Zechariah 13:5 Meaning and Explanation
“But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The exposed false prophet disowns his former claim, insisting he is only a farmer who has worked the land since childhood.
What Does Zechariah 13:5 Mean?
Caught and ashamed, the man who once posed as a prophet now hurries to deny it. He claims an ordinary trade, a tiller of the ground who has tended livestock since his youth. The very calling he once boasted of he now scrambles to renounce, eager to be thought common rather than condemned.
There is a sober honesty God values more than impressive titles. The farmer's plain work was never the problem; the false claim of speaking for God was. Better to be a faithful keeper of cattle than a deceiver in a prophet's robe. The verse reminds us that humble, truthful labor is no shame, while a borrowed holiness is. God honors the heart that tells the truth about itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 13:5
What does Zechariah 13:5 mean?
The exposed false prophet disowns his former claim, insisting he is only a farmer who has worked the land since childhood.