Zakharia 11:7
Konteks11:7 So I 1 began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter, the most afflicted 2 of all the flock. Then I took two staffs, 3 calling one “Pleasantness” 4 and the other “Binders,” 5 and I tended the flock.
Zakharia 13:7
Konteks13:7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who is my associate,”
says the Lord who rules over all.
Strike the shepherd that the flock may be scattered; 6
I will turn my hand against the insignificant ones.
[11:7] 1 sn The first person pronoun refers to Zechariah himself who, however, is a “stand-in” for the
[11:7] 2 tc For the MT reading לָכֵן עֲנִיֵּי (lakhen ’aniyyey, “therefore the [most] afflicted of”) the LXX presupposes לִכְנַעֲנֵיּי (“to the merchants of”). The line would then read “So I began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter for the sheep merchants” (cf. NAB). This helps to explain the difficult לָכֵן (lakhen) here but otherwise has no attestation or justification, so the MT is followed by most modern English versions.
[11:7] 3 sn The two staffs represent the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. For other examples of staffs representing tribes or nations see Num 17:1-11; Ezek 37:15-23.
[11:7] 4 tn The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am) is frequently translated “Favor” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); cf. KJV “Beauty”; CEV “Mercy.”
[11:7] sn The name of the first staff, pleasantness, refers to the rest and peace of the covenant between the
[11:7] 5 tn The Hebrew term חֹבְלִים (khovlim) is often translated “Union” (so NASB, NIV, NLT); cf. KJV, ASV “Bands”; NAB “Bonds”; NRSV, TEV, CEV “Unity”).
[11:7] sn The name of the second staff, Binders, refers to the relationship between Israel and Judah (cf. v. 14).
[13:7] 6 sn Despite the NT use of this text to speak of the scattering of the disciples following Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27), the immediate context of Zechariah suggests that unfaithful shepherds (kings) will be punished by the