Zechariah 11 · Verse 15

Zechariah 11:15

And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
Zechariah 11:15, King James Version

Zechariah 11:15 in other translations

BSBAnd the LORD said to me: “Take up once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
WEBThe LORD said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
ASVAnd Jehovah said unto me, Take unto thee yet again the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
YLTAnd Jehovah saith unto me, ‘Again take to thee the instrument of a foolish shepherd.
DARBYAnd Jehovah said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
BBEAnd the Lord said to me, Take again the instruments of a foolish keeper of sheep.
WebsterAnd the LORD said to me, Take to thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

What does Zechariah 11:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. yet--"take again"; as in Zec 11:7 previously he had taken other implements. instruments--the accoutrements, namely, the shepherd's crook and staff, wallet, &c. Assume the character of a bad ("foolish" in Scripture is synonymous with wicked, Psa 14:1) shepherd, as before thou assumedst that of a good shepherd. Since the Jews would not have Messiah, "the Good Shepherd" (Joh 10:11), they were given up to Rome, heathen and papal, both alike their persecutor, especially the latter, and shall be again to Antichrist, the "man of sin," the instrument of judgment by Christ's permission. Antichrist will first make a covenant with them as their ruler, but then will break it, and they shall feel the iron yoke of his tyranny as the false Messiah, because they rejected the light yoke of the true Messiah (Da 11:35-38; 12:1; 9:27; 2Th 2:3-12). But at last he is to perish utterly (Zec 11:17), and the elect remnant of Judah and Israel is to be saved gloriously.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 The instruments of a foolish shepherd - Such as a bag without bread, a scrip without measure, and a staff without a hook, etc., things that were needless or of no use; to point out to the Jewish pastors, who took no care of the flock, but devoured them, or ruled them with force and with cruelty.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 11:15-17
God, having showed the misery of this people in their being justly left by the Good Shepherd, shows their further misery in being abused by foolish shepherds. The description suits the character Christ gives of the scribes and Pharisees. They never do any thing to support the weak, or comfort the feeble-minded; but seek their own ease, while they are barbarous to the flock. The idol shepherd has the garb and appearance of a shepherd, receives submission, and is supported at much expense; but he leaves the flock to perish through neglect, or leads them to ruin by his example. This suits many in different churches and nations, but the warning had an awful fulfilment in the Jewish teachers. And while such deceive others to their ruin, they will themselves have the deepest condemnation.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Zechariah 11:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֵלָ֑י'e.Laito meH413
ע֣וֹדodagainH5750
קַח\־kach-takeH3947
לְךָ֔le.Khafor yourself
כְּלִ֖יke.Li[the] equipment ofH3627
רֹעֶ֥הro.'Eha shepherdH7462
אֱוִלִֽי\׃'e.vi.LifoolishH196

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 11:15

  • Ezekiel 13:3

    Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

  • Lamentations 2:14

    Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

  • Jeremiah 2:26-27

    As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

  • Isaiah 6:10-12

    Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

  • Matthew 23:17

    Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

  • Luke 11:40

    Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

  • Matthew 15:14

    Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a foolish.
Isa 6:10-12; Jer 2:26,27; La 2:14; Eze 13:3; Mt 15:14; 23:17
Lu 11:40

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zechariah 11:14

    Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

  • Zechariah 11:15

    And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

  • Zechariah 11:16

    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 standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

Read all of Zechariah 11

Zechariah 11:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y díjome Jehová: Toma aún el hato de un pastor insensato;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ Éternel me dit: Prends encore les instruments d’un berger insensé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jehova sprach zu mir: Nimm dir noch das Gerät eines törichten Hirten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et dixit Dominus ad me: Adhuc sume tibi vasa pastoris stulti.