Zechariah 11

Zechariah · Chapter 11

Zechariah 11:3

1Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.2Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.3There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.4Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;5Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.6For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.7And 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.8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.9Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.10And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.11And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.12And 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.13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.14Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.15And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.16For, 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.17Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
3There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.Listen to the wailing of the shepherds, for their glory is in ruins. Listen to the roaring of the young lions, for the thickets of the Jordan are destroyed.A voice of the wailing of the shepherds! for their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions! for the pride of the Jordan is laid waste.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Zechariah 11:1-3 is a short poem of mourning. Fire devours Lebanon's cedars, Bashan's oaks and the forest come down, and the pride of Jordan is spoiled, while the shepherds wail as their glory is ruined. The poem opens a chapter about shepherds who do not pity the flock and the judgment that comes on them (11:4-17). Zechariah 11:1Zechariah 11:2Zechariah 11:3Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:17

SpeakingThe prophet Zechariah speaks the poem. It sits in the book's first 'burden', or weighty message (chapters 9-11). In 11:4 he goes on to say, 'Thus saith the LORD my God.' Zechariah overviewZechariah 11:4

ToThe book is addressed to the people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview

Also involvedThe 'shepherds' are the ones who wail. In this chapter they are the leaders over God's flock. While the flock's possessors slay the sheep and others sell them, 'their own shepherds pity them not' (11:5). The Hebrew word is used for rulers in a figurative sense. Zechariah 11:3Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:8Strong's H7462B

Two sounds are heard: shepherds howling because their splendor is destroyed, and young lions roaring because the Jordan's thickets are laid waste. The ruin that began with Lebanon's cedars (11:1-2) reaches the leaders and the land. Zechariah 11:1Zechariah 11:2Zechariah 11:3Strong's H0155Strong's H1347Strong's H7703

The poem moves across the land: Lebanon's cedars, Bashan's oaks, and the thickets along the Jordan River. Jeremiah also pictures a lion coming up 'from the swelling of Jordan.' Zechariah 11:1Zechariah 11:2Zechariah 11:3JordanJeremiah 50:44

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJordanTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe text does not name a date or a particular invasion for this destruction. Chapters 9-14 carry no dates. Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book; his dated messages fall in 520-518 BC. Scholarly: many scholars assign the undated chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them. Zechariah overview

HereThe lament prepares for what follows. The flock is slain by its possessors while its own shepherds pity it not (11:4-5), the shepherd sent to feed it cuts off three shepherds (11:8), and woe is pronounced on the 'idol shepherd that leaveth the flock' (11:17). Zechariah 11:4Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:8Zechariah 11:17

In the whole of ScriptureJeremiah uses the same picture: 'A voice of the cry of the shepherds... for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture' (Jeremiah 25:36; also 25:34). In both prophets, God judges leaders who fail his people. This section of Zechariah also tells of the shepherd valued at thirty pieces of silver (11:12-13). Jeremiah 25:34Jeremiah 25:36Zechariah 11:12Zechariah 11:13Zechariah overview

For readersShepherds who will not pity the flock, and those who profit from it and say, 'I am rich' (11:5), come under God's judgment. James warns in the same way: 'ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you' (James 5:1). Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:17James 5:1James 5:6

  • shepherdsרָעָה
    Hebrew · ra.ah · H7462B

    The word means to tend or pasture a flock. It is also used figuratively for a ruler or teacher, which fits this chapter's picture of leaders over God's flock (11:5, 11:16-17). Strong's H7462BZechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:16Zechariah 11:17

  • gloryאַדֶּ֫רֶת
    Hebrew · ad.de.ret · H0155

    The word means glory or splendor, and the lexicon lists shepherds as one thing it describes. It can also mean a fine cloak. The shepherds' splendor is what has been ruined. Strong's H0155Zechariah 11:3

  • prideגָּאוֹן
    Hebrew · ga.on · H1347

    The word means majesty or excellence, and the lexicon notes its use for the Jordan. Here it is rendered 'thickets of,' the growth along the river, linked in this verse with the roaring of young lions (compare Jeremiah 50:44). Strong's H1347Zechariah 11:3Jeremiah 50:44

