Zechariah 11:9
Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Jesus withdrew from Israel's leadership class and increasingly focused on His disciples, preparing them to take the gospel to all nations. After His resurrection, He commissioned them: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), effectively bypassing the temple system and religious establishment. The apostles initially preached in Jerusalem, but after Stephen's martyrdom, persecution scattered them to the nations (Acts 8:1-4).
The predicted horrors came to pass in AD 66-70. Josephus's account reads like commentary on this verse: rival Jewish factions fought each other, destroying food supplies; famine became so severe that people ate leather, grass, and eventually each other; those who tried to escape were crucified by the Romans (up to 500 per day); the temple was burned and destroyed; over a million died. Those who rejected the Shepherd experienced what He warned: "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:31).
Questions for Reflection
- What does God's withdrawal of shepherding care reveal about the terrifying consequences of persistent rejection?
- How does this verse demonstrate that Jesus's warnings about judgment were not vindictive but loving attempts to prevent disaster?
- In what ways can individuals or churches today experience similar withdrawal of God's gracious care through persistent rebellion?
Analysis & Commentary
Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. After cutting off the false shepherds, the Good Shepherd announces withdrawal from those who reject Him. "I will not feed you" (lo er'eh etkhem, לֹא אֶרְעֶה אֶתְכֶם) is judicial abandonment—ceasing to provide pastoral care. This recalls Jesus's words: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matthew 23:37-38).
"That that dieth, let it die" repeats for emphasis the consequences of rejecting the Shepherd's care. "That that is to be cut off, let it be cut off" speaks of being removed, destroyed—the same verb used in verse 8. Without the shepherd's protection, the flock faces death and destruction. This prophesies the horror of AD 70, when those who rejected Christ faced Rome's legions.
"Let the rest eat every one the flesh of another" (ve-ha-nish'arot tokalna ishah et-besar re'utah, וְהַנִּשְׁאֲרוֹת תֹּאכַלְנָה אִשָּׁה אֶת־בְּשַׂר רְעוּתָהּ) prophesies cannibalism—the ultimate horror of siege warfare. This fulfills Deuteronomy 28:53-57's covenant curses. Josephus records that during Jerusalem's siege, a woman named Mary actually killed and ate her own infant—a fulfillment so shocking it became infamous throughout the Roman world.