Zechariah 13:5
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. | He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth.’ | but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondman from my youth. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedZechariah describes a coming day when the LORD removes idols and false prophets from the land. False prophets will be so ashamed that they stop wearing the prophet's rough garment. Instead, each one will deny being a prophet and claim he has only ever worked the land. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5
SpeakingThe LORD of hosts speaks through the prophet Zechariah. Inside the prophecy, the words of this verse are spoken by a false prophet who is trying to hide what he has been. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5Zechariah overview
ToThe book was given to the people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview
Also involvedThe false prophets of the land, who speak lies in the name of the LORD, are the ones in view. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4
A man who once prophesied falsely says, "I am no prophet, I am an husbandman." He claims he has been a farm worker since his youth. It is a cover story, not a confession of faith. Shame and danger make him disown the role he once claimed. Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5
The scene is "the land," where Jerusalem and the house of David are cleansed. The book was written in Jerusalem among the returned exiles. Zechariah 13:1Zechariah 13:2Zechariah overview
The eventsThe verse looks ahead to "that day," when a cleansing fountain is opened and idols are cut off. The text does not give a calendar date for it. Zechariah 13:1Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:4
WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: chapters 1-8 come from Zechariah in those years, but many assign the undated chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them all. Zechariah overview
HereThe verse shows how fully God will clear out false prophecy. Lying prophets will no longer dare to own the title. Even their own parents will refuse to tolerate lies spoken in the LORD's name. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5
In the whole of ScriptureThis is part of the LORD's cleansing of his people. A fountain is opened for sin, idols are cut off, and a remnant is refined like silver until they say, "The LORD is my God." Zechariah 13:1Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:9Zechariah overview
For readersGod takes lies told in his name seriously, and he promises to purge them. His goal is a people cleansed and truly his own. Zechariah 13:3Zechariah 13:9
- prophetנְבִיא
This is the ordinary word for prophet. The man denies the very title the chapter says God will remove from the land. His words echo Amos, a true prophet, who said "I was no prophet... but I was an herdman." Here, though, the denial is a disguise. Strong's H5030Zechariah 13:2Amos 7:14
- tillsעָבַד
The word means to work or to serve, and here it is used of working the ground. The man presents himself as a plain laborer rather than someone who speaks for God. Strong's H5647IStrong's H0127G
- he sold meקְנָא
The entry gives "he sold me" here, from a word meaning to acquire or buy. On that reading, the man claims someone acquired him as a worker from his youth. Either way, the claim is that his life has been field labor, not prophecy. Strong's H7069Strong's H5271A
Takeaway
This verse is not a humble man's testimony. It is a false prophet hiding his past in the day God cleanses the land of lies. Zechariah 13:2Zechariah 13:4Zechariah 13:5
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
- 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 he will say | וְאָמַ֕ר | ve-'a-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) |
| not | לֹ֥א | 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) |
| [am] a prophet | נָבִ֖יא | na-VI' | H5030 | prophetנְבִיא (ne.vi) prophet Aramaic of na.vi (נָבִיא "prophet" H5030) |
| I | אָנֹ֑כִי | 'a-NO-khi | H0595 | Iאָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589) |
| [am] a man | אִישׁ־ | 'ish- | H0376G | manאִישׁ (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) |
| [who] tills | עֹבֵ֤ד | 'o-VED | H5647I | to serveעָבַד (a.vad) : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve |
| ground | אֲדָמָה֙ | 'a-da-MAH | H0127G | land: soilאֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) : soil 1) ground, land 1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance) 1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land 1c) earth substance (for building or constructing) 1d) ground as earth's visible surface 1e) land, territory, country 1f) whole inhabited earth 1g) city in Naphtali |
| I | אָנֹ֔כִי | 'a-NO-khi | H0595 | Iאָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589) |
| for | כִּ֥י | ki | H3588A | forכִּי (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 |
| someone | אָדָ֖ם | 'a-DAM | H0120G | manאָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley |
| he sold me | הִקְנַ֥נִי | hik-NA-ni | H7069 | to buyקְנָא (qe.na) (P'al) to acquire, buy, purchase Aramaic of qa.nah (קָנָה "to buy" H7069) |
| since youths my | מִנְּעוּרָֽי׃ | mi-ne-'u-RAI | H5271A | youthנְעוּרִים (na.ur) youth, early life Also means: na.ur (נְעוּרוֹת "youth" H5271B) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.