Zechariah 11 12

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 verses

Zechariah 11 12 Meaning

Zechariah 11:12 portrays the prophet, acting as a rejected shepherd, demanding his wages from the people he served. In a deeply symbolic and prophetic gesture, the people assign a paltry sum of thirty pieces of silver as his value. This payment, the price of a slave injured by an ox in Old Testament law, represents their contemptible estimation of the shepherd's worth and, by extension, their disregard for their covenant relationship with God and the divine value of the coming True Shepherd. It foreshadows the historical betrayal and cheap valuation of Jesus Christ by His own people.

Zechariah 11 12 Context

Zechariah 11 describes a vivid and symbolic prophetic act where Zechariah assumes the role of a shepherd. This chapter stands in stark contrast to the preceding chapters' focus on hope and restoration, shifting to judgment against Israel's corrupt leadership and the rejection of God's care. Zechariah, acting on divine instruction, pastures "the flock doomed to slaughter" – a representation of God's people in a fallen state, being oppressed by their leaders. He carries two staffs, "Beauty" (representing God's gracious covenant) and "Bands" (representing brotherhood among the people). The rejection of the shepherd and the breaking of these staffs signify the breaking of God's covenant with Israel and the dissolution of their unity. Verse 12 occurs immediately after the prophet breaks the staff "Beauty," signifying the end of God's covenant grace for those who rejected His guidance. The prophet's demand for wages and the response serve as a climax to this symbolic drama, demonstrating the people's ultimate valuation of God's messenger and their own divine Shepherd. Historically, this foreshadowed the spiritual blindness and moral depravity that would lead to the rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah centuries later, under corrupt religious and political leadership.

Word Analysis

• And I said unto them (וָאֹמַר אֲלֵהֶם - wa'ōmar 'alēhem): This phrase signals the prophet's direct address and action, framing his subsequent words and actions as divinely inspired. It shows the prophet's active participation in the prophetic drama.
• If ye think good (אִם־טוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם - im-ṭôḇ bĕ'êneyḵem): Literally "if it is good in your eyes." This polite, yet perhaps sarcastic, phrasing puts the responsibility for the valuation directly on "them"—the ungrateful flock, or by extension, Israel's leaders and people. It underscores their freedom to decide, knowing their choice will reflect their true sentiment.
• give me my price (תְּנוּ שׂכָרִי - tĕnû śĕḵarî): "give my wages/hire/reward." The word שׂכָרִי (śĕḵarî) implies payment for service or labor. This isn't charity; it's a demand for due compensation for work performed, highlighting the formal ending of the shepherd's (prophet's) role among them.
• and if not, forbear (וְאִם־לֹא חֲדָֽלוּ - wĕ'im-lō' ḥăḏālû): "and if not, cease." The invitation to "forbear" means to desist or leave off, implying that if they truly don't value him, they can simply refuse, making their subsequent action (payment) an explicit choice of valuation.
• So they weighed (וַיִּשְׁקְל֥וּ - wayyišqĕlû): This verb means "they weighed out." In ancient Near Eastern economies, silver was often traded by weight, indicating a period or context where standardized coinage might not have been prevalent or suitable for such a transaction. The act of weighing emphasizes the specific, tangible amount of silver given.
• for my price (אֶת־שְׂכָרִי - 'eṯ-śĕḵarî): Reiteration of the payment for service.
• thirty pieces of silver (שְׁלֹשִׁים כָּסֶף - šəlōšîm kasef): "thirty silver." This specific amount is profoundly significant. As seen in Ex 21:32, it was the legally prescribed compensation for a slave killed by a goring ox. By valuing the shepherd (and prophet, representing God's care and the future Messiah) at this sum, the people expressed deep contempt and devaluation, reducing God's messenger to the worth of an injured chattel. This valuation represents profound spiritual bankruptcy.
• "My price" and "thirty pieces of silver": These two phrases together create the central tension of the verse. The prophet's legitimate demand for his earned "price" is met with the insulting and minimal "thirty pieces of silver." This juxtaposes a rightful claim for labor with a debased, culturally established worth of an enslaved person, starkly revealing the heart condition of those who rejected him. This exchange effectively sets the stage for the New Testament fulfillment where the True Shepherd, Jesus, is similarly devalued and betrayed for the same amount.

Zechariah 11 12 Bonus section

The phrase "my price" (שְׂכָרִי) also carries the connotation of a "reward" or "hire." In ancient contexts, receiving wages could either denote fair compensation or, in the case of insufficient payment, an insult to the work performed. Here, the specific, paltry sum of "thirty pieces of silver" unambiguously marks the latter. The fact that the prophet had been caring for a "flock doomed to slaughter" emphasizes the thanklessness and ultimate rejection of his compassionate, life-saving efforts. The weighing of the silver (rather than counting minted coins) further adds to the authenticity and cultural detail of the prophetic vision, suggesting a direct handling of the metal as a raw commodity. This practice highlights that the value was assessed in terms of physical silver, connecting it more explicitly to wealth rather than a formalized monetary system of face-value coins. The historical background shows that this amount was a legal compensation for a slave who had been gored by an ox, not a value for a shepherd. The people's willingness to equate a divine representative with this base valuation indicates a severe spiritual corruption and foreshadows the contempt in which the Messiah would be held.

Zechariah 11 12 Commentary

Zechariah 11:12 is a pivot point in the prophetic narrative, unveiling Israel's low estimation of divine leadership and its ultimate spiritual demise. The prophet's request for his wages is not a mercenary act but a challenge, prompting the people to demonstrate their true appreciation for his dedicated (though rejected) service as their shepherd. Their response—thirty pieces of silver—was a deliberate, insulting assessment, effectively equating the shepherd's divine ministry to the price of an injured slave. This cheap valuation of God's chosen messenger underscored their profound lack of regard for the covenant and the Shepherd whom Zechariah prefigured. This act became a potent, prophetic sign directly fulfilled in the New Testament with Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus for precisely the same sum, highlighting that the heart condition that rejected God's servants persisted to reject His Son. The passage serves as a warning against despising spiritual truth and guidance, as such actions ultimately lead to judgment and separation from divine protection.