Zechariah 13

Zechariah · Chapter 13

Zechariah 13:4

1In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.2And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.3And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.4And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:5But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.6And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
4And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive.And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he prophesieth; neither shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

In the day when the LORD cleanses Jerusalem, he will remove idols, false prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. Lying prophets will then be ashamed of their visions. They will stop wearing the hairy prophet's cloak they used to fool people. Zechariah 13:1Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4Strong's H0155Strong's H8181

SpeakingThe LORD of hosts, speaking through the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah overview

ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview

Also involvedProphets who speak lies in the name of the LORD. The chapter links them with idols and the unclean spirit. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:3

False prophets will feel shame over their visions. They will give up the rough, hairy cloak worn to deceive. Instead each will deny being a prophet and claim to be a farmer. Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5Strong's H0155Strong's H8181Strong's H3584

The land of Judah, with Jerusalem at its center, where the LORD says he will clear out idols and false prophets. Zechariah 13:1Zechariah 13:2Zechariah overview

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The events"In that day": the coming day when a fountain is opened in Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. The text gives no calendar date. Zechariah 13:1Zechariah 13:4Strong's H3117G

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520-518 BC. Scholarly: chapters 1-8 come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC, but many assign the undated chapters 9-14, including this verse, to a later writer or writers. Zechariah overview

HereThe verse shows how complete the cleansing will be. False prophecy will become so shameful that those who practiced it hide their role and drop its costume. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5

In the whole of ScriptureThis belongs to the book's second burden about Jerusalem's cleansing and the day of the LORD. This chapter ends with a refined people who say, "The LORD is my God." Micah also foretold that seers would be ashamed, because there would be no answer of God. Zechariah overviewZechariah 13:9Micah 3:6Micah 3:7

For readersOutward marks tied to prophets could be copied; John wore camel's hair, and Elijah was known as a hairy man. These prophets wore such a garment to deceive. The chapter condemns them because they spoke lies in the name of the LORD. Matthew 3:4Mark 1:62 Kings 1:8Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4

  • rough garment (cloak)אַדֶּ֫רֶת
    Hebrew · ad.de.ret · H0155

    The word means a mantle or cloak and can name a prophet's garment. Here it is joined with "hair," a cloak of hair, like the camel's hair John the Baptist wore. Strong's H0155Strong's H8181Matthew 3:4Mark 1:6

  • to deceiveכָּחַשׁ
    Hebrew · ka.chash · H3584

    The word means to deceive, lie, or deal falsely. It shows the cloak was a disguise meant to make a liar look like a real prophet. Strong's H3584Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4

  • be ashamedבּוֹשׁ
    Hebrew · bush · H0954

    The word means to feel shame or be disconcerted. Micah uses the same idea for seers who are ashamed when there is no answer of God. Strong's H0954Micah 3:7

  • visionחִזָּיוֹן
    Hebrew · chiz.za.von · H2384

    The word means a vision or oracle. Here it means the visions these prophets claimed, which the chapter calls lies spoken in the LORD's name. Strong's H2384Zechariah 13:3

Takeaway

When God cleanses his people, lying prophecy loses its cover. Those who wore a prophet's garment to deceive will be ashamed and deny the role. What condemns them is their lies in the LORD's name. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5Micah 3:7

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 it will beוְהָיָ֣ה׀ve-ha-YAHH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

on the dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

the thatהַה֗וּאha-HU'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

they will be ashamedיֵבֹ֧שׁוּye-VO-shuH0954
be ashamed

בּוֹשׁ (bush) 1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to feel shame 1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of) 1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame) 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to put to shame 1c2) to act shamefully 1c3) to be ashamed 1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another

the prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֛יםha-ne-vi-'IMH5030
prophet

נְבִיא (ne.vi) prophet Aramaic of na.vi (נָבִיא "prophet" H5030)

each oneאִ֥ישׁ'ishH0376I
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

from vision hisמֵחֶזְיֹנ֖וֹme-chez-yo-NOH2384
vision

חִזָּיוֹן (chiz.za.von) 1) vision 1a) vision (in the ecstatic state) 1a1) valley of vision (perhaps fig. of Jerusalem or Hinnom) 1b) vision (in the night) 1c) vision, oracle, prophecy (in divine communication)

when prophecies heבְּהִנָּֽבְאֹת֑וֹbe-hi-na-ve-'o-TOH5012
to prophesy

נָבָא (na.va) 1) to prophesy 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to prophesy 1a1a) under influence of divine spirit 1a1b) of false prophets 1b)(Hithpael) 1b1) to prophesy 1b1a) under influence of divine spirit 1b1b) of false prophets Aramaic equivalent: ne.va (נבא "to prophesy" H5013)

and notוְלֹ֧אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (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)

they will wearיִלְבְּשׁ֛וּyil-be-SHUH3847
to clothe

לָבֵשׁ (la.vash) 1) to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put on clothes, be clothed, wear 1a2) to put on, be clothed with (fig.) 1b) (Pual) to be fully clothed 1c) (Hiphil) to clothe, array with, dress Aramaic equivalent: le.vash (לְבֵשׁ "to clothe" H3848)

a cloak ofאַדֶּ֥רֶת'a-DE-retH0155
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

hairשֵׂעָ֖רse-'ARH8181
hair

שְׂעַר (se.ar) hair (of head) Aramaic of se.ar (שֵׂעָר "hair" H8181)

so asלְמַ֥עַןle-MA-'anH4616
because

מַ֫עַן (ma.an) 1) purpose, intent prep 1a) for the sake of 1b) in view of, on account of 1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj 1d) to the end that

to deceiveכַּחֵֽשׁ׃ka-CHESHH3584
to deceive

כָּחַשׁ (ka.chash) 1) to deceive, lie, fail, grow lean, be disappointing, be untrue, be insufficient, be found liars, belie, deny, dissemble, deal falsely 1a) (Qal) to become lean 1b) (Niphal) to cringe, feign obedience 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to deceive, deny falsely 1c2) to act deceptively 1c3) to cringe 1c4) to disappoint, fail 1d) (Hithpael) to cringe, feign obedience

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