Zechariah 11:12 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The shepherd asks for his wages if they see fit, and they weigh out thirty pieces of silver.
What Does Zechariah 11:12 Mean?
The shepherd asks the flock to value his service: pay his wages if they think it good, or withhold them. Their answer is to weigh out thirty pieces of silver. Under the law this was the price of a slave gored by an ox, a deliberately insulting sum for the labor of God's shepherd.
The amount measures how little they prize the care they have received. The New Testament reveals the fullness of this scene, for thirty pieces of silver were the price paid to betray Jesus. The verse therefore reaches forward to the Shepherd of all, valued by men at a slave's wage, and it asks each reader what worth they truly give to Him.
Zechariah 11:12 in the Original Language
keseph (כֶּסֶף), 'silver' -- silver weighed out as money, here a slave's contemptible price.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 11:12
What does Zechariah 11:12 mean?
The shepherd asks for his wages if they see fit, and they weigh out thirty pieces of silver.