Zechariah 11:1-13 ▼

1 Open thy doores O Libanus, that ye fire may consume thy Cedar trees.

2 Howle ye firre trees, for the Cedar is fallen, yea all the proude are wasted away: Howle O ye Oke trees of Basan, for the mightie strong wood is cut downe.

3 Men may heare the shepheardes mourne, for their glory is destroyed: men may heare the lions whelpes roare, for the pride of Iordane is wasted away.

4 Thus saith the Lorde my God: Feede the sheepe of the slaughter,

5 Which haue ben slaine of those that possessed them, yet they toke it for no sinne, but they that solde them said, The Lorde be thanked, for I am riche: yea their owne shepheardes spare the not.

6 Therefore wyl I no more spare those that dwell in the lande saith the Lorde: but lo, I wyll deliuer the people, euery man into his neighbours hande, and into the hande of his king, that they may smite the lande, and out of their handes I wyll not deliuer them.

7 I my selfe fed the slaughter sheepe, a poore flocke veryly, and toke vnto me two staues: the one called Beautie, the other called Bandes: and so fedde the sheepe.

8 Three shepheardes I put out of office in one moneth, for I might not away with them: neither had they any delight in me.

9 Then saide I, I wyll feede you no more: the thing that dyeth, let it dye: and that that wyll perishe, let it perishe: and let the remnaunt eate euery one the fleshe of his neighbour.

10 I toke also my staffe euen Beautie, and brake it, that I might disanull the couenaunt which I made with all people.

11 And so it was broken in that day: Then the poore simple sheepe that had a respect vnto me, knewe therby that it was the worde of the Lorde.

12 And I saide vnto them, If ye thinke it good, bring hither my wages: if no, then leaue. So they wayed downe thirtie siluer pence, the value that I was prysed at.

13 And the Lorde saide vnto me, Cast it vnto the potter, a goodly pryce for me to be valued at of them. And I toke the thirtie siluer pence, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lorde.