Zechariah 11 8

Zechariah 11:8 kjv

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

Zechariah 11:8 nkjv

I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

Zechariah 11:8 niv

In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them

Zechariah 11:8 esv

In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.

Zechariah 11:8 nlt

I got rid of their three evil shepherds in a single month. But I became impatient with these sheep, and they hated me, too.

Zechariah 11 verses

Zechariah 11 8 Meaning

Zechariah 11:8 describes the Lord's decisive and swift judgment upon the corrupt leadership of Israel, referred to as "the three shepherds." The verse details a mutual abhorrence: the divine speaker, through the prophet Zechariah, expresses deep impatience and loathing for these shepherds who failed to care for God's flock, while these leaders, in turn, demonstrated an active detestation and rejection of God's rule and guidance. This reciprocal rejection culminates in their rapid removal, signifying God's justice against those who betray their sacred trust.

Zechariah 11 8 Context

Zechariah chapter 11 opens a symbolic drama where the prophet assumes the role of a shepherd, representing the Lord's dealings with His flock, Israel. The chapter highlights the impending judgment on Jerusalem, particularly on its leaders, for their rejection of God's compassionate governance. Zechariah is given two staffs, "Beauty" (representing God's covenant with Israel) and "Bands" (representing unity among Israel and Judah). He feeds the flock, indicating God's patient care, even for those appointed for slaughter by corrupt buyers and sellers. This context sets the stage for the dramatic event of verse 8, where God's long-suffering patience with the wicked shepherds reaches its limit. The removal of the "three shepherds" directly addresses the internal corruption within the leadership of God's people. This prepares for the symbolic breaking of the staffs, symbolizing the revocation of the covenant and the scattering of the nation, further leading into the prophecy of the thirty pieces of silver and the smiting of the shepherd, themes directly related to the coming of Christ. Historically, Zechariah was prophesying in the post-exilic period, when Israel was seeking to rebuild, yet the struggles with leadership, both civil and religious, persisted.

Zechariah 11 8 Word analysis

• So I destroyed (וָאַכְחִיד - va'akhchid):

  • Root: כ.ח.ד (K-Ch-D), in the Hiphil stem, indicating causative action. Meaning "to cut off," "to annihilate," "to make perish," or "to put an end to."
  • Significance: This denotes a direct, intentional, and definitive act of divine judgment. The Lord Himself is actively involved in the removal of these leaders, rather than a passive observation or a natural consequence.

• the three shepherds (אֶת־שְׁלֹשֶׁת֙ הָרֹעִ֔ים - 'et-shloshet ha-ro'im):

  • "shepherds" (הָרֹעִים - ha-ro'im): This Hebrew term refers to leaders or rulers, commonly applied to kings, priests, prophets, or even foreign oppressors who rule over God's people. It symbolizes their responsibility to guide and protect the flock (the nation of Israel).
  • "three" (שְׁלֹשֶׁת - shloshet): The specific identity of these "three" shepherds has been subject to various interpretations.
    1. Could represent distinct categories of leaders (e.g., civil rulers, priests, prophets), signifying the totality of corrupt leadership within the nation.
    2. Could refer to specific individuals contemporary to Zechariah, whose identities are now lost to history.
    3. Symbolically, the number 'three' often denotes completeness or decisiveness in Hebrew thought, implying a total and rapid removal of all inadequate leadership rather than a literal count.
  • Significance: The number underscores the comprehensiveness of the judgment against the pervasive leadership failures that harmed God's people.

• in one month (בְּיֶ֖רַח אֶחָ֑ד - b'yeraḥ 'eḥadh):

  • This phrase emphasizes the speed and decisiveness of the divine intervention. The judgment is not protracted but swift and final.
  • Significance: Highlights the urgency and totality of God's justice. The period of toleration for corrupt leadership has abruptly ended.

• for my soul loathed them (וַתִּקְצַ֤ר נַפְשִׁי֙ בָּהֶ֔ם - vat-tiqtzar nafshi bahem):

  • "my soul" (נַפְשִׁי - nafshi): Refers to the Lord's innermost being, signifying deep emotional and moral antipathy. This is a personal and profound disgust.
  • "loathed them" (תִּקְצַר - tiqtzar): Derived from the root ק.צ.ר (qatsar), literally meaning "to be short," hence "to be impatient," "to have one's patience exhausted," or "to be vexed/disgusted." It conveys that the Lord's long-suffering patience had finally run out, leading to a profound aversion towards their actions and character.
  • Significance: This reveals the divine justification for the judgment. God's moral abhorrence stems from their prolonged unfaithfulness, exploitation, and spiritual defilement.

• and their soul also abhorred me (וְגַם־נַפְשָׁ֖ם קָ֥צָה בִֽי - v'gam nafsham qatsah bi):

  • "their soul" (נַפְשָׁם - nafsham): Refers to the inner being or collective will of the corrupt shepherds. It describes their deep-seated attitude and inclination.
  • "abhorred me" (קָצָה - qatsah): Derived from the root קוּץ (quts), meaning "to detest," "to loathe," "to feel disgusted with," or "to be grieved by."
  • Significance: This establishes a reciprocal loathing. Not only did God detest their conduct, but these leaders, in turn, actively scorned His authority, His covenant, and His loving care for His people. This mutual rejection clarifies the equity of the divine judgment, demonstrating that the "cutting off" was not arbitrary but a response to their deliberate apostasy.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "So I destroyed the three shepherds in one month": This phrase vividly portrays a swift, divinely orchestrated removal of a comprehensive corrupt leadership. The immediacy and totality ("in one month," "three shepherds") emphasize the irreversible nature of this judgment against those who misused their God-given authority.
  • "for my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me": This statement provides the dual spiritual and relational justification for the preceding judgment. It signifies a profound breakdown of the covenant relationship, driven by God's righteous revulsion at their wickedness and their wilful, arrogant rejection of God's leadership. This mutual alienation demanded a decisive separation.

Zechariah 11 8 Bonus section

The motif of "shepherds" (or leaders) throughout Scripture highlights the critical role they play in either guiding God's people toward righteousness or leading them astray. Zechariah's portrayal of the "three shepherds" stands in direct contrast to the Lord as the ideal Shepherd (Ps 23, Isa 40:11, Eze 34:11-16). This prophetic drama anticipates the first advent of Jesus Christ, the true Good Shepherd, who came to a nation whose official religious leaders (chief priests, scribes, Pharisees) largely rejected Him and whose secular rulers were also largely corrupt. Their ultimate rejection of Christ (Jn 1:11; Mt 21:33-46) echoed the pattern of their forebears depicted here. The speed of the judgment ("in one month") may not refer to a literal month but signifies an event compressed in time, conveying divine immediacy and swiftness, a prelude to greater, climactic judgments that God executes throughout history. The breaking of the two staffs, "Beauty" and "Bands" in the verses that follow Zech 11:8, represents the dissolution of the covenant and unity among the people as a direct consequence of this corrupt leadership and their rejection of God.

Zechariah 11 8 Commentary

Zechariah 11:8 is a poignant declaration of divine judgment against failed and corrupt spiritual and political leadership within Israel. The Lord, through Zechariah acting as the symbolic shepherd, dramatically dismisses "the three shepherds" swiftly and completely. This immediate removal ("in one month") underscores the intensity and finality of God's decree, leaving no room for prolonging the damage they inflicted upon His flock.

The essence of the judgment lies in a reciprocal relationship of loathing. God's patience had been utterly exhausted, His very "soul" disgusted by their actions – likely their selfish exploitation, negligence, and misguidance of His people, contrasting sharply with His own tender care (as described earlier in the chapter with the feeding of the flock). Crucially, this divine revulsion was not unprovoked. These shepherds also actively "abhorred" or detested the Lord. They spurned His ways, rejected His covenant, and showed contempt for His rightful authority, demonstrating their unfitness for leadership. This mutual detestation forms the basis for the judicial cutting off, reflecting a profound rupture in the relationship between God and His designated leaders. This act not only brings justice but also clears the stage for the revelation of a truly "worthless shepherd" and ultimately, for the suffering and rejection of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ (Zech 11:12-13, 13:7). It serves as a stark reminder of God's standard for leadership and His ultimate sovereignty over His people.