Zechariah 11:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. | Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. | And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my hire; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my hire thirty pieces of silver. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedThe prophet, told by the LORD to shepherd a flock headed for slaughter, breaks his staff Beauty and then asks to be paid off. He leaves the amount to them, and they weigh out thirty pieces of silver. In the next verse the LORD calls it, with irony, "a goodly price that I was prised at of them" and has it cast to the potter. Zechariah 11:4Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:10Zechariah 11:12Zechariah 11:13
SpeakingThe prophet speaks, acting out the part of the shepherd the LORD told him to be. Zechariah 11:4Zechariah 11:7Zechariah overview
To"Them" are the people of the flock he had fed, whose leaders sold and slew the sheep. The poor of the flock who waited on him saw it was the word of the LORD. Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:11
Also involvedIn valuing the shepherd, the people are valuing the LORD himself. The LORD says it was the price "I was prised at of them." Zechariah 11:13
The shepherd asks for his wages and lets them choose to pay or not. They pay thirty pieces of silver. In the Law this was the sum paid to a master when an ox gored a slave, so it marks contempt for the shepherd. Zechariah 11:12Exodus 21:32Zechariah 11:13
The setting is Judah among the returned exiles. The silver is then thrown to the potter in the house of the LORD. Zechariah overviewZechariah 11:13
The eventsThis is a symbolic act within the undated first burden of chapters 9-11. It comes after the breaking of the staff Beauty and before the breaking of Bands. Zechariah overviewZechariah 11:10Zechariah 11:14
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the book, with dated messages from about 520-518 BC. Scholarly: many assign the undated chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote the whole book. Zechariah overview
HereThe act shows how little the people valued the shepherd God gave them. It leads to the breaking of the brotherhood between Judah and Israel and to the raising up of a foolish shepherd. Zechariah 11:13Zechariah 11:14Zechariah 11:15Zechariah 11:16
In the whole of ScriptureThis chapter belongs to the first burden, "the coming king and the rejected shepherd." Mark records that Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests to betray Jesus, and Matthew records that they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver, the same sum named here. Zechariah overviewMark 14:10Matthew 26:15
For readersThe verse puts a price on how God's people treated the shepherd he sent: the price of a slave. Matthew shows the same price agreed for the betrayal of Jesus. Exodus 21:32Matthew 26:15Mark 14:10
- price (wages)שָׂכָר
The word means hire, wages, or pay. The shepherd is asking for what is owed for his work, not for a gift or a bribe. Strong's H7939Zechariah 11:7
- weighedשָׁקַל
This word means to weigh out a price. The silver was counted out by weight as a formal payment. Strong's H8254
- forbearחָדַל
This word means to cease, leave off, or forgo. The shepherd leaves them free not to pay at all, so the low sum was their own choice. Strong's H2308Zechariah 11:12
Takeaway
Thirty pieces of silver was a slave's price, and that is what the people judged their God-given shepherd to be worth. The LORD took it as their valuing of himself. Matthew records the same sum agreed for the betrayal of Jesus. Zechariah 11:12Zechariah 11:13Exodus 21:32Matthew 26:15Mark 14:10
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
Behind this verse
- Thirty pieces of silver
- Thirty shekels of silver was the price the law set for a servant gored by an ox. Matthew records the thirty pieces paid to Judas and the potter's field bought with them. Zechariah 11:12-13Exodus 21:32Matthew 27:3-10
About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.
Who ruled
- King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC
Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription
- Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC
A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8
- High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC
Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2
- Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC
The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13
What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
- 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleThe first return
Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops
The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24
- 525 BCWarPersia conquers Egypt
Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16
- 522-521 BCWarDarius crushes the revolts
When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11
- 520 BCGod's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build
In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1
- c. 520-519 BCRulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree
Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12
- 515 BCBuildingThe second temple is finished
The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9
- 490-479 BCWarPersia's wars with Greece
Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13
- 445 BCBuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls
Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15
- 332 BCWarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza
Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and I said | וָאֹמַ֣ר | va-'o-MAR | H0559 | to sayאָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560) |
| to them | אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם | 'a-lei-HEM | H0413 | to(wards)אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to) |
| if | אִם־ | 'im- | H0518A | ifאִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather |
| it is good | ט֧וֹב | Tov | H2895 | be pleasingטוֹב (tov) 1) to be good, be pleasing, be joyful, be beneficial, be pleasant, be favourable, be happy, be right 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be pleasant, be delightful 1a2) to be glad, be joyful 1a3) to be better 1a4) to be well with, be good for 1a5) to be pleasing 1b) (Hiphil) to do well, do good, act right, act rightly |
| in view your | בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֛ם | be-'ei-nei-KHEM | H5869I | No entry |
| give | הָב֥וּ | ha-VU | H3051 | to giveיָהַב (ya.hav) 1) to give, provide, ascribe, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give 1a2) to set, place 1a3) to provide (with reflexive) 1a4) to ascribe (glory) 1a5) to grant, permit, come now Aramaic equivalent: ye.hav (יְהַב "to give" H3052) |
| wage[s] my | שְׂכָרִ֖י | se-kha-RI | H7939 | wagesשָׂכָר (sa.khar) 1) hire, wages 1a) wages 1b) reward, pay 1c) fare, fee, passage-money |
| and if | וְאִם־ | ve-'im- | H0518A | ifאִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather |
| not | לֹ֣א׀ | lo' | H3808 | notלֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809) |
| refrain | חֲדָ֑לוּ | cha-DA-lu | H2308 | to ceaseחָדַל (cha.dal) 1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease, come to an end 1a2) to cease, leave off |
| and they weighed out | וַיִּשְׁקְל֥וּ | vai-yish-ke-LU | H8254 | to weighשָׁקַל (sha.qal) 1) to weigh, weigh out, pay out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to weigh 1a2) to weigh out (a price) 1a3) of grief (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be weighed 1b2) to be weighed out Aramaic equivalent: te.qal (תְּקַל "to weigh" H8625A) |
| wage[s] my | שְׂכָרִ֖י | se-kha-RI | H7939 | wagesשָׂכָר (sa.khar) 1) hire, wages 1a) wages 1b) reward, pay 1c) fare, fee, passage-money |
| thirty | שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים | she-lo-SHIM | H7970 | thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁים (she.lo.shim) thirty, thirtieth Aramaic equivalent: te.la.tin (תְּלָתִין "thirty" H8533) |
| silver | כָּֽסֶף׃ | KA-sef | H3701G | silver: moneyכֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.