Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Zechariah 11

Zec 11:7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

poor of the flock

Remnant. Zec 11:7, 11; Mal 3:16-18. (Isa 1:9; Rom 11:5).

two staves…Beauty…Bands

The scene belongs to the first advent. Beauty and Bands—literally "graciousness and union"; the first signifying God's attitude toward His people Israel, in sending His Son (Mat 21:37); the second, His purpose to reunite Judah and Ephraim (Eze 37:15-22). Christ, at His first advent, came with grace (John 1:17) to offer union (Mat 4:17), and was sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zec 11:12, 13). "Beauty" (i.e. graciousness) was "cut in sunder" (Zec 11:10, 11), signifying that Judah was abandoned to the destruction foretold in Zec 11:1-6 and fulfilled A.D. 70. After the betrayal of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver (Zec 11:12, 13) "Bands" (i.e. union) was broken (Zec 11:14), signifying the abandonment, for the time, of the purpose to reunite Judah and Israel. The order of Zec 11 is,

1. the wrath against the land (Zec 11:1-6), fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem after the rejection of Christ (Luk 19:41-44);
2. the cause of that wrath in the sale and rejection of Christ (Zec 11:7-14);
3. the rise of the "idol shepherd," the Beast (Dan 7:8; Rev 19:20), and his destruction (Zec 11:15-17).

Parables (O.T.). Zec 11:7-14. (Jdg 9:7-15; Zec 11:7-14).

The O.T. Parables: Summary. A parable is a similitude used to teach or enforce a truth. The O.T. parables fall into three classes:

1. The story-parable, of which Jdg 9:7-15 is an instance;
2. parabolic discourses; e.g. Isa 5:1-7;
3. parabolic actions; e.g. Eze 37:16-22.

Zec 11:11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.

poor of the flock

The "poor of the flock": i.e. the "remnant according to the election of grace" (Rom 11:5); those Jews who did not wait for the manifestation of Christ in glory, but believed on Him at His first coming, and since. Of them it is said that they "waited upon Me," and "knew." Neither the Gentiles nor the Gentile church, corporately, are in view: only the believers out of Israel during this age. The church, corporately, is not in O.T. prophecy (Eph 3:8-10).

Zec 11:12 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.

thirty pieces of silver

Mat 26:15; 27:9, 10.

Zec 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price

Christ (First Advent). Zec 11:11-13; Zec 13:7. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:9.)

Zec 11:15 And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

And the Lord

The reference to the Beast is obvious; no other personage of prophecy in any sense meets the description. He who came in His Father's name was rejected: the alternative is one who comes in his own name (Jhn 5:43; Rev 13:4-8).

the instruments of a foolish shepherd

Eze 34:2-4.

Zec 11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

cut off

Or, hidden.

Zec 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Woe to the idol shepherd

Jer 23:1; Eze 34:2; Jhn 10:12, 13.