| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Zechariah
Chapter Eleven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 11
This
chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of the Jews
and shows the
causes and reasons of it; and is concluded with a prediction concerning
antichrist. The destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem
and the
inhabitants of it
is signified by figurative expressions
Zechariah 11:1
which occasions an howling among the shepherds or rulers of Israel
on account
of whose cruelty and covetousness the wrath of God came upon them without
mercy
Zechariah 11:3 but
inasmuch as there were a remnant according to the election of grace among them
named the flock of the slaughter
Christ is called upon to feed them; who
undertakes it
and prepares for it
Zechariah 11:4 but
being abhorred by the shepherds
whom he therefore loathed and cut off
he
determines to leave the people to utter ruin and destruction
Zechariah 11:8 and
as a token of it
breaks the two staves asunder he had took to feed them with
Zechariah 11:10
and
as an instance of their ingratitude to him
and which is a justification
of his conduct towards them
notice is taken of his being valued at and sold
for thirty pieces of silver
Zechariah 11:12
but
in the place of these shepherds cut off
it is suggested that another
should arise
who is described by his folly
negligence
and cruelty
Zechariah 11:15 to
whom a woe is denounced
Zechariah 11:17.
Zechariah 11:1 Open your doors
O Lebanon
That fire may devour your cedars.
YLT
1Open
O Lebanon
thy doors
And fire doth devour among thy cedars.
Open thy doors
O Lebanon
.... By which may be
meant
either the temple of Jerusalem
which was built of the cedars of
Lebanon;
"the
gates of which are saidF23T. Bab. Yoma
fol. 39. 2. to open of
themselves forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem
when Jochanan ben
Zaccai
who lived at the same time
rebuked them
saying
O temple
temple
wherefore dost thou frighten thyself? I know thine end is to be destroyed; for
so prophesied Zechariah
the son of Iddo
concerning thee
"open thy
doors
O Lebanon".'
So
Lebanon
in Zechariah 10:10
is
interpreted of the sanctuary
both by the Targum and by Jarchi; or else it may
be understood of Jerusalem
and of the whole land of Judea
because it was
situated by it; it was the border of it on the north side.
That the fire may devour thy cedars; of which the temple was
built
and the houses of Jerusalem
which were consumed by fire; unless the
fortresses of the land are meant. So the Targum paraphrases it
"and
the fire shall consume your fortresses.'
Zechariah 11:2 2 Wail
O cypress
for the cedar has fallen
Because the mighty trees are
ruined. Wail
O oaks of Bashan
For the thick forest has come down.
YLT 2Howl
O fir
for fallen
hath the cedar
For their honourable ones were destroyed
Howl
ye oaks of
Bashan
For come down hath the fenced forest
Howl
fir tree; for the cedar is fallen
.... By which
are designed the princes
nobles
and magistrates of the land: so the Targum
interprets them of kings and princes; see Nahum 2:3
because all the mighty are spoiled; which is an explanation
of the figurative expressions in the former clause
and in the following; and
designs rich men
as the Targum paraphrases it
who at this time would be
spoiled of their wealth and substance.
Howl
O ye oaks of Bashan; which the Targum
interprets of governors of provinces; and men of power and authority are
doubtless intended; see Isaiah 2:13
for the forest of the vintage is come down; or rather
"the fortified forest"; meaning the city of Jerusalem
which was a
fortified place
and like a forest full of trees
for number of inhabitants
but now cut down and destroyed; see Isaiah 10:16.
Zechariah 11:3 3 There
is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins. There is
the sound of roaring lions! For the pride[a] of the
Jordan is in ruins.
YLT
3A voice of the howling of
the shepherds! For destroyed was their robe of honour
A voice of the roaring
of young lions! For destroyed was the excellency of Jordan.
There is a voice of the
howling of the shepherds
.... Which may be understood either of the civil rulers among the
Jews
who now lose their honour and their riches; and so the Targum
Jarchi
and Aben Ezra
interpret it of kings; or of the ecclesiastical rulers
the
elders of the people
the Scribes and Pharisees:
for their glory is spoiled; their power and
authority; their riches and wealth; their places of honour and profit; their
offices
posts
and employments
whether in civil or religious matters
are
taken from them
and they are deprived of them:
a voice of the roaring of young lions; of princes
comparable to them for their power
tyranny
and cruelty: the Targum is
"their
roaring is as the roaring of young lions:'
for the pride of Jordan is spoiled; a place where lions and
their young ones resorted
as Jarchi observes; See Gill on Jeremiah 49:19.
Jordan is here put for the whole land of Judea now wasted
and so its pride and
glory gone; as if the waters of Jordan were dried up
the pride and glory of
that
and which it showed when its waters swelled and overflowed; hence called
by PlinyF24Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 15. "ambitiosus amnis"
a
haughty and ambitious swelling river.
