2. fir tree . . . cedar--if even the cedars
(the highest in the state)
are not spared, how much less the fir trees (the lowest)!
forest of . . . vintage--As the vines are stripped of their grapes
in the vintage (compare
Joe 3:13),
so the forest of Lebanon "is come down," stripped of all its beauty.
Rather, "the fortified" or "inaccessible forest" [MAURER]; that is, Jerusalem dense with houses as a thick
forest is with trees, and "fortified" with a wall around. Compare
Mic 3:12,
where its desolate state is described as a forest.
3. shepherds--the Jewish rulers.
their glory--their wealth and magnificence; or that
of the temple, "their glory"
(Mr 13:1;
Lu 21:5).
young lions--the princes, so described on account of their cruel
rapacity.
pride of Jordan--its thickly wooded banks, the lair of "lions"
(Jer 12:5; 49:19).
Image for Judea "spoiled" of the magnificence of its rulers ("the young
lions"). The valley of the Jordan forms a deeper gash than any on the
earth. The land at Lake Merom is on a level with the Mediterranean Sea;
at the Sea of Tiberias it falls six hundred fifty feet below that
level, and to double that depression at the Dead Sea, that is, in all,
1950 feet below the Mediterranean; in twenty miles' interval there is a
fall of from three thousand to four thousand feet.
4. The prophet here proceeds to show the cause of the destruction just
foretold, namely, the rejection of Messiah.
flock of . . . slaughter--
(Ps 44:22).
God's people doomed to slaughter by the Romans. Zechariah here
represents typically Messiah, and performs in vision the actions
enjoined: hence the language is in part appropriate to him, but mainly
to the Antitype, Messiah. A million and a half perished in the Jewish
war, and one million one hundred thousand at the fall of Jerusalem.
"Feed" implies that the Jews could not plead ignorance of God's will to
execute their sin. Zechariah and the other prophets had by God's
appointment "fed" them
(Ac 20:28)
with the word of God, teaching and warning them to escape from coming
wrath by repentance: the type of Messiah, the chief Shepherd, who
receives the commission of the Father, with whom He is one
(Zec 11:4);
and Himself says
(Zec 11:7),
"I will feed the flock of slaughter." Zechariah did not live to
"feed" literally the "flock of slaughter"; Messiah alone "fed" those
who, because of their rejection of Him, were condemned to slaughter.
Jehovah-Messiah is the speaker. It is He who threatens to inflict the
punishments
(Zec 11:6, 8).
The typical breaking of the staff, performed in vision by Zechariah
(Zec 11:10),
is fulfilled in His breaking the covenant with Judah. It is He who was
sold for thirty pieces of silver
(Zec 11:12, 13).
5. possessors--The buyers
[MAURER], their Roman oppressors,
contrasted with "they that sell men." The instruments of God's righteous
judgment, and therefore "not holding themselves guilty"
(Jer 50:7).
It is meant that they might use this plea, not that they actually
used it. Judah's adversaries felt no compunction in destroying them; and
God in righteous wrath against Judah allowed it.
they that sell them--(Compare
Zec 11:12).
The rulers of Judah, who by their avaricious rapacity and selfishness
(Joh 11:48, 50)
virtually sold their country to Rome. Their covetousness brought on
Judea God's visitation by Rome. The climax of this was the sale of the
innocent Messiah for thirty pieces of silver. They thought that Jesus
was thus sold and their selfish interest secured by the delivery of Him
to the Romans for crucifixion; but it was themselves and their country
that they thus sold to the Roman possessors."
I am rich--by selling the sheep
(De 29:19;
Ho 12:8).
In short-sighted selfishness they thought they had gained their object,
covetous self-aggrandizement
(Lu 16:14),
and hypocritically "thanked" God for their wicked gain (compare
Lu 18:11).
say . . . pity--In Hebrew it is
singular: that is, each of those that sell them
saith: Not one of their own shepherds pitieth
them. An emphatical mode of expression by which each individual is
represented as doing, or not doing, the action of the verb
[HENDERSON].
HENGSTENBERG
refers the singular verbs to
JEHOVAH, the
true actor; the wicked shepherds being His unconscious instruments.
Compare
Zec 11:6,
For I will no more pity, with the Hebrew "pitieth
not" here.
6. Jehovah, in vengeance for their rejection of Messiah, gave them
over to intestine feuds and Roman rule. The Zealots and other factious
Jews expelled and slew one another by turns at the last invasion by
Rome.
his king--Vespasian or Titus: they themselves
(Joh 19:15)
had said, unconsciously realizing Zechariah's words, identifying Rome's
king with Judah's ("his") king, "We have no king but Cæsar." God
took them at their word, and gave them the Roman king, who "smote
(literally, 'dashed in pieces') their land," breaking up their polity,
when they rejected their true King who would have saved them.
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
(Ps 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
(Ps 147:19, 20),
the glory of the temple ("the beauty of holiness,"
Ps 29:2;
compare
Ps 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
Ps 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.
8. Three shepherds . . . I cut off--literally, "to
cause to disappear," to destroy so as not to leave a vestige of them.
