Zechariah 11:12 kjv
And 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.
Zechariah 11:12 nkjv
Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11:12 niv
I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11:12 esv
Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11:12 nlt
And I said to them, "If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to." So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zechariah 11:12 | "Then I said to them, 'If it is your will, give me my wages; but if not, refrain.' So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages." | Zechariah 11:12 |
| Matthew 26:15 | "and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver." | Fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy |
| Matthew 27:3 | "Then Judas, his betrayer, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders," | Betrayal and repayment |
| Matthew 27:7 | "So they bought with them the potter’s field, as a burying place for strangers." | Purchase of the field |
| Matthew 27:9 | "Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set, whom some of the sons of Israel appraised," | Jeremiah reference |
| Acts 1:18 | "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out." | Death of Judas |
| Psalm 109:23 | "I am almost consumed like a shadow when it lingers; I am driven away by moths." | Expression of despair |
| Jeremiah 18:15-17 | "But my people have not kept my covenant, or distinguished between the holy and the common... Therefore their roads are like slippery paths in the dark; they stumble and fall. I will scatter them before an enemy with the sword; I will look after them with disaster, and will not pity them.”" | Israel's unfaithfulness |
| Hosea 11:1-2 | "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they called them, the more they went away from me... but they do not know that it was I who healed them." | God’s love and Israel’s rejection |
| John 10:11 | "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." | Contrast with hirelings |
| John 10:12-13 | "He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep." | Uncaring shepherds |
| 1 Samuel 15:22 | "And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." | Obedience over rituals |
| 2 Samuel 7:14 | "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men, with the stripe of the sons of men." | Consequences of sin |
| Ezekiel 34:2-10 | Prophecy against the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves and neglect the flock. | Judgment on corrupt leaders |
| Proverbs 10:16 | "The wages of the righteous lead to life; the wages of the wicked lead to ruin." | Value of true wages |
| Micah 3:11 | "Its princes award divorces for a bribe, and its priests teach for pay; its prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD in the midst of us? Calamity shall not come upon us.”" | Corruption of leaders |
| Galatians 5:22-23 | "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." | True shepherd's character |
| 1 Timothy 3:1-7 | Qualifications for overseers, emphasizing godly character. | Ideal leadership qualities |
| Titus 1:7 | "For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant, or quick-tempered, or a drunkard, or violent, or greedy for gain." | Responsibilities of leaders |
| Romans 8:14 | "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." | Spiritual leadership |
Zechariah 11 verses
Zechariah 11 12 Meaning
This verse signifies the shepherd's dissatisfaction and the price placed upon his ministry. The betrayal by his own companions for thirty pieces of silver reveals the profound devaluation of his leadership and the ultimate consequence of the people's rejection of divine shepherding.
Zechariah 11 12 Context
Zechariah chapter 11 portrays the prophet acting as a shepherd for God's people, Israel. This chapter is rich in symbolic action. Zechariah takes on the role of a shepherd, lamenting the "flock destined for slaughter" because of their unfaithfulness and the corrupt leadership. He enacts a covenant broken by his actions (breaking the staffs of Beauty and Bands) representing the severance of God's protection due to Israel's sin and their rejection of His shepherdly care. This specific verse marks a critical turning point: the shepherds (religious and political leaders) reject Zechariah’s true shepherding and assign him a price, highlighting their utter disdain for true spiritual value. The thirty pieces of silver directly foreshadow the price paid for the ultimate Shepherd, Jesus Christ, by Judas Iscariot, solidifying this as a Messianic prophecy.
Zechariah 11 12 Word Analysis
- Then (וַאֲנִ֖י - wa’ănî): "And I". Connects to the preceding actions and introduces the prophet's personal response.
- I said (אָמַ֤רְתִּי - ’āmarṯî): First-person singular, indicating the prophet's direct communication.
- to them (לָהֶם֙ - lāhēm): Refers back to the purchasers or leaders of the flock mentioned earlier or implied by the context of weighing the silver.
- If (אִם־ - ’im): Introduces a conditional statement.
- it is (טוֹב֙ - ṭôḇ): Literally "good". Implies "right," "pleasing," or "acceptable."
- your will (בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֔ם - bəʿênêḵem): Literally "in your eyes." Expresses their judgment or approval.
- give (תִּתְּנ֗וּ - tiṯnû): A command or strong request.
- me (לִ֛י - lî): Direct object.
- my wages (שְׂכָרִ֖י - śəḵārî): My reward, payment for labor or service.
- and if (וְאִם־ - wə’im): Continues the conditional structure.
- not (לֹ֖א - lō’): Negation.
- refrain (וְחָדָ֑לוּ - wəḥāḏālû): "and cease," "desist," or "stop." Indicates a halt to the payment or an end to the transaction.
- So (וַֽיִּשְׁקְל֗וּ - wayyišəqəlû): Introduces the consequence of their decision. Literally "and they weighed."
- they weighed out (וַֽיִּשְׁקְל֗וּ - wayyišəqəlû): Demonstrates a precise, measured transaction, devoid of genuine appreciation or generous spirit. It implies a calculation, a transactional mindset.
- thirty (שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים - šəlošîm): The numeral.
- pieces of silver (כֶּסֶף־ - késeph): Silver currency, a common medium of exchange, often used for valuing people or things.
- as my wages (שְׂכָרִ֖י - śəḵārî): The predetermined, contractual amount given as recompense.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "If it is your will, give me my wages; but if not, refrain." (אִם־טוֹב֒ בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֔ם תִּתְּנ֗וּ לִ֛י שְׂכָרִ֖י וְאִם־לֹ֖א וְחָדָ֑לוּ - ’im-ṭôḇ bəʿênêḵem tiṯnû lî śəḵārî wə’im-lō’ wəḥāḏālû): This phrase highlights Zechariah's deference to their choice, even though he knows their choice will be negative. It's not about seeking affirmation, but about offering them the agency to reveal their true low estimation of his shepherding work. The outcome will expose their hearts.
- "So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages." (וַֽיִּשְׁקְל֗וּ אֶת־שְׂכָרִ֥י שְׁלֹשִׁים֙ כֶּ֔סֶף - wayyišəqəlû ’eṯ-śəḵārî šəlošîm késeph): The act of "weighing out" underscores the mechanical and almost contemptuous nature of the payment. Thirty pieces of silver became the final, quantified measure of Zechariah's service by those who should have valued his divine commission.
Zechariah 11 12 Bonus Section
The choice of "thirty pieces of silver" is highly significant, echoing the value of a servant who had been gored by an ox according to the Mosaic Law (Exodus 21:32). This subtly dehumanizes the prophet, portraying him as no more valuable than a damaged animal, highlighting the low esteem in which he was held by the leaders. It also strongly anticipates the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas for betraying Jesus, as Matthew explicitly points out (Matthew 27:3-9), thereby linking Zechariah's prophecy to Christ's suffering and demonstrating a direct continuity of God's redemptive plan even in the face of human treachery and devaluation. The very act of "weighing out" the silver emphasizes a perfunctory and calculated fulfillment of obligation, rather than a grateful acknowledgement of genuine leadership.
Zechariah 11 12 Commentary
Zechariah's response demonstrates a remarkable submission to the will of his superiors, even when he foresees their refusal to value his service justly. The leaders, however, in weighing out thirty pieces of silver, expose their mercenary spirit and disregard for the prophetic office. This calculated payment symbolizes the low worth they placed on divine leadership and God's provision for them. The prophet, acting as a surrogate for the coming Messiah, presents this transaction as a critique of corrupt spiritual leadership and a prefigurement of Christ’s betrayal for a similar sum. The act reveals that the true shepherds' value is not determined by human appraisal but by God’s own measurement of sacrifice and love.