Zechariah 11 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

The chapter opens with a poetic taunt of judgment (verses 1-3), moves to a prophetic sign-act in which Zechariah acts as a shepherd (verses 4-14), and closes with a woe oracle against a worthless shepherd (verses 15-17). The ULT sets verses 1-3 and 17 as poetry.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Shepherds and the flock

Throughout the chapter, the shepherd represents a ruler and the flock the people he leads. See shepherd.

The two staffs

Zechariah names two shepherd’s staffs Favor and Union; breaking them signifies the ending of Yahweh’s covenant and of the unity between Judah and Israel.