Zechariah 11:4 4 Thus
says the Lord my God
“Feed the flock for slaughter
YLT
4Thus said Jehovah my God:
`Feed the flock of the slaughter
Thus saith the Lord my God
.... The Syriac version
adds
"to me"; not the Prophet Zechariah
but the Messiah
who calls
the Lord his God
as he was man and Mediator
John 20:17 for what
follow are the words of God the Father to him
calling upon him
and giving him
a commission to
Feed the flock of the slaughter; meaning the people of
the Jews in general
to whom Christ was sent as a prophet
to teach and
instruct them by the ministry of the word; so "feeding" is
interpreted of prophesying
by the Targum and Jarchi: and these are called
"the flock of slaughter"
because of the cruel usage they met with
from their shepherds and owners
mentioned in the next verse Zechariah 11:5; and
because they were appointed and given up to ruin and destruction of God
on
account of their sins and transgressions; though there was a remnant among
them
a little flock
afterwards in this chapter called the poor of the flock Zechariah 11:7
who
were the special care of Christ
and were fed by him in a spiritual manner; and
may go by this name
because exposed to the cruelties of men
and are accounted
as sheep for the slaughter
Romans 8:36 these
Christ was called upon by his Father in the council of peace to take care of
which he did; and in the everlasting covenant of grace he agreed to feed them;
and in the fulness of time he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel
who were as sheep without a shepherd; and he fed them with knowledge
and with understanding.
Zechariah 11:5 5 whose
owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say
‘Blessed be
the Lord
for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them.
YLT
5Whose buyers slay them
and
are not guilty
And their sellers say
Blessed [is] Jehovah
And I am rich
And
their shepherds have no pity on them.
Whose possessors slay them
and hold themselves not guilty
.... Not the
Romans after Christ came
into whose hands they were delivered
and by whom
they were slain in great numbers
not accounting it any sin to put them to
death; but the priests
Scribes
Pharisees
and doctors
among the Jews
who
ruined and destroyed their souls
by feeding them with poisonous doctrines;
teaching them the commandments of men
and to observe the traditions of the
elders; and to seek for life and salvation by the works of the law
which was a
ministration of condemnation and death to them; and yet thought they did God
and the souls of men good service:
and they that sell them; as false teachers make
merchandise of the souls of men:
say
Blessed be the Lord
for I am rich; having
devoured widows' houses and substances
under a pretence of long prayers; and
enriched themselves through tithes of everything
and by other methods; as the
Scribes and Pharisees did:
and their own shepherds pity them not; those who
should have been concerned for the welfare of their souls had no compassion on
them. Aben Ezra
Kimchi
and Ben Melech
interpret this of God
the Shepherd of
Israel; the verb being singular
though the noun is plural: so God is called
Makers
Creators
Psalm 149:2 and
this sense agrees with the following words.
Zechariah 11:6 6 For
I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land
” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into
the hand of his king. They shall attack the land
and I will not deliver them
from their hand.”
YLT
6For I have pity no more on
inhabitants of the land
An affirmation of Jehovah
And lo
I am causing man to
come forth
Each into the hand of his neighbour
And into the hand of his king
And they have beaten down the land
And I do not deliver out of their hand.'
For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land
saith the
Lord
.... Or spare them; but cause his wrath to come upon them to the
uttermost
as it did at the time of Jerusalem's destruction by the Romans;
but
lo
I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbour's hand; this seems to
refer to the factions and divisions among themselves during the siege of Jerusalem
when multitudes fell into the hands of the zealots
and heads of parties
and
perished by them:
and into the hand of his king; Vespasian the Roman
emperor; the Jews having declared
long before this time
that they had no king
but Caesar
John 19:15 and now
into his hands they were delivered up:
and they shall smite the land; that is
the Romans
shall lay waste the land of Judea:
and out of their hand I will not deliver them; as formerly
out of the hands of their neighbours
the Philistines
Ammonites
&c. and
out of the captivity of Babylon. It denotes that their destruction would be an
utter one; nor have they been delivered yet
though it has been over 1900 years
ago.
Zechariah 11:7 7 So I
fed the flock for slaughter
in particular the poor of the flock.[b] I took for
myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty
[c] and the
other I called Bonds;[d] and I fed
the flock.
YLT
7And I feed the flock of
slaughter
even you
ye afflicted of the flock; and I take to me two staves
the one I have called Pleasantness
and the other I have called Bands
and I
feed the flock.
