Keraia
Zechariah 13

Zechariah 13:7

The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered · Zechariah 13:7–9
Read Zechariah 13

Translations

Modern
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Traditional
Awake, 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.
Literal
O Sword, awake against My shepherd, and against a man, My companion, a declaration of YHWH of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones!
Latin
Framea, suscitare super pastorem meum, et super virum cohærentem mihi, dicit Dominus exercituum: percute pastorem, et dispergentur oves: et convertam manum meam ad parvulos.

Original

Hebrew
English
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.

Notes

Zechariah 13:7

  • The sword is described as a warrior called to awaken for battle, emphasizing its role as God's servant and a tool of death (see Isaiah 31:8; 34:6; 66:16).

  • My shepherd represents the Messiah, the future leader of Israel (see Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24).

  • My partner shows the shepherd's equality with God (see Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27).

Zechariah 13:7–9

This message talks about a future day when God’s chosen leader of Israel will be harmed, causing the people of Israel to scatter. Some of the nation will face divine judgment, while others will experience spiritual renewal. This will fulfill Zechariah’s vision of God being with his people again (see Zechariah 1:16; 2:5, 10–11; 8:3, 23). The gospel writers connect parts of this passage (Zechariah 13:7) to the scattering of the disciples of Jesus when he was arrested, tried, and executed by the Romans (see Matthew 26:31, 56).

Zechariah 12:1–14:21

The theme of Jerusalem versus the nations connects the four messages in Zechariah's second oracle. The nations gather against Jerusalem at both the start (Zechariah 12:1–9) and the end (14:1–15) of the oracle. The repeated phrase on that day points to the future day of the Lord.

This oracle shows both judgment and blessing for Jerusalem. The main focus is the cleansing of the people of Israel (Zechariah 13:1), ending with God's universal kingdom (14:16–21). These future visions encouraged the Judeans of Zechariah's time to stay faithful despite feeling unimportant and helpless.

Events

Parallels

Matthew 26:31–35 Mark 14:27–31

People

LORD: Names or title used to refer to God

Glossary

David Messiah Zechariah, Book of

Topics

Christ is God: As Jehovah's Fellow and Equal Jesus, the Christ: Death of Jesus, the Christ: Divinity of Jehovah's Fellow and Equal Jesus, the Christ: Names, Appellations, and Titles of: Jehovah's Fellow Jesus, the Christ: Prophecies Concerning Jesus, the Christ: Shepherd, Jesus the True: He Laid Down his Life For Jesus, the Christ: Unclassified Prophecies Concerning the Kingdom of Prophecies Respecting Christ: His Disciples Forsaking Him Quotations and Allusions in the New Testament From, and To, the Old Testament Shepherd of Christ Shepherds of Christ As the Good Shepherd Sword of Judgments The Atonement: Foretold The Death of Christ: Foretold the Shepherd Christ: His Sheep: He Laid Down his Life For The Sword of the Justice of God Titles and Names of Christ: God's Fellow