Zechariah 11

Zechariah · Chapter 11

Zechariah 11:7

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
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.So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, especially the afflicted of the flock. Then I took for myself two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock.So I fed the flock of slaughter, verily the 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.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

The LORD told the prophet to "feed the flock of the slaughter," a people abused by owners, sellers and their own shepherds. In this verse the prophet takes up that shepherd's job. He takes two staffs named Beauty and Bands and tends the flock, especially its poor. Zechariah 11:4Zechariah 11:5Zechariah 11:7

SpeakingThe prophet speaks in the first person. He acts as shepherd because "the LORD my God" commanded him to. The book names the prophet as Zechariah son of Berechiah. Zechariah 11:4Zechariah 11:7Zechariah overview

ToThe words are addressed to "you, O poor of the flock." These are the afflicted sheep. Later the same chapter calls them the poor "that waited upon me." Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:11Strong's H6041

Also involvedThe flock stands for "the inhabitants of the land." That is the whole people, whom the LORD warns he will no longer pity. It includes both Judah and Israel, whose brotherhood the second staff stands for. Zechariah 11:6Zechariah 11:14

This is an acted-out sign. The prophet shepherds a doomed flock, carrying two named staffs. The chapter itself explains them: breaking Beauty breaks "my covenant which I had made with all the people," and breaking Bands breaks "the brotherhood between Judah and Israel." Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:10Zechariah 11:14

The sign concerns "the land" and its people, Judah and Israel. The book was written in Jerusalem for the people of Jerusalem and Judah who had returned from exile. Zechariah 11:6Zechariah 11:14Zechariah overview

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe passage gives no date for this sign. It belongs to the undated chapters 9-14. Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520-518 BC. Scholarly: chapters 1-8 are widely dated to Zechariah in 520-518 BC. Many scholars assign the undated chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them. Zechariah overview

HereThe two staffs show what God's shepherd offered the flock: his covenant favour, and unity between Judah and Israel. Both staffs were broken, and the shepherd's price was weighed out at thirty pieces of silver, which the LORD called, with irony, "a goodly price that I was prised at of them." Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:8Zechariah 11:10Zechariah 11:12Zechariah 11:13Zechariah 11:14

In the whole of ScriptureThis verse falls within the book's first burden, "the coming king and the rejected shepherd" (9:1-11:17). The chapter then turns to a foolish, idol shepherd who devours the flock. Ezekiel 37:16 uses a similar picture of two sticks for Judah and Israel, and Ephesians 2:13-16 speaks of Christ Jesus reconciling both unto God "in one body by the cross." Zechariah overviewZechariah 11:15Zechariah 11:16Zechariah 11:17Ezekiel 37:16Ephesians 2:13Ephesians 2:16

For readersGod's care reaches the afflicted even inside a judged people. In 11:11 it was the poor who waited on the shepherd who recognised "the word of the LORD." Zephaniah 3:12 likewise promises an afflicted and poor people who "shall trust in the name of the LORD." Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:11Zephaniah 3:12

  • Beautyנֹ֫עַם
    Hebrew · no.am · H5278

    The word means kindness, pleasantness or favour. Its definition also names it as the symbolic name of one of the two staves. The staff stands for God's covenant with the people, which is broken in 11:10. Strong's H5278Zechariah 11:10

  • Bandsחֹבְלִים
    Hebrew · chov.lim · H2256C

    The word means "union." That matches its meaning in 11:14, the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Strong's H2256CZechariah 11:14

  • poorעָנִי
    Hebrew · a.ni · H6041

    The word means poor, afflicted, humble or lowly. It marks out the suffering part of the flock, the ones who in 11:11 waited on the shepherd and knew the LORD's word. Strong's H6041Zechariah 11:11

  • slaughterהֲרֵגָה
    Hebrew · ha.re.gah · H2028H

    The word means a killing or slaughter. The flock is called this because its owners slay them and hold themselves not guilty. Strong's H2028HZechariah 11:5

Takeaway

God sent a shepherd to a flock headed for slaughter, offering favour and union. He was valued at thirty pieces of silver, and both were taken away. Through it all, the poor of the flock who waited on him recognised his word. Zechariah 11:7Zechariah 11:8Zechariah 11:10Zechariah 11:11Zechariah 11:14Zechariah 11:12Zechariah 11:13

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.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and I shepherdedוָֽאֶרְעֶה֙va-'er-'EHH7462B
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)

[the] flock ofצֹ֣אןtzonH6629G
flock

צֹאן (tson) 1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks 1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats) 1b) of multitude (simile) 1c) of multitude (metaphor)

the slaughterהַֽהֲרֵגָ֔הha-ha-re-GAHH2028H
slaughter

הֲרֵגָה (ha.re.gah) a killing, slaughter

to thereforeלָכֵ֖ןla-KHENH3651C
right

כֵּן (ken) adv adj 1) right, just, honest, true, veritable 1a) right, just, honest 1b) correct 1c) true, veritable

[the] afflicted [ones] ofעֲנִיֵּ֣י'a-ni-YEIH6041
afflicted

עָנִי (a.ni) 1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched 1d) humble, lowly

the flockהַצֹּ֑אןha-TZONH6629G
flock

צֹאן (tson) 1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks 1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats) 1b) of multitude (simile) 1c) of multitude (metaphor)

and I tookוָאֶקַּֽח־va-'e-kach-H3947G
to take: take

לָקַח (la.qach) : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed …

twoשְׁנֵ֣יshe-NEIH8147
two

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number)

staffsמַקְל֗וֹתmak-LOTH4731
rod

מַקֵּל (maq.qel) 1) rod, staff 1a) rod, stick 1b) staff (in travel) 1c) wand (of diviner)

to oneלְאַחַ֞דle-'a-CHADH0259
one

אֶחָד (e.chad) 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

I calledקָרָ֤אתִיka-RA-tiH7121H
to call: call to

קָרָא (qa.ra) : call_to/invite/entreat 1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound 1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) 1a3) to proclaim 1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read 1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow 1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to call oneself 1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named 1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

Favorנֹ֙עַם֙no-'amH5278
pleasantness

נֹ֫עַם (no.am) 1) kindness, pleasantness, delightfulness, beauty, favour 1a) delightfulness 1b) symbolic name of one of two staves 1c) pleasantness

and to oneוּלְאַחַד֙u-le-'a-CHADH0259
one

אֶחָד (e.chad) 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

I calledקָרָ֣אתִיka-RA-tiH7121H
to call: call to

קָרָא (qa.ra) : call_to/invite/entreat 1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound 1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) 1a3) to proclaim 1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read 1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow 1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to call oneself 1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named 1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

Unionחֹֽבְלִ֔יםchoe-LIMH2256C
union

חֹבְלִים (chov.lim) union

and I shepherdedוָאֶרְעֶ֖הva-'er-'EHH7462B
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)

the flockהַצֹּֽאן׃ha-TZONH6629G
flock

צֹאן (tson) 1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks 1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats) 1b) of multitude (simile) 1c) of multitude (metaphor)

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