And I will feed the flock of slaughter
.... According
to the call and commission he had from his divine Father
Zechariah 11:4 he
determines to do as it was enjoined him
and as he had undertook:
even you
O poor of
the flock; besides the people of the Jews in general
to whom Christ was
sent
and he came to feed
there were a small remnant
according to the
election of grace
he had a special regard for; and whom he fed by the word and
ordinances with himself
the bread of life; and with the discoveries of his
love
and with the covenant of grace
its blessings and promises
the sure
mercies of David. These are called "the poor of the flock"
because
they were the poor of this world
as were the disciples and followers of
Christ; "the poor have the Gospel preached unto them"; Matthew 11:5 and
because they were spiritually poor
or poor in spirit
Matthew 5:3 who saw
their spiritual poverty
and owned it; who bewailed it
and were humbled under
a sense of it; and sought after the true riches; and acknowledged that all they
had were owing to the grace of God: and who
as to the frame of their mind
are
the meek and humble ones; or
as to their outward state and condition
afflicted ones
as the wordF25עניי
"mites de grege"
Grotius; "afflictos pecoris"
Montanus;
"afflictos gregis"
Burkius. may be rendered; who were persecuted
reviled
reproached
and accursed by others
John 7:49 and
as
to their gifts and graces
the meanest of God's people:
And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty
and the
other I called Bands; Jarchi
agreeably to the Targum
interprets this of the division
of the kingdom of Israel into two parts
in the times of Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
Some think persons are meant. In the TalmudF26T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 24. 1. it is explained of the disciples of the wise men in the land of
Israel
who make each other pleasant by their doctrines; and of the disciples
of the wise men in Babylon that corrupt one another
or object to one another:
according to Aben Ezra
Zerubbabel and Nehemiah are intended: others
the good
king Josiah
and the bad king Zedekiah: others the priest
and the king
as
Abendana observes; and Kimchi explains it of the different manner in which the
Lord led the people
according to their behaviour to him; when they behaved
well
they had good kings and governors
which led them in a right way
and
they were filled with good things; but when they behaved otherwise they had
evil kings
and evil befell them. The first of these staves some render
"clemency"F1נעמ
"clementia"
Cocceius. lenity
kindness
gentleness; and suppose it
has respect to the kind and gentle manner in which God dealt with the Jews
before the times of Christ
both as to civil and religious things; as to civil
things
by bringing them into and settling them in a pleasant land
a land
flowing with milk and honey; by giving them wholesome laws
by which they were
governed
such as no other nation had; and by setting over them judges
to
protect
defend
and deliver them; and kings to rule over them
very wise and
good
especially some of them
David
Solomon
&c.: and as to religious
things
by giving them a revelation of his mind and will
his word
statutes
and judgments
he did not give to other nations; and by sending prophets to
instruct them in them
and stir them up to the observance of them; and by
appointing a place of worship
and settling the form of it; setting apart men
to the office of priests
and ordering sacrifices to be offered
with the whole
of temple service; which were the beauty of the Lord
to be beheld in his
sanctuary: and then the latter
called "Bands"
which some render destroyersF2חבלים "perditores"
Munster;
"destructores"
Vatablus; "perdentes"
Burkius.
may
denote either the destruction of this people
when they sinned against God
either by the Chaldeans or by the Romans; when severity was exercised on them
and wrath came upon them to the uttermost
in the ruin of their nation
city
and temple: and others think these may refer to the different usage of the
Roman emperors
with respect to the Jews
who
for the most part
used them
kindly
until the times of Nero; but afterwards
by him and other emperors
they were treated very roughly
until they were utterly destroyed by them; but
as it plainly appears from the context that this is spoken of no other shepherd
but Christ
and of no other feeding but his
they must design the instruments
he makes use of
and still continues to make use of
in feeding his people.
Shepherds commonly have but one staff
rod
or crook; but Christ has two: so
the psalmist makes mention of a "rod" and "staff"
when
speaking of Christ as a Shepherd
Psalm 23:4 and
these two staves some interpret of his twofold way of government
lenity to his
people
and severity to his enemies; but rather it denotes the very great
diligence and care Christ takes of his flock
both in guiding and directing
them
and in protecting and defending them from their enemies: he fed his
people in his own person when here on earth
with his staff "Beauty"
or "clemency"; he was sent
and came to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel
and had great compassion on them
as being like sheep without a
shepherd; their present shepherds
or who bore that name
being such as are
before described: and his tenderness and gentleness towards them appeared in
his calling sinners to repentance; in his gracious invitations to come unto
him; by his kind reception of them; his affable and courteous deportment
