XI.
(1-3) Here, as in Zechariah 9:1, we have intimation of an invasion of
the land of Israel from the north, only, whereas in the former case
Philistia, as well as Syria and Phœnicia, was to be the sufferer,
here it is “the pride of Jordan that is to be spoiled.” Some have
considered the first three... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE SLAUGHTER — _i.e._, which is being slaughtered. (Comp.
Zechariah 11:5.)... [ Continue Reading ]
(4-17) The great difficulty of this passage, which is metaphorical and
symbolical throughout, consists in the fact that hardly any clue to
the interpretation is given to us. Thus commentators are quite unable
to agree as to whether the shepherds spoken of are heathen or native
rulers. And on this po... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HOLD... NOT GUILTY. — Comp. Jeremiah 1:7. Own is a gloss of the
English version.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE LAND. — Better, _of the world._
THE MEN. — Better, _mankind._ God would punish the nations for their
cruelty to His people (comp. Zechariah 1:15). He would cause the world
to be smitten or broken up with wars and civil tumults.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL FEED. — Correctly, _fed._ The prophet, acting as God’s
representative, performs a symbolical action, figuring thereby God’s
treatment of His people.
BEAUTY. — Or, rather, _favour._
BANDS. — Or, as in margin, _binders._ The first staff denotes the
return of God’s favour to His people; the seco... [ Continue Reading ]
The effect of the prophet’s (_i.e.,_ God’s) feeding the flock is
that He “cut off three shepherds in one month.” As in Ezekiel and
Daniel (Ezekiel 4:4; Daniel 9:24, &c.), the space of time mentioned
here seems to be symbolical; and taking a day for a year, one month
will mean about thirty years. Som... [ Continue Reading ]
Comp. Jeremiah 15:1; Isaiah 9:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
The people rejected Him; therefore He broke His staff “Favour,”
and so annulled the covenant He had made with the nations in behalf of
His people. This was fulfilled at the close of the glorious Maccabean
period, when the nation became corrupted, and as a consequence was
harassed by the nations on e... [ Continue Reading ]
MY PRICE. — The shepherd demands a requital for his toil, as a test
of the gratitude of the sheep.
AND IF NOT, FORBEAR. — Comp. Ezekiel 3:27, &c. God does not force
our will, which is free. He places life and death before us; by His
grace alone we can choose Him, but we _can_ refuse His grace and
H... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse proves, if proof be needed, that the prophet, in his
action, represents the Lord.
POTTER. — The price was so contemptible that it is flung to the
meanest of craftsmen. It seems probable that “to the potter with
it!” was a proverbial expression, used of throwing away anything
that was utt... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I MIGHT BREAK THE BROTHERHOOD. — This was the result of their
rejection of the Good Shepherd, and of their consequent rejection by
Him. It began with the civil discords which followed the victorious
days of the Maccabees, and reached its worst in the horrible scenes
which took place during the... [ Continue Reading ]
INSTRUMENTS OF A FOOLISH SHEPHERD. — It is needless to inquire in
what respects, if any, these instruments differed from those of a wise
shepherd. The words merely imply that the prophet, having represented
the one character, should now personate the other.
FOOLISH is almost equivalent to “wicked”... [ Continue Reading ]
THE YOUNG ONE. — Better, _the scattered._ The foolish shepherd we
understand to mean all the misrulers of Israel from the time of the
decline of the glories of the Maccabean period to the day when they
themselves declared “We have no king but Cæsar.” With the latter
part of the verse comp. Daniel 7:... [ Continue Reading ]
IDOL SHEPHERD. — Better, _useless shepherd._ Though the wicked
useless shepherd is allowed for a time to ill-treat and neglect the
flock, in the end the judgment of God will fall upon him. (Comp.
Daniel 7:26; and for the date of the prophecies of Daniel, see
_Introduction_ to that book.) Ewald has m... [ Continue Reading ]