Read & explore together
Thirty Pieces of Silver
Zechariah 11:10–17 uses shepherd imagery, two staffs and a payment of silver to show broken relationships, a striking valuation, and the judgement of a worthless shepherd. The passage reads as prophecy and teaching through symbolic actions and direct words from Yahweh.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
In these verses, the speaker performs a series of signs. One staff is cut apart to break a covenant with all the peoples, wages are weighed out as thirty pieces of silver, that money is thrown to the potter in Yahweh’s house, and a second staff is cut apart to break brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Then a foolish shepherd is described and judged.
Zechariah 11:10–17Main takeaway
This passage teaches that Yahweh exposes false valuation and pronounces woe on a shepherd who fails and harms the flock.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The first staff is cut apartThe staff named Favor is cut apart as a sign that a covenant with all the peoples is being broken.
Explanation
The staff named Favor is cut apart as a sign that a covenant with all the peoples is being broken. Verse 11 adds that the poor of the flock, those who listened, recognised this as Yahweh’s word. The passage highlights both the sign itself and the response of listeners who understood its meaning.
02Thirty pieces of silverThe speaker asks for wages only if the people think it best. They weigh out thirty pieces of silver.
Explanation
The speaker asks for wages only if the people think it best. They weigh out thirty pieces of silver. Yahweh then tells him to throw it to the potter, calling it the price at which he was valued by them. The money is thrown to the potter in Yahweh’s house, making their valuation part of the prophetic sign.
03The second staff breaks brotherhoodThe second staff is named Union. When it is cut apart, the sign points to the breaking of brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Explanation
The second staff is named Union. When it is cut apart, the sign points to the breaking of brotherhood between Judah and Israel. The two staffs together show two kinds of rupture in the passage: one concerns covenant with the peoples, and the other concerns unity between Judah and Israel.
04A foolish and worthless shepherdYahweh next commands the taking up of the equipment of a foolish shepherd. This shepherd does the opposite of proper care: he does not visit, seek, heal or feed, but instead consumes the flock.
Explanation
Yahweh next commands the taking up of the equipment of a foolish shepherd. This shepherd does the opposite of proper care: he does not visit, seek, heal or feed, but instead consumes the flock. The passage ends with a woe against the worthless shepherd and a judgement on his arm and right eye.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What do the names of the two staffs help us notice in this passage?
Look at what happens after Favor is cut apart and after Union is cut apart, and connect each name with the relationship that is broken.
02Why is the payment of thirty pieces of silver important in these verses?
Notice both the amount that was weighed out and Yahweh’s words about how the speaker was valued by them.
03How does the passage describe a foolish or worthless shepherd?
List the caring actions this shepherd fails to do, then compare them with the harm he causes to the flock.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Zechariah 11:10–17
10I took my staff Favor and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples.
11It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was Yahweh’s word.
12I 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.
13Yahweh 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.
14Then I cut apart my other staff, Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15Yahweh said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
16For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the meat of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.
17Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will strike his arm and his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”