Zechariah Chapter 11 — The Rejected Shepherd
Zechariah portrays a shepherd who is rejected by his flock and receives thirty pieces of silver as wages before a foolish leader is raised up.
1Open your doors, Lebanon,
2Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen,
3A voice of the wailing of the shepherds!
4The LORD my God says: “Feed the flock of slaughter.
5Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich;’ and their own shepherds don’t pity them.
6For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the LORD; “but, behold, I will deliver every one of the men into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.”
7So I fed the flock to be slaughtered, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favor” and the other I called “Union”, and I fed the flock.
8I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me.
9Then I said, “I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other’s flesh.”
10I took my staff Favor and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples.
11It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the LORD’s word.
12I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13The LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter—the handsome price that I was valued at by them!” I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the LORD’s house.
14Then I cut apart my other staff, Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15The LORD said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
16For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the meat of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.
17Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will strike his arm and his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Zechariah 11:7
“I took for myself two staffs. The one I called 'Favor' and the other I called 'Union', and I fed the flock.”
This verse introduces the symbolic tools of the shepherd representing God's relationship with His people.
Zechariah 11:12
“So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.”
This specific amount represents the low value the people placed on the shepherd's service.
Zechariah 11:17
“Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock!”
This pronounces judgment on leaders who fail in their duty to care for those they lead.
Chapter Summary
Zechariah 11 opens with an oracle of judgment against the land, using the imagery of fallen cedars and mourning shepherds to describe coming devastation. The Lord instructs the prophet to shepherd a 'flock of slaughter' whose buyers and owners show them no pity, even while claiming to be blessed by God. Zechariah takes up two staffs, named Favor and Union, to tend the flock. However, conflict arises as the prophet grows weary of the people's attitudes, and they in turn loathe him. He breaks the staff 'Favor' to symbolize the breaking of a covenant of protection among the nations. When he asks for his wages, they give him thirty pieces of silver—the price of a slave. At God's command, he throws this 'handsome price' to the potter in the house of the Lord. Finally, he breaks the staff 'Union' to represent the broken brotherhood between Judah and Israel. The chapter concludes with a warning about a 'worthless shepherd' who will neglect and exploit the people, leading to severe divine judgment on that leader.
Frequently Asked Questions
The staff named 'Favor' represents God's gracious covenant and protection over the people. The staff 'Union' symbolizes the internal harmony and brotherhood between the tribes of Judah and Israel.
After being rejected by the flock, Zechariah was paid thirty pieces of silver, a meager amount for a shepherd's work. At God's command, he threw the money to the potter in the house of the LORD to show how little the people valued God's leadership.
The text states that a sword will strike the arm and the right eye of the worthless shepherd. His strength will wither, and his ability to see or lead will be taken away as a result of his neglect and exploitation of the flock.
Study Note
The breaking of the staff 'Union' refers to the historical and spiritual division between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel.
Related Chapters
Matthew 27
This chapter records the fulfillment of the thirty pieces of silver being returned and used to buy a potter's field.
Ezekiel 34
This passage also uses shepherd imagery to contrast corrupt human leaders with God's care for His flock.
Exodus 21
Verse 32 provides the legal context for the value of thirty pieces of silver as the price for a slave.
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.