  • spoiledשָׁדַד
    Hebrew · sha.dad · H7703

    The word means to deal violently with, devastate, ruin or destroy. Here it is rendered 'it has been devastated,' describing the ruin of both the shepherds' glory and the Jordan's thickets. Strong's H7703Zechariah 11:3

Takeaway

Zechariah 11:3 is a cry of grief over leaders and land brought to ruin. It opens a chapter in which God judges shepherds who will not care for his flock. Jeremiah 25:34-36 confirms the same warning. Zechariah 11:3Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:17Jeremiah 25:34Jeremiah 25:36

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

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
  1. 539 BC
    WarBabylon 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

  2. 538 BC
    God'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

  3. c. 536 BC
    God'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

  4. 525 BC
    WarPersia 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

  5. 522-521 BC
    WarDarius 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

  6. 520 BC
    God'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

  7. c. 520-519 BC
    RulersDarius 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

  8. 515 BC
    BuildingThe 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

  9. 490-479 BC
    WarPersia'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

  10. 445 BC
    BuildingNehemiah 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

  11. 332 BC
    WarAlexander 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.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[the] sound ofק֚וֹלKolH6963H
voice

קוֹל (qol) : voice/shout/loud 1) voice, sound, noise 1a) voice 1b) sound (of instrument)

[the] wailing ofיִֽלְלַ֣תyi-LATH3215
wailing

יְלָלָה (ye.la.lah) a howling (of distress), wailing

the shepherdsהָרֹעִ֔יםha-ro-'IMH7462B
to pasture

רָעָה (ra.ah) 1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tend, pasture 1a1a) to shepherd 1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig) 1a1c) of people as flock (fig) 1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst) 1a2) to feed, graze 1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal) 1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig) 1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

forכִּ֥יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

it has been devastatedשֻׁדְּדָ֖הshu-de-DAHH7703
to ruin

שָׁדַד (sha.dad) 1) to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to violently destroy, devastate, despoil, assail 1a2) devastator, despoiler (participle) (subst) 1b) (Niphal) to be utterly ruined 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to assault 1c2) to devastate 1d) (Pual) to be devastated 1e) (Poel) to violently destroy 1f) (Hophal) to be devastated Also means: shud (שׁוּד "to waste" H7736)

splendor theirאַדַּרְתָּ֑ם'a-dar-TAMH0155
clothing

אַדֶּ֫רֶת (ad.de.ret) 1) glory, cloak 1a) glory, splendour, magnificence (of a vine, shepherds) 1b) mantle, cloak made of fur or fine material 1b1) prophet's garment

[the] sound ofק֚וֹלKolH6963H
voice

קוֹל (qol) : voice/shout/loud 1) voice, sound, noise 1a) voice 1b) sound (of instrument)

[the] roaring ofשַׁאֲגַ֣תsha-'a-GATH7581
roaring

שְׁאָגָה (she.a.gah) 1) roaring 1a) of lion, the wicked, distress cry

young lionsכְּפִירִ֔יםke-fi-RIMH3715A
lion

כְּפִיר (ke.phir) young lion

forכִּ֥יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

it has been devastatedשֻׁדַּ֖דshu-DADH7703
to ruin

שָׁדַד (sha.dad) 1) to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to violently destroy, devastate, despoil, assail 1a2) devastator, despoiler (participle) (subst) 1b) (Niphal) to be utterly ruined 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to assault 1c2) to devastate 1d) (Pual) to be devastated 1e) (Poel) to violently destroy 1f) (Hophal) to be devastated Also means: shud (שׁוּד "to waste" H7736)

[the] thicket[s] ofגְּא֥וֹןge-'onH1347
pride

גָּאוֹן (ga.on) 1) exaltation, majesty, pride 1a) majesty, exaltation, excellence 1a1) of nations 1a2) of God 1a3) of the Jordan 1b) pride, arrogance (bad sense)

the Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ סhai-yar-DENH3383
Jordan

יַרְדֵּן (yar.den) Jordan = "descender" the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km) Also named: Iordanēs (Ἰορδάνης "Jordan" G2446)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.