towards them; the gentle reproofs and suitable instructions he gave them
and
the comfortable truths of the Gospel he delivered to them; and
during his
personal ministry
he suffered his disciples to go nowhere else with his
Gospel; and
at his resurrection from the dead
ordered them to begin preaching
at Jerusalem
and to continue preaching to the Jews first everywhere
as they
did
until they rejected the Gospel; and then Christ broke both his staves
or
removed the Gospel
and the ordinances of it
which I think are meant by these
staves: for these staves are not only ensigns of the shepherd
as instruments
of guiding
directing
and protecting the flock; but emblematical
as their
names show; and emblems they might be of the stay and staff of food
of the
whole stay of bread
and the whole stay of water
Isaiah 3:1 and we
find that Christ's rod and staff
in a mystical sense
are of use to feed
refresh
and comfort
as well as to guide and direct
Psalm 23:4 by the
staff "Beauty" we are to understand the Gospel
which was preached to
the Jews before the destruction of Jerusalem
which is beautiful and pleasant
in itself; the doctrines of it are so
such as those of peace
pardon
righteousness
and salvation by Christ; and such are the promises of it
being
absolute and unconditional
sure and suitable to the cases of God's people
and
likewise its ministers
Isaiah 52:7 and the
ordinances of it comely and lovely; and besides
it sets forth the beauty of
Christ
and represents the saints' beautifulness in him; and it is like the
shepherd's staff; of great use in feeding the flock
not only by supplying with
food
being food itself
milk for babes
and meat for strong men; and by
directing to Christ
his covenant and church
where it is to be had; but by
setting right such who are going in wrong pastures; pushing forward such as are
backward to duty; fetching back such as are driven away
or backslidden
and
preserving the whole from wolves and bears: and by the other staff
"Bands"
the ordinances of the Gospel are designed
which are of use
to keep the saints together
and to direct them to proper food; particularly
the ordinance of the Lord's supper
which
as it is a feeding ordinance
and
sets forth Christ
as food for faith
his flesh which is meat indeed
and his
blood which is drink indeed; so it is a knitting and uniting ordinance
and is
fitly expressed by "bands"; is not only a means of knitting the
affections to Christ
whose love is so fully expressed in it; but of uniting
the hearts of believers to one another
who herein become one bread
and one
body
and feed together; and have communion with each other
and maintain their
church state in a comfortable manner; and keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace; and the ordinances of the Gospel
though they are such bonds as
are disagreeable to graceless persons
who are for breaking them asunder; yet
they are a yoke that is easy
and a burden light to the people of God
Psalm 2:3. It may
be observed
that the word for "bands" is rendered
"pilots"
Ezekiel 27:8 and
masters or governors of ships
Jonah 1:6 and is so
rendered hereF3"Nautae
vel gubernatores"
Cocceius. ; and as churches may be compared to ships
Revelation 8:9 so
may ministers of the word to those who have the government and direction of
them; and whose business lies in the ministration of the word
and the
administration of ordinances
and taking care of the discipline of the Gospel:
this seems to be the evangelic sense of these words; and they express the
manner in which Christ fed his own dear people in Judea
partly by his own
ministry
and partly by the ministry of his apostles
while he had an interest
there
until the sins of that nation brought utter ruin upon them. It is a most
ridiculous application made of these two staves by Antoninus
archbishop of
FlorenceF4Apud Quistorpium in loc.
that Zechariah
being of the
Dominican order
took to him in the person of God two staves; the one he called
"Beauty"
which is the order of the preaching Friars; and the other
"Bands"
which is the order of the Minors:
and I fed the flock; with the said staves
as
he had determined; which includes the doing of the whole office of a shepherd;
taking an exact account of his sheep
that none be lost; going before them
and
setting them an example in the exercise of grace and discharge of duty; leading
them to the still waters of his Father's love; to the fountains and fulness of
his own grace; to the rich provisions of his house
and the green pastures of
Gospel ordinances; feeding them himself
and with himself
the bread of life
the hidden and heavenly manna; appointing shepherds under him
whom he
qualifies to be pastors
gives them to his churches as such
and who receive
from him the doctrines of the Gospel to feed them with; and protecting them
from all their enemies
the roaring lion
Satan
wolves in sheep's clothing
false teachers
and the world's goats
who thrust with side and shoulder
and
push with their horns of power; as well as by seeking that which is lost;
bringing back that which is driven
or drawn away; binding up that which is
broken; strengthening the weak; healing the sick; and watching over the whole
flock night and day
lest any hurt them.
Zechariah 11:8 8 I
dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them
and their
soul also abhorred me.
YLT
8And I cut off the three
shepherds in one month
and my soul is grieved with them
and also their soul
hath abhorred me.
Three shepherds also I cut off in one month
.... Not
Moses
Aaron
and Miriam
as is suggested in the TalmudF5T. Bab.