The three shepherds whom Messiah removes are John, Simon, and Eleazar,
three leaders of factions in the Jewish war
[DRUSIUS].
Or, as Messiah, the Antitype, was at once prophet, priest, and
king, so He by the destruction of the Jewish polity destroyed these
three orders for the unbelief of both the rulers and people
[MOORE].
If they had accepted Messiah, they would have had all three combined in
Him, and would have been themselves spiritually prophets, priests, and
kings to God. Refusing Him, they lost all three, in every sense.
one month--a brief and fixed space of time
(Ho 5:7).
Probably alluding to the last period of the siege of Jerusalem, when
all authority within the city was at an end [HENDERSON].
loathed them--literally, "was straitened" as to them; instead of being
enlarged towards them in love
(2Co 6:11, 12).
The same Hebrew as in
Nu 21:4,
Margin.
No room was left by them for the grace of God, as His favors were
rejected [CALVIN]. The mutual distaste that
existed between the holy Messiah and the guilty Jews is implied.
9. Then said I--at last when all means of saving the nation had been
used in vain
(Joh 8:24).
I will not--that is, no more feed you. The last rejection of the
Jews is foretold, of which the former under Nebuchadnezzar, similarly
described, was the type
(Jer 15:1-3; 34:17; 43:11;
Eze 6:12).
Perish those who are doomed to perish, since they reject Him who would
have saved them! Let them rush on to their own ruin, since they will
have it so.
eat . . . flesh of another--Let them madly perish by mutual discords.
JOSEPHUS attests the fulfilment of this prophecy of threefold calamity: pestilence and famine ("dieth . . . die"), war ("cut off . . . cut
off"), intestine discord ("eat . . . one . . . another").
10. covenant which I made with all the people--The covenant made with the whole nation is to hold good no more except to the elect remnant. This is the force of the clause, not as MAURER, and others translate. The covenant which I made with all the nations (not to hurt My elect people, Ho 2:18). But the Hebrew is the term for the elect people (Ammim), not that for the Gentile nations (Goiim). The Hebrew plural expresses the great numbers of the Israelite people formerly (1Ki 4:20). The article is, in the Hebrew, all the or those peoples. His cutting asunder the staff "Beauty," implies the setting aside of the outward symbols of the Jews distinguishing excellency above the Gentiles (see on Zec 11:7) as God's own people.
11. poor . . . knew--The humble, godly remnant knew by the event the
truth of the prediction and of Messiah's mission. He had, thirty-seven
years before the fall of Jerusalem, forewarned His disciples when they
should see the city compassed with armies, to "flee unto the mountains."
Accordingly, Cestius Gallus, when advancing on Jerusalem, unaccountably
withdrew for a brief space, giving Christians the opportunity of obeying
Christ's words by fleeing to Pella.
waited upon me--looked to the hand of God in all these calamities,
not blindly shutting their eyes to the true cause of the visitation, as
most of the nation still do, instead of referring it to their own
rejection of Messiah.
Isa 30:18-21
refers similarly to the Lord's return in mercy to the remnant that
"wait for Him" and "cry" to Him
(Zep 3:12, 13).
12. I said--The prophet here represents the person of Jehovah-Messiah.
If ye think good--literally, "If it be good in your eyes." Glancing at
their self-sufficient pride in not deigning to give Him that return
which His great love in coming down to them from heaven merited, namely,
their love and obedience. "My price"; my reward for pastoral care, both
during the whole of Israel's history from the Exodus, and especially the
three and a half years of Messiah's ministry. He speaks as their
"servant," which He was to them in order to fulfil the Father's will
(Php 2:7).
if not, forbear--They withheld that which He sought as His only reward,
their love; yet He will not force them, but leave His cause with God
(Isa 49:4, 5).
Compare the type Jacob cheated of his wages by Laban, but leaving his
cause in the hands of God
(Ge 31:41, 42).
So . . . thirty pieces of silver--thirty shekels. They not only
refused Him His due, but added insult to injury by giving for Him the
price of a gored bond-servant
(Ex 21:32;
Mt 26:15).
A freeman was rated at twice that sum.
13. Cast it unto the potter--proverbial: Throw it to the temple potter,
the most suitable person to whom to cast the despicable sum, plying his
trade as he did in the polluted valley
(2Ki 23:10)
of Hinnom, because it furnished him with the most suitable clay. This
same valley, and the potter's shop, were made the scene of symbolic
actions by Jeremiah
(Jer 18:1-19:15)
when prophesying of this very period of Jewish history. Zechariah
connects his prophecy here with the older one of Jeremiah: showing the
further application of the same divine threat against his unfaithful
people in their destruction under Rome, as before in that under
Nebuchadnezzar. Hence
Mt 27:9,
in English Version, and in the oldest authorities, quotes
Zechariah's words as Jeremiah's, the latter being the original
author from whom Zechariah derived the groundwork of the prophecy.
Compare the parallel case of
Mr 1:2, 3
in the oldest manuscripts (though not in English Version),
quoting Malachi's words as those of "Isaiah," the original source of
the prophecy. Compare my
Introduction
to Zechariah. The "potter" is significant of God's absolute power over
the clay framed by His own hands
(Isa 45:9;
Jer 18:6;
Ro 9:20, 21).
in the house of the Lord--The thirty pieces are thrown down
in the temple, as the house of Jehovah, the fit place for the money
of Jehovah-Messiah being deposited, in the treasury, and the very place
accordingly where Judas "cast them down." The thirty pieces were cast
"to the potter," because it was to him they were "appointed by the Lord"
ultimately to go, as a worthless price (compare
Mt 27:6, 7, 10).
For "I took," "I threw," here Matthew has "they took,"
"they gave them"; because their (the Jews' and Judas') act was
all His "appointment" (which Matthew also expresses), and
therefore is here attributed to Him (compare
Ac 2:23; 4:28).
It is curious that some old translators translate, for "to the potter,"
"to the treasury" (so
MAURER),
agreeing with
Mt 27:6.
But English Version agrees better with Hebrew and
Mt 27:10.
14. The breaking of the bond of union between Judah and Israel's ten tribes under Rehoboam is here the image used to represent the fratricidal discord of factions which raged within Jerusalem on the eve of its fall, while the Romans were thundering at its gates without. See JOSEPHUS [Wars of the Jews]. Also the continued severance of the tribes till their coming reunion (Ro 11:15).
15. yet--"take again"; as in
Zec 11:7
previously he had taken other implements.
instruments--the accoutrements, namely, the shepherd's crook and
staff, wallet, &c. Assume the character of a bad ("foolish" in Scripture
is synonymous with wicked,
Ps 14:1)
shepherd, as before thou assumedst that of a good shepherd. Since the
Jews would not have Messiah, "the Good Shepherd"
(Joh 10:11),
they were given up to Rome, heathen and papal, both alike their
persecutor, especially the latter, and shall be again to Antichrist,
the "man of sin," the instrument of judgment by Christ's permission.
Antichrist will first make a covenant with them as their ruler, but
then will break it, and they shall feel the iron yoke of his tyranny as
the false Messiah, because they rejected the light yoke of the true
Messiah
(Da 11:35-38; 12:1; 9:27;
2Th 2:3-12).
But at last he is to perish utterly
(Zec 11:17),
and the elect remnant of Judah and Israel is to be saved
gloriously.
16. in the land--Antichrist will probably he a Jew, or at least one
in Judea.
not visit . . . neither . . . seek
. . . heal . . . broken, nor feed . . .
but . . . eat . . . flesh . . .
tear--Compare similar language as to the unfaithful shepherds of
Israel in
Eze 34:2-4.
This implies, they shall be paid in kind. Such a shepherd in the worst
type shall "tear" them for a limited time.
those . . . cut off--"those perishing" [Septuagint], that is, those
sick unto death, as if already cut off.
the young--The Hebrew is always used of human youths, who are
really referred to under the image of the young of the flock. Ancient
expositors [Chaldee Version,
JEROME, &c.] translate,
"the straying," "the dispersed"; so GESENIUS.
broken--the wounded.
standeth still--with faintness lagging behind.
tear . . . claws--expressing cruel voracity; tearing
off the very hoofs (compare
Ex 10:26),
giving them excruciating pain, and disabling them from going in quest
of pasture.
17. the idol--The Hebrew expresses both vanity and an idol. Compare Isa 14:13; Da 11:36; 2Th 2:4; Re 13:5, 6, as to the idolatrous and blasphemous claims of Antichrist. The "idol shepherd that leaveth the flock" cannot apply to Rome, but to some ruler among the Jews themselves, at first cajoling, then "leaving" them, nay, destroying them (Da 9:27; 11:30-38). God's sword shall descend on his "arm," the instrument of his tyranny towards the sheep (2Th 2:8); and on his "right eye," wherewith he ought to have watched the sheep (Joh 10:12, 13). However, Antichrist shall destroy, rather than "leave the flock." Perhaps, therefore, the reference is to the shepherds who left the flock to Antichrist's rapacity, and who, in just retribution, shall feel his "sword" on their "arm," which ought to have protected the flock but did not, and on their "eye," which had failed duly to watch the sheep from hurt. The blinding of "the right eye" has attached to it the notion of ignominy (1Sa 11:2).
Zec 11:1-17. DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLE AND JEWISH POLITY FOR THE REJECTION OF MESSIAH.
1. Open thy doors, O Lebanon--that is, the temple so called, as being constructed of cedars of Lebanon, or as being lofty and conspicuous like that mountain (compare Eze 17:3; Hab 2:17). Forty years before the destruction of the temple, the tract called "Massecheth Joma" states, its doors of their own accord opened, and Rabbi Johanan in alarm said, I know that thy desolation is impending according to Zechariah's prophecy. CALVIN supposes Lebanon to refer to Judea, described by its north boundary: "Lebanon," the route by which the Romans, according to JOSEPHUS, gradually advanced towards Jerusalem. MOORE, from HENGSTENBERG, refers the passage to the civil war which caused the calling in of the Romans, who, like a storm sweeping through the land from Lebanon, deprived Judea of its independence. Thus the passage forms a fit introduction to the prediction as to Messiah born when Judea became a Roman province. But the weight of authority is for the former view.