The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.

And if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not remain alive, because you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD.’ When he prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will pierce him through.

And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth.’ If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ he will answer, ‘These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends.’

Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

against the man who is My Companion,

declares the LORD of Hosts.

Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered,

and I will turn My hand against the little ones.

And in all the land,

declares the LORD,

two-thirds will be cut off and perish,

but a third will be left in it.

This third I will bring through the fire;

I will refine them like silver

and test them like gold.

They will call on My name,

and I will answer them.

I will say, ‘They are My people,’

and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’ ”