Taanith
fol. 9. 1. ; nor David
Adonijah
and Joab
who died in the space of a
month; nor the three kings
Jehoash
Jehoiakim
and Zedekiah
who died by the
hand of their enemies in a very little time; which is the sense of some
as
Abendana observes; nor the three last prophets
Haggai
Zechariah
and Malachi
according to Aben Ezra; nor the three Maccabees
Judas
Jonathan
and Simon
as
Abarbinel; rather the three sects among the Jews
the Pharisees
Sadducees
and
Essenes
instead of which last some put the Herodians; and others the Scribes;
though some are of opinion that the three sanhedrim or courts of judicature
among the Jews are designed; but it seems best of all to interpret them of the
three orders of magistrates among them
princes
prophets
and priests; and the
"cutting" them "off" may denote the cessation of civil
government
the sealing up of vision and prophecy
and the putting an end to sacrifice;
which is much better than to interpret them of the three Roman emperors who
succeeded Nero; that is
Galba
Otho
and Vitellius
who were put to death by
their own subjects
within the space of a year and some daysF6Calmet's
Dictionary
in the word "Shepherds". ; and which is a term of time
that can not well be thought to be expressed by a month; which either signifies
in general a small space of time; or
if a certain month is meant
either it
designs the month Nisan
in which Christ suffered
when of right sacrifice should
have ceased
as well as then prophecy was sealed up
and there was no more of
it among the Jews
nor any civil government in their hands: or else the month
Ab
in which the city of Jerusalem was burnt; and so an end was put in fact to
all the above offices there. It may be that a month of years is intended
as in
Revelation 11:2 and
so Abarbinel here interprets it; though he applies it to the times of the
Maccabees; but it may respect the thirty years
or thereabout
which were
between the death of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem
within which
compass of time the above events were actually and manifestly fulfilled:
and my soul loathed them; because they did not
perform the duties of their office; the civil magistrate did not govern
according to the laws of God; the prophets did not teach sound doctrine; and
the priests did not do their service aright
nor teach the people the use and
end of sacrifices
and in them direct to the Messiah
as they should have done:
wherefore Christ expressed his dislike of them by words in his ministry
particularly in Matthew chapter twenty three
Matthew 23:1 and by
deeds
causing vengeance to come upon them to the entire removal of them: or
"my soul was shortened"
or "contracted in them"
or
"towards them"F7ותקצר נפשי בהם "et abbreviata est
anima mea in eis"
Montanus
Cocceius
Burkius; "coarctata est"
Calvin; "contractabatur
vel contrahetsese"
Vatablus;
"contracta est"
Drusius
Grotius. ; his affections were lessened
towards them; he loathed their ways and works
which were not good; and he
rejected and cast them off as his people
and wrote a "loammi" on
them; took away his Gospel from them
and abolished their civil and church
state:
and their soul also abhorred me; which is the reason of
the former; and so the Targum paraphrases it
"and
my Word cast them away
because their soul abhorred my worship;'
all
ranks and orders of men among the Jews had Christ in abhorrence; they abhorred
his person
his name
his miracles
his doctrines
his ordinances
and his
people; this they did because of his mean appearance; and because of his
inveighing against their traditions
superstitions
and immoralities; and this
appeared by their contemptuous rejection of him as the Messiah; by their
crucifixion of him; and by persecuting his disciples and followers.
Zechariah 11:9 9 Then
I said
“I will not feed you. Let what is dying die
and what is perishing
perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.”
YLT
9And I say
`I do not feed
you
the dying
let die; and the cut off
let be cut off; and the remaining
ones
let each eat the flesh of its neighbour.'
Then said I
I will not feed you
.... That is
any longer;
either personally
or by his apostles; he fed them himself
during his public
ministry; and afterwards by his apostles
whom he ordered to preach the Gospel to
the Jews first; but that being contradicted
blasphemed
and despised by them
they were ordered to turn away from them
and go to the Gentiles: this shows
that not the shepherds only
but the body of the people
abhorred Christ and
his Gospel: and therefore it was taken away from them:
that that dieth
let it die; literally
by the
pestilence
that going by the name of death in Scripture; and spiritually
they
that are dead in sin
let them continue so; let them die through famine of the
word they have despised; let them die in their sins
and die the second death
they justly deserve:
and that that is to be cut off
let it be cut off; literally
by
the sword; spiritually
the meaning is
that whereas some were in righteous
judgment appointed to ruin
vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; let them be
left to themselves
to a judicial blindness
and hardness of heart
and be cut
off as unfruitful branches
and be no more in a church state here
and
hereafter cast into everlasting burnings:
and let the rest eat everyone the flesh of another; through
famine; or destroy each other in their internal divisions
which was the case
of the Jews
when Jerusalem was besieged; see Galatians 5:15.
Zechariah 11:10 10 And
I took my staff
Beauty
and cut it in two
that I might break the covenant
which I had made with all the peoples.
YLT
10And I take My staff
Pleasantness
and cut it asunder
to make void My covenant that I had made with
all the peoples:
And I took my staff
even Beauty
and cut it asunder
....
Signifying that he dropped his pastoral care of them: the Gospel indeed
which
is meant by the staff "Beauty"
cannot be made void; it will have its
designed effect; it is the everlasting Gospel
and will endure; its blessings
promises
doctrines
ordinances
and ministers
shall continue
till all the
elect are gathered in
even unto the second coming of Christ: but then it may
be removed from one place to another; it may be taken from one people
and
given to another; and which is generally owing to contempt of it
unfruitfulness under it
and indifference to it; and this is the case here
it
designs the taking away of the Gospel from the Jews
who despised it
and the
carrying of it into the Gentile world; see Matthew 21:43
that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the
people; not the covenant of works
that was made with all mankind in
Adam; that was broke
not by the Lord
but by man; and was broke before the
Gospel was published; nor the covenant of grace
for this was not made with all
the people
nor can it be broken; but the Mosaic economy
the Sinai covenant
called the old covenant
which gradually vanished away: it was of right
abolished at the death of Christ; when the Gospel was entirely removed
it more
appeared to be so; and this was thoroughly done at the destruction of the city
and temple. The last clause may be rendered
"which" covenant "I
have made with all the people"; the Gentiles
having promised and given
orders to send the Gospel unto them
which was accordingly done.
