SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:4
¶ Así dijo el SEÑOR mi Dios: Apacienta las ovejas de la matanza;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Zechariah 11:4
Verse 4. Feed the flock of the slaughter] This people resemble a flock of sheep fattened for the shambles; feed, instruct, this people who are about to be slaughtered.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. Thus saith the Lord my God , etc.] The Syriac version adds, “to me”; not the Prophet Zechariah, but the Messiah, who calls the Lord his God, as he was man and Mediator, ( John 20:17) for what follow are the words of God the Father to him, calling upon him, and giving him a commission to Feed the flock of the slaughter ; meaning the people of the Jews in general, to whom Christ was sent as a prophet, to teach and instruct them by the ministry of the word; so “feeding” is interpreted of prophesying, by the Targum and Jarchi: and these are called “the flock of slaughter”, because of the cruel usage they met with from their shepherds and owners, mentioned in the next verse ( Zechariah 11:5); and because they were appointed and given up to ruin and destruction of God, on account of their sins and transgressions; though there was a remnant among them, a little flock, afterwards in this chapter called the poor of the flock ( Zechariah 11:7), who were the special care of Christ, and were fed by him in a spiritual manner; and may go by this name, because exposed to the cruelties of men, and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, ( Romans 8:36) these Christ was called upon by his Father in the council of peace to take care of, which he did; and in the everlasting covenant of grace he agreed to feed them; and in the fulness of time he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who were as sheep without a shepherd; and he fed them with knowledge and with understanding.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-14 - Christ came into this world for judgment to the Jewish church an nation, which were wretchedly corrupt and degenerate. Those have their minds wofully blinded, who do ill, and justify themselves in it; but God will not hold those guiltless who hold themselves so. How can we go to God to beg a blessing on unlawful methods of getting wealth, or to return thanks for success in them? There was a general decay of religion among them, and they regarded it not. The Good Shepherd woul feed his flock, but his attention would chiefly be directed to the poor. As an emblem, the prophet seems to have taken two staves; Beauty denoted the privileges of the Jewish nation, in their nationa covenant; the other he called Bands, denoting the harmony whic hitherto united them as the flock of God. But they chose to cleave to false teachers. The carnal mind and the friendship of the world ar enmity to God; and God hates all the workers of iniquity: it is easy to foresee what this will end in. The prophet demanded wages, or a reward and received thirty pieces of silver. By Divine direction he cast it to the potter, as in disdain for the smallness of the sum. This shadowe forth the bargain of Judas to betray Christ, and the final method of applying it. Nothing ruins a people so certainly, as weakening the brotherhood among them. This follows the dissolving of the covenan between God and them: when sin abounds, love waxes cold, and civi contests follow. No wonder if those fall out among themselves, who have provoked God to fall out with them. Wilful contempt of Christ is the great cause of men's ruin. And if professors rightly valued Christ they would not contend about little matters.
Original Hebrew
כה 3541 אמר 559 יהוה 3068 אלהי 430 רעה 7462 את 853 צאן 6629 ההרגה׃ 2028
