# Zechariah 11.12-13 **Book:** [Zechariah](/codex/zechariah/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 10. And I took my staff Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11. And it was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that gave heed unto me knew that it was the word of Jehovah. > > **12. And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my hire; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my hire thirty pieces of silver. 13. And Jehovah said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, the goodly price that I was prized at by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them unto the potter, in the house of Jehovah.** > > 14. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 15. And Jehovah said unto me, Take unto thee yet again the instruments of a foolish shepherd. (Zechariah 11:10-15, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 10. I took my staff Favor, and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11. It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was Yahweh’s word. > > **12. I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13. Yahweh said to me, “Throw it to the potter, the handsome price that I was valued at by them!” I took the thirty pieces of silver, and threw them to the potter, in Yahweh’s house.** > > 14. Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 15. Yahweh said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. (Zechariah 11:10-15, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 10. And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. 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. so: or, the poor of the flock, etc. certainly knew > > **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. If ye: Heb. If it be good in your eyes 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.** > > 14. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Bands: or, Binders 15. And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. (Zechariah 11:10-15, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 10. And I take My staff Pleasantness, and cut it asunder, to make void My covenant that I had made with all the peoples: 11. and it is broken in that day, and know well do the afflicted of the flock who are observing me, that it [is] a word of Jehovah. > > **12. And I say unto them: 'If good in your eyes, give my hire, and if not, forbear;' and they weigh out my hire, thirty silverlings. 13. And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Cast it unto the potter;' the goodly price that I have been prized at by them, and I take the thirty silverlings, and cast them [to] the house of Jehovah, unto the potter.** > > 14. And I cut asunder my second staff, Bands, to break the unity between Judah and Israel. 15. And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Again take to thee the instrument of a foolish shepherd. (Zechariah 11:10-15, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Zechariah + LORD direct discourse (visions) - **Audience:** post-exilic returnees - **Location:** Jerusalem - **Time period:** ministry c. 520-518 BC ## Theological reading ## Key words - [H2896 - tov](/codex/h2896-tov/), *tov* (Strong's H2896). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.14-19](/codex/genesis-1-14-19/), [Genesis 1.21](/codex/genesis-1-21/), [Genesis 1.24-28](/codex/genesis-1-24-28/). - [H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/), *YHWH* (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: [Genesis 2.4](/codex/genesis-2-4/), [Genesis 2.7](/codex/genesis-2-7/), [Genesis 2.16-17](/codex/genesis-2-16-17/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment](/codex/argument-from-prophecy-fulfillment/) - [Failed Messianic Prophecy Objection Defeater](/codex/failed-messianic-prophecy-objection-defeater/) - [Judas Death Contradiction Objection Defeater](/codex/judas-death-contradiction-objection-defeater/) **Concepts:** - [Biblical Prophecy](/codex/biblical-prophecy/) - [Messianic Prophecy](/codex/messianic-prophecy/) - [Messianic Prophecy Probability](/codex/messianic-prophecy-probability/)