Zechariah 11:12

Authorized King James Version

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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.

Original Language Analysis

וָאֹמַ֣ר And I said H559
וָאֹמַ֣ר And I said
Strong's: H559
Word #: 1 of 15
to say (used with great latitude)
אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם H413
אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם
Strong's: H413
Word #: 2 of 15
near, with or among; often in general, to
אִם H518
אִם
Strong's: H518
Word #: 3 of 15
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
ט֧וֹב good H2896
ט֧וֹב good
Strong's: H2896
Word #: 4 of 15
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good
בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֛ם unto them If ye think H5869
בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֛ם unto them If ye think
Strong's: H5869
Word #: 5 of 15
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
הָב֥וּ give H3051
הָב֥וּ give
Strong's: H3051
Word #: 6 of 15
to give (whether literal or figurative); generally, to put; imperatively (reflexive) come
שְׂכָרִ֖י for my price H7939
שְׂכָרִ֖י for my price
Strong's: H7939
Word #: 7 of 15
payment of contract; concretely, salary, fare, maintenance; by implication, compensation, benefit
וְאִם H518
וְאִם
Strong's: H518
Word #: 8 of 15
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
לֹ֣א׀ H3808
לֹ֣א׀
Strong's: H3808
Word #: 9 of 15
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
חֲדָ֑לוּ and if not forbear H2308
חֲדָ֑לוּ and if not forbear
Strong's: H2308
Word #: 10 of 15
properly, to be flabby, i.e., (by implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or idle
וַיִּשְׁקְל֥וּ So they weighed H8254
וַיִּשְׁקְל֥וּ So they weighed
Strong's: H8254
Word #: 11 of 15
to suspend or poise (especially in trade)
אֶת H853
אֶת
Strong's: H853
Word #: 12 of 15
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
שְׂכָרִ֖י for my price H7939
שְׂכָרִ֖י for my price
Strong's: H7939
Word #: 13 of 15
payment of contract; concretely, salary, fare, maintenance; by implication, compensation, benefit
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים thirty H7970
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים thirty
Strong's: H7970
Word #: 14 of 15
thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth
כָּֽסֶף׃ pieces of silver H3701
כָּֽסֶף׃ pieces of silver
Strong's: H3701
Word #: 15 of 15
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money

Analysis & Commentary

Prophetic symbol of Messiah's betrayal: '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.' The shepherd-prophet asks for wages; they pay thirty shekels—Exodus 21:32's price for a slave killed by an ox. This insultingly low valuation of God's shepherd becomes prophecy of Judas betraying Jesus for thirty silver pieces (Matthew 26:15, 27:9-10). Verse 13's ironic command—'Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them'—was fulfilled when Judas threw the silver into the temple and priests bought potter's field (Matthew 27:5-7). This demonstrates Scripture's prophetic precision: specific details fulfilled centuries later. Israel's rejection and contemptuous undervaluing of God's Shepherd presaged rejecting Messiah.

Historical Context

Zechariah's enacted prophecy (chapters 11-13) used shepherd imagery to depict Israel's failed leadership and coming rejection of the Good Shepherd. Thirty shekels was the compensation for a slave's accidental death—insulting wage for a shepherd. Matthew sees Judas's betrayal fulfilling this (though attributing quote to Jeremiah—possibly a scribal error or reference to scroll order where Jeremiah came first). The detail about potter's field connects to Jeremiah 18-19's potter imagery and 32:6-15's field purchase. These prophecies demonstrate divine foreknowledge and Scripture's unity. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), was valued at slave-price, betrayed for petty sum, fulfilling ancient predictions with precision impossible for human contrivance.

Questions for Reflection