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Selected Verse: Zechariah 11:5 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Zec 11:5 |
Strong Concordance |
Whose possessors [07069] slay [02026] them, and hold themselves not guilty [0816]: and they that sell [04376] them say [0559], Blessed [01288] be the LORD [03068]; for I am rich [06238]: and their own shepherds [07462] pity [02550] them not. |
| |
King James |
Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
possessors--The buyers [MAURER], their Roman oppressors, contrasted with "they that sell men." The instruments of God's righteous judgment, and therefore "not holding themselves guilty" (Jer 50:7). It is meant that they might use this plea, not that they actually used it. Judah's adversaries felt no compunction in destroying them; and God in righteous wrath against Judah allowed it.
they that sell them--(Compare Zac 11:12). The rulers of Judah, who by their avaricious rapacity and selfishness (Joh 11:48, Joh 11:50) virtually sold their country to Rome. Their covetousness brought on Judea God's visitation by Rome. The climax of this was the sale of the innocent Messiah for thirty pieces of silver. They thought that Jesus was thus sold and their selfish interest secured by the delivery of Him to the Romans for crucifixion; but it was themselves and their country that they thus sold to the Roman possessors."
I am rich--by selling the sheep (Deu 29:19; Hos 12:8). In short-sighted selfishness they thought they had gained their object, covetous self-aggrandizement (Luk 16:14), and hypocritically "thanked" God for their wicked gain (compare Luk 18:11).
say . . . pity--In Hebrew it is singular: that is, each of those that sell them saith: Not one of their own shepherds pitieth them. An emphatical mode of expression by which each individual is represented as doing, or not doing, the action of the verb [HENDERSON]. HENGSTENBERG refers the singular verbs to JEHOVAH, the true actor; the wicked shepherds being His unconscious instruments. Compare Zac 11:6, For I will no more pity, with the Hebrew "pitieth not" here. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Whose possessors - (buyers) slay them and hold themselves not guilty, rather, are not guilty either in their own eyes, or in the sight of God, since He gave them up and would no more avenge them. They contract no guilt. Aforetime God said; "Israel was holiness to the Lord, the first-fruits of His increase; all that devour him shall be guilty: evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord" Jer 2:3. Now God reversed this, as He said by the same prophet, "My people hath been lost sheep; their shepherds have caused them to go astray; they have turned them away on the mountains; all that found them have devoured them; and their adversaries say, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, yea, the hope of their fathers, the Lord" Jer 50:6-7. The offence of injuring Israel was that they were God's people: when He cast them forth, they who chastened them were His servants Jer 25:9; Jer 27:6; Jer 43:10, His instruments, and offended only when through pride they knew not in whose hands they themselves were Isa 10:7; Hab 1:11, or through cruelty exceeded their office Isa 47:6; Zac 1:18, and so they became guilty.
And they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich - Even Sennacherib felt himself in part, or thought best to own himself, to be an instrument in God's hand Isa 36:10. But Titus when he "entered Jerusalem, marveled at the strength of the city and its towers, which 'he tyrants' in phrensy abandoned. When then he had beheld their solid strength and the greatness of each rock, and how accurately they were fitted in, and how great their length and breadth, he said 'By the help of God we have warred: and God it was who brought down the Jews from those bulwarks: for what avail the hands of man or his engines against such towers?' Much of this sort he said to his friends." The Jews also were "sold" in this war, as they had not been in former captures; and that, not by chance, but because the Roman policy was different from all, known by "experience" in the time of Zechariah. Into Babylon they had been carried captive, as a whole, because it was the will of God, after the "seventy years" to restore them. In this war, it was His will to destroy or disperse them; and so those above 17 were sent to Egypt to the works; those below 17 were sold. : "The whole number taken prisoners during the wars were 1,100,000," beside those who perished elsewhere. Jerome: "Read we the ancient histories and the traditions of the mourning Jews, that at the Tabernaculum Abrahae (where now is a very thronged mart every year) after the last destruction, which they endured from Adrian, many thousands were sold, and what could not be sold were removed into Egypt, and destroyed by shipwreck or famine and slaughter by the people. No displeasure came upon the Romans for the utter destruction, as there had upon the Assyrians and Chaldaeans."
And their own shepherds - (In contrast to those who "bought" and "sold" them, who accordingly were not their own, temporal or spiritual) they to whom God had assigned them, who should have fed them with the word of God, strengthened the diseased, healed the sick, bound up the broken, and sought the lost, "pity them not" Eze 34:4. He says what they should have done, in blaming them for what they did not do. They owed them a tender compassionate love; they laid aside all mercy, and became wolves, as Paul says; "After my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" Act 20:29-30. They who owed them all love, shall have none. Jerome: "No marvel then, he says, if enemies shall use the right of conquest, when their very shepherds and teachers spared them not, and, through their fault, the flock was given over to the wolves." All were corrupted, high priest, priests, scribes, lawyers, Pharisees, Sadducees. No one had pity on them. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Whose possessors - Governors. Not guilty - Think they do no ill. That sell them - For slaves. For l am rich - Profanely give God thanks, that they thrive by cruelty and oppression. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Whose possessors - Governors and false prophets, slay them, by leading them to those things that will bring them to destruction.
And they that sell them - Give them up to idolatry; and bless God, strange to tell, that they get secular advantage by the establishment of this false religion. |
6 For I will no more pity [02550] the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776], saith [05002] the LORD [03068]: but, lo, I will deliver [04672] the men [0120] every one [0376] into his neighbour's [07453] hand [03027], and into the hand [03027] of his king [04428]: and they shall smite [03807] the land [0776], and out of their hand [03027] I will not deliver [05337] them.
11 The Pharisee [5330] stood [2476] and prayed [4336] thus [5023] with [4314] himself [1438], God [2316], I thank [2168] thee [4671], that [3754] I am [1510] not [3756] as [5618] other [3062] men [444] are, extortioners [727], unjust [94], adulterers [3432], or [2228] even [2532] as [5613] this [3778] publican [5057].
14 And [1161] the Pharisees [5330] also [2532], who were [5225] covetous [5366], heard [191] all [3956] these things [5023]: and [2532] they derided [1592] him [846].
8 And Ephraim [0669] said [0559], Yet I am become rich [06238], I have found me out [04672] substance [0202]: in all my labours [03018] they shall find [04672] none iniquity [05771] in me that were sin [02399].
19 And it come to pass, when he heareth [08085] the words [01697] of this curse [0423], that he bless [01288] himself in his heart [03824], saying [0559], I shall have peace [07965], though [03588] I walk [03212] in the imagination [08307] of mine heart [03820], to add [05595] drunkenness [07302] to thirst [06771]:
50 Nor [3761] consider [1260] that [3754] it is expedient [4851] for us [2254], that [2443] one [1520] man [444] should die [599] for [5228] the people [2992], and [2532] that the whole [3650] nation [1484] perish [622] not [3361].
48 If [1437] we let [863] him [846] thus [3779] alone [863], all [3956] men will believe [4100] on [1519] him [846]: and [2532] the Romans [4514] shall come [2064] and [2532] take away [142] both [2532] our [2257] place [5117] and [2532] nation [1484].
12 And I said [0559] unto them, If ye think [05869] good [02896], give [03051] me my price [07939]; and if not, forbear [02308]. So they weighed [08254] for my price [07939] thirty [07970] pieces of silver [03701].
7 All that found [04672] them have devoured [0398] them: and their adversaries [06862] said [0559], We offend [0816] not, because they have sinned [02398] against the LORD [03068], the habitation [05116] of justice [06664], even the LORD [03068], the hope [04723] of their fathers [01].
29 For [1063] I [1473] know [1492] this [5124], that [3754] after [3326] my [3450] departing [867] shall grievous [926] wolves [3074] enter in [1525] among [1519] you [5209], not [3361] sparing [5339] the flock [4168].
30 Also [2532] of [1537] your [5216] own selves [846] shall [450] men [435] arise [450], speaking [2980] perverse things [1294], to draw away [645] disciples [3101] after [3694] them [846].
4 The diseased [02470] have ye not strengthened [02388], neither have ye healed [07495] that which was sick [02470], neither have ye bound up [02280] that which was broken [07665], neither have ye brought again [07725] that which was driven away [05080], neither have ye sought [01245] that which was lost [06]; but with force [02394] and with cruelty [06531] have ye ruled [07287] them.
10 And am I now come up [05927] without [01107] the LORD [03068] against this land [0776] to destroy [07843] it? the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Go up [05927] against this land [0776], and destroy [07843] it.
18 Then lifted I up [05375] mine eyes [05869], and saw [07200], and behold four [0702] horns [07161].
6 I was wroth [07107] with my people [05971], I have polluted [02490] mine inheritance [05159], and given [05414] them into thine hand [03027]: thou didst shew [07760] them no mercy [07356]; upon the ancient [02205] hast thou very [03966] heavily [03513] laid thy yoke [05923].
11 Then shall his mind [07307] change [02498], and he shall pass over [05674], and offend [0816], imputing this [02098] his power [03581] unto his god [0433].
7 Howbeit he meaneth [01819] not so, neither doth his heart [03824] think [02803] so; but it is in his heart [03824] to destroy [08045] and cut off [03772] nations [01471] not a few [04592].
10 And say [0559] unto them, Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], the God [0430] of Israel [03478]; Behold, I will send [07971] and take [03947] Nebuchadrezzar [05019] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], my servant [05650], and will set [07760] his throne [03678] upon [04605] these stones [068] that I have hid [02934]; and he shall spread [05186] his royal pavilion [08237] over them.
6 And now have I given [05414] all these lands [0776] into the hand [03027] of Nebuchadnezzar [05019] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], my servant [05650]; and the beasts [02416] of the field [07704] have I given [05414] him also to serve [05647] him.
9 Behold, I will send [07971] and take [03947] all the families [04940] of the north [06828], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], and Nebuchadrezzar [05019] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], my servant [05650], and will bring [0935] them against this land [0776], and against the inhabitants [03427] thereof, and against all these nations [01471] round about [05439], and will utterly destroy [02763] them, and make [07760] them an astonishment [08047], and an hissing [08322], and perpetual [05769] desolations [02723].
6 My people [05971] hath been lost [06] sheep [06629]: their shepherds [07462] have caused them to go astray [08582], they have turned them away [07725] [07726] on the mountains [02022]: they have gone [01980] from mountain [02022] to hill [01389], they have forgotten [07911] their restingplace [07258].
7 All that found [04672] them have devoured [0398] them: and their adversaries [06862] said [0559], We offend [0816] not, because they have sinned [02398] against the LORD [03068], the habitation [05116] of justice [06664], even the LORD [03068], the hope [04723] of their fathers [01].
3 Israel [03478] was holiness [06944] unto the LORD [03068], and the firstfruits [07225] of his increase [08393]: all that devour [0398] him shall offend [0816]; evil [07451] shall come [0935] upon them, saith [05002] the LORD [03068].