Zechariah 11

1Open your doors, O Lebanon, # Jer 22:6–7

so the fire can consume your cedar.

2Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen;

the majestic trees are destroyed.

Wail, O oaks of Bashan,

because the unassailable forest has been brought down.

3There is the sound of wailing shepherds, # Jer 25:34–36

because their glory is ruined.

There is the sound of roaring lions, # Jer 50:44

because the pride of Jordan is ruined.

Two Kinds of Shepherds

4Thus says the Lord my God: Shepherd the flock of slaughter. # Zec 11:7 5The ones who buy them then slaughter them and have no guilt, # Jer 50:7 and those who sell them say, “Blessed is the Lord because I am rich.” # Hos 12:8 Their own shepherds do not take pity on them. 6For I will no longer have pity on those who dwell in the land, # Jer 13:14 says the Lord. But I will cause each of them to fall into the hands of his neighbor, # Isa 9:19–21 even into the hands of his king. They will crush the land, and I will not deliver any from their hands.

7So I shepherded the flock that was for slaughter, even the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs. One I called Favor and the other I gave the name Union. # Zec 11:14 So I pastured the flock. 8I destroyed the three shepherds in the span of one month.

For my soul was impatient with them, and their souls detested me. 9Then I said, “I will not shepherd you. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. # Jer 43:11 Let those who are left devour each other’s flesh.”

10I took the staff named Favor and cut it into pieces, to break the covenant that I made with all the peoples. # Ps 89:39 11So it was broken that day, and the afflicted of the flock were watching me and knew that this was the word of the Lord.

12Then I said to them, “If this is good in your eyes, then give my wages to me, but if not, then keep it.” They weighed my wages at thirty pieces of silver. # Ex 21:32; Mt 26:15

13Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter, the splendid price by which I was valued by them.” So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the house of the Lord to the potter. # Mt 27:3–10; Ac 1:18–19

14Then I cut up the second staff, Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15Then the Lord said to me: Take for yourself again the vessels carried by a foolish shepherd. 16For I am raising up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are perishing, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor feed those who are standing still. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hoofs in pieces. # Jer 23:2; Eze 34:2–6

17Woe to this worthless shepherd

who abandons his flock. # Jer 23:1

May the sword take his arm and right eye;

may his arm surely wither up,

and his right eye become blind.

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Zechariah 11: MEV

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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version

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Zechariah 11

Zechariah Is Told to Take Care of the Sheep

1Open your doors, Lebanon,

so that fire will be able to burn down your cedars.

2Cry, cypress trees,

because the cedars have fallen

and the stately trees have been destroyed.

Cry, oak trees of Bashan,

because your dense forest has fallen down.

3Listen! The shepherds are crying,

because their rich pastures are destroyed.

Listen! The young lions are roaring,

because the lush banks of the Jordan are destroyed.

4This is what the Lord my God says: Take care of the sheep that are about to be slaughtered. 5Those who buy them will kill them and go unpunished. Those who sell them will say, “Praise the Lord! I’ve become rich!” Even their own shepherds will have no pity on them.

6The Lord declares, “I will no longer have pity on those who live in the land. I am going to hand the people over to their neighbors and their king, who will crush the land. And I won’t rescue any of them from their power.”

7So I became the shepherd of the sheep that were to be slaughtered and also of the oppressed sheep. I took two shepherd staffs and named one Favor and the other Unity. And I took care of the sheep. 8I got rid of three shepherds in one month. I became impatient with the sheep, and they also became disgusted with me. 9So I said, “I won’t be your shepherd. Let those that are dying die. Let those that are missing stay missing. And let those that are left devour each other.”

10Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it in pieces, to break the promise #11:10 Or “covenant.” that I had made to all the nations. 11So it was broken on that day, and the oppressed among the sheep who were watching me realized that it was the Lord’s word.

12Then I said to them, “If it’s alright with you, pay me my wages. But if it’s not, don’t.” And they paid me my wages—30 pieces of silver.

13The Lord told me, “Give it to the potter.” So I took the 30 pieces of silver. Such a magnificent price was set by them! I gave the pieces of silver to the potter at the house of the Lord.

14Then I broke my second staff, called Unity, in pieces, to break off the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15Then the Lord said to me, “Use the equipment of a foolish shepherd again. 16I’m about to place a shepherd in the land. He will not take care of those that are dying. He will not search for the young. He will not heal those that have broken their legs or support those that can still stand. But he will eat the meat of the fat animals and tear off their hoofs.

17“How horrible it will be for the foolish shepherd who abandoned the sheep.

A sword will strike his arm and his right eye.

His arm will be completely withered.

His right eye will be completely blind.”

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