Zechariah 11 · Verse 7

Zechariah 11:7

And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
Zechariah 11:7, King James Version

Zechariah 11:7 in other translations

BSBSo I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, especially the afflicted of the flock. Then I took for myself two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock.
WEBSo I fed the flock to be slaughtered, 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.
ASVSo I fed the flock of slaughter, verily the poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
YLTAnd 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.
DARBYSo I fed the flock of slaughter, truly the poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
BBESo I took care of the flock of death, for those who made profit out of the flock; and I took for myself two rods, naming one Beautiful, and the other Bands; and I took care of the flock.
WebsterAnd I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took to me two staffs; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

What does Zechariah 11:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. And--rather, "Accordingly": implying the motive cause which led Messiah to assume the office, namely, the will of the Father (Zec 11:4, 5), who pitied the sheep without any true shepherd. I will feed--"I fed" [Calvin], which comes to the same thing, as the past tense must in Zechariah's time have referred to the event of Messiah's advent then future: the prophets often speaking of the future in vision as already present. It was not My fault, Jehovah implies, that these sheep were not fed; the fault rests solely with you, because ye rejected the grace of God [Calvin]. even you, O poor of the flock--rather, "in order that (I might feed, that is, save) the poor (humble; compare Zec 11:11; Zep 3:12; Mt 5:3) of the flock"; literally, not you, but, "therefore (I will feed)" [Moore]. See Margin, "Verily the poor." It is for the sake of the believing remnant that Messiah took charge of the flock, though He would have saved all, if they would have come to Him. They would not come; therefore, as a nation, they are "the flock of (that is, doomed to) slaughter." I took ... two staves--that is, shepherds' staves or rods (Psa 23:4). Symbolizing His assumption of the pastor's office. Beauty--The Jews' peculiar excellency above other nations (De 4:7), God's special manifestation to them (Psa 147:19, 20), the glory of the temple ("the beauty of holiness," Psa 29:2; compare Psa 27:4; 90:17; 2Ch 20:21), the "pleasantness" of their land (Ge 49:15; Da 8:9; 11:16), "the glorious land." Bands--implying the bond of "brotherhood" between Judah and Israel. "Bands," in Psa 119:61, Margin, is used for confederate companies: The Easterns in making a confederacy often tie a cord or band as a symbol of it, and untie it when they dissolve the confederacy [Ludovicus De Dieu]. Messiah would have joined Judah and Israel in the bonds of a common faith and common laws (Zec 11:14), but they would not; therefore in just retribution He broke "His covenant which He had made with all the people." Alexander, Antiochus Epiphanes, and Pompey were all kept from marring utterly the distinctive "beauty" and "brotherhood" of Judah and Israel, which subsisted more or less so long as the temple stood. But when Jehovah brake the staves, not even Titus could save the temple from his own Roman soldiery, nor was Jurian able to restore it.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 And I wilt feed the flock of slaughter - I showed them what God had revealed to me relative to the evils coming upon the land; and I did this the more especially for the sake of the poor of the flock. Two staves - Two shepherd's crooks. One I called Beauty - that probably by which they marked the sheep; dipping the end into vermillion, or some red liquid. And this was done when they were to mark every tenth sheep, as it came out of the field, when the tithe was to be set apart for the Lord. The other I called Bands - Probably that with the hook or crook at the head of it, by which the shepherd was wont to catch the sheep by the horns or legs when he wished to bring any to hand. And I fed the flock - These two rods show the beauty and union of the people, while under God as their Shepherd. It was the delight of God to see them in a state of peace and harmony.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 11:4-14

Christ came into this world for judgment to the Jewish church and nation, which were wretchedly corrupt and degenerate. Those have their minds wofully blinded, who do ill, and justify themselves in it; but God will not hold those guiltless who hold themselves so. How can we go to God to beg a blessing on unlawful methods of getting wealth, or to return thanks for success in them? There was a general decay of…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 11:4-14 →

Zechariah 11:7 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.

וָֽאֶרְעֶה֙va.'er.'Ehand I shepherdedH7462
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
צֹ֣אןtzon[the] flock ofH6629
הַֽהֲרֵגָ֔הha.ha.re.Gah<the> slaughterH2028
לָכֵ֖ןla.Khen<to> thereforeH3651
עֲנִיֵּ֣י'a.ni.Yei[the] afflicted [ones] ofH6041
הַצֹּ֑אןha.Tzonthe flockH6629
וָאֶקַּֽח\־va.'e.kach-and I tookH3947
לִ֞יlifor myself
שְׁנֵ֣יshe.NeitwoH8147
מַקְל֗וֹתmak.LotstaffsH4731
לְאַחַ֞דle.'a.Chad<to> oneH259
קָרָ֤אתִיka.Ra.tiI calledH7121
נֹ֙עַם֙no.'amFavorH5278
וּלְאַחַד֙u.le.'a.Chadand <to> oneH259
קָרָ֣אתִיka.Ra.tiI calledH7121
חֹֽבְלִ֔יםchoe.LimUnionH2256
וָאֶרְעֶ֖הva.'er.'Ehand I shepherdedH7462
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַצֹּֽאן\׃ha.Tzonthe flockH6629

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

Cross references for Zechariah 11:7

  • Zechariah 11:14

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

  • Isaiah 11:4

    But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

  • Zechariah 11:4

    Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;

  • Ezekiel 37:16-23

    Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. …

  • Zechariah 11:10-11

    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.

  • Psalms 23:4

    Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

  • Isaiah 61:1

    The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

  • Zephaniah 3:12

    I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

  • Ephesians 2:13-16

    But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

  • Matthew 11:5

    The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

  • Mark 12:37

    David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

  • Psalms 133:1-3

    A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I will.
4,11; 13:8,9
even you, O poor. or, verily the poor.
Isa 11:4; 61:1; Jer 5:4,5; Zep 3:12; Mt 11:5; Mr 12:37; Jas 2:5
staves.
10,14; Le 27:32; 1Sa 17:40,43; Ps 23:4
one.
Ps 133:1-3; Eze 37:16-23; Joh 17:21-23
Bands. or, Binders.
Joh 10:16; Eph 2:13-16

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

Context

  • Zechariah 11:6

    For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith 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.

  • Zechariah 11:7

    And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

  • Zechariah 11:8

    Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

Read all of Zechariah 11

Zechariah 11:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Apacenté pues las ovejas de la matanza, es á saber, los pobres del rebaño. Y me tomé dos cayados; al uno puse por nombre Suavidad, y al otro Ataduras; y apacenté las ovejas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je me mis à paître le troupeau de la tuerie, voire même les pauvres du troupeau; et je pris deux bâtons: je nommai l’un Beauté, et je nommai l’autre Liens, et je me mis à paître le troupeau.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich weidete die Herde des Würgens, mithin die Elenden der Herde; und ich nahm mir zwei Stäbe: den einen nannte ich Huld, und den anderen nannte ich Bande und ich weidete die Herde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et pascam pecus occisionis propter hoc, o pauperes gregis! et assumpsi mihi duas virgas: unam vocavi Decorem, et alteram vocavi Funiculum: et pavi gregem.