Zechariah 11:11 11 So
it was broken on that day. Thus the poor[e] of the
flock
who were watching me
knew that it was the word of the Lord.
YLT
11and it is broken in that
day
and know well do the afflicted of the flock who are observing me
that it
[is] a word of Jehovah.
And it was broken in that day
.... In right
the day
Christ died; apparently
when the Gospel
the substance of it
was removed;
and
in fact
at the time of Jerusalem's destruction:
and so the poor of the flock; See Gill on Zechariah 11:7
that waited upon me; as servants on their
masters; as clients on their patron; as beggars at the door for alms; as
attendants on the worship of God
for the manifestations of himself
for the
performance of promises
and for answers of prayer: or "observed me"F8השמרים אתי "qui observabant
me"
Burkius. ; what he said and did
his word
and his ordinances; what
he abolished
and what he instituted:
knew that it was the word of the Lord; either that
Christ the Shepherd was the essential Word of the Lord; or that the prophecies
concerning the destruction of the Jews
their civil and ecclesiastical state
were the word and decree of God now fulfilled; or that the Gospel taken from
them is the word of the Lord
which he is the author of; his grace is the
matter and substance of; and which he speaks by his ministers; and may be known
by the matter and efficacy of it; by the refreshment and comfort it gives; by
its leading souls to Christ; and by the harmony
agreement
and uniformity of
its doctrines.
Zechariah 11:12 12 Then
I said to them
“If it is agreeable to you
give me my wages; and if
not
refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
YLT
12And I say unto them: `If
good in your eyes
give my hire
and if not
forbear;' and they weigh out my
hire -- thirty silverlings.
And I said unto them
If ye think good
.... Not to
the poor of the flock that waited on him
and knew the word of the Lord
and
valued it; but to the other Jews that despised Christ and his Gospel:
give me my price; or
"give my price"F9הבו שברי "date mercedem
meam"
Vatablus
Calvin
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius. ;
what I am valued at by you
to Judas the betrayer: or the price due unto him
for feeding the flock
such as faith in him
love to him
reverence and worship
of him. So the Targum paraphrases it
"do my will". Kimchi says the
price is repentance
and good works:
and if not
forbear; unless all is done
freely
willingly
and cheerfully; see Ezekiel 2:5 or
if
worth nothing
give nothing:
So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver; the price a
servant was valued at
Exodus 21:32 see
the fulfilment of this prophecy in Matthew 26:15. The
Jews ownF11Bereshit Rabba
sect. 98. fol. 85. 3. that this prophecy
belongs to the Messiah; but wrongly interpret it of thirty precepts given by
him: in just retaliation and righteous judgment
thirty Jews were sold by the
Romans for a penny
by way of contempt of themF12Egesippus de Urb.
excidio Anacep. p. 680. .
Zechariah 11:13 13 And
the Lord said to me
“Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set
on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the
house of the Lord for the potter.
YLT
13And Jehovah saith unto me
`Cast it unto the potter;' the goodly price that I have been prized at by them
and I take the thirty silverlings
and cast them [to] the house of Jehovah
unto the potter.
And the Lord said unto me
.... The Prophet
Zechariah
in a visionary way representing the sanhedrim of the Jews
the chief
priests
scribes
and elders:
Cast it unto the potter; for the purchase of his
field
in order to make a burying ground of it for strangers:
a goodly price that I was prised at of them; this is
sarcastically said; meaning that it was a very poor price; and showed that they
had no notion of the worth and value of Christ
the Pearl of great price:
and I took the thirty pieces of silver
and cast them to
the potter in the house of the Lord; it is a question with
some what these pieces of silver were; they are commonly understood of silver
shekels. So the Targum
in Genesis 20:16
renders pieces of silver by shekels of silver; and EusebiusF13Demonstr.
Evangel. l. 10. p. 479. calls these here thirty staters
the same with shekels;
which
if common shekels
reckoned at one shilling and three pence
made but
thirty seven shillings and sixpence; and if shekels of the sanctuary
which at
most were but two shillings and sixpence
thirty of these would make but three
pounds fifteen shillings; and therefore may be truly called
ironically
speaking
"a goodly price"; being no more than the price of a
servant
as before observed: but Drusius objects to this
seeing a potter's
field was bought with this money; and asks
who can believe that a field near
so populous a city as Jerusalem could be bought for thirty shekels? and
observes
from R. Elias LevitaF14In Tishbi
p. 130.
that it is a
rule with their doctors
that all silver mentioned in the law signifies
shekels; in the prophets
pounds; and in the Hagiographa
talents: this is
said
but not proved: to understand these of pounds
indeed
would make the
price considerable
and sufficient for the purchase of a large field; for a
silver maneh or pound with the Jews was of the value of sixty shekels
Ezekiel 45:12 and
thirty of these make two hundred and seventy pounds; but then this would not in
an ironical way be called "a goodly price": and as to the objection
about the purchase of a field with such a sum of money as thirty shekels amount
to
it may be observed
what Grotius seems rightly to conjecture
that this was
a field the potter had dug up
and had made the most of it
and so was good for
nothing but for such an use
for which it was bought
to bury strangers in. It
is also a difficulty to fix it certainly to whom this money was ordered to be
given
and was given. It is here said "to the potter"; but Jarchi and
Kimchi observe
that some of their interpreters render it the
"treasurer"; א and י
being sometimes changed for one another; thus
the Targum paraphrases it
"under
the hand of the treasurer;'
and
so othersF15"Ad thesaurarium"
Pagninus
Vatablus. ; and
indeed the money was given to the chief priests and elders
some of whom might
be in that office
Matthew 27:3 though
there is no need of such an alteration of the word
since the money Judas took
for betraying Christ
and cast into the temple to the priests
they took up
and gave it to the potter for the field they bought of him with it; and
in the
evangelist
the phrase by way of explanation is rendered
"for the
potter's field"
and may be here properly enough translated
"for the
potter"; as the particle אל is sometimes usedF16Vid.
Nold. Ebr. Part. Concord. p. 63. ; that is
to be given to him for purchase
moneyF17אל היוצר
"pro figulo"
Cocceius; "conferendos in figulum"
Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator; "ut detur ad figulum"
Burkius. : and
whereas the money is said to be cast
or given to him
"in the house of
the Lord"
i.e. in the temple
it appears a fact
in the accomplishment of
this prophecy
that it was cast into the temple
Matthew 27:5 and
was took up by the priests; who
in all probability
sent for the potter
thither
and agreed with him for his field
and paid him his money there; for
there is no reason to believe that he had a workhouse for his business in the
temple; though it may be he had one near it; see Jeremiah 18:1 and
worked for the service of it
since earthen vessels were used in temple serviceF18Vid.
Misn. Parah
c. 5. sect. 1. . The accomplishment of all this is in Matthew 27:7.
Zechariah 11:14 14 Then
I cut in two my other staff
Bonds
that I might break the brotherhood between
Judah and Israel.
YLT
14And I cut asunder my second
staff
Bands
to break the unity between Judah and Israel.
Then I cut asunder mine other staff
even Bands
.... By which
is meant
either the removal of the form of civil government from the Jews; or
the abrogation of the Mosaic law
and the carnal ordinances of the Jews
in
which judaizing Christians joined them
until the destruction of Jerusalem; or
rather the ordinances of the Gospel
which
upon taking that away
ceased:
that l might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel; the Gospel
and Gospel ordinances being removed from the Jews
there was no more work of
conversion among them; their church state came to nothing
and an entire
disagreement between them and the Gentiles ensued: and so it is when God takes
away his word and ordinances from a people
they are unchurched and their
brotherhood is broken
those being the bands which keep them together; and
therefore
when loosed
their unity and society cease. There seems to be an
allusion to the case of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin
and of the ten
tribes; the former are often signified by Judah only; and the latter by Israel
or Ephraim: the division between them was made in the times of Rehoboam
which
continued unto their respective captivities; after the Jews' return from the
Babylonish captivity
there was some show of an union between them; some of the
ten tribes returning with the Jews
and coalescing in one state; and moreover
at their certain stated feasts
they came from different parts of the world
and joined together in religious service; see Acts 2:1 but
upon
the dissolution of their civil and church state
this friendly correspondence
was broken off
and their communion with each other ceased: and as for the
Jews
after the Christians were called out from among them at Jerusalem
and
removed to Pella
they fell into internal divisions and quarrels among
themselves
which lasted during the siege of that city; and when it was taken
and destroyed
their brotherhood and union among themselves were broken to such
a degree
that they were scattered one from another; and now know not of what
kingdom and tribe they are
whether of Judah or Israel
or of what tribe in
either.
Zechariah 11:15 15 And
the Lord said to me
“Next
take for yourself the implements of a foolish
shepherd.
YLT
15And Jehovah saith unto me
`Again take to thee the instrument of a foolish shepherd.
And the Lord said unto me
.... The Prophet
Zechariah:
Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd; the meaning
is
that the prophet should put on the habit of a shepherd
and take a scrip
and staff in his hands
and represent a foolish shepherd
hereafter described.
Zechariah 11:16 16 For
indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for
those who are cut off
nor seek the young
nor heal those that are broken
nor
feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear
their hooves in pieces.
YLT
16For lo
I am raising up a
shepherd in the land
The cut off he doth not inspect
The shaken off he doth
not seek
And the broken he doth not heal
The standing he doth not sustain
And the flesh of the fat he doth eat
And their hoofs he doth break off.
For
lo
I will raise up a shepherd in the land
.... Not in
the land of Judea
but in the Roman empire; and so not Herod
nor King Agrippa
as Kimchi; nor Antiochus Epiphanes
as others; nor those wicked priests and
princes
who governed after the times of Zechariah; nor the Scribes and
Pharisees in Christ's times
though they are often called fools by him
and
were truly foolish shepherds; nor even Titus Vespasian
who destroyed the city
and temple; nor Bar Cozba
who set up for the Messiah
and was a false one; or
any other of that sort. CalmetF19Dictionary
in the word
"Shepherds." thinks this designs the Roman emperors
successors of
Tiberius
under whom Jesus Christ was crucified. Caligula succeeded Tiberius.
Claudius Caligula
and Nero succeeded Claudius: everyone knows (adds he) the
characters of those princes
that they were truly foolish shepherds
mad
wicked
and cruel: but rather it intends shepherd
or shepherds
not in a
civil
but in an ecclesiastic sense; all such after Christ
who took upon them
this office
but did not perform it aright
as heretics
false teachers
with
which the first ages abounded; and especially it points at the bishop of Rome
and all under him
when he fell off from the true doctrine and discipline of
the Gospel
the man of sin
or antichrist
as Jerom rightly observes; who
though his coming is according to the working of Satan
yet may be said to be
raised up by the Lord
because he suffered him to rise; and by his secret
providence
and wise ordination in righteous judgment
he came to the height of
his power: with him agrees the name of a "shepherd"; he calls himself
the vicar of Christ
the chief shepherd and bishop of souls; Peter's successor
who was ordered to feed the sheep and lambs of Christ; and universal pastor
and a single one
that will not admit of any associate. The character of a
"foolish" one belongs to him
though he would be thought to be wise;
nor is he wanting in wicked craft and cunning
but ignorant of the pastoral
office
and how to feed the church of God; and is a wicked or evil shepherd
as
the wordF20אולי. used is pretty much the
same in sound with our English word "evil": he governing the flock
not with and according to the word of God
but according to his own will and
laws; for his "instruments" are laws of his own making
an exercise
of tyrannical power over kings and princes
unwritten traditions
pardons
indulgences
&c.:
which shall not
visit those that be cut off; not that cut off themselves
or are cut off
by the church; but such that go astray
wander from the fold
and are in danger
of being lost; אובדות
that are perishing
as Jarchi
explains the word; these he looks not after
nor has he any regard to their
spiritual and eternal welfare:
neither shall seek the young one; the lamb
the tender of
the flock; he will not do as the good shepherd does
carry the lambs in his
arms
Isaiah 40:11 or
"that which wanders"F21הנער
"errantem"
Noldius; "quod prae ruditate evagatur"
Cocceius. ; that strays from the fold
and out of the pastures
or the right
way:
nor heal that that is broken; that is of a broken and
of a contrite spirit; or whose bones are broken
and consciences wounded
through falls into sin:
nor feed that that standeth still; that can not move from
its place to get fresh pasture
but is obliged to stay where it is
and needs
supply and support there:
but he shall eat the flesh of the fat; that is
as
the Targum well explains it
"shall
spoil the substance of the rich;'
see
Revelation 18:3
and tear their claws in pieces; take all their power and
privileges from them; all which well agrees with the pope of Rome.
Zechariah 11:17 17 “Woe
to the worthless shepherd
Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be
against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither
And
his right eye shall be totally blinded.”
YLT
17Wo [to] the worthless
shepherd
forsaking the flock
A sword [is] on his arm
and on his right eye
His arm is utterly dried up
And his right eye is very dim!'
Woe to the idol shepherd
.... Or
"the
shepherd of nothing"F23רעי האליל "pastori nihili"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius
So R. So. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 4. 2. ; that is
no true
shepherd
that is good for nothing
for an idol is nothing in the world
1 Corinthians 8:4
and who is an idol himself
sits in the temple of God
and is worshipped as if
he was God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4
and is an encourager and defender of idolatry:
that leaveth the flock; has no regard to its
spiritual concerns; does not feed it
but fleece it
and leaves it to the
cruelty and avarice of his creatures under him:
the sword shall be upon his arm; with which he
should feed the flock:
and upon his right eye; with which he should
watch over it:
his arm shall be clean dried up; his power shall be taken
away from him; the antichristian states
which supported him
shall withdraw
from him; the ten kings shall hate the whore
strip her naked
eat her flesh
and burn her with fire
Revelation 17:16
and his right eye shall be utterly darkened; not only
given up to judicial blindness
which has been always his case; but his kingdom
shall be full of darkness
Revelation 16:10
his hidden things of darkness shall be exposed; all his crafty schemes will be
confounded; and all his wit
cunning
and subtlety
will cease; and everything
desirable to him will be taken away from him. His "arm" may denote
his secular power
which shall be taken away from him: and his "right
eye" his knowledge of the Scriptures
judgment in controversies
and
infallibility pretended to by him
which wilt cease
even in the opinion of
men. Ben Melech interprets it the eye of his heart or mind; and so Aben Ezra.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)