–21).

Theme notes and profiles

Apocalyptic Literature The Shepherd

Events

Prophecies of Zechariahc. 520 BC

Related verses

Ezekiel 34:2–6
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock?
John 10:12–13
The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
Jeremiah 23:2
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.
John 10:1
“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
Matthew 23:13–29
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
Luke 12:45–46
But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Genesis 31:38
I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.
Jeremiah 23:22
But if they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and turned them back from their evil ways and deeds.”
Ezekiel 34:16
I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
Matthew 23:2–4
“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
Ezekiel 34:21
Since you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them abroad,
Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.

Zechariah 11:16

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