Zechariah 11
The Lord commands Lebanon to open its doors so that fire can devour its cedars, symbolizing judgment on the proud and powerful. The Lord then instructs the prophet to feed the flock of slaughter, which is being exploited by its owners and shepherds. The prophet acts out this role, cutting off three shepherds and eventually refusing to feed the flock, breaking his staff to symbolize the broken covenant with the people. The prophet is then paid 30 pieces of silver for his services, which he casts to the potter in the house of the Lord. The Lord then instructs the prophet to take on the role of a foolish shepherd, symbolizing the coming of a leader who will exploit and neglect the flock.
1Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.2Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.3There 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.4Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;5Whose 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.6For 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.7And 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.8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.9Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, 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.10And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.11And 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.12And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto 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.14Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.15And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.16For, 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.17Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth 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.
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