Zechariah 11:9

Translations

Modern

Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.”

Traditional

Then 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.

Literal

And I said, “I will not shepherd you. The one dying, let die, and the one cut off, let it be cut off. And those remaining, let each one eat the flesh of its neighbor!”

Latin

Et dixi: Non pascam vos: quod moritur, moriatur, et quod succiditur, succidatur: et reliqui devorent unusquisque carnem proximi sui.

Original

Hebrew

English

Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.”

Notes

Zechariah 11:9

devour one another’s flesh: This might refer literally to cannibalism (people eating human flesh) caused by famine during the siege of Jerusalem in 588–586 BC (see Lamentations 4:10) and later in AD 70 (see Josephus, War 7.4.4). The expression may also be a metaphor for different types of exploitation and oppression (see Micah 3:3; Galatians 5:15).

Zechariah 11:4–17

The Hebrew leaders are compared to shepherds in the last three messages (Zechariah 9:9–11:17) of Zechariah’s first oracle (Zechariah 9–11). This message uses allegory and symbolic actions by Zechariah to show the wickedness of Israel’s leaders. The prophet acts out a story of a “good shepherd” chosen by God to guide and unite the people. However, the people reject this shepherd and the promise of protection from other nations (Zechariah 11:10) and unity between Judah and Israel (11:14). Zechariah’s symbolic actions point ahead to the work of Jesus the Messiah. His ministry fulfills this image as the Good Shepherd (see John 10:1–21).

Theme notes and profiles

Apocalyptic Literature The Shepherd

Events

Prophecies of Zechariahc. 520 BC

Related verses

Matthew 13:10–11
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
Revelation 22:11
Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
Jeremiah 43:11
He will come and strike down the land of Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword.
Jeremiah 19:9
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’
John 8:24
That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
Matthew 21:43
Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Jeremiah 15:2–3
If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’
Matthew 21:19
Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.
Jeremiah 23:33
“Now when this people or a prophet or priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you are to say to them, ‘What burden? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.’
Acts 13:46–47
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Jeremiah 23:39
…therefore I will surely forget you and will cast you out of My presence, both you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers.
John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

Glossary

Zechariah, Book of

Topics

Staves (Long Poles): Symbolical

Zechariah 11:9

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