Zechariah
Summary
The rejection of the GOOD SHEPHERD and the thirty pieces of silver. it begins with the wailing of the cedars of Lebanon as the pride of Jordan is spoiled. it features the dramatic enactment of the Shepherd bearing the staves named 'Beauty' and 'Bands', and his betrayal for the price of 'THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER'. it conclude with the terrifying prophecy of the 'idol shepherd' who shall be raised up as a judgement: one who cares not for the young nor seeks the scattered: whose arm shall be clean dried up.
Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars.
Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O you oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.
There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
Thus says the LORD my God; "Feed the flock of the slaughter;"
"Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich:' and their own shepherds pity them not."
"For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD: "but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them."
And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took to me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
Then said I, "I will not feed you: that that dis, 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."
And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.
And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.
And I said to them, "If you think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear." So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
And the LORD said to me, "Cast it to the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them." And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
And the LORD said to me, "Take to you yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd."
"For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that stands still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces."
"Woe to the idol shepherd that leavs the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened."