Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, May 1st, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Zechariah 11:14

Then I cut the stick named Union into two pieces. I did this to show that the union between Judah and Israel had been broken.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Fraternity;   Israel;   Staves (Long Poles);   Symbols and Similitudes;   Scofield Reference Index - Parables;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Rod;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abomination of Desolation;   Zechariah, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Covenant;   Zechariah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Apocalyptic Literature;   Ekron;   Micah, Book of;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Brotherly Love;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Bands;   Staff;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Asunder;   Band;   Beauty and Bands;   Brotherhood;   Judas Iscariot;   Zechariah, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Brother;   Joseph ben Gorion;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then I cut in two my second staff, Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Hebrew Names Version
Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Yehudah and Yisra'el.
King James Version (1611)
Then I cut asunder mine other staffe, euen Bands, that I might break the brotherhood betweene Iudah and Israel.
King James Version
Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
English Standard Version
Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
New American Standard Bible
Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
New Century Version
Then I broke the second stick, named Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Amplified Bible
Then I broke my second staff, Union, into pieces to break the brotherhood between Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and Israel (the Northern Kingdom).
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then brake I mine other staffe, euen the Bandes, that I might dissolue the brotherhood betweene Iudah and Israel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
Then I cut in pieces my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Contemporary English Version
Then I broke the stick named "Unity" and canceled the ties between Judah and Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then I snapped in two my other staff Hovalim [bound together], in order to break up the brotherhood between Y'hudah and Isra'el.
Darby Translation
And I cut asunder mine other staff, Bands, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
George Lamsa Translation
Then I broke my other staff, even Measuring-line, that I might nullify the agreements between Judah and Israel.
Good News Translation
Then I broke the second stick, the one called "Unity," and the unity of Judah and Israel was shattered.
Lexham English Bible
Then I broke my second staff Unity to break the family ties between Judah and Israel.
Literal Translation
Then I broke apart My second staff Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
American Standard Version
Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Bible in Basic English
Then I took my other rod, the one named Bands, cutting it in two, so that the relation of brothers between Judah and Israel might be broken.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Binders, that the brotherhood between Judah and Israel might be broken.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then broke I my other staffe also [namely] Bandes, that I might loose the brotherhood betwixt Iuda and Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I cast away my second rod, even Line, that I might break the possession between Juda and Israel.
English Revised Version
Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
World English Bible
Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y kittide doun my secunde yerde, that was clepide Litil Corde, that Y schulde departe the brotherhed bitwixe Juda and Israel.
Update Bible Version
Then I cut apart my other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then I cut asunder my other staff, [even] Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
New English Translation
Then I cut the second staff "Binders" in two in order to annul the covenant of brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
New King James Version
Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
New Living Translation
Then I took my other staff, Union, and cut it in two, showing that the bond of unity between Judah and Israel was broken.
New Life Bible
Then I cut my second walking stick, Agreement, in pieces, to break the agreement between Judah and Israel.
New Revised Standard
Then I broke my second staff Unity, annulling the family ties between Judah and Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then cut I in two my second staff, even Union, - that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I cut off my second rod that was called a Cord, that I might break the brotherhood between Juda and Israel.
Revised Standard Version
Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
And I cut asunder my second staff, Bands, to break the unity between Judah and Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then brake I my other staff also (namely wo) that I might lowse the brotherheade betwixte Iuda and Israel.
THE MESSAGE
Then I broke the other staff, Harmony, across my knee, breaking the concord between Judah and Israel.

Contextual Overview

4 The Lord my God says, "Care for the sheep that have been raised to be killed. 5 Buyers kill their sheep and are not punished. Those who sell the sheep say, ‘Praise the Lord , I am rich!' The shepherds don't feel sorry for their sheep. 6 And I don't feel sorry for the people who live in this country." This is what the Lord said: "Look, I will let everyone be under the control of their neighbor and king. I will let them destroy the country—I will not stop them!" 7 So I took care of the sheep that had been raised to be killed—those poor sheep. I found two sticks. I called one stick Favor, and I called the other stick Union. Then I began caring for the sheep. 8 I fired the three shepherds all in one month. I got angry at the sheep, and they began to hate me. 9 Then I said, "I quit! I will not take care of you! I will let those who want to die, die. I will let those who want to be destroyed, be destroyed, and those who are left will destroy each other." 10 Then I took the stick named Favor, and I broke it. I did this to show that God's agreement with his people was broken. 11 So that day the agreement was finished, and those poor sheep watching me knew that this message was from the Lord . 12 Then I said, "If you want to pay me, pay me. If not, don't!" So they paid me 30 pieces of silver. 13 Then the Lord told me, "So that's how much they think I'm worth. Throw that large amount of money into the Temple treasury." So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them into the treasury at the Lord 's Temple.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I cut: Zechariah 11:9, Isaiah 9:21, Isaiah 11:13, Ezekiel 37:16-20, Matthew 24:10, Acts 23:7-10, Galatians 5:15, James 3:14, James 3:16, James 4:1-3

Bands: or, Binders, Zechariah 11:7

Reciprocal: Exodus 32:19 - brake them Psalms 23:4 - thy rod Zechariah 11:6 - deliver Mark 3:24 - General Luke 12:51 - General 1 Peter 2:17 - Love

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then I cut asunder mine other staff, [even] Bands,.... By which is meant, either the removal of the form of civil government from the Jews; or the abrogation of the Mosaic law, and the carnal ordinances of the Jews, in which judaizing Christians joined them, until the destruction of Jerusalem; or rather the ordinances of the Gospel, which, upon taking that away, ceased:

that l might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel; the Gospel and Gospel ordinances being removed from the Jews, there was no more work of conversion among them; their church state came to nothing, and an entire disagreement between them and the Gentiles ensued: and so it is when God takes away his word and ordinances from a people, they are unchurched and their brotherhood is broken, those being the bands which keep them together; and therefore, when loosed, their unity and society cease. There seems to be an allusion to the case of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and of the ten tribes; the former are often signified by Judah only; and the latter by Israel or Ephraim: the division between them was made in the times of Rehoboam, which continued unto their respective captivities; after the Jews' return from the Babylonish captivity, there was some show of an union between them; some of the ten tribes returning with the Jews, and coalescing in one state; and moreover, at their certain stated feasts, they came from different parts of the world, and joined together in religious service; see Acts 2:1 but, upon the dissolution of their civil and church state, this friendly correspondence was broken off, and their communion with each other ceased: and as for the Jews, after the Christians were called out from among them at Jerusalem, and removed to Pella, they fell into internal divisions and quarrels among themselves, which lasted during the siege of that city; and when it was taken and destroyed, their brotherhood and union among themselves were broken to such a degree, that they were scattered one from another; and now know not of what kingdom and tribe they are, whether of Judah or Israel, or of what tribe in either.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I cut asunder mine other staff, Bands, to dissolve the brotherhood between Judah and Israel - Hitherto prophecy had spoken of the healing of the great breach between Israel and Judah, in Christ. “The Lord,” Isaiah said, “shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim” Isaiah 11:12-13; and Hosea, “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and shall appoint themselves one Head” Hosea 1:11; and Jeremiah, “In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel.” Jeremiah 3:18. And Ezekiel, in the midst of the captivity, in a symbolic action the counterpart of this, is bidden, “Take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his companions, and join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become one in thy hand” Ezekiel 37:16-17; and, when asked the meaning of this act, he was to say, “Thus saith the Lord God, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and will make them one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand” Ezekiel 37:19.

And dropping the symbol; “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the pagan, whither they be gone - and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel: and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all - I will cleanse them, and they shall be My people and I will be their God, and David My servant shall be king over them, and they all shall have one Shepherd” Ezekiel 37:21-24. Such should be the unity of those who would be gathered under the One Shepherd. And so it was, “The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul” Acts 4:32; and long afterward it was a proverb among the pagan, o, “See how these Christians love one another.” Zechariah is here speaking of those who had rejected the Good Shepherd, the Israel and Judah after the flesh, who shut themselves out from the promises of God. This had its first fulfillment in the terrible dissolution of every band of “brotherhood” and of our common nature, which made the siege of Jerusalem a proverb for horror, and precipitated its destruction. o “Having thus separated the believing from the unbelieving, He bared the rest of His care. And what we now see bears witness to the prophecy. For the Jews, being deprived, of prophets and priests and kings and temple and ark and altar and mercy-seat and candlestick and table and the rest, through which the legal worship was performed, have come to be deprived also of the guardianship from above; and, scattered, exiled, removed, serve against their will those who preach Christ: denying Him as Lord, they yield service to His servants. The prophet having foretold these things of Christ, our God and Saviour, and reproved the obstinacy of the Jews, naturally turns his prophecy straight to the God-opposed christ whom they expect, as they say. So said the Lord in the holy Gospels to them, “I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not; another will come in his own name, and him ye will receive” John 5:43. This the blessed Paul also prophesied of them, “Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. The like does the blessed Zechariah prophesy, having received the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zechariah 11:14. That I might break the brotherhood — I cannot, says Newcome, explain this passage, without supposing that the kingdom of Israel subsisted when the prophet wrote it; and that either the wars between Judah and Israel are referred to, (see 2 Kings 16:5,) or the captivity of the ten tribes, when the brotherly connection between these kingdoms ceased.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile