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Zechariah 11

ScriptureDepth's study of Zechariah 11

“Then I said, “I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other’s flesh.”

Zechariah 11:9

Yahweh expresses rejection to the flock, declaring that He will not feed them, which leads to a dire fate for those who remain as they face mutual destruction.

What Zechariah 11 is about

Lebanon is called to open its doors so that fire may devour its cedars (vv. 1-3). The trees are to wail, for the stately cedars and strong oaks have fallen. Yahweh commands the prophet to feed the flock of slaughter (vv. 4-6). The buyers slaughter the sheep without punishment, while the shepherds do not care for them. Yahweh will no longer have pity on the land's inhabitants. The prophet cares for the oppressed of the flock (vv. 7-9). He takes two staffs named 'Favor' and 'Union', but he decides not to feed the flock anymore. He breaks off the staff called 'Favor' (vv. 10-11). The flock weighs thirty pieces of silver as wages for him (vv. 12-13). Yahweh instructs him to throw it to the potter. The prophet breaks the staff called 'Union' (vv. 14-16). A foolish shepherd will be raised who neglects the flock. Woe is pronounced on the worthless shepherd (v. 17).

Woe to the useless shepherd, as judgment awaits those who neglect the flock.

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Zechariah 11 at a glance

  1. Zechariah 11:1–3Lament over Destruction
  2. Zechariah 11:4–6Call to Feed the Flock
  3. Zechariah 11:7–9Rejection of the Shepherd
  4. Zechariah 11:10–11Breaking the Covenant
  5. Zechariah 11:12–13Wages for Betrayal
  6. Zechariah 11:14–16The Foolish Shepherd
  7. Zechariah 11:17Woe to the Worthless Shepherd

Key verse: Zechariah 11:9

One thing to notice

Verses 4 to 6 include Yahweh's command to 'feed the flock of slaughter', addressing the exploitation of the people by their shepherds. The phrase 'their own shepherds don’t pity them' contrasts the shepherds' profit with Yahweh's concern for the oppressed.

Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.

Chapter text

Read Zechariah 11 (WEB)

Lament over Destruction Zechariah 11:1–3

Verse 1. Open your doors, Lebanon,that the fire may devour your cedars.Verse 2. Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen,because the stately ones are destroyed.Wail, you oaks of Bashan,for the strong forest has come down.Verse 3. A voice of the wailing of the shepherds!For their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions!For the pride of the Jordan is ruined.

Call to Feed the Flock Zechariah 11:4–6

Verse 4. Yahweh my God says: “Feed the flock of slaughter. Verse 5. Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich;’ and their own shepherds don’t pity them. Verse 6. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land,” says Yahweh; “but, behold, I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbor’s hand, and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.”

Rejection of the Shepherd Zechariah 11:7–9

Verse 7. So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favor”, and the other I called “Union”, and I fed the flock. Verse 8. I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me. Verse 9. Then I said, “I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other’s flesh.”

Breaking the Covenant Zechariah 11:10–11

Verse 10. I took my staff Favor, and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. Verse 11. It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was Yahweh’s word.

Wages for Betrayal Zechariah 11:12–13

Verse 12. I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver. Verse 13. Yahweh said to me, “Throw it to the potter, the handsome price that I was valued at by them!” I took the thirty pieces of silver, and threw them to the potter, in Yahweh’s house.

The Foolish Shepherd Zechariah 11:14–16

Verse 14. Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Verse 15. Yahweh said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. Verse 16. For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the meat of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.

Woe to the Worthless Shepherd Zechariah 11:17

Verse 17. Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”

World English Bible (public domain)

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Main themes in Zechariah 11

Divine judgment

In verses 1-3, Zechariah calls for Lebanon's doors to allow fire to consume its cedars, signaling impending destruction. The lament for the fallen cedar and the strong forest reveals the consequences of divine judgment, showcasing the ruin of the glory of the shepherds and the pride of the Jordan. This sets a tone of devastation and sorrow that accompanies God's judgment.

False leadership

Verses 4-6 present a directive to 'feed the flock of slaughter,' contrasting the true shepherd's duty with the actions of corrupt leaders. The text notes that the buyers who slaughter the sheep go unpunished, while the shepherds lack compassion for their flock. This highlights the failure of leadership, as the shepherds are more concerned with wealth than the well-being of those they are meant to guide.

Rejection of God

In verses 7-9, the shepherd's rejection becomes clear as the speaker states, 'I will not feed you.' This statement marks a severing of the relationship between the shepherd and the flock, leading to a situation where those remaining will consume one another. The text depicts a significant alienation from God, as the shepherds fail to uphold their covenant responsibilities.

Covenantal faithfulness

In verses 10-11, the chapter describes the breaking of God's covenant through the act of cutting apart the staff named 'Favor.' This action signifies a rupture in the relationship God established with His people. Despite the betrayal, the 'poor of the flock' recognize that these events fulfill Yahweh's word, indicating that covenantal faithfulness is maintained even amid human failure.

Chapter outline

How Zechariah 11 unfolds

  1. Zechariah 11:1–3 Lament over Destruction

    Yahweh calls Lebanon to open its doors for destruction, as the cedars and oaks lament over their fallen glory (vv. 1-3). This sets a tone of mourning for the loss of strength and beauty.

  2. Zechariah 11:4–6 Call to Feed the Flock

    Yahweh commands, 'Feed the flock of slaughter' (v. 4), revealing the failure of buyers and shepherds who profit while showing no pity, leading to judgment on the land (vv. 5-6).

  3. Zechariah 11:7–9 Rejection of the Shepherd

    The shepherd feeds the oppressed flock and takes two staffs named 'Favor' and 'Union' (v. 7). After cutting off three shepherds, he declares he will no longer feed them, allowing dire consequences (vv. 8-9).

  4. Zechariah 11:10–11 Breaking the Covenant

    The staff named 'Favor' is cut apart to break the covenant Yahweh made with the peoples, and the poor of the flock recognize that this is Yahweh's word (vv. 10-11).

  5. Zechariah 11:12–13 Wages for Betrayal

    The shepherd asks for his wages, and they weigh thirty pieces of silver for him (v. 12). Following Yahweh's instruction, he throws the money to the potter in Yahweh's house (v. 13).

  6. Zechariah 11:14–16 The Foolish Shepherd

    The shepherd breaks the staff named 'Union' to end the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (v. 14). Yahweh then describes a foolish shepherd who neglects the flock and exploits them (vv. 15-16).

  7. Zechariah 11:17 Woe to the Worthless Shepherd

    Woe is pronounced on the worthless shepherd who abandons the flock, with the sword declared against his arm and right eye, leading to physical decay (v. 17).

Key verses

  • Zechariah 11:9Yahweh expresses rejection to the flock, declaring that He will not feed them, which leads to a dire fate for those who remain as they face mutual destruction.

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Study questions

Questions for studying Zechariah 11

SummarizeObserveInterpretApply

Uses your daily Ask questions.

  1. observeIn v1, what is told to Lebanon regarding its doors?
  2. observeWhat happens to the 'glory' in v3, and what imagery is used?
  3. interpretIn vv. 12-13, what does the thirty pieces of silver symbolize in relation to Zechariah?
  4. interpretIn v16, what does it mean for the shepherd not to 'visit' those who are cut off?
  5. applyWhen has a situation made you feel like a 'flock of slaughter' similar to the one in v4?

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Zechariah 11: frequently asked questions

What is Zechariah 11 about?+
Lebanon is called to open its doors so that fire may devour its cedars (vv. 1-3).
What is the key verse in Zechariah 11?+
Zechariah 11:9: “Then I said, “I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other’s flesh.”
What are the main themes of Zechariah 11?+
The main themes of Zechariah 11 are Divine judgment, False leadership, Rejection of God, Covenantal faithfulness.

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