Passage
Zechariah 11.12-13
Book: Zechariah · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT
Immediate context (±2 verses)
Sponsored
ASV (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)
"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)
"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)
"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, tov (Strong's H2896). Also appears in: Genesis 1.14-19, Genesis 1.21, Genesis 1.24-28.
- H3068 - YHWH, YHWH (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: Genesis 2.4, Genesis 2.7, Genesis 2.16-17.
Quoted in
- Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment
- Failed Messianic Prophecy Objection Defeater
- Messianic Prophecy
- Messianic Prophecy Probability
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